Project Mortgage Neutral Begins

ajmoney

It has been an up and down kind of week, I guess one centred around mental health was always going to be draining.  I have shared my experiences and supported others in their journey on my own fb page.  10 days ago I joined a community that has given an open and supportive place to tell my story in a more full way, I have never wanted to say as much on my own feed but in this environment I have been able to release some of the burden I hold over myself. 

My focus for the week has been to push myself out of my comfort zone.  I have finally finished stripping the wallpaper in my living and dining room and replace the battery in my laptop; jobs I had been putting off that were really weighing me down.  I have reached out to someone from my instructor course who has some experience to help me with a couple of things at work, have received some coaching help to help me absorb more information from my psychology studies, made a medical appointment to try and help with an issue and, after 3 months of putting it off I have some counselling sessions starting in 2 weeks time.  I am unsure what to say when I get to the first one but hopefully the doctor's questions will help shape what happens in the sessions.  I suspect I may need to follow these up with some life coaching sessions depending on the direction they take but we shall see.

I have now had a week of my leave and have another left to go.  It has been a lonely time but I have specific things to do in the second week which should help.

Money wise, I am ticking along nicely.

ajmoney

Today I have taken the tentative steps as a blogger, I have thought about it on and off for ages now so thought I would give it a go.  It is a bit of an overspill from my journal, after the interaction with some of my posts recently I thought maybe people might like to hear what I have to say, I am not publicising it widely though.  One person has already said he would like to follow it after a chat yesterday and I am aware of a couple of others who might like to read but I don't want to be one of those people who annoys people sending requests all the time.  If it is found then great, if not then it will still serve as an outlet to me.

I have a slot at the tip later, I know how to live but it will allow me to clear things in the shed and garage that are starting to accumulate.  I have a week until I am back in work and I am trying to make the most of it with being productive while still enjoying the quiet before it gets busy again.

ajmoney

I have been away longer than I had realised!  Many things have been going on, money wise it is pretty much same, same!

Has anyone ever researched their family tree?  If so, how did you go about it?  I would quite like to do my own research but am a little clueless as to where to start.  All tips welcome.

ajmoney

I have a historian friend who gave me some advice yesterday, I now have managed to get most of the information for all my great great grandparents.

I have reviewed my savings goals this morning to see if I am likely to be on target at the end of the year. 

Build 6 months EF in easily available cash - I am currently going to be short by £151.75 but have surplus elsewhere so this is fine.

Build overall savings to £37.5k - I hit this in May and am just short of £40k at the moment

Reduce mortgage to £80k - I will be below by £680ish so will top up my EF.

I have booked myself a break in the UK so have started using my holiday fund again so this will need topping up again at some point, although I am not in a hurry to do this at the moment.  I will see what the total is when I get back but will likely refill in the new year.

I am currently on day 5 of a 10 day self-isolation due to being a close contact, I had a negative PCR so all is good.  I have been spending plenty of time in the garden pottering and getting jobs done that I wouldn't have if I had been at work.  I finish for 3 weeks leave at the end of my isolation so it is great that I am getting a lot of jobs done beforehand.

juliejim

Hi AJ

I haven't been around for a bit but well done on passing your course. How's the blog going? I would like to read it if you want me to.
Same old, same old here although I am now on school holidays so off work for a bit.

Jue

ajmoney

juliejim said:

Hi AJ

I haven't been around for a bit but well done on passing your course. How's the blog going? I would like to read it if you want me to.
Same old, same old here although I am now on school holidays so off work for a bit.

Jue

I will pm you the link.  Feel free to read it if you wish, it is a little up and down!!!

ajmoney

I thought I would come and check in.  I look at the threads I follow daily but haven't really felt that I had anything to update.

I am just back from a 10 day break, I am in a really good place and focusing on my financials for the first time in a very long time.  I have kept things ticking over but haven't really looked forward.  I put all my holiday spending on my credit card and am now looking to see if I can clear it without dipping in to any of my holiday savings.  Silly really as that is what the account is there for so I guess I will give it some thought...

ajmoney

This week seems to have been based on getting rid of things that no longer serve me.  It is not meant to sound heartless it has mostly been clothes, things around the house, the sorted charity bags that have been in my spare room since the first lockdown.  I did also close down the final joint accounts with my estranged husband yesterday.  Today I have a credit card to cancel and I need to review my ISA and tv/internet/phone package as I will be getting rid of the house phone that I don't use.

This morning I have been looking at options for lunches when I go back to work next week.  I have been trying loads of different recipes for my dinners and want to find things to compliment this.  Most of the ones I have found are vegetarian or vegan which I'm not but I have been trying to add a few of these dishes in.  A gamechanger for me this week has been adding fresh mint to the top of my salads, who knew!

ajmoney

Credit card cancelled, it was a little strange as it was all automated but I have been assured that the account has now been closed.  I can't login online anymore so that gives me confidence!

Watty1

just wandered in to see how you were doing.    It took you a while to close the joint account.  Good job though. We closed ours earlier this year and one remains £600 overdrawn (gasp).   The bank frustratingly locked me out of banking so I couldnt pay anyone until I reduced it.  They seemingly were not bothering Mr Watty.  am sure you managed yours better than that