Project Mortgage Neutral Begins

juliejim

Sorry to hear about your Nan. Hope seeing Mr AJM tonight will help and also writing it down. 
Always happy to chat
Hugs
Jue

savingholmes

Hope you find a way forward that works for you. I don't tend to share deep stuff with my family - I would rather pay a therapist or journal.

ajmoney

Finally 11 days after my nan's passing we have a date for the funeral...in 15 days time I understand the relevant people are probably busy but I also find in quite disrespectful to the memory of my nan.  The bonus is I can make the funeral now it is so late although travelling is going to be tiring however I manage to do it.

A_Frayed_Knot

Good news you now have a date, and can manage, although, shame it is a long time away.

Humdinger1

AJ,
Have been reading your diary with ever-increasing fascination; what a journey and congrats on all your progress! So sorry to hear of your bereavement.   If it's any consolation, and I hope this isn't too blunt,   both crematoria and churchyards tend to have long lead times in this part of the year, as there are more funerals than in warmer weather, and they can't keep up.  It's so painful for loved ones.  This isn't to dismiss your instincts re other family members,  which I'm sure are spot-on.  Keep us posted and add a feather to your cap on all your achievements.   Humdinger x

ajmoney

Humdinger1 said:

AJ,
Have been reading your diary with ever-increasing fascination; what a journey and congrats on all your progress! So sorry to hear of your bereavement.   If it's any consolation, and I hope this isn't too blunt,   both crematoria and churchyards tend to have long lead times in this part of the year, as there are more funerals than in warmer weather, and they can't keep up.  It's so painful for loved ones.  This isn't to dismiss your instincts re other family members,  which I'm sure are spot-on.  Keep us posted and add a feather to your cap on all your achievements.   Humdinger x

Well done on reading the whole thing, you deserve a medal.  I am not sure I could go back and read it, too much has happened and my life certainly is not where I expected it to be.

Electrical work is starting on the house today, hopefully he will finish today but if not he thinks he will be able to finish it tomorrow.  Unsure what I am going to do all day sitting in the house, especially as I don't know at what point the electrics might be off and my radio is my favourite companion.  I am going to try and make a list (not too ambitious as I have learned my lesson with that) and see what I can get done.

ajmoney

The bonus of staying in the house is I am making myself do all the things I have been putting off.  So far I have called 2 heating companies who are going to get back to me to arrange a time to come and give me some advice on my heating system.  I have also arranged my energy tariff change which is due at the end of March.  I was going to stay with my current supplier on a new deal as it wasn't much of a different saving but the customer services were so unhelpful this morning (telling me to do everything through u$witch rather than them directly and not being able to give me any tariff information) that when I found some other deals I have gone with those instead.  I did searches with u$witch and the energy club on here and have found one that should save me £20 a month!

Next on my list is sorting out hotels for the funeral in a couple of weeks and then working out how to sew these knitted teddies together as my friend had her baby this morning. 

savingholmes

Glad you have a date for the funeral.
A great saving on your utilities.
Good that you are looking after yourself and by extension your home more too.

ajmoney

I think I am going to bite the bullet and get some quotes for a gardener to finish the tidying up before everything starts growing. I wanted to do it all myself but I just don't have the time to catch up with the neglect it has had over the last couple of years. I think it will be cutting the shrubs back, pruning my fruit trees if it is not too late and tidying up a couple of the beds. I have no idea how much this might cost but hopefully it won't be crazy. 
I want to reassess my saving options, I have today off so will have a look what I can do later. 

ajmoney

Looking at my money it looks like 51% of my after tax pay goes on the essentials (bills, food and fuel) and 24% on savings.  For the savings I have only included my S&S ISA and the mortgage OP as the other savings accounts I have are towards holidays and Christmas so kind of essential/nice to haves.  Looking at this I guess that is not so bad which leaves 25% for other stuff.  I would still like to boost the amount I am saving but I am happy to sweep money left at the end of the month, that way I can leave savings in their accounts.  I will try and work towards 25% savings not including the mortgage OPs but this will be a longer term goal.

Checking my current account I had £96.50 left at the end of last month so I have transferred it across to my ISA.