Freedom for the future

VDOT47

MM - sounds like you are smashing down the mortgage and building up savings nicely. I'm sure you have it in mind already, but don't ignore your pension too! Especially if you are higher rate tax payer you will save a lot of tax by making some contributions over and above the minimum auto-enrolment ones.


Enjoy Center Parcs too - we love it there. Have you been before? It is a bit pricey but if you take a lot of your own food and don't go crazy on the activities you can still have a great time and not spend fortunes!


Greent - I know, that's why I have generally held back from making such comments, it is just resentment I suppose at living in such an expensive part of the country where to even get a reasonable size family home (nothing special) you need to shell out £350-400k!

Mortgage_Minimiser

Hey, I kept meaning to mention pensions so thanks for the reminder VDOT.

I contribute 15%, employer 6%. I was going to increase it further but I decided to take the private healthcare, especially now it's just me and DD. I shall see what the salary looks like this month and decide if I can still up it, bt it's hard when you get commission each month (if you are lucky :rotfl:,) you cant always see what the basic is.

We haven't been to CP before..... booked a couple of activities, but are getting bikes and will swim. DD will take her roller boots. I'm going to pop out later for easy meals / snacks, but we have booked dinner most evenings.

Right I suppose I had better crack on with work.... feel very tired today for some reason. I may need a bit of fresh air so think I will go and get diesel to try and wake myself up...I shall need it for tomorrow anyway

Back soon!

MM
x

greent

Have fun in CP - we love it there although rarely eat out when there nowadays. I find it a very 'chilled' place to be x

Mortgage_Minimiser

Thanks greent.….finally arrived and Day 1 over. Feeling more relaxed already. Had a bit of a manic day, but safely ensconced in our room now. LO is fast asleep (hardly surprising given the late hour she went to bed, but im not being prescriptive. It's only 3 nights). She said it had been the best day ever before falling asleep tonight. Makes me feel so warm.

Probably wont have any money saving updates until we leave here :rotfl:

Im not going mad, and did bring food for breakfast and lunch, along with snacks... hoping it isn't too bad, but there is a chunk of money allocated to this week so hey ho.

Right, sad as it is I need some sleep too!. Work's been horrendous the last week and although it's only one day away I do need it. I shall just catch up with some diaries first.


Night all....

MM

greent

Mortgage_Minimiser wrote: »

Thanks greent.….finally arrived and Day 1 over. Feeling more relaxed already. Had a bit of a manic day, but safely ensconced in our room now. LO is fast asleep (hardly surprising given the late hour she went to bed, but im not being prescriptive. It's only 3 nights). She said it had been the best day ever before falling asleep tonight. Makes me feel so warm.

Ahhhhh!!! Bless her!!! :):) xx

Mortgage_Minimiser

Such a happy, easy child xxx

twinklie

Just wanted to say we have a big mortgage too - was 235,000 when we took it out in October 2018. So we are only just chipping away very slowly. Current MF date is November 2037. But I intend to chip away at that. Small steps this year due to paying down debts. Next year will be about building some savings...then more will go on OP's.

kaycastle

Awww so glad you are having a wonderful time, just sounds so relaxing xx

Well done on your massive overpayments I'm finding it very addictive. I'm desperate for some of my regular savers to end in a couple of months and throw everything into an overpayment.

Mortgage_Minimiser

Hi twinklie thanks for popping by. Feels a long hard slog when it's so big doesn't it? That's why I had to do a bit of a re-check recently to see how far i've come.

[STRIKE]We[/STRIKE] I am currently at £256, but its definitely coming down. I still have this idea I can clear if by the time my fix runs out - Dec 2023. That'll be tough but I can only try, and if I don't hit it then I shall be in an amazing position anyway. :beer: The fall back target date is Dec 2025 - a milestone birthday. You are not alone !


Kaycastle - thanks. I cannot commit to them every month but whilst work are paying commission, I am throwing it (almost) all at the mortgage, after making the best use of savings accounts / regular savers etc.

I need to see the back of this mortgage!

Back home tomorrow.... not too bad though. Been very energetic and had a great time. Got the alarm & cctv guy round tomorrow.

Right, we are tired, so going to get sky go booted up and start to relax.

Night all
MM
x

Mortgage_Minimiser

Morning everyone

A beautiful sunny day again here in the North West.

I am working today (from home) and DD is with her dad. bit emotional last night, its the first time she has stayed away from me involuntarily, but I can't keep her away from her Daddy. At least I know she is up and well this morning... but I had to do a mercy dash with cornflakes last night as he hadn't shopped for her (as I thought!.... did he really think she would want a protein shake for breakfast?? :rotfl:)


Anyway, 2 things on my mind this morning.
I am already OPing the mortgage and have my 5 months worth of ready cash EF. I have a small savings pot which I am growing. I pay 15% to pension, and employer 6%.

I think I need to start making better investing / saving decisions and probably a S&S ISA / SIPP given what ive read here... thoughts everyone? Whats the easiest to administer / any charges associated etc? I keep reading and can't get my head around it!

Also, I have 2 mortgages totalling about £256k. The smaller one's about £73k. I know witht eh interest being lower (£4.79 / day) it makes financial sense to OP the bigger one, but I feele like im not making visible progress. Maybe getting rid of the smaller one would make me feel ive achieved something Or perhaps it would still take so long I wouldn't feel any better..? Thoughts?

Oh well, better get some work done. Apparently targets are coming out this morning..... joy!

Have a great day all

MM
x