Put away your purse & become debt-averse

Dottles1

Congratulations Foxglove, what a way to end the year x

foxgloves

Thanks, all of you. It still hasn't really sunk in yet, but I need to get back to my Big Budget Day this morning, as I abandoned it yesterday when I realised I'd have to grab some docs, chequebook, etc, & hot foot it into town for the building society.
I think Mr F & I are currently most shocked that we've turned into a household with four savings accounts! FOUR!! It's a bit of a change from the days when we had 3 credit card debts, 2 car loans, a bank loan, a consolidation loan, 2 overdrafts, etc, etc.... Oh, & at one point also a loan from my Mum.
How things have changed..... mostly our attitude.
F x

Kantankrus_Mare

Just popped in to read my favourite diary writer's ramblings on life and what do I see?

You're mortgage free!!! :j:T:beer:

Im so pleased for you both!!

Cant imagine how you are feeling!

You really do deserve it. Well done!

Baileys_Babe

Congratulations on being mortgage free, I think the building society inadvertently did you a favour by giving you such a small window where the settlement figure was valid.
It must feel wonderful to know the house is truly yours.

carrielovesfanta

Excellent news Foxgloves, I'm so pleased for you and Mr F :T

twiggy86

Incredible news!!! Congratulations!

foxgloves

Thanks, all of you for your kind word & congratulations. I've stopped for a lunch break, but am still busy number crunching like mad, as I not only need to move some money around, I need at least a pretty good idea of what our outgoings will look like this month, or I won't be able to set December's budget & I'd hate to start this 'new' stage of our financial journey (I don't like the over-use of the word 'journey' in such contexts, but can't think what else to call it!) with silly mistakes or discretionary spending getting out of control.
I think that the mortgage-free thing is starting to sink in today.....partly for practical reasons, as I made a new folder earlier, labelled 'Mortgage Redemption' containing all the documentary proof that we have paid it, but also for reasons concerning my Excel spreadsheet of regular monthly outgoings. I deleted the 'Mortgage' line & watched in semi-shock as those monthly totals dropped. I have also removed the loan line, which we had to help with buying our car, as although the settlement figure hasn't yet been paid for that, I do know what it will be & unless someone bodges our request, it should be paid before the December payment is due (we only owe the tiniest amount on that now, as a lump sum overpayment a while back reduced it considerably) I have increased savings though......probably an interim amount, but we are determined to start saving something straight away & not f*rt around for weeks 'getting everything straight first'.
Oh & wouldn't you know it?! I remember mentioning that for the past few months, I've kept ending the month with less money than anticipated. I couldn't see a cause for this, having checked & re-checked my maths. I did think last month, it might have been down to a few different little things, but today, because I wasn't looking for it, I found the cause! It wasn't an error in my calculations, it was an error in the spreadsheet - an amount which had increased by quite a bit, but for some reason, I hadn't amended the figure. it's weird how when you stop trying to solve something, it comes to light by itself!

BB - I think you are right about it being a blessing in disguise that we needed to get to the Building Society at the speed of light in order to avoid our settlement figure being nul & void. They really didn't give us much time though, did they? If I had still been working & committed out in the community as I used to be for quite a lot of the time back when I was working, there is just no way I could have met their deadline. And I definitely do overthink things. I think that is a by-product of knowing that we were bad with money for so long.
So this morning. I didn't wake up fretting over mortgage settlement letters. Instead, I was cogitating on the need to get a builder in fairly soon to look at the work we need doing on our house, as we have several quite big improvement projects in mind. We have absolutely no idea whatsoever - not the faintest clue - what it is likely to cost, as will first involve sorting out a dodgy wall & the understairs cupboard from hell.
So the sooner I sort my figures out the better.
OK, toast consumed. Will see if I can progress a bit further before caffiene beckons.
Love to all,
F x

foxgloves

Kantankrus - I am flattered to be considered your 'favourite diary-writer'. I hope I can live up to this special title! If, over the next year, I fill all my posts with rants about builders' quotes, heating upgrades, People Who Never Bother To Get Back To Me About Bloody Asbestos & gardens which are too soggy to get out & cultivate :-( ..........I shall understand if you decide to award this title to somebody else!
F x

[Deleted User]

Congratulations on being Mortgage Free, a fantastic way to end the year :j:beer::T xx

foxgloves

Thank-you Purplemumof2 -. Nice of you to pop in. Yes, it's a positive way to end the year. I do wish I didn't have to lose my Mum & Dad for it to be possible - they would have loved a phone call to hear the mortgage news & I bet Mum would have sent us a card. Without inheriting a share of their house, we would still have eight years left to pay on our home. Ah well, I know Mum always said she hoped she'd be able to help us 'when the time comes' & they have done just that, for which I am immensely grateful.
F x