Taking it slowly, but doing it well.

wishingthemortgaheaway

Today's post should be titled, the Good, the bad and the ugly.
The good: Pickle and I are soooo much better, I feel human again. Hooray. It's been a nsd again because.
The bad: Mum has got the bug we've had. Poor thing. I can't say I've done as good a job looking after her as she did for me, but I've done my best.
The ugly: where would a 2 year old hide the remote control for grandma & grandad's tv? We had it this afternoon, but now we can't find it. So, once dr who is finished (which mum hates) we'll use the fire stick to watch the strictly results and then head off to bed and hope it appears as we're packing up tomorrow.

This week: heading home tomorrow via the children's museum (we have an annual pass) Pickle at the child minder's tues, wed, thurs, I need to do half a day's work at some point (probably Wed) so that should give me at least some time to sort the house out when the plasterer finishes. I need to pay that bill this week (£780 - ouch, but worth it)
It's pay day on Thursday, but my pay slip should arrive before then. I've got no idea what my net pay is going to be as I've done 2.5 days of overtime, but I've also upped my pension contributions to 5% in anticipation of the government mandated increase in April. We were on 3%, Work suggested staggering it to 4% now, then 5% in April, but as my salary is increasing in January anyway due to working more hours next year, I thought I'd do it now before I get used to the extra money.
December will likely be basic pay only as I shouldn't have any visits to do so no overtime or expenses to claim.
Wish.

Mse November goals

mop pot = £242.20
1) interest added £52.17/£59.54 :j
2) nice round number £58.52/£58.52 :j
3) £400 capital reduction £9.97/£70.74
4) Mop pot total for year £53.40

13 step plan
£465/£731.10

NSDs
12/16

wishingthemortgaheaway

It's payday. Woohoo. So everything has popped into my account, and most of it out again.

The plasterer sent her invoice, she'd under quoted for materials, but over quoted for time, so £36 over the estimate she gave, I can live with that.

Tuesday was a nsd, yesterday wasn't, so one more day to add to that total.

I've sent the overpayment to the mortgage and hit my overpayment limit officially now. So I can't over pay a penny in December. I will keep Tilly tidying the pennies into my mop pot line on Ynab for next month and, what ever is there I'll pay in the new year as a bit of a boost for next year's allowance.

Half a day's overtime to be done today, so at least that's a little something extra in December's pay packet, I didn't think I was going to get any.

I will sort my end of the month totals this evening. But, generally, not too bad!

I'm just waiting for final confirmation of my hours next year, but it's looking like I should be able to add £350 a month to various pots on a month with no overtime. - not too shabby.
I hope everyone has a good day

Wish.

Mse November goals

mop pot = £242.20
1) interest added £52.17/£59.54 :j
2) nice round number £58.52/£58.52 :j
3) £400 capital reduction £70.74/£70.74 :j
4) Mop pot total for year £53.40/£53.4 :j

13 step plan
£889.37/£731.10 :j
Minus: £816 for plastering,
Net= £73.37 (At least it's a positive figure and not a negative one)

NSDs
13/16

wishingthemortgaheaway

Oh poor neglected diary. I apologise for my absence. Life just runs away.

Nearly half way through December already and no updates. Not doing any targets this month on here. I have calculated my needed 13 step plan target to remain on track to be mortgage neutral by July 2020, but won't track it on here as I've rather missed the boat.

I've signed up to the mfw2019 challenge with a slightly increased target on 2018, but lower than what I actually achieved. £2860 is my maximum op allowance for 2019. I'm still Tilly tidying my shrapnel to a category on ynab to save it up for overpaying in 2019 but, when it hit £50 the other day I did wam it into the 13 step plan pot. I will do a proper financial update for the start of January.

I've been away for work for two and a half days, but Home today and taking Pickle to an 'urban forest school' event. I really hope he loves it. I think I may be getting up at the crack of dawn though as hubby has left the house in Rather a state of disarray.

Booo.

Have a good day everyone

Wish.

Betterthanever

Life does, indeed, run away. My diary was neglected for most of 2018 but I vow to do better in 2019! New year, new goals. Happy December!!

wishingthemortgaheaway

Betterthanever wrote: »

Life does, indeed, run away. My diary was neglected for most of 2018 but I vow to do better in 2019! New year, new goals. Happy December!!

Thanks Better than ever. The month is still running away from me ever so quickly.

wishingthemortgaheaway

We are hurtling through December at breakneck speed.
I should!!! Have finished work for the year now, but it does depend on any disasters in any of my settings.

In good news, expenses claim and overtime claim submitted and approved in time for 'end of the month' payment which is great news as it pretty much doubles my basic salary.
I have paid the deposit for our new bedroom blinds from this month's cash flow, it may leave things a bit squeaky. I can transfer the money from savings if needed, but if I don't have to, that will be a very good thing.

There have been Other savings and a few Tilly tidies and I got my £10 bank bonus the other day - I've a feeling this is the last month it runs for so I'll be looking for a good bank account switch in the new year. Any Suggestions?
My salary increases in January due to extra hours in my main contract. Overtime should be 1.5 days a month (minimum) for the first 4-6 months in the year which will all help with the mortgage neutral plan - only 19 months until our fixed rate ends and I want to have the money saved to move house without touching the equity in our currant property.

However tonight hubby and I are going out out with friends. Mum and dad are staying, so they are being the responsible adults for the Pickle this evening and I'm going to enjoy at least one large drink!

Downshifterella

Glad you're feeling better wish ..some horrible bugs going round at the moment!
Hope the monies owed get paid soon! And well done on the Tillytidies!

I've neglected my diary too ....no idea how far down it'll be bit off to have a hunt!

wishingthemortgaheaway

Thank you Ella, I hope you found your diary. We all seem to be recovering, Pickle had a better sleep last night, but I was still up with him, coughing, at 11:30pm.

We are just about sorted for the big day tomorrow. A day out with friends today then this evening is finishing wrapping presents - I really didn't see the point in getting Pickle's things out, wrapping them and putting them away again. Might as well do it all tonight and leave them out.
I am already checking out of social media for the festive season, the pictures of living rooms piled high with presents - gift bags from high end shops for 6 year old princesses and the like do my head in, so, I'm just walking away for a few days. Better for my mental health.

All the shopping is done, not setting foot into a shop until 27th December at the earliest (and that's only for milk if necessary)

In horrendous, got to be dealt with on January 2nd news. It looks like we've got active woodworm in the cellar. Oh joy of joys!!!!

wishingthemortgaheaway

Happy new year everyone.
Here is my 2018 round up and 2019 forward planning.

2018 review
For the first time ever we hit our 10% overpayment allowance on the mortgage.
I have amassed short term cash savings equivalent to about 17% of the current, outstanding mortgage balance.
Work done on the house this year has been paid for from these cash savings. I'm pleased to report I'm only about £800 behind my cash savings target for 2018 and I've paid for plastering, new windows, decorating, hubby's 40th birthday celebrations and a more expensive than planned Christmas - I think, on balance, that's not too bad.

Work has gone well, lots of travelling and lots of overtime have helped the finances, but I don't feel family life has suffered due to the flexibility in my role.

2019
So, onto 2019.

I've set my mfw2019 amount at £2860 which is my 10% over payment allowance for this year.
I will continue to have mini targets to work towards this each month, I found it motivating to have small, achievable steps.

I've upped the amount of money in the monthly
Budget by about £70, costs are increasing and I was getting stressed with all the ynab wamming, I'm hoping that will be sufficient to cover and surprises in the monthly bills.

I'm still working on my '13 step plan to mortgage neutrality' (by July 2020) but the monthly amount required to remain 'on track' with that keeps growing, this is difficult to keep up with, so I'm going to set a monthly target of £1000 which will mean I falll behind on my long term aim, but is less depressing than a constantly Increasing figure (there are also some 'spanners in the works that I'll detail below)

Work have upped my hours for 2019, so my monthly pay check will increase, but I don't know what the net effect of that will be until I get my pay slip at the end of the month. I will still have over time and travel expenses reimbursed but I can't rely on that income stream. I will still try and do some supply around my work hours, but that will become increasingly difficult as my main job hours increase further.

We still need to finish decorating our bedroom:
The radiator needs moving & replacing (just under £200)
I need to pay the balance on the blinds (about £70 I think)
Decorating needs doing and we need a new carpet this will put us further behind on the mortgage neutral plan, but should increase the equity slightly, so same, overall effect.

When the bedroom is finished I would like new doors in the upstairs of the house then, that' stuff upstairs done and dusted from a decorating point of view.

I'm utterly terrible news: we have woodworm in the cellar!
This obviously needs treating pretty sharpish but we've no idea how bad it is, I am envisioning additional costs for storage of stuff while the work is being done, short term accommodation while the work is being down and skips etc. But we won't know yet what that looks like. We do have money put away for such eventualities, my parents have said they would help out if needed and I'm sure hubby's family are the same. I am wondering whether we could claim on our buildings insurance for this - I know there is an excess to pay, but it's pointless paying insurances if you aren't them going to use them when needed. Much more investigation is needed.

Ultimately we need to move, a two bed house and grandparents coming to stay regularly for childcare cover is just not working. Hubby loves this house, as do I, but, unless we can get a third bedroom in somehow, it's not a long term solution. There are options with the cellar that we may look into as part of the woodworm work, but ultimately a move may happen at some point before September 2021 when Pickle starts school.

In other mse ways:
I'm going to keep rambling here, it holds me accountable.
I'm going to aim for 16nsds a month
Set mini targets for my finances and treat it all like a big game.

Wishing anyone reading this a very peaceful 2019 and please do say hello if you are reading.

Wish.

wishingthemortgaheaway

Just finished doing the chores and the start of the month money shuffles and target setting.

So here goes.
Today was a nsd
I'm very tired.

Mse targets Jan 19

Mop pot - Total: £249.52

1) interest added £58.22/58.33 :j
2) £400 capital reduction £41.47/£129.26
3) MFW2019 target £50.52
4) nice round number £11.52

13 step plan
£100/£1000

NSDs
1/16