Long Term Mortgage Free Wannabe

katsoocam

Well after three weeks of the hub being at home with us, he is heading back to work tomorrow. I have been getting very little done and I need to improve. I've been working on it the last two days and discovered it is all about chunks of time - even if she is being fussy, you can pop her down for five minutes and do five minutes of x or y before she needs picking up! Today I have used this approach to strip the bed, tidy the bedroom, put aside my maternity clothes, put a load of washing on and shower and dress. It has taken twice as long as it would have done previously but hey, it is done.
Today should be my first NSD of August, good job too as I have signed up for 20! :rotfl: My husband starts working in a new place tomorrow so I sent him to sleep in the spare room about 06:45 and I will send him there tonight too, me and missy cope quite well without him at night - mostly.
Further plans for today: hub is cleaning out the hamsters - we have agreed while I am on mat leave it will be my job after he goes back. Another load of laundry. Supper is easy - frozen fish, small potatoes, frozen veg. I need to find the code that was sent for and get my hub to access his personal tax account to see if there is any to be reclaimed (sadly nothing for me for 17/18 though there should be for 18/19). Then the photos for the thank you cards for our daughter's presents etc have come so I am going to start writing those, one at a time!

katsoocam

Been thinking about things I can do to earn a few pennies while feeding DD. Signed up for YouGov and resurrected my Swagbucks account. If anyone has any other suggestions they will be gratefully received!

katsoocam

Been thinking about additional financial goals, how to organise our money going forward (the dreaded childcare expenses, other things like garden fund, car fund, retirement provision etc), and feel a spreadsheet coming on!

katsoocam

Right! Going to stop prevaricating and commit to a small overpayment of £50 per month for August-December.
Now I just need to earn the money!

juliejim

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter

You have lots of goals and are really motivated so you'll soon have crack this mortgage I'm sure. Just make sure you have some downtime and be aware that there will be times when all you manage to do is look after DD and possibly get dressed! Enjoy her while she's little - they grow up way to fast!

Busy_Mee1

Just caught up on your diary katsoocam. Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl, enjoy your time with her while she is little. They grow up quicker than you want them to.

Really impressed with all your financial planning, such a great start to your family life.

katsoocam

juliejim wrote: »

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter

You have lots of goals and are really motivated so you'll soon have crack this mortgage I'm sure. Just make sure you have some downtime and be aware that there will be times when all you manage to do is look after DD and possibly get dressed! Enjoy her while she's little - they grow up way to fast!

Busy_Mee1 wrote: »

Just caught up on your diary katsoocam. Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl, enjoy your time with her while she is little. They grow up quicker than you want them to.

Really impressed with all your financial planning, such a great start to your family life.

Aww thanks guys. She is already changing so much! Today was one of those days where you get nothing done as she has been feeding constantly! I just about managed to feed myself and did two loads of laundry, but I'm very grateful that supper was from a batch cook from the freezer...and that there is at least another two months of dinners in there :rotfl: The diary and planning gives me something to focus on while feeding!

katsoocam

First chunk of inheritance has come through. Goals are now as follows:
1) £12000 for this maternity leave. Currently at £6082.81 so 50.69% of target.
2) £28000 for future maternity leave fund. The original target was £20000 but I decided may as well save all the money for two more leaves. So now £20000, so 71.4%.
3) £15000 for emergency fund. This is now 100%.

Another smaller chunk of money is still to come through. Massive relief to have the emergency fund done and dusted!

At my mother's request we are going to use a small chunk of the money for something fun - a new TV. My husband is very excited about this...actually I'm going to use some pay for this (a semantic distinction, probably, but still).

So when the rest of the money arrives:
I will put some for our party £500. It's a big party! We have drinks, we have arranged furniture and BBQ hire, and crockery/glassware hire. We have bought and frozen some food (sausages mostly) when there was a deal in Lidl for some we like a lot, but still need to buy a few more drinks and the rest of the food.
I'm hoping for a reasonably chunky tax rebate for the year overall. In addition I have included the money we will need for the last 8 weeks of my mat leave in the budget, which is fully paid, because it is A/L. I also will do KIT days which will be paid, and I haven't allowed for those either.
So this will hopefully allow me to 1) Finish this year's mat leave fund
2) When this is done buy new TV
3) Book for a holiday (not sure where) in December
4) Then save £8000 for future mat leave essentials
5) Then split remaining money between childcare fund and mortgage overpayments - childcare fund is not for this child on returning to with, but for this child for any further mat leaves I manage, as I want to have the same bonding time with any future babies that I am having with her, so will want nursery for a couple of days a week when I am on mat leave.
This is turning into a general financial diary rather than being specifically about the mortgage, but I know from reading everyone else's this is generally the case!

katsoocam

Forgot: in other news, have finished the first hand crocheted scarf for a Christmas present (this one is for my SIL). Hopefully will be able to economise this way and reduce the Xmas spend. A colleague destashed 21 balls of expensive wool in nicely scarf sized lots at me for £15 so should get another 5 scarves out of that. So it is all hand crocheted presents and pictures of madam for everyone this year!

Miss_Money_Magnet

Hi, Ive enjoyed reading your diary. How do you get your food shopping so low? Id love it if you shared an example of a weeks meal plan!