Twinklie returns to the property ladder

twinklie

Figures are all updated. I'm doing a OP of £93.87 to round off the year so I'll be ended with the 00.00 figure I've been seeking. I'll update my last post when I've done it to make sure everything is up to date and I'm happy, that will count as my final OP for 2020 which means I'll have actually OP'd £156.98 which I had not planned to OP at all.

Even more importantly psychologically speaking the daily interest is now below £15 per day which makes me super happy. I'm raring to go with OP's and savings in 2021. Fingers crossed that the restructure goes my way and that it's as painless as possible. Fingers crossed DH's work goes ok too and then we are on a positive pathway. 

SpendingPennies

Hi @twinklie I love your analogy of owning 3 rooms in your house. That’s a great motivator. 

twinklie

Final payment of 2020 made so I'm finishing the year on 00.00 which makes me happy.
2021, it's game on. 

Happy New Year to you all and hope you have a lovely evening. I hope 2021 brings hope and happiness to everyone. 

SandyShores

Great work on the overpayments, and lovely to see that mortgage (and the interest) coming down.  Woohoo to rounding it down to the zeros    Happy New Year

twinklie

Looking back I'd done this at the start of the year which I'd totally forgot about. So lets review how I did....

1. Read 20 books. I've no idea, I've read quite a few but not sure if I've done 20.

 2. Save 20 of each coin type. I didn't really use physical cash, but started saving in earnest this year so smashed this in reality

 3. Save 20 notes of any denomination. See above - smashed it.

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

 5. Take lunch to work at least 20 times Worked from home most of the year so ate at home, making my own lunch daily (or eating leftovers).

 6. 20 NSDs. Smashed it.

 7. Leave the kitchen tidy at bedtime at least 20 times per month. Think I've managed this.

 8. Complete 20 surveys per month - only qualifying ones count. I was smashing this until lockdown then between looking after the kids/home schooling and work I gave up.

 9. Make £20 by selling something/things (try for £240 over the year). This went by the by because, well...COVID.

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

 11. 20 lie ins. Definitely did not manage this.

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

 13. 20 family days. Easily done. 

 14. 20 walks of 20 minutes or more (not just the nursery run).  I've been doing this daily since September (weekdays) when the boys went back to school.

 15. 20 random acts of kindness. This I've failed at.

 16. 20 donations to a food bank. Failed at this too, but have given money to charity instead.

 17. Volunteer 20 times. Failed because everything I'd planned to volunteer at was closed.

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

 19. Sit out in the garden with a drink/food and relax 20 times for at least 20 minutes. Smashed it, thanks COVID.

 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). Smashed it.

What I'm taking from this is that even though the year has not gone how I'd envisaged when I set these goals, this year has definitely given me the gift of time. For that I am so thankful.

Viking_mfw

Lovely goals and well done on smashing so many of them!

twinklie

Well what a way to start 2021, last night it snowed (it never snows here), so it's not deep thick snow or anything but it's enough to fling snowballs at each other. Except we can't because everyone other than me is still in bed!!!! This never happens so I've made myself a coffee and am taking advantage to enjoy the peace even though I REALLY want to go outside and play.

twinklie

So 2021 started with a NSD, which given we are in tier 4 and lots of supermarkets were shut near us is probably not that difficult. But it's still a good start. Hopefully, I can start as I mean to go on, although I wish I could ban DH from internet shopping, he's bloomin' terrible for spending since the start of the pandemic. 

I managed to get the kids out for a winter walk in the snow. We found enough snow to throw some snowballs at me, then we went hunting for dragons in our local woods. Much fun was had and it was nice to have the boys to myself a little bit before they go back to school on Monday. Although I'm not sure how long schools will be in at this point. I've been following some of the teaching unions posts (once a teacher and all that) and there is growing concern for primary school staff in tier 4 areas and they are campaigning for a delayed start. I'm not sure anyone is listening at this point though. Although I am sad to read all the teacher bashing posts that go along with all this. People who seem to think if schools are "closed" the teachers are having extended paid holidays...it's maddening. 

Anyway, back to me. There are a few outlays I want to make this year; new garden furniture (needs to be wipe clean and not wood due to DS1's germ anxieties linked to his ASD) - no idea where to start with this though and I've said it since before we moved in, materials for a second raised bed in the garden, materials to create a new cage for the existing raised bed, general grow your own layouts (compost, feed, new gloves etc), a new set of pans (mine are 15 years old and dying a death), oh and we need a nice chair for the living room and the doors for the Kallax in the living room - we've done one side and just need to finish the last one. 

twinklie

Both comedy gigs we'd planned to attend last year were rescheduled to spring this year. One's been pushed back to November and the other Feb next year...so at least I'll have something to look forward to. Well hopefully.

Octobergirl

Hello Twinkle, can't believe it's a year since I caught up with your thread, sounds like you've been coping well as an ASD family through all the uncertainty. My DD was also finally diagnosed, she's enjoyed the hunkering down of lockdown, although getting anxious with the increasing uncertainty of school openings. Wishing you a productive and healthy 2021.