Twinklie returns to the property ladder

SpendingPennies

Bay leaf and tomato orzo sounds great @twinklie. Enjoy the pancakes.

twinklie

@SpendingPennies I've just noticed your mortgage free date is Aug 2036...mines Sept 2037. Hopefully we'll both be shut by those dates though. Fingers crossed.

SpendingPennies

Yes we can do it sooner @twinklie 😁

twinklie

So we managed to spend yesterday in the garden and fill two wheelie bins full of garden waste (and some went into my compost bin). The kids pitched in and really worked hard, I was very proud of them. Then they played outside for a further 3 hours with next doors kids, socially distanced over the fence. Basically running laps of the garden whilst yelling at each other over the fence. They had the best time and are quite subdued today. 

I managed to get out and get my first Covid jab, I had the Pfizer one. Everyone else I know has had the Oxford one, so I'm feeling quite special. It stung a bit when it was done (not a usual thing I have with injections) but touch wood I've been absolutely fine since. My arm hasn't been achy like it can be after the flu jab. I'm hoping to sidestep any side effects. 

I was feeling a bit mussy headed after, so we took the kids out for a walk. DS2 had a nightmare last night so we had a bad nights sleep because he took quite a while to settle. Feel a lot better after the walk though. Now we are just relaxing at home not really doing much. Kids are playing on their tablets and I'm just having a quick look on here before I make tea. 

The Learning Disability Team called early re: a referral for DS2. I'm pretty sure we are being put on a generic course, but whatever, we can try it and see if it tells us something we don't know. I should add I work in SEND, so have quite an extensive knowledge...but we shall see. Fingers crossed we get something from it. 

twinklie

All in all it's been a very inexpensive half term. So Thursday, we didn't do a massive amount of stuff. Just hung around the house and the kids played Xbox. I attempted to have a sleepover in the kids room at their request that night but the change of routine was too much for DS1 so it was abandoned. Managed to get out in the garden briefly and just finish off some of what I needed to do. 

Friday, another at home not doing much day. Just lots of playing and chatting, which was lovely. First take out of the year, chippy tea. It was a lovely treat. Then yesterday was much the same but I had a bit of a cleaning frenzy to get ready before we go back to work and homeschool next week. Then I made a potato and spinach curry for tea (from scratch) using the ingredients and recipe that my friend gave me. It's her family recipe passed down through the generations, it was amazing. A big hit with everyone and the boys both age it all. 

I've been for a 5 mile walk with my mum this morning, which was lovely and am about to do some sorting for DH to help him with his revision. He has exams on Tues and Weds, so I've said I'll print and put some of his stuff off and into files for him so he can highlight and make notes on the pages. He's been trying to struggle through with everything online, but the pressure is starting to show now. 

We've decided we might have to spend some money this summer and get the damp proof done on the internal walls that we need doing. We'd finally have the money to afford it and if the kids are going to be in school over the summer term, it might not be a bad idea to get it booked in. In the long run it would save us a bit of money and we could finally start thinking about what we'd like to do to the house. 

Wonder what Bozza is going to announce tomorrow? I dread to think to be honest. I hope they don't rush slackening off the restrictions too much.

twinklie

Feb 2021 Update
DEBT 

Car Loan - Was £8,602 - Now £6,396.40

DH's Phone (0% interest) - Was £194 - Now £96.94 **Not updated yet**

My Phone (0% interest) -  Was £27 - Now £10.41 **Not updated yet**

Total debt at the start of 2021 = £6,842.25, Now = £6,668.95 **Not updated yet**
Total reduction this month =  £165.20

SAVINGS
Aim to save £400 per month to build emergency fund and for rainy day expenses (car, house maintenance etc.). 
113% of target achieved for the second month. 

 

MORTGAGE 

Current daily interest is £14.81

We now own 19.4% of the house - current rough valuation actually puts us as 24.71%.

3 rooms owned.

Paid off 9.97% of the mortgage. 

Current MF date - Oct  2037.
Mortgage OP - £121.21

twinklie

Well I've given up on homeschooling in favour of having fun with the boys. I'm clearly a rubbish parent. They've both attended their Zoom catch up class to prepare for the return to school. Aside from that, they've not even looked at school work. They are only 8 and 5 though so it's not going to be disruptive to their education in the long run.

I got the information from school re: the return to school which I'm excited about. Mine will be staying an extra 10 minutes each day. It just makes it easier in terms of fitting my work hours in. 

Found out the next stage (my stage) of the restructure at work starts on Friday, 12th March. So, by Easter I may have a better idea about what's happening. Fingers crossed everything goes my way I guess. 

I've been looking at the house and things we will likely need in the next 12 months. I think we are definitely looking at getting the damp proof done on the internal walls, we will also need a new oven and fridge, freezer. So it's looking to be an expensive year on the home improvement front I think. 

becky170

You're not a rubbish parent...I think giving up and having fun with the kids this week sounds like a great idea. Back to school next week...hooray! 

twinklie

I've been caught up with the back to school drama and all that jazz so have been absent from MSE. The kids return went really well, both very happy. DS2 had a bit of a tough end to the week and started having issues from Wednesday onwards. It's pure over stimulation, transition back to new environment etc. Fortunately his teacher is very experienced with ASD kids, so she's been brilliant. We have a meeting in a week or so to talk about his needs then, so we shall see how he responds to the support put in place after that. 

DH had some work issues, well it was exam issues. He sat two exams but due to COVID they are being done at home remotely. He had to upload them. Unfortunately on the first exam the timer on the platform they were using kept resetting but he didn't know until the end and so he submitted it late. It was a total failure on the part of the software and he didn't realise. However, they conducted an investigation into it and have decided to cancel that paper. So he has to resit it. It's a real pain because that means he now has the resit over Easter, when the kids are at home AGAIN! It's so frustrating that he's being penalised again for something that isn't his fault. At least they marked his second paper and he passed that. Small mercies and all that. Although it does impact on all the work DH was meant to be doing in the garden over Easter as that now can't happen. Sigh. 

Managed another OP to the mortgage £66.83. 

Restructure phase for my job starts on Tuesday...we shall see what happens with that. I'm not too worried at this point, what will be will be and all that. I'm too tired to be bothered to be honest. I feel fatigued and burnt out...but I guess a lot of people are feeling like that right about now. I'm in a much better position than a lot of people at the minute, so I'll try and focus on that. 

DH has is first COVID jab on Sunday and Mum has FINALLY completed her paperwork to register with the GP, just need it to happen now so she can have her first jab. 

SandyShores

Lots going on Twinklie, boo to DH's exam going wrong.  Home exams are so stressful anyway.  Hope the restructure is positive, I know its a stressful process but I feel so fed up with my job that being restructured out of it would be welcome at the moment.  My vaccination all booked in too, pleased to have an appointment - bit worried for the side effects but I know its for the best.  Well done on the mortgage overpayment too.