Prosperous soul in the making

savingholmes

Hi Chrysal - I think most of us need to find ourselves again. It was £m success habits by D Gr@zi0si. I've also listened this week to T H@rv Ekk3r £m mindset.

savingholmes

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

Unless the HL is an IFA he will only be able to comment on HL products not the merits of investing rather than overpaying the mortgage. Read Monevator to get an idea of where to start with investing. There are a lot of articles for newbies..

Thanks ES. I will look into the threads and articles. HL are not an IFA. I set up a stocks and shares Isa with them and then chickened out and withdrew the £ before investing. I decided I was better to focus on debt repayment and emergency fund rather than putting any of my money at risk. I would still like to talk to them at some point though even it was just to understand the fees and charges side of the account.

Well I did take pooch for a short walk last night so that was something. I am now back to trying to force myself to finish getting ready and go to work. I'm lucky that what I produce outweighs any frustration they probably feel at my later than ideal starts. Need to try and book DD a CBT course today. At the weekend I still need to see if there are any ppi claims we could submit.

StripeyTightsSpottySocks

savingholmes wrote: »

following the seven levels of questioning to find your true why...

Ooh that sounds really interesting savings.

Sorry to hear you were upset but it sounds like you have a lot going on x i hope your daughter is ok x i'm sending positive thoughts for her results - i think it's a week on Thursday isn't it?

I'm still working on catching up on your thread but dove in at the end :rotfl:

I'm also getting on with the tidying / decluttering here but feel inspired when i think of all you have achieved - plus it will make housework easier

I think it's great you're viewing houses savings - this one you could have dreamed of for a long time but by viewing it you've managed to put things straight in your mind - the right one will come along for you i'm sure I keep looking online But, for me, it is my motivator and encourages me to keep going with all i am doing... although i have seen 3 properties i'd *really* like to view :eek: 1 is *not quite* where i'd want it to be, 1 is the most expensive of the 3 and needs no work and would be soo good for us in terms of location, living space and 1 needs the most work doing on it but wouldn't increase the value - BUT the layout of the rooms and location is perfect for us *le sigh* i feel like goldilocks :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: I can't view them as i don't want to waste anyones time - i am not in a position to move just now - one day! I want enough garden / land to have separate areas for raised beds, a lawn, patio, chickens - i'd like a goat too but Mr Socks isn't keen :rotfl:

savingholmes

Well It's done - now booked DD a scooter cbt course (£130) for the day before GCSE exam results. Hopefully that will take DD's mind off her worries and give her something to look forward to. We may also take her to look at a possible scooter either this weekend or next to make it more concrete in her mind. That way if / when she passes the course and confirms she likes riding we can get her a 50cc scooter (to be paid for by MIL). MIL has also said she will pay for a new laptop so potentially need to work out what to get and buy that too. Waiting for payday currently as MIL may not transfer the £ immediately.

We can also look at what riding gear and helmet she's likely to need - and perhaps get a second opinion on a spare helmet we already have. This is kind of in the budget / planned for so hopefully it will all work out. We hope she can reuse one of OH's riding jackets but she may need a new set of gloves and is likely to need specialist trousers and motorbike boots. Also need to check out insurance but this is difficult without a potential bike registration.

Exciting, slightly scary but positive. All about encouraging the little eaglets to fly. I really hope her having a scooter will boost her confidence and make her more willing to go places independently. Longer term, I am hoping it will allow her to get a job as she wouldn't be relying on us being home to get her there. I think DS is likely to be jealous but he spent the equivalent £ from MIL going on a study abroad year.

I will have to use some of our 'cushion' / sinking fund as paid for it before pay day but didn't want to miss the slot. It's lovely that I even have a 'cushion'. Bless OH - today he gave me £25 from his birthday £ to buy us all a chinese to give us a lift.

savingholmes

StripeyTightsSpottySocks wrote: »

Sorry to hear you were upset but it sounds like you have a lot going on x i hope your daughter is ok x i'm sending positive thoughts for her results - i think it's a week on Thursday isn't it?

Yes its the 22/8. I know the school get them the day before so I'm going to at least ask if there's anyway of getting them earlier.

StripeyTightsSpottySocks wrote: »

I'm also getting on with the tidying / decluttering here but feel inspired when i think of all you have achieved - plus it will make housework easier

Glad it was inspiring. I still look around my house and see what's still to do :rotfl:

StripeyTightsSpottySocks wrote: »

I think it's great you're viewing houses savings - this one you could have dreamed of for a long time but by viewing it you've managed to put things straight in your mind - the right one will come along for you i'm sure I keep looking online But, for me, it is my motivator and encourages me to keep going with all i am doing... i feel like goldilocks :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: I can't view them as i don't want to waste anyones time - i am not in a position to move just now - one day! I want enough garden / land to have separate areas for raised beds, a lawn, patio, chickens - i'd like a goat too but Mr Socks isn't keen :rotfl:

Yes for me it's motivational too - this is what I can have if I stay the course and don't deviate. I know the goldilocks feeling - I'm only looking at ones that are realistically priced but am finding they all need huge work - to the extent you wonder whether you would be better off buying land and self building! Or just wait until we have more £ assuming that these books I'm listening to help work their magic and transform me into a millionaire :cool: My top desire for a house with land is trees and greenery - the rest is just icing on the cake.

savingholmes

I've been looking at my budget for August and my list is growing of things I potentially need to buy:

£1100? Scooter- bought by us - refunded from MIL
£600? Laptop ditto
£1700 but should get back - Think need to ask MIL to transfer the money upfront

£174 OH's motorbike insurance - got quietly moved to next month - due on the 18/8
£150-200 New tyres on my car - plan to get close to pay day as OH thinks tread is near legal limit

£250? Scooter insurance for DD d/k
£300? Motorbike gloves £25, trousers £85, helmet £40-85, jacket £85

£85 DD hair cut & colour (one off before starts 6th form) - already got a £25 discount - she has long hair but also need a weird band tint stripping out - and the dye redoing
£140 new items for 6th form

???? DS says needs new shoes - his are falling apart... (he does usually mean that lol)
???? DS glasses - he is currently wearing an old prescription as he broke his while away
He has a £250 deposit to pay for his uni accommodation - d/k if he's paid it but feels unlikely
He can move into his new place by mid Sept ie will need to start paying even if he stays longer at home
He eats loads!!!! Thinking of saying to him - if you want money for any or all of that do some of our diy jobs around the house and garden and earn it. (He's 21 but returning from a year abroad so missed him)

We also have a week off as a family during that period so would be nice to have some spends... I think barring another miracle like the ppi reclaim or similar I'm going to be closer to paying minimum rather than massive over payments from my August salary. I don't want to lose momentum or the joy of the breathing space the ppi reclaim gave us... just trying to balance things...

StripeyTightsSpottySocks

It is all about balance isn't it Savings - i'm sure you'll work it out x

that sounds lovely of your MIL and you do so much for your kids too - i am sure they appreciate it

I'm only looking at the houses i could potentially realistically buy in 2 years and if all goes to plan - they are not cheap and offer us no more bedrooms than what we have but the living space is so much better and i can see how the flow of our lives would be better if we could make this move. The area is new to me so i'd need to go and check that out a few times too - though i'm confident i'd be pretty happy with it from what i do know. Just beating myself up at the moment because a house i've seen would make our lives so much better if we could just move there Not seen it in real life and can't as i'm not in a position to do anything just now. Silly of me really

enthusiasticsaver

savingholmes wrote: »

Thanks ES. I will look into the threads and articles. HL are not an IFA. I set up a stocks and shares Isa with them and then chickened out and withdrew the £ before investing. I decided I was better to focus on debt repayment and emergency fund rather than putting any of my money at risk. I would still like to talk to them at some point though even it was just to understand the fees and charges side of the account.

HL are expensive although not so bad on small portfolios. FWIW I always think dealing with debt is best done before investing as there are no guarantees with investment performance but existing debt will need dealing with. Same goes with EF which is definitely more important than investing, excluding pension savings which are worth it for the company match if occupational scheme and tax relief.

savingholmes

StripeyTightsSpottySocks wrote: »

It is all about balance isn't it Savings - i'm sure you'll work it out x

that sounds lovely of your MIL and you do so much for your kids too - i am sure they appreciate it

I'm only looking at the houses i could potentially realistically buy in 2 years and if all goes to plan .... Just beating myself up at the moment because a house i've seen would make our lives so much better if we could just move there Not seen it in real life and can't as i'm not in a position to do anything just now. Silly of me really

Stop beating yourself up. People take you at your own evaluation of yourself - raise your self belief any way you reasonably can. I've only visited a couple and those only in the last month and I've been scanning properties for years. I think going to see them has helped me appreciate what I already have as so far they have been tiny in comparison to this house. We're on interest only so our mortgage is only £206.49 per month!!! On £145K so you can see why we have more free money to repay debt - but also how the position we got ourselves in was ridiculous. (Need to re-inflate my own self belief now). T H Ekker suggests that when things like that bubble up you either say 'cancel' or 'thanks for sharing and move on.

We went to look at a couple of scooter shops today and got a nasty shock. Some of the bikes I've seen that seem affordable are apparently imports from China and really hard to get parts for. May need to up the budget. One guy also suggested that even on a £800 second hand bike the insurance could be £500 as kids like to steal them, razz them around a field and then burn them! :eek: DD doesn't know how much Mil has but its about £3.3K but we were hoping to save some of that for if she went to uni. MIL puts about £10 pcm into it until they are 21 - and occasionally more at birthday or Xmas. Need to review our options.

savingholmes

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

HL are expensive although not so bad on small portfolios. FWIW I always think dealing with debt is best done before investing as there are no guarantees with investment performance but existing debt will need dealing with. Same goes with EF which is definitely more important than investing, excluding pension savings which are worth it for the company match if occupational scheme and tax relief.

Thanks ES - ironically I only went to HL as MSE list them in the preferred supplier list. I 100% agree with you that I need to clear debt first - which should take me to Nov 20 +/- any major negative or positive events. One of the things due to help with that is stopping the £400pcm we currently give DS for uni by around May/June next year. I want to spend the next year to 18 months trying to understand the stock market a bit before I invest any serious money. I've already pulled out what I originally put in the account and paid it off debt instead.

We are already doing pension contributions through work at about 6-7% each - mine is career average and OH is a 4% match I think. I expect to have my 6 month EF in place (for my revised level of expenses after debt paid off) by May 2021. That's the year DD finishes 6th form and the earliest likely date for any major life changes like moving to the country or whatever.

By the time we get to October 2021 and have a clearer picture of what DD plans to do next we expect to be investing an extra £607 pcm towards retirement and paying off around £1300 pcm off the mortgage. This assumes DD goes to uni for 3 years - if she doesn't - we could pay an extra £400 pcm if we were still earning the same £. So uni payments are less stressful than DS's have been - I plan to start paying £400pcm into a savings account for uni £ from July 21 - that way we will always know its there ahead of time.

By the way - wherever I use the word I when it comes to finance I pretty much mean we - we have a series of joint accounts and none of this his or her £ business. I've supported him through going back and studying for an MA and he's supported me through times of unemployment. It's give and take. We have always agreed major spends up front but given that I write business cases for a living - I can justify anything :rotfl: so that's not totally helped us.