Twinklie returns to the property ladder

Humdinger1

@twinklie what a shock! Well done on acting on it immediately.   I can recommend Dr Mike Moseley's book, The Clever Guts diet.  One easy change he suggests to lower cholesterol is apple cider vinegar.  Sounds simple and it is; he says a lot more and I'm putting it all into practice on my quest to reverse type 2 diabetes:  nearly there. Keep going, you're doing brilliantly.   Love Humdinger xx 

twinklie

Wow, I just looked to catch up and it’s like I dropped off the face of the Earth! Sorry about that. Work got crazy and this time of year is really difficult in our house, so I just got busy doing other things. 

Nothing much to report really. Just plodding on. DH hasn’t had another episode thankfully. So fingers crossed that stays as is. 

Im just waiting for my computer to finish doing updates so I can do a health check on the finances and update all the challenges once I know my mortgage figure for the year. 

I need to get a new work desk for home. Work will reimburse me £85 so just need to find one. It needs to hold 30kg or more and I’d like it to have shelves or drawers. It’s proven a little trickier to locate than planned, but I need to sort it ideally before I go back to work. 

We’ve also been looking at new ways to use the living room, so may need to purchase a new sofa. But as we remortgage this year I’m semi reluctant to do it. Not to mention our sofa is an old Harvey’s one (was new to us in 2019), years which is discontinued and we are struggling to find a matching one. 

becky170

Hi Twinkle! Glad to hear you're just plodding along. How did it go trying the organised mum tidying method? I'm meant to be tidying now but seem to have got a bit distracted 

twinklie

TOMM has gone ok actually. Don't get me wrong, I'm not following it religiously, but I'm definitely better than I was and the house is much tidier and cleaner. I'm hoping post Christmas I'll find my groove to keep going and get a routine in place (New Year, New Me type affair). I'm not committing myself to it though. 

DH has given up rugby coaching though and so will now have much more time to get on with jobs etc around the house so I'm hoping 2023, is the year we finally tackle some jobs.  

twinklie

November update
I always do a month in arrears, so forgive the lateness of this one. 

DEBT 

Made up of car loan and DH's phone.
I've decided to take this off because I have to rely on DH for updates on these and it drives me potty. But I'll keep a check on it separately. 
Start of year total debt = £5,432 
End of year total (already worked out) = £3,463
Total paid off 2023 = £1,969

SAVINGS
Aim to save £400 per month to build emergency fund and for rainy day expenses (car, house maintenance etc.).  DONE

 

MORTGAGE 

Current daily interest - £13.38

We now own 27.13% of the house - current rough valuation actually puts us as 40.96%.

4 rooms owned (5 if I go with the higher valuation).

Paid off 18.6% of the mortgage. 

Current MF date - Oct Sept AUGUST 2037.

When we remortgage next year we are currently looking at a rate of approx 4.50% - our current one is 2.59% so that feels a bit painful. But we are in a much better position than lots of people. 

Just did an extra OP of a hundred quid just to make me feel better too. 

twinklie

Also forgot to mention the car broke again during the cold snap. Cost nearly a grand to fix it which was a tad depressing. 

But, at least we had the money to cover it. Go back 4 years and we would have been snookered. 

I’m finding it really helpful to look at the then verses now to embrace gratitude for all we have. 

twinklie

Emergency fund update. We have achieved 6 months emergency fund for if one of us was made redundant or 3 months if we were both made redundant at the same time. 

That’s a milestone isn’t it?

CathT

I'd say that your last two posts show just what a strong position you are in on this journey. 

LeighofMar

twinklie said:

Emergency fund update. We have achieved 6 months emergency fund for if one of us was made redundant or 3 months if we were both made redundant at the same time. 

That’s a milestone isn’t it?

That is absolutely amazing and you should feel very proud that you are so well-prepared. Especially considering (from what I've read here in America) an energy crisis, 10%+ inflation, mortgage rate resets, it must be a relief to know the EF is funded. Congratulations. 

twinklie

twinklie said:

Exciting things in 2022
1. Kids bunk bed's are coming in Feb - so I can finish doing their room. 
2. Trip to Glasgow for a family wedding and holiday - worked out before we've not all got together with the Scottish family for 6 years! Which reminds me I need a form to ask for the kids to miss a week of school for this. 
3. Summer Trip back up to Scotland to try to take the trip we got sent home from in summer - fingers crossed. 
4. Birthday trip for DS1 to The Dragon Tower. 

Possible additional things to look forward to if the cost is right
1. Beach hut day. 
2. Thomas Land Trip. 
3. Researching taking the kids on their first ski trip. It would be a very last minute booking though and we are aiming for 2023, but I'm going to keep my research head on. If it happens, it happens. If not, we'll have additional money to add to the savings pot! So win win. 

There is possible talk of DH being put forward for a promotion but I'll believe it when I see it. I've not planned or budgeted for it as nothing is a given in those instances is it. But it would be a nice bonus as there would be a decent salary increase attached. 

So looking back at the above, we did all the exciting things to look forward to - they were all brilliant! And the kids love their bunkbeds. 

We didn’t do one of the additional things on the list. Boo. 

And DH did not get a promotion but has taken on a secondment role which will give him more competences for promotion. 

Need to work on my list for things to look forward to in 2023.
1. Holiday to Scotland again. 

2. Laying patio.
3. Creating my veg patch by adding more raised beds. 

I’ll keep thinking and do a New Years post with my goals etc. 

I did notice in Jan last year I was going on about a sit stand desk. Well tomorrow I’m finally getting a new desk that my sit stand adapter can go on. So when I go back to work next week my set up should be complete.