Twinklie returns to the property ladder

Octobergirl

Great diary Twinklie, I’m sure I remember you from the old days. Interesting to hear your journey with Autism, my daughter is awaiting an assessment, although tbh, she has so much other stuff going on, it’s just another set of letters to add to her collection! Good luck for 2020.

twinklie

:wave:

Octobergirl wrote: »

Great diary Twinklie, I’m sure I remember you from the old days. Interesting to hear your journey with Autism, my daughter is awaiting an assessment, although tbh, she has so much other stuff going on, it’s just another set of letters to add to her collection! Good luck for 2020.

Hiya! :wave: Ahh yeah, the assessment journey is a weird one. DS1 was clearly autistic to us, but we weren’t sure if they’d see it. They did fortunately and as a result school appear to have taken his needs more seriously.

DS2 has had a significant language delay and I feel like we’ve been on a definite journey with this one. We should hopefully get an outcome for him in January. Fingers crossed. Nursery have been very supportive either way, I just want to ensure that the support continues into primary school.

How olds your daughter? Is she at school?

Octobergirl

She’s 14 now. Her primary diagnosis is cerebral palsy, but over the years the autistic traits have become increasingly apparent and the most challenging. Nursery and primary were fantastic and able to absorb her into general school life. Secondary has been a sharp wake up call, with little suitable provision in our area. I’ve spent the past 2 years battling to get needs met, get EHCP written up correctly and suitable placement agreed to. It took legal action in the end, but she’s now in a great independent school, so fingers crossed, we can start to relax and enjoy life again! Hopefully you’ll have a smoother time with your two, it’s a bit of a postcode lottery regarding provision.

twinklie

Oh don’t I know it (it’s my field of work as well). I’m hoping my eldest will get through primary ok but suspect secondary will be a nightmare. The youngest however...I just hope he copes at primary. He’s got a very limited attention span, runs off and hides and can attack other children. So will see what happens when he lands.

twinklie

So I got a little bit of money for Christmas and just spent it. I got a compost bin with base, a kitchen caddy and a rain water diverter to connect the water butt.

I’m so rock n roll. :rotfl:

twinklie

Happy New Year everyone. It was a quiet affair here - well aside from the neighbours party next door (they are a lovely family though so I'm not complaining - it's rare we hear any noise from them).

I've been sooooo looking forward to today so I can update my diary with my new information.

I think I've paid off approx. £10.5K off the mortgage this year. But I don't have my final figure yet from the payment that went through on the 30th.

I'm going to split my monthly posts going through 2020 into financial - mortgage and debt (I'm merging the two so I don't have to keep up two diaries - lazy I know). And one that's my 20 in 2020 resolution to try and focus on improving the quality of my life in different ways.

2019 was such a good year for us and the first full 12 months in our forever house. I'm so blessed and I'm so very thankful. To keep me focused on everything I have to be thankful for I've started a gratitude jar with the kids. Hopefully, it will be filled with happiness for us to reflect through at the end of the year.

twinklie

1. Read 20 books. (2/20)

2. Save 20 of each coin type.

3. Save 20 notes of any denomination. (0 x £5, 1 x £10, 2 x £20)

4. Put an extra £20 into savings every month.

5. Take lunch to work at least 20 times (I only work part time and sometimes work from home which doesn’t count).

6. 20 NSDs. (5/20)

7. Leave the kitchen tidy at bedtime at least 20 times per month. (12/20)

8. Complete 20 surveys per month - only qualifying ones count. (20+/20)

9. Make £20 by selling something/things (try for £240 over the year).

10. Declutter 20 things per month (20 minute sort through papers for recycling counts). (12/20)

11. 20 lie ins. (1/20)

12. Grow my own veg to provide food for 20 meals.

13. 20 family days.

14. 20 walks of 20 minutes or more (not just the nursery run). 2/20)

15. 20 random acts of kindness. (1/20)

16. 20 donations to a food bank.

17. Volunteer 20 times. (1/20)

18. 20 early nights (bed for 10.30pm).

19. Sit out in the garden with a drink/food and relax 20 times for at least 20 minutes. (1/20)

20. Play in the garden with the kids 20 times for at least 20 minutes (this includes just watching if they don’t want me to play). (1/20)


I will aim to update this post as I go through, but will repost with the most up to date progress at the start of every month.

twinklie

DEBT
DH's CC - £326.33.
My CC - £1,338.94.
Car Loan - £8,602.
My Loan - £125.
DH's Phone - £194.
My Phone - £27.

Total debt at the start of 2020 = £10,613.27.


So I'm hoping to essentially pay off everything except the car loan this year, which would total approximately £3,993.67 (inc. car loan payments). That would leave us with a debt of £6,619.60.

Seems sensible to round up to an aim of paying off 4K of debt.


MORTGAGE
I'm aiming to pay off over £10.5K again.
Current daily interest is £15.65.
We now own 14.9% of the house. Which I’ve split into rooms. Turns out I now own 2 rooms. I should acquire another room by the end of the year.
Paid off 4.9% of the mortgage.
Current MF date - Oct 2037.


SURVEY sites
YouGov - £1.05
OnePoll - £18.90
OnePulse - $4.91
Swagbucks - 477 SB
AirTimeRewards - £2.00
SweatCoin - SC 311.81
Shoppix - 5910
ZIPZERO - £0

Octobergirl

Liking the gratitude jar idea, I bought my two the Happinss Diary, which focuses on all the positives, achievements and good things in life. It’s definitely a good skill to learn to be content with yourself and life.

BVic28

Your goals sound great! It’s got all slt mix of personal, family and money targets on there. Good luck!