Project Mortgage Neutral Begins

savingholmes

Sorry you are unwell. Hope things Improve soon

ajmoney

ajmoney said:

I don't always do things for lent but this year I would like to do acts of positivity so I am going to do one fun thing each day and also write a note each day that I can reflect on at the end.  The notes might be the fun thing I did but what all those fun things might be...I haven't got a clue yet, one thing I do know is I would like them to be things on my own.  If others are with me then great but I don't often associate fun with solo events so I am hoping during this time I can change this mindset.  If anyone has any suggestions of fun I would be very grateful.

This starts today and I haven't given any thought to what these might be so I am off to try and come up with some ideas so I can make a start.  I guess fun is subjective so it is more about doing something enjoyable every day, there is too much monotony in lockdown as it is so I am hoping it will bring some light.

ajmoney

I need 46 things, I currently have 32!!! I guess it is making me sit down and do nothing other than come up with ideas, I know I don't need to have them all today but I know if I don't I won't be committed to the idea.  I might even put them on the fridge once the list is complete so I see it every morning and then I won't forget.  I will post it up in a little while.

ajmoney

Here it is so far, only two more to find... EDIT LIST COMPLETE

Do a random act of kindness COMPLETED ON 17/02/2021

Go for a picnic

Do an online escape room

Plan a holiday abroad

Watch an online performance (musical, opera etc)

Write a bucket list

Plan a day trip

Plan a UK road trip/holiday

Stargazing

Give Easter eggs to the children on my road

Bake Easter treats

Learn to make bread

Plant some seeds for salad

Play memory games

Get up early to watch the sunrise

Watch the sunset

Have a home spa evening

Make a need/want list

Make an exercise playlist

Learn a dance on y0utube just because

Learn about me/get to know me (I have some self awareness questions)

Order an afternoon tea

Have a day without social media

Make my own afternoon tea

Plan a walk

Make my own lockdown music recording

Online window shopping for a holiday wardrobe

Plan a staycation

Watch a film

Make my own pizza

Write a quiz/plan something fun for an online family night

Spend time bird watching

Do a jigsaw

Bake and decorate a cake (I have never decorated one before)

Learn to make chocolate truffles

Put together ideas for parents 70th birthdays

Make a tapas style meal

Make pancakes (seeing as I didn't have them on Shrove Tuesday and I am not giving up food)

Make soap (I bought a kit ages ago and haven;t used it)

Write a letter to someone

Learn something through an online tutorial

Make a list of life goals

Plan walking challenge

Have a cup of tea outside

Read a book in a day

Write a letter to my future self

bubblycrazy

Ah these are all lovely. Maybe read a book, listen to your favourite album, write a letter to your future self?

ajmoney

bubblycrazy said:

Ah these are all lovely. Maybe read a book, listen to your favourite album, write a letter to your future self?

I was thinking of read a book in a day (I have a novel in mind rather than the non fiction I have been reading lately) and I still haven't written a letter to myself that I had planned for last weekend so my list is now complete, thank you.

ajmoney

I have completed today's task.  It turns out today is Random Act of Kindness Day and seeing as that was on my list it made sense to do it today.

I put these in a sealed envelope and have left them on the doorstep of my next door neighbour for their toddler.  I would have put them through the letterbox but they have 3 pugs that would definitely start barking if I did that.  They haven't put their bins back in yet so I am hoping they will go back out but I will keep an eye out and if need be attempt the letterbox later.  I don't want them to know it is me as I think it is more heart-warming as a surprise and I don't even know if I could get back out of sight quick enough if I rang the door and ran away plus I don't want to wake their daughter up.  Oooh the dilemma, I really enjoyed doing it though.

edit - They went out in the car, just went out to have a look and the envelope has gone

savingholmes

A great list. 
Kind too.

ajmoney

Today's task has been ticked off early, I have planned a walk ready to do with a friend sometime soon.

Today marks 16 years since I moved into my first house and 9 years away from my original MF date.  My first mortgage was for £56k, I now have a balance of around £87k with 2 MF dates September 2039 and April 2040.  Worst case scenario I would like to clear my mortgage by the original date but if I can get closer to September 2027 I will be happy.  I am currently looking at August 2030 and November 2034 with my current OP schedule and not using any savings although I will be mortgage neutral in September 2027 which is exciting.  Each time I remortgage I am trying to reduce the term to help things along a little.

Jobs for today: I have a meeting this afternoon, would like to do some of my psychology work and read up on putting together a video project for work as I am not sure where to start. 

I am still not doing too much to make sure I am not pushing my body past where my energy levels are, I haven't eaten a proper evening meal for 4 days so until I get there I am being careful.

Suffolk_lass

Acts of kindness are so rewarding, for both parties. I used to pay forward a cup of coffee at the cabin near my office where I used to get my morning coffee. 

When you do the Easter Eggs, it is worth writing a note saying it is from someone in the road so the parents are not suspicious.

We make bread - it's really easy to get started (and the same dough can be used for pizza) - I can see you getting into this. The inherent making something is so satisfying and maybe an afternoon tea (buy some, make some) for your parents' 70th birthdays could combine several things with a bit of practice. My go to basic loaf recipe works well for manual kneading or using a dough hook. I posted it way-back-when in the grocery challenge if you want to try it (I adapted it from a Nigella recipe). At its most basic it is bread flour, salt, water and dried yeast with a bit of butter. Let me know if you want a link