Taking it slowly, but doing it well.

wishingthemortgaheaway

So October October. Another spends month (need to sort myself out. It started so well with a good run of NSDs and quickly descended into disaster. I think I should be in mse detention, writiing lines.

Here are the highlights:

Holiday
This has been the cause of the major overspends in the everyday pots. I'll do the final add up over the coming days, but it's safe to say I've been a spendthrift on Holiday eating, and days out. But, it was a lovely holiday, it just needs budgeting better. From January (when my additional hours and therefor pay kicks in, I will add a holiday category to ynab in the same way as I have my Christmas and Summer holidays pots.

Fuel for the car
I need to remember that long drives for work = more money to fill the car up. I do get my expenses/mileage reimbursed but I always want to overpay that money, but that's not possible. It's going to be another spendy month on fuel, but it should then calm down again.

New bedroom windows
I do have the money for these 'off budget' but have decided to pay for them from the 13step plan money. It sets me back temporarily, but I'll be fine.

wishingthemortgaheaway

So, the verdict is in.. its been a spendy month!

Groceries: £312.72/£200
Household: £17.59/£50
Spends: £259.75/£100
Eating out: £228.22/£100
Fuel: £187.28/£70 (mostly work travel)

Mop pot £59.25 I thought this took me to my overpayment allowance this year but I've rung the mortgage company and have around £240 left until the end of December, so that's my target for the rest of the month.

13 step plan to mortgage neutrality-£565
Windows
Plasterer deposit
Covering overspending
Paid for friend's locksmith this morning (should be getting that back tonight)

So, this means, in order to meet my July 2020 deadline I need to put £1185 into the plan in December. This is unlikely to happen as we've booked the plasterer for towards the end of December. She's not cheap, but she is brilliant and I'm happy to pay her to do a good job. Im just going to see how it goes and do what I can. I'm going to try not to stress about it.

I'll be back tomorrow with my start of the month update and hopefully some target setting.

Have a good evening everyone.

Wish.

wishingthemortgaheaway

First of November and the first of the month bills have gone out. I've also done some Ynab money shuffling of some pots as it's only a 4 Monday month (thank goodness) so some pots were initially over funded.

As usual, mortgage interest hasn't been applied yet but, thanks to the Tilly tidying I was able to do into the mop pot last month and from this morning there is already plenty in there to cover whatever interest is added.

Today I have a whole day (we'll 8:30-4:30) with no appointments etc and Pickle at the Childminder's. I've written a list, so let's see how much I can get done. It should be manageable if I don't procrastinate, but, I know me!

Hope everyone has a lovely day.

Wish.

wishingthemortgaheaway

Evening all.

You will be pleased to hear I haven't completely blown the budget on the first of the month. (Hooray) a few grocery bits and some items for the service at church on Sunday leaves things looking ok.
I've also pre-booked 3 tickets for an imaginative play place tomorrow for Pickle and 2 of his friends. I'll get reimbursed the other two tickets, so a £4.50 spend from the spending money pot. Friend who had the door lock issue has repaid me, so my 13 step plan is looking ok at the moment, but that's unlikely to last. If I can end the month more or less where I am now, I will have done well.
Mortgage interest appeared on the account in the middle of the afternoon - it's £59.54 from a 31 day month, so below the £60 a month mark every month now. Next stop <£50 a month interest. I think that may take a while though as overpayments have to slow. I've broken the last of the available overpayment down into Mini targets for this month. Anything not achieved can roll over into December, then the new overpayment allowance kicks in in January. Exciting times!

Wish

Mse November goals

mop pot = £242.20
1) interest added £59.54/£59.54 :j
2) nice round number £5.30/£58.52
3) £400 capital reduction £70.74
4) Mop pot total for year £53.40

13 step plan
£195/£731.10

NSDs
0/16

wishingthemortgaheaway

While I'm here and now I'm nearly 1/3 of the way through my challenge, I thought I'd do a little summary of where I've come from and where I'm at.

100 brick house
Started with mortgage at £36k
Each brick worth £400
27/100 bricks of mortgage paid
12/100 bricks, cash in offset pots

13 step challenge
13 mini targets to be mortgage neutral in 29months
8/29 months completed
2/13 mini targets completed (step 2, £2k emergency fund & step 12, £375 for 'commercial clean of old & new properties.')
Currently working on:
Step 1: (mortgage payment and overpayments) £4670.74/£11,600
Step 3: ( one month's budget amount) £1015/£2400
Step 4: (white goods repair/replace) £265/£1000
Step 5: (bills increase at new house) £800/£2900

Approx £250 behind schedule.

Whether that £250 to make up is achievable or not I just don't know. We shall have to wait and see.

Night all

Wish.

wishingthemortgaheaway

Evening all, Sunday again. Quite a chilled weekend for us, Pickle has a virus of some description, so has been sleepy and clingy most of the weekend. We did manage to pop out to see our friend's newly purchased house today, but that's as far as we've got. A nsd today, but not yesterday. Few Tilly tidies to the mop pot.
Packed for the week away with work next week. Tomorrow I just need to blitz the house and set off (need to drop Pickle off at my parents' though. Nothing is ever easy. )
Have a good week everyone.

Wish

Mse November goals

mop pot = £242.20
1) interest added £59.54/£59.54 :j
2) nice round number £18.10/£58.52
3) £400 capital reduction £70.74
4) Mop pot total for year £53.40

13 step plan
£195/£731.10

NSDs
1/16[/QUOTE]

wishingthemortgaheaway

Once again it's been nearly a week since I updated.ive been away with work most of the week and being stuck in traffic has meant lots of little snack purchases. I need to put a box of 'marginally healthy' stuff together to keep in the car to stop this. Maybe dried fruit or something (I know nuts would be an option for most people, but I'm allergic, so those, and most of the cereal type bars are off the list) This should be my last travelling of the year, which is bad news for my expenses income, but I may e able to pick up more supply work as I'm home a bit more. (I've already got one afternoon next week)

Yesterday was a nsd.

This morning Pickle and I were up and out early to do the food shop - it was about £12 this week, which is Pinky Pig territory. The asscouiated 'household goods' spends we're about the same - Pickle has gone up to the next size in nappies and they cost more! I also bought the dw & wm cleaning things as it's a while since I've done them. Wm one already done and I just need to empty the dw when it finishes shortly to do that one.

All everyday budget pots looking ok at the moment. Last night I started the subscriptions for both toilet rolls (plastic free packaging) and razor blades (again, plastic free packaging) I made the decision to do these a while ago so have been putting the money aside until my stores had run low and I was ready to order, so no effect on the everyday budgets. Subscription services really work for me. Next one to start sorting is toothbrushes (plastic free ones) and hopefully our washing liquid provider will start doing dishwasher ones shortly too.

Pickle is have a tv morning. I still think he's fighting off something viral so I'm not too bothered considering we are going out for a walk with friends this afternoon so he will get some fresh air and excercise then.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

Wish.

Mse November goals

mop pot = £242.20
1) interest added £59.54/£59.54 :j
2) nice round number £23.79/£58.52
3) £400 capital reduction £70.74
4) Mop pot total for year £53.40

13 step plan
£195/£731.10

NSDs
2/16

pinkypig

Your totals are looking great Wish :T. and go you with that grocery spend. If it included a pumpkin you won't need to shop again for a month :rotfl::rotfl:

wishingthemortgaheaway

pinkypig wrote: »

Your totals are looking great Wish :T. and go you with that grocery spend. If it included a pumpkin you won't need to shop again for a month :rotfl::rotfl:

Thanks Pinky, it didn't include a pumpkin this time, but I do still have one in the fridge to be 'processed' I'm wondering if I can 'process' it in some way that I can freeze it in portions for adding to various recipes between now and Christmas - any ideas? If not, I'll ask Foxgloves, I'm so inspired by her mse veg prep.

Pickle has spoiled my grocery shop for the week though as he's requested different coloured playdough. I only had yellow food dye in today, so he got yellow, but he's requested pink & blue AS WELL and shipping for it is what he wants to do tomorrow. It's not going to break the bank though, so I don't begrudge him it really.

wishingthemortgaheaway

Evening all, just settling down for some post tea Screen time with the small one before bath & bed. He's had quite a lot of tv this weekend as I've felt so rubbish, so an early night for me is needed tonight.
A nsd today whooo hooo but tomorrow won't be (see above)
This evening I need to finish a couple of housework type jobs off then it's bed. I've avoided caffeine for most of today, so I'm hoping I'll drop off quickly. A bit of ynab pot tidying to up my mop pot a bit. Can't wait for her income to start trickling in for this month to inch closer to my targets.
Have a lovely Sunday evening everyone.
Wish.

Mse November goals

mop pot = £242.20
1) interest added £59.54/£59.54 :j
2) nice round number £30.52/£58.52
3) £400 capital reduction £70.74
4) Mop pot total for year £53.40

13 step plan
£195/£731.10

NSDs
3/16