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Twinklie returns to the property ladder
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So mini update, we went into local lockdown as predicted and remain so. Well it's more increased measures, so we can't see family in our homes or private gardens.
Working in the bedroom is working much better, so I'm hoping that will make life easier when the kids return/start school next week.
Financially we've continued to make progress, but have had a few splurges too. Next year is my 40th, so we've booked a holiday in a lodge in the Highlands of Scotland at a beautiful site. From there we will drive to Yorkshire to spend a week with my folks on the rearranged holiday from this year. I'm very excited - we've never had a two week holiday as a family before.
We've also hired a beach hut for tomorrow and so bought wetsuits to keep us warm and to ensure we can enjoy the beach come what may. The boys and I get very VERY cold, so figured they were a necessary evil. The only one that's probably not going to get much use is DS2s. He will inherit his brothers eventually. But they seem to hold their value ok so we can just sell it on. I'm really excited about going. We get the hut from 10am - midnight, so we'll have a chippy tea there and put the boys in their PJ's before we set off back so we can just put them straight to bed when we get home. It's the closest we'll get to a holiday this year so I'm embracing every second.
We also got a really good make/model cross trainer of FB Marketplace really cheap. It works perfectly and means I can exercise whether DH is home and when the kids are playing because I don't have to go anywhere. It's been working a treat so far. Well worth the purchase and I'm hoping in a few weeks I'll be up to a pace and speed that's not so embarrassing.
Did the school shoe shop yesterday so that's one less thing to worry about. And now we just need to pick up the last bits of uniform from school when the delivery finally comes in. So we are all set there (I think). I'm not sure how happy I am with sending them on the one hand, but on the other DS2 in particular is becoming increasingly disabled by the lack of social interaction. He really needs the constant feedback. I trust the teacher completely though which is a big help. I'm actually more worried about DS1 coping due to his anxiety and inflexibility of thought. I'm sure I'm worrying over nothing (I hope).
Anyway this week is our holiday from home so days out galore...except today because we decided to have a quieter day at home today in preparation for the trip to the beach tomorrow (and because the weather is shocking). Yay.Reduction in daily mortgage interest since October 23 (new mortgage) - £2.36 July 25
% of house owned/% of mortgage paid off. July 25 - 38.82%/31.66%
MFiT-T7 #21
MFW 2025 #2
MF Date: Oct 37 Feb 373 -
DEBT
DH's CC - Was £326.33 - Now £0My CC - Was £1,338.94 - Now £153.51Car Loan - Was £8,602 - Now £7,387.60My Loan - Was £125 - Now £0.DH's Phone - Was £194 - Now £145.45My Phone - Was £27 - Now £16.10Total debt at the start of 2020 = £10,613.27 - Now = £7,702.66
Total reduction this month = £590.02Total % of 4K reduction = 72.6% - very much on target.MORTGAGE - not done yetCurrent daily interest is £15.24We now own 17% of the house.2.5 rooms owned.Paid off 7.3% of the mortgage.Current MF date - Oct Sept 2037.
SURVEY sitesYouGov - July £6.45 - Aug £6.95- increase £0.50OnePoll - July £20.40 - Aug £20.85 - increase £0.45OnePulse - July £14.49 - Aug £18.19 - increase £3.70Swagbucks - July 753 SB - August 68 SB - increase 68 SB - Cashed out £10 Amazon voucherAirTimeRewards - July £0.66 - Aug £0.66 - increase £0SweatCoin - July SC 526.04 - Aug SC 526.04 - increase SC 0Shoppix - July 10040 - Aug 10040 - increase 0ZIPZERO - July £0 - Aug £0 - increase £0Total cashed out in July - £10. - Not kept track for August - I'll update if/when I can be bothered.
Cashed out Quidco - £0
TopCashback - £0
Scan and Save - £0
Total cashed out - £0Reduction in daily mortgage interest since October 23 (new mortgage) - £2.36 July 25
% of house owned/% of mortgage paid off. July 25 - 38.82%/31.66%
MFiT-T7 #21
MFW 2025 #2
MF Date: Oct 37 Feb 374 -
So I've started a new blog...as in, I've just published it this morning. It's the little gems my kids say/do. My friends are always telling me I should write a book with a collection of their antics in. It's hopefully a light hearted read which will provide some comedy and insight into life through the eyes of two school boys who also have ASD.
If anyone fancys having a look you can find it here https://thetaleoftwoschoolboys.wordpress.com/
I've got quite a bit of content lined up already, just thought I'd drip feed posts for a bit.Reduction in daily mortgage interest since October 23 (new mortgage) - £2.36 July 25
% of house owned/% of mortgage paid off. July 25 - 38.82%/31.66%
MFiT-T7 #21
MFW 2025 #2
MF Date: Oct 37 Feb 373 -
DEBT
DH's CC - Was £326.33 - Now £0My CC - Was £1,338.94 - Now £0Car Loan - Was £8,602 - Now £7,222.40My Loan - Was £125 - Now £0.DH's Phone - Was £194 - Now £131.59My Phone - Was £27 - Now £15.09Total debt at the start of 2020 = £10,613.27 - Now = £7,369.08
Total reduction this month = £333.58Total % of 4K reduction = 81% - very much on target.MORTGAGE - not done yetCurrent daily interest is £15.19We now own 17.3% of the house.2.5 rooms owned.Paid off 7.65% of the mortgage.Current MF date - Oct Sept 2037.
SURVEY sitesYouGov - July £6.45 - Aug £6.95- increase £0.50OnePoll - July £20.40 - Aug £20.85 - increase £0.45OnePulse - July £14.49 - Aug £18.19 - increase £3.70Swagbucks - July 753 SB - August 68 SB - increase 68 SB - Cashed out £10 Amazon voucherAirTimeRewards - July £0.66 - Aug £0.66 - increase £0SweatCoin - July SC 526.04 - Aug SC 526.04 - increase SC 0Shoppix - July 10040 - Aug 10040 - increase 0ZIPZERO - July £0 - Aug £0 - increase £0Total cashed out in July - £10. - Not kept track for August - I'll update if/when I can be bothered. COVID has sucked the joy out of this area of the finances.
Cashed out Quidco - £0
TopCashback - £0
Scan and Save - £0
Total cashed out - £0Reduction in daily mortgage interest since October 23 (new mortgage) - £2.36 July 25
% of house owned/% of mortgage paid off. July 25 - 38.82%/31.66%
MFiT-T7 #21
MFW 2025 #2
MF Date: Oct 37 Feb 371 -
So I guess the most exciting part of this month is that I've finally cleared my credit card. We could clear the mobiles but we have them out 0% so have just left them ticking over.
DH has been having a tough time at work and my service is undergoing a restructure. So with that in mind, going forward, I'm going to move what I would have spent paying off debts into savings instead to give us an extra buffer should things not go my way in the restructure. What with that and COVID, I think having a safety net in savings feels more important right now (even if the savings rates are dire).
Speaking of which, that's something I need to look at this month. Savings and moving money for the best rates. The house insurance is also due and this years renewal quote seems a lot more expensive, so need to shop around a bit for that.
Hope everyone is well and keeping their spirits up despite the surreal times we find ourselves in.Reduction in daily mortgage interest since October 23 (new mortgage) - £2.36 July 25
% of house owned/% of mortgage paid off. July 25 - 38.82%/31.66%
MFiT-T7 #21
MFW 2025 #2
MF Date: Oct 37 Feb 374 -
I've been fairly proactive. Managed to open a regular saver to give me 2.75% interest every month. Will keep my actual savings where they are until next month as it's still a preferential rate compared to anything else out at the moment. Then I'll move it to where ever it needs to be.
Can only save up to 3K in the regular saver over the year, so should generate approximately £44 in interest if I max out. I'm still reluctant to put savings anywhere I cannot get at them at the moment, so I think I'll stick with an easy access account until I get a bit more in there. Then when I have a nice safety net I'll transfer it to a fixed and risk locking half away. I'd like to have some to hand for emergencies though.
Will try and work on the house insurance tomorrow. At least I've crossed off one of my finance jobs though. I'm feeling happier that I can focus on building the emergency fund now. The regular saver will be savings instead of paying off debts. So it's not too bad.Reduction in daily mortgage interest since October 23 (new mortgage) - £2.36 July 25
% of house owned/% of mortgage paid off. July 25 - 38.82%/31.66%
MFiT-T7 #21
MFW 2025 #2
MF Date: Oct 37 Feb 373 -
Sorted the home insurance. Ended up staying with the same provider but saved £100 by not auto renewing and then £30 extra in cash back assuming it pays out.I feel like I’ve been a good little twinklie on the finance front this weekend. I also managed to clean and hoover the playroom and change the beds, so not bad on the housework front either.Reduction in daily mortgage interest since October 23 (new mortgage) - £2.36 July 25
% of house owned/% of mortgage paid off. July 25 - 38.82%/31.66%
MFiT-T7 #21
MFW 2025 #2
MF Date: Oct 37 Feb 374 -
Well done on the finances and indeed the housework too 🤩3
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Work from home tax back claimed.Reduction in daily mortgage interest since October 23 (new mortgage) - £2.36 July 25
% of house owned/% of mortgage paid off. July 25 - 38.82%/31.66%
MFiT-T7 #21
MFW 2025 #2
MF Date: Oct 37 Feb 373 -
So it looks like we will likely be back in "proper" lockdown next week, although schools will remain open. It won't affect us massively tbh. We are mainly work (we are both working from home) and school anyway. Rarely do we do anything else at would be affected. We do have a treat for the boy booked for half term to a sensory place they love to attend, but I'm not sure that's going to happen now as I suspect that will be forced to closed if these new restrictions that are rumored come in. And DS1 started rugby last week and had the best time. Unfortunately, I think it's about to get shut down due to the restrictions.
I managed to enjoy one last socially distanced walk with my parents yesterday, it's likely that I won't be allowed to see them now until next year. So it was nice to get out and about with them.
I managed to get my flu jab at the start of the week, so that's something else crossed off the list. Although I discovered the car battery was completely flat when I tried to use it. Sigh. Resulted in a two mile walk to get the jab, then two miles home in monsoon weather. To say I was wet was an understatement.
I'm feeling a bit lost actually. I feel like there's so much I want to do and get sorted, but all these rumblings of new restrictions etc have just stolen my mojo. I don't know why because like I said, we aren't really going anywhere or doing anything anyway so I'm sure I won't even notice it. I know I'm doing ok on the MSE front, but I feel like there's more I could be doing to make/save money I just don't know what.Reduction in daily mortgage interest since October 23 (new mortgage) - £2.36 July 25
% of house owned/% of mortgage paid off. July 25 - 38.82%/31.66%
MFiT-T7 #21
MFW 2025 #2
MF Date: Oct 37 Feb 375
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