Get a grip woman!

beanielou

Great news on the debt.

How much is left on the mortgage?

Karmacat

Congratulations SL! Well done you



As for the way forward - save and pay down the way that makes you happy, what you're doing is working, or alternatively you might want to try a different system for a bit. You rock

enthusiasticsaver

Great news on the unsecured debt gone and just the mortgage left. Less than two months until you retire now isn't it? Do you have your pension quotes or are you not drawing on it initially?

Cherryfudge

Great to hear the DG is all paid! And remember it is saving you money too, as your home will cost less to heat (and you won't need to buy ear plugs any more).

Suffolk_lass

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

Great news on the unsecured debt gone and just the mortgage left. Less than two months until you retire now isn't it? Do you have your pension quotes or are you not drawing on it initially?

Technically it is still more like three months as I have a week or two of leave that I had carried forward that takes my last day of service into February, so no quotes yet. My friend got hers exactly two months before she is due to end (like me, a couple of weeks at Christmas means she stops two weeks before she finishes (iyswim). I am finally starting to look forward. I bought a £4 imitation moleskin book and found myself writing a list in it last week - the various things I hope to do when I finish. It was a page long and I need to unpack each bullet into another list (I love a good list).

You are right Cherryfudge, our DG has had beneficial benefits. It is currently filthy though - I need to get out there. We had an arson attack in the Village on a barn (the owner reported some hare coursing and the relevant perpetrators are widely assumed to have been responsible) but it resulted in black ash everywhere, sticking to everything.

We went to see the display of torches at Tower of London last night. The queues were considerable but it is very lovely. Shame the opportunity for reflection was so limited (and I do so hate seeing things through other people's b-camera phones, thrust in my face)

Suffolk_lass

I have not posted one of these for ages so thought that it is about time I reviewed our position. We have suffered (along with everyone else) from the shift in stock markets that means our savings have fallen a bit faster than we have paid in. As we are investing for the long term, the main impact is on the shortfall, which has reduced more slowly because the savings total has fallen. Courage, as they say. We will keep going.

DEBTS


Mortgage [STRIKE]£110,621[/STRIKE] 62,854.54 (£47,766.46 paid so far)
[STRIKE]Barclays 0% Finance for double glazing £8,755.54[/STRIKE] £0 (all paid off) :T
[STRIKE]DH's car - paid off on 21st Aug 17 £3,476 £0 (£3,476)[/STRIKE] all finished!

Total [STRIKE]£122,852.54[/STRIKE] £62,854.54 - that is £59,600.02 or 48.51% paid off so far.


SAVINGS
£10,131.91 Emergency pot
£12,342.97 S&S ISA with Fidelity International (original £10,000 some years ago, no further capital added)
£8,825.55 DH's S&S ISA (with Charles Stanley Direct]
[STRIKE]£3,155.32 2 year Bond with Skipton BS @ 4% Finished 31 Jan 2018 - This was used to reduce the mortgage![/STRIKE] all finished
£11,727.25 - 7 year bond with Skipton BS - matures Oct 20
[STRIKE]£38,630.43[/STRIKE] £43,027.68 Total actual cashable savings and just 11.38% better than when I started (but the debts have reduced)

Shortfall -£20,224.84 (all debts)

As you will know by now, I hate paying interest and so we will continue to pay down as fast as we can, while living our lives.

Only 3 more pay cheques for me as the impending retirement date looms ever closer.

gallygirl

Exciting times ahead! Tell us some of the things on your list!

If you've maxed out all 5% accounts I'd continue bunging little bits to the mortgage, keeps your interest up and the building society's interest down!

enthusiasticsaver

Good that DG loan and your DH car loan both gone now. Impressive reduction on the mortgage.

Assuming you get a lump sum on retiring I guess you will make a decision then on whether to pay a lump off the mortgage (or repay completely) or whether to let it run? As interest rates are low I guess that is a possibility. All s and s investments are down at the moment but as you say investing is long term so just don't be tempted to sell up and consolidate losses.

Making a list is a good idea on things you would like to do. I have used this first year as an easing into retirement. I have walked more and exercised more (now getting good use of my country club membership for classes, gym and pool/spa) seen friends more, used my NT membership more and done some childcare for my 2 DGDs and joined a book club. We are putting in a new kitchen at the moment and plan more holidays next year. Just done a Norwegian Fjords cruise this year and a few trips to London to visit my mum and a New Year trip to Winchester at the beginning of 2018 and Easter trip to Bath to visit my DD1. We also did a trip on Flying Scotsman to celebrate DHs 60th so have done more than I thought

Karmacat

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

I have not posted one of these for ages so thought that it is about time I reviewed our position.

SAVINGS
£10,131.91 Emergency pot
£12,342.97 S&S ISA with Fidelity International (original £10,000 some years ago, no further capital added)
£8,825.55 DH's S&S ISA (with Charles Stanley Direct]
[STRIKE]£3,155.32 2 year Bond with Skipton BS @ 4% Finished 31 Jan 2018 - This was used to reduce the mortgage![/STRIKE] all finished
£11,727.25 - 7 year bond with Skipton BS - matures Oct 20
[STRIKE]£38,630.43[/STRIKE] £43,027.68 Total actual cashable savings and just 11.38% better than when I started (but the debts have reduced)

Shortfall -£20,224.84 (all debts)

Only 3 more pay cheques for me as the impending retirement date looms ever closer.

Such a good list to have! And I still haven't done mine I keep finding excuses not to Next week it is.


I wonder if Enthusiastic Saver and I were on the same Norwegian cruise :rotfl:


Three more paycheques :j:j:j

enthusiasticsaver

Karmacat wrote: »

Such a good list to have! And I still haven't done mine I keep finding excuses not to Next week it is.


I wonder if Enthusiastic Saver and I were on the same Norwegian cruise :rotfl:


Three more paycheques :j:j:j

Lol. Norwegian cruises are popular this year. We went on P and O's Britannia early September. Beautiful scenery and the experience of climbing up to a glacier was wonderful. Clean crisp air and vast lakes and mountains. So peaceful sat on the balcony sailing along the Fjords. Quite mild as well considering Norway is not known for its warmth or sunshine. My BIL is on one at the moment but they are hoping to see the Northern lights. We went too early for that.