Journey to a mortgage free future

South_coast

Wow, congratulations - for all of the above 😀!

labradorlove

@South_coast thank you lovely!!

Viking_mfw

Congratulations! Lovely news. 
Having just had our second and final child, I would suggest as soon as you're ready to tell people, also put the word out that you are open to handmedowns. We bought a second hand car seat and a second hand pram. Oh, and a first hand cuddlebug baby wearing wrap (love it to bits). Almost everything else we got as free handmedowns. Ask friends, family, freecycle, check on Olio, the works. We get clothes from the friend of a friend - parents are desperate to offload the stuff they no longer need. But so many people aren't open to it and assume others aren't. 
Don't get a changing mat - towels soak up wee rather than letting it run straight off, plus they wash easily. 
And if you're planning to breast feed, I strongly recommend washable bamboo breast pads over the disposables. (Okay, we bought those new too!) 

labradorlove

@Viking_mfw Thank you so much!
I was counting on many hand me downs from my sister who had so much stuff for me, cot, baby bath, clothes etc, however she has just found out she is expecting again....which is amazing news! but that's me back to square one again ha. Thank you for all the recommendations! I will definitely be re visiting your post in a month or two, when I start my list of things I'll need. I will definitely be getting the word out, I have such a big family with little ones sprouting up all over the place so I'm hoping there'll be a lot of bits they want to shift!

Bluegreen143

Just read your diary! Congrats on your baby news - hope all is going well. I have two little ones and echo @Viking_mfw on hand me downs! Babies can cost a fortune if you buy everything new but they don’t need to. And question what you actually need too - I tried to steer clear of “gimmicky” or single purpose baby things, or anything big/bulky that wasn’t necessary. So I had one bouncy seat but tbh don’t class it as essential, but never went for seats/swings/bouncers/jumperoo type things which saved a fortune. My babies just liked either being held or playing on a mat on the floor. Cloth nappies, breastfeeding, feeding them “normal” food rather than bought baby food/snacks all saves a fortune too. You really have your head screwed on with all your savings/mortgage overpayments at such a young age so well done!

powerspowers

Congratulations on the baby news Labrador and well done on your achievements so far, it’s impressive to know you can push the mortgage below £100k this year 

bit_by_bit

Hi @labradorlove. I have just read the last 5 pages of your diary and think you have done amazingly well.👍

Congrats on the pregnancy and overpayments. I wish I knew that I could overpay at your age. I would have ben mortgage free a lot sooner.