Mortgage freedom/FIRE diary

Poppycat1

Collected two bags of potatoes, lots of nice bread and some Pret food via Olio on the way home from work tonight.  Lunch and breakfast sorted for tomorrow at work.

I work full-time as a receptionist but I am also on the bank as a clerical worker and a health care assistant.  A shift has become available for a place I used to work as an HCA fairly often. It's in the middle of an annual leave week and I have no plans.  I haven't done this sort of work since pre covid.  I'm really tempted to book it but a little anxious.  Before deductions it would be around £81 and paid the week after I work.  I think I will go and speak with them tomorrow and ask if the job has changed since I last worked there.

The trust I work for has said that as a thank you to staff they are issuing a £20 department store gift card to everyone.  I don't feel guilty for taking it because last year, before I went of sick, I worked 50-60 hours some weeks to help out.  I think I will treat myself to some nice smellies with it.  But I also need a tea strainer, lol.

I'm nearly at the £20 payment threshold for survey company which pay out in cash.  It's the first time I will have claimed from this company so I don't know how long it takes for the payment to be paid in to the bank.

(I was reading through my thread last week and I don't think I said that me and my boyfriend have parted.  It was about 18 months ago now.)

Chiglepig

Poppycat1, bonuses like that should always be slpurged on something indulgent.

If you have the energy for the bank shift, I would give it a go, because if you hate it, you don't have to go back and there's no reflection on you in applying for jobs in the future, it's not like walking out of a longer contract. If it does work for you, and you still get enough downtime for yourself to recharge, then great, it keeps anpther set of skills up-to-date.

Poppycat1

A few months ago first thing in the morning my son opened his curtains and he said "yeah, it's raining".  I looked at him strangely and he said "it means I can stay at home all snug".  Today it's another one of those days, it's pouring.  I said he looked all cosy in his loungers and he said "my friends are going out but I'm going to stay at home and play my x-box".   I think he gets this from me.  I have let the heating go on, I'm going to sit with the computer most the day and potter around at home.  Probably my ideal day. We have plenty of everything we need.  Cats are doing the same with 3 out 5 on my bed and the two other with me in the lounge.

I woke up to an email from PA saying I have a bonus of £5.47 I'd forgotten about so that was nice.  I think I will wait to see if anything else become payable over the weekend before I cash out.  I paid £30 to the mortgage last night.  This leaves £730 left to find of the 10% allowance this year.  I'm sure I'll be able to scrape together the £30 before pay day when it will all be paid off.

Chigle, I spoke with someone I used to work with about the bank shift that still works there, she said nothing has changed.  So, I booked it.  Better see if my old uniform still fits.

Have a great day everyone, enjoy the rain if you have it.

South_coast

Poppycat1 said:

I woke up to an email from PA saying I have a bonus of £5.47

I've just had an email from them about a bonus of 4p - you're doing much better than me 🤣!

I'm having a cosy day today as well. I drew the curtains when I got back from BF's and am enjoying being tucked away in my little cocoon. 

Poppycat1

Well 4p is better than nothing @South_coast.  I pick up pennies because it's 1p closer to mortgage freedom/FI.  Sounds like a just perfect day.  The only thing that I have done is washed up.  I have been doing it in stages and DS2 has dried up after each time.

I have three bags of potatoes to use up from Olio so tomorrow I will bake two bags and roast one bag.  Half of the baked ones will be used for bake potatoes in the week and half will be scoped out for mash potatoes.  I will leave some potato in and sprinkle cheese over the top for a snack.  I will also make sausage roast dinner tomorrow and plate up several meals for the next week.  My son will love this.  I hate peeling so the roasts will be with skins.

The rain has stopped but it is very windy here.  As I sit and look out my lounge window the cherry Blossom is being blown over the garden and it looks like its snowing.

I haven't had confirmation but it looks like WTC is no longer going to paid to me and CTC has been reduced from £259 to £23.  This leaves me £377 less each four weeks.  I big blow for my mortgage free by December 2024.  I think I will get a letter in the post next week.  I did work a lot of extra shifts last year because of Covid so not completely unexpected.  I will still pay the mortgage off much earlier but it may add 18 months, we will see.

Going back to Olio, I have my first ever collection as a Food Waste Hero tomorrow.  A small Te£so express.  I am way too excited about this, lol.

Poppycat1

First Olio collection completed.  No one wanted the food that I collected, 2 Danish loaves and 5 packets of Brioche rolls.  I kept a tray of little cupcakes for myself.  I will take a few bits to work tomorrow to see if anyone wants them.  I have collected some Pret food for myself, and also to take some to work because no one wanted them.  I really wish I could share with the people on here but fear the cost money and environmental wouldn't be worth it, lol.

PA has been good over the weekend and paid out £8.38 tonight.  Still have a similar amount waiting to pay out.  I got the 4p bonus this morning @South_coast.  

I got a bit down about the tax credits today and wasn't really keen on money saving today. It does look like it will add another 18 months to my mortgage free date.  I have given myself a good talking to, I haven't even had confirmation about it yet.  Even if it is another 18 months it is still much earlier than it would be if I didn't try.  I didn't sleep well last night so that didn't help.  Goodnight x

Poppycat1

I have had a bad few days and the anxiety has came back.  Yesterday was particularly difficult and ended up taking some lieu time and came home.  It has been better since lunch time today and I hope it will give me a rest from it for a bit.

PA has been good recently with £6.60 paid out yesterday.  Received a £5 which was payment for a survey that paid out in a Tesco voucher and Populus survey for £4, that added to the total is £23, needs £50 before pay out.  

I printed my P60s at work yesterday and realised why the TC had reduced so much.  I was paid £6,000 pounds more than I thought I would be last.  The overtime is no longer available so think the TC should increase next April.  So maybe only 6 months more than originally planned.

I am going to spend some money tonight, £2, I think.  DS2 has had a couple of bad days at school, so I have said he can have some chippy shop chips.  I wont have any because don't really fancy them but will steal a few from him.

v1ckyt

HI Poppycat,
The annual fluctuation of tax credits is quite frustrating isn't it, along with the extra payment generated each time you update them about any tiny changes, which in turn (understandably) reduces the payments for the remainder of the year. 
Still I try to focus on the bigger picture, and am grateful it is still paid weekly, as is handy having it drip in between paydays, am not complaining about it truly!

Hope you feel better soon, chip shop chips sound like a good idea!
Take care, Vicky

Poppycat1

Hi V1ckyt, I hate it when that happens and don't understand why it does.  Thank you, I'm am feeling a bit better.

Came home from work tonight to two envelopes, one is my Civil service pension forecast.  When they gave me the last forecast they had given me the figures of how much I was entitled to when I left back in 2004 ish.  I wasn't aware of this.  Previous yearly amount - £3,623    Current yearly amount - £5,371
Previous lump sum - £10,870         Current lump sum -  £16,113

This is paid out in 10 years time when I am 60.  I'm really pleased with this.  That would cover a huge amount of my expenses.  I will also have the full state pension at 67/68, NHS pension (currently stands at £841 pa) at 67/68 and my SIPP which has only £1,423 in atm. I should have another £300 ish pa added to my NHS when I next receive the statement in the next few weeks.

Other letter was to confirm that I have been overpaid Tax credits but £3,086 and not £4,000.  Will pay it back by not having any tax credits until it's paid back.

Email received to say the the MSE energy club cashback of £25 will be paid shortly.  NHS app survey completed today worth £10 which I will receive in about 4-5 weeks.  

Poppycat1

I forgot to mention a made a £10 overpayment to the mortgage a few days ago.  Another £20 tonight.  It now stands at £82,910.90.  £700 of the 10% overpayment allowance for this year.  

I managed to get a cauliflower, butternut squash and some naans in the week.  I think a curry is in order this weekend.

Received the £20 department store gift card from work.  Next weekend I'll go treat myself to some smellies.

£25 cashback for changing my gas/electric suppler received today.  Which is what I used to overpay the mortgage.