A Journey of Many Pounds Starts With a Single Penny

LadyGnome

PurpleFairy26 wrote: »

I've just read you diary ladygnome I'm loving your spreadsheets and the way you split things. I love a spreadsheet and have loads of virtual accounts with savings in for all sorts but definitely taking inspiration from your splitting rather than focusing on one thing. We've just started on the MF journey ('hampered' by the desire for an extension) and have just up'd our game as we want options in the future too. We to have a BTL (not MF unfortunately) but it works for us. Looking forward to following your journey. PF.

Welcome and well done on ploughing through my diary so far. You will fit right in here if you love a spreadsheet: spreadsheet fiddling seems to be the main hobby of most MFW.:D

If it was just me and MrGnome and the mortgage was smaller then I would be fine with throwing everything at the mortgage and living very frugally. With 2 children that isn't a sustainable approach so I decided to accept a slower reduction of the mortgage with a bit more of a life. Strangely, as I have been more organised and splitting the money carefully, we have done more and yet paid down more of the mortgage than I was expecting. It just goes to show what a bit of focus does.

Best of luck with your MF journey.

LadyGnome

The payday money shuffle is done. Mr Gnome has done a great job and got the G&E supplier to put us on to a much better tariff backdated to Feb when the problems started. The tariff is comparable with the best we could find on uSw1tch and the backdating wipes out a potentially large bill that we would have had to pay if we switched. There maybe a bit to catch up from the old bill but its going to be a lot better than expected. I already have about £400 available to cover any shortfall but will pay with the Tesc0 interest free CC and stooze.

I am relieved that we have sent off all the info for our wills as we have children to think about.

Next job is to get the documents together to change the address on my Sh@re Centre account so I can set up a S&S Isa.

I've decided to stick to my £4pd pocket money for this month but allow myself an extra £30 off the prepaid card on top. The rest of the monthly top up will be saved for a laptop for school.

LadyGnome

NSD yesterday. Today was more spendy but that was due to getting a present for my neice rather than any extravagance.

I really need to get my S&S Isa sorted soon as it could be a good time to start drip feeding into the market - pound cost averaging and all that.

MSE yesterday as I cooked another batch of the rampant swiss chard (that is trying to take over the veg patch) and froze half. We are also freezing raspberries as we have a bit of a glut of them. I did use some of them to make raspberry sauce for the children's ice cream. They made eton mess ice cream - crushed meringue, raspberries, vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce. It was really good.

LadyGnome

Mortgage payment goes out today so I updated my sig yesterday with the balance last night before the payment goes out. I need to work out the new OP figure later. I am ahead of schedule in the first month of the 11 year plan to pay off the mortgage early. Start as you mean to go on.:T

Busy_Mee1

You are doing so well LG - that is a great mortgage reduction. I am very jealous of your glut of raspberries and impressed that you grow your own. I don't know how you find the time with 2 boys and a full-time job :T

LadyGnome

Hello Busy Mee
Maybe I escape to the garden when the 2 boys get too much;)


In fairness Mr Gnome is keen on growing veg too and he works from home so can do a bit when he wants. I should add that the guinea pigs help with mowing the lawn:D


Not much news. Just trying to keep the spending down and plod on.

edinburgher

Guinea pigs mow the lawn? Think our next door neighbours own a pet shop - might see if they want to free range their pigs and help us out :rotfl:

LadyGnome

edinburgher wrote: »

Guinea pigs mow the lawn? Think our next door neighbours own a pet shop - might see if they want to free range their pigs and help us out :rotfl:

Sounds great. One less job to do.

AlexLK

:rotfl: Forget the guinea pigs and buy some sheep if being able to mow the lawn is your first priority in a pet.

EatingTheElephant

Or a pony! I have one more left to sell :rotfl: