FinancialBliss: My mortgage free journey…

StuartGMC

*jobags* wrote: »

StuartGMC - do you work in Local Govt IT as well?

Just wondered seeing as you're another spreadsheet freak

No, I'm in private sector R&D and Consultancy, and not in IT at all - does that make me even more of a geek????

I just have mortgage overpayment spreadsheets and daily interest spreadsheets (MF date is currently 04/09/2018:T :T but coming down monthly)

Keep up the good work - do you have a thread on here too?
(mine's http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=944413 where you can see I have owned up to my spreadsheet habit and even shared it!)

mdeebee

Stuart

Please would you email me your spreadheet (well, a blank one!).

Thanks.

StuartGMC wrote: »

Ali, I guess you are a spreadsheet geek like me?
(Note: I have decided not to look at my alcohol spend - that is I leave it hidden in the "food" page on my budgeting sheet and jump over my monthly pub allowance when looking for savings... not very MSE is it? )
It sounds like 55mpg is pretty good; remember, most fuel is used to accelerate the mass of the vehicle thereafter it is burnt overcoming resistance (road friction, air displacement etc). If it makes you feel better I get 27.8mpg from my petrol and that is commuting when roads are "clear" at 0600 so I can try to cruise at motorway limits.... take her into town and it soon drops! But the depreciation of the car will mean there's no point in selling, so I put this in my "luxury" category whilst I can still afford to indulge it...

FB, should we start a thread to support others like us addicted to playing spreadsheets to see numbers, ratios and graphical output?????

Actually on a serious point, spreadsheets are commonly noted here as being the real "enabler" in people seeing where their money is spent, the impact some changes can make to your bills and seeing improvements in mortgage (either balance remaining, offset or the interest saved by each small OP). There are posts from people seeking guidance on how to set them up occasionally.

I've shared (blank) versions of my household budgeting spreadsheet which I've heavily annotated to help people as it was never designed other than for my needs (it includes the offset calculations to show effective interest rate - one of my key drivers, plsu the summation of everything to show our net total position!). Perhaps there is room to discuss the approach we take in the process because every sheet will be different, and may be some details on the common ways to calculate things like:

1) Compound interest
2) Interest after tax
3) Effective interest rate on an offset mortgage accounting for the loss in interest gained from savings/current account
4) ....

And also we could note the data we select to input to these sheets vs. those like you using the personal finance software for example?

*jobags*

StuartGMC wrote: »

Keep up the good work - do you have a thread on here too?
(mine's http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=944413 where you can see I have owned up to my spreadsheet habit and even shared it!)

Nah - I haven't got a thread - I've not got anything interesting to say - I like to bounce off other peoples ideas.

I've done a personal SWOT analysis (sooooo '90's) and I'm a follower not a leader

Look forward to scrutinising the spreadsheets on the next Unison strike day;)

Jo

StuartGMC

mdeebee wrote: »

Stuart

Please would you email me your spreadheet (well, a blank one!).

Thanks.

Of course. I'll PM my address to you. You can have it in OpenOffice or Excel.

financialbliss

Quick update…

Was hoping to document some of the spreadsheets I use this evening, but instead, I decided to attempt to reduce the number of receipts that need processing / keying into Microsoft Money. Made a little headway. I’ll continue that tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a few other things vaguely MSE…

Car. It’s first MOT test is due this week. Have had this in the diary for a while and car was booked in a week or so ago. Passed, so no major expense this year. Car is paid for and hoping to keep this until the end of the challenge.

Holiday. Have been discussing a few cheap nights away in our tent. Trouble is that #1 has only “camped” on our back garden and #2 has never slept in a tent. Attempted to pitch the tent in the back garden at the weekend for a trial, but the weather got the better of us.

Bradford and Bingley. Myself and Mrs Bliss each have 284 shares, ie 568 in total. Got our nominee allotment letters last week with the offer to purchase a further 380 shares @ 55p each, ie total cost of £209.00 each, ie £418.00. There are a number of options given, but I’m tempted to either opt with the cashless take up – some shares sold in order to purchase shares, or to take up the rights offer.

I suspect the housing market will be subdued for 24 to 36 months, thus I’d not expect much B&B share growth during that period. I’m locked into a fixed rate mortgage until March 2011, so I’d probably hold the shares until 2011 and take stock from there.

I’ll be keeping an eye on the share price until the deadline approaches and make a final decision. Note that the 568 shares have been from conversion to PLC and via the share re-investment scheme, so we’ve put no money in from our own pockets. More tempted at present to opt with the cashless take up.

FB.

JonnyBravo

financialbliss wrote: »

Bradford and Bingley. Myself and Mrs Bliss each have 284 shares, ie 568 in total. Got our nominee allotment letters last week with the offer to purchase a further 380 shares @ 55p each, ie total cost of £209.00 each, ie £418.00. There are a number of options given, but I’m tempted to either opt with the cashless take up – some shares sold in order to purchase shares, or to take up the rights offer.

I suspect the housing market will be subdued for 24 to 36 months, thus I’d not expect much B&B share growth during that period. I’m locked into a fixed rate mortgage until March 2011, so I’d probably hold the shares until 2011 and take stock from there.

I’ll be keeping an eye on the share price until the deadline approaches and make a final decision. Note that the 568 shares have been from conversion to PLC and via the share re-investment scheme, so we’ve put no money in from our own pockets. More tempted at present to opt with the cashless take up.

FB.

Please don't throw any money at this institution.
It really is on its last legs IMO. It's share price has been as low as 34p this month.

As I've alluded to before. There really is no rule saying that the share price must go back up cos of its historical highs. Just think about Network Rail, Northern Rock, and Bear Stearns to see that.
To gamble with your "free" shares is one thing but to gamble with your salary is arguably even worse!

gallygirl

StuartGMC wrote: »

Ali, I guess you are a spreadsheet geek like me?

Never been called a geek before, thanks . (It was a compliment wasn't it ).

FB, good luck with MOT. And forecast is better so get that tent up!

financialbliss

financialbliss wrote: »

More tempted at present to opt with the cashless take up.

@JonnyBravo,

B&B bumping along at around 52p at present. Doubt theese shares will move (much?) above the 55p rights price, thus comment above regarding taking the cashless take up.

I see only 8% of HBOS took up their rights offer. I'm also expecting a luke warm response here!

FB.

financialbliss

ali007 wrote: »

FB, good luck with MOT. And forecast is better so get that tent up!

Thanks for that, but it's already passed :j

FB.

JonnyBravo

financialbliss wrote: »

@JonnyBravo,

B&B bumping along at around 52p at present. Doubt theese shares will move (much?) above the 55p rights price, thus comment above regarding taking the cashless take up.

I see only 8% of HBOS took up their rights offer. I'm also expecting a luke warm response here!

FB.

I'd agree 52p is a "good" price at the mo and no I can't see the shares being taken up. Therefore once its backers buy them instead theyll be looking to get rid of them asap presumably. Lots of supply/ not much demand = price drop