Project Mortgage Neutral Begins

ajmoney

I have renewed my $ky account this morning for another 18 months.  I have finally ditched the home phone, it was £5 a month and I don't remember when I last used it.  I will unplug it today.  It is potentially all still an extravagance as I am watching less tv than ever and often not much on their channels but I wasn't willing to give it up yet.  I will give it a serious thought next time though.  Next on my list is my mobile contract, doubtful that I am staying with my current provider as the reception in my home isn't great.  I have found a couple of comanies that seem to be better and offer more data in the deal, I am likely to need this now work is returning to normal.  Who knows, in a few years I might be able to just use my mobile as my internet at home but that is a step too far for me at the moment.

All my other bills are as low as I can get them for now.  I am constantly reviewing where my money is going, need to have a look at the money into savings (cash & S&S ISAs) and my OPs as a smaller account I was topping up has now reached the right amount.

ajmoney

Banking done for the morning, I have increased the amount going into my cash ISA by £100 not it is not needed for my smaller account.  I am trying to build my cash ISA up to £10k and would be likely to achieve it by the end of the year but I need to buy a new bed soon and will be using money from this account. 

The screws that hold the wooden frame together no longer seem to be doing their job, I found this out when I tried to move my bed to vacuum, when I pushed it back to the wall the top of the frame moved but the bottom didn't.  A new bed will create a bit more spacein my bedroom which is definitely needed and the mattress is very old.  Might go window shopping for one today.

I suspect I might also need to review the amount I budget for fuel, last month exceeded it thanks to the rising costs!!!

ajmoney

Just looked at my £co account for the first time in ages to find I had £36.48 available...not any more, it is now on its way to my account

ajmoney

I am part way through my first of two weeks off.  I have been busy submitting an assignment for the first part of the week, I need to continue studying as I have two exams over the next couple of months but I feel a bit lost and don't know what to do with myself.  It has been quite a while since I have felt like this on leave and strange, as I was really looking forward to it.  Maybe it is because I don't have any firm plans for the rest of the time off.  To save my sanity and find some productivity, I think I am going to have to plan something for each day, even if it is very small.  I don't want to feel like I have frittered away my time off as I will be quite busy when I go back to work.

ajmoney

Decided I need to do a bit of a declutter.  I have stuff that I don't use but for some reason I am not finding it easy to part with anything, even though I like the idea of the space it will give me.  No idea how to get around this, I am not generally a hoarder! 

ajmoney

Not so productive on the decluttering front but it has been successful otherwise.  I forced myself to go food shopping ( it is not my favourite past time), spent nearly an hour tidying in the garden and have vacuumed and wiped inside my car.  I have also been doing a little studying for some exams.  The best bit of the day... because of the warmth outside and therefore my living room which was facing the sun, I opened the windows to get some fresh air for the first time this year.  It might be a simple thing but it definitely makes me happy.

I have just been spending some time making my own gardening calendar after spending time out there this morning, I often get crippled because I feel I don't know what to do.  Last year I mostly seemed to prune successfully although I mis-judged the timing of my fruit trees and they didn't fruit.  I now have a page per month with roughly when I think I need to prune and will adjust if I change when this is.  I felt a little more confident not doing something this morning so slowly I am reading what the plants are doing.  I also have sections for things that I would like to see in my garden, when they should be planted and when I might expect to see flowers.  This is maybve more important as I often see things in other people's gardens and think it would look good in mine but then I forget to look at when they should be planted.  Hopefully this will help me get way from that, especially as I can access the document on my phone.

Maybe if the weather continues to be kind I will get the grass cut tomorrow...

ajmoney

Car insurance renewal quote was £367.88

Renewed for £345.92

Cashback £24.75

I believe I may also be getting some vouchers

I wish there was still the swirly Martin face as it is definitely deserved here

ajmoney

I have clearly been away from my thread for a while although have been popping in to the forum.  Work has been fairly busy.

I am going to do my own financial review over the next couple of days.  With fuel and food costs going up my current plan for savings is going to need to change as I am only having to raid them again to get by.  I hate not sticking to a plan but I realise how adaptable it is going to have to be over the next couple of years if things stay as they are.  I am in a fortunate position that I am able to save in the first place and it is not like I won't still be putting something away.

ajmoney

I am ajmoney and I have a confession... I am a hoarder or empty cardboard boxes!!!! Seriously, I need to sort out my spare room and if I could have the motivation to throw these away it would really help

ajmoney

Spare room sorting has commenced.  I am stuck on the cardboard boxes (maybe I really am a hoarder) so have set those aside and focused on other things.  10 minutes done today and I have made a big difference already.  I have most of Monday free from work so will stick the radio on and do some more then.

Money related, I have calculated how much money I need to release from my S&S ISA ready to pay for my new windows that will be installed in 3 weeks time.  I am contemplating taking a little extra so I can get a new bed and mattress but I have no idea what I will be paying so will try and do some research.  I don't like spending my savings but I they are purchases that are needed and/or will add value.