From debt to freedom...

crazy_cat_lady

So sorry to read that the news with the mortgage hasn't been more positive... what a shame. Wish I had some wise or comforting words for you - but I definitely don't blame you buying a chocolate bar. It's so difficult when you feel as though you're getting somewhere and something knocks you back like that.

Cherryfudge

I'm sorry to hear of the setback with the mortgage and the difficulty of getting a decent rate for paying off the windows. I'm sure that as the dust settles, though, you'll find a way forward.
Are you still doing plant sales? I'm wondering if you're in a position to add baking sales to them? It might not raise huge amounts but you only have to mention chocolate cherry brownies to make me feel the need of them. I don't know at what stage you have to have a food hygiene qualification but baking for friends on an informal basis might not require it.
Well done for the progress on the garden, by the way. It's probably too wet to do any today so it's nice that you can enjoy the fruits of your labours. Did you leave the self-seeded pansies in the cracks between the stones? I would probably have felt sorry for them and gone for a rustic look.

Buffythedebtslayer

Can you tutor?

Can you dog walk?

Babysit? ( I have thought about this a lot - with a company)

Definitely sell plants and everything else!

Sorry, I find it all so frustrating that we do a professional job and yet some how it isn't enough to pay for stuff. And we have to do more.

I am very !!!!ed off about the mortgage and the loan. hmmmm.

No chance of 0% cc? I am guessing you would have already looked but I forgot the last time I got a loan.

Are there other lenders to try? When I had my "own property in the North" fantasy people fell over themselves with trying to sell me a mortgage. I hadn't heard of any of them mind.... or does this company look at loads of them for you?

I wish I had your enthusiasm for the garden. Mine is still more jungle then anything else.

XX

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Kitten868, CCL, Cherryfudge & Buffy. Today I have swung between moments of overwhelming anxiety about everything to more robust moments of thinking it will take longer but I'm still working on being debt free asap. My solicitor is away at the moment so will await any advice or suggestions from them on their return.

Kitten - I explained to the advisor about the number of dependants and had to give the ages of each one. Although DD1 is at university, she apparently counts as a financial dependant, even though she has her student loan to live off and has a job both here in the holidays and at uni during term time. DD2 is still in further education so still counts as does DS1 because I don't know whether he intends to return to further education or not.
There is just over £155k on the mortgage which is just over half of the house value. On paper, if we sold and cleared the mortgage and split the equity it looks like a healthy deposit for elsewhere but I live in a part of the country that has a large number of second homes and holiday homes so prices are high, which means a sizeable mortgage would be needed to get even a 3 bed modest new build.
I will investigate Nationwide and Halifax, thank you.

Cherryfudge - yes I definitely left the pansies growing in the cracks;). Such determination to live and bloom has be reprieved! I think I will try again with selling plants, I do enjoy growing flowers, veg and herbs. I'm sure there is scope for more if I used the allotment more. It all boils down to time, particularly in term time. I think it's getting a balance too between selling well known varieties which supermarkets sell lots of and cheaply and selling the more unusual varieties, without spending a small fortune on seeds. You made me smile as I often daydream about having a food trailer that could be a pop up afternoon tea place. I could sell cakes, cut flowers and brew tea...dreams !

Buffy - thank you for the ideas. I have done a little tutoring in the past but has taken place when people have approached me rather than me pursuing it. I like the idea of dog walking and babysitting. Any extra income had to be able to fit in with the care of my lot, in particular my younger ones, but food for thought, thank you.

I did get cracking on the PPI claim today and used Resolver to raise a complaint. A benefit of being somewhat of a hoarder is that I found about 3 years worth of statements clearly showing that I'd paid for PPI. I added the amounts up and was truly shocked that I'd spent over £500 :eek:. I hope that the results are positive.

The weather has been odd, one minute heavy rain and the next has been looking quite positive but by the time boots have been put on, it's back to rain. I do feel sorry for those camping in the vicinity. I noticed that one campsite locally was quite empty after being jam packed last Saturday. I'm glad I got the lawn cut yesterday before the downpours took place.

I've looked at EBay again tonight, with a view to selling any bits and pieces. I did use £7 of the PayPal balance to buy the pyracantha plant I'd been wanting to get. I had set aside a budget for a plant this month, but I can now use that as a small debt repayment:). I thought that having not used EBay for a while, a purchase might be helpful in raising my low scores.

savingholmes

Hope things turnaround for you. On the ppi - if they agree it was mis-sold they have to refund with 8% per year simple interest

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Saving Holmes...the PPI dates back to 2003-2006 so am hoping that it will still be accepted, although I can send them the statements if need be, to prove it was paid .

Saturday seemed to be a taxiing day or accompanying DS1 for driving practice. He has passed his theory and is starting "official" lessons next week. I've been out with him fairly regularly for the last few months but I don't know the test routes so am hoping it won't be too many lessons before he can take his test.

The ex came round to see the children but unfortunately after a couple of hours my stomach was starting to churn with stress, so I left early to collect DD1 from work and took advantage of a walk across the beach. The wind was fresh to say the least. I love days like that, really blows the cobwebs away! I had a good long stroll almost round to the next bay. When I look at the colours of the cliff, the sparkly blue of the sea, the wise expanse of the sky and the contrasting yellows of the dry and damp sand, I am truly grateful for my sight . The walk cleared my mind and I had a good couple of hours with DD1:) .

I made a start on preparing for the new school year and picked up new polo shirts for the youngest DD and a new bag for DD4. I've ordered new uniform bits for DD2, the cost of which has left my account but the actual items will do direct to her college. I do need to sort out her bus pass for the new academic year.

I've been tracking spending both in the app I use and in notebook form, so that I know where every penny is going but also so that within my budget ( on paper) I can see how much is left in each budgeting category . I've also made sure I've allocated an amount for entertainment during the holidays. I usually end up squeezing out of the food budget which is daft so hopefully having allocated it, it will mean I can do one day out a week, where we can have an ice-cream or pay to get in somewhere, although I will make sure we use our NT membership as much as possible.

Honeysucklelou2

One thing I do need to sort out is the mobile phone insurance. DS2's phone doesn't work, so I rang the given number to see what could be done. I pay £15.75 a month in phone insurance ( covers 4 phones) and then realised that 2 of the older ones had chosen to buy themselves a different handset and just moved the SIM card across so the insurance wouldn't be valid on those anyway. I didn't realise that with mobile phone insurance you have to pay an excess so when I did put in a claim for DS2's phone I had to pay £20. When I added it all up I realised that over the last year I've paid £189 in premiums plus £20 excess making £209. Yes I will get a new phone for DS2 but not worth £209, more like £80 max. I don't think it's worth continuing with the insurance in the future. It seems a lot to spend insuring phones, especially the 2 that aren't even used.

Cherryfudge

Any chance you could be paying PPI on the phone insurance?

Great that you are likely to get a payment for the claim you've just made!

If you set up to sell tea and cake, let me know, I'll be first in the queue (well, maybe not as it will take me a while to get down there, you'll have to set aside a slice and a cuppa for me).

Busy_Mee1

Getting rid of the phone insurance sounds sensible and if you divert the monthly payment into your emergency fund, you will be able to sort any problems yourself. I have reviewed all our insurances and zapped quite a few on this basis.

With regard to the mortgage do you have anyone that could act as guarantor for your mortgage or take out the mortgage jointly with you ( parents maybe ?)

I also think you do need to have a good conversation with your solicitor. It seems to me that your ex has contributed very little to the household and does little to support his children financially and yet is seemingly going to get half of the equity in the house and half your pension, and is very cagey about his own finances and even where he is living. Seems very unfair to me. I know other families where following divorce the Mother has been allowed to stay in the family home until the youngest child is 18 and it is only at that point that she had to pay her ex his half of the equity.

Please do get the PPI claim in as the deadline is looming and a windfall would really help you get those windows paid off.

And finally I just wanted to say how much I enjoy reading you diary, your descriptions of where you live and your love of nature is really lovely.

savingholmes

I do hope BusyMee is right and you can avoid giving ex as much. I hear of too many people who get divorced who give loads to their ex just to get rid of the problem and regret it later. Good legal advice can be really worth it.