Mortgage freedom/FIRE diary

Poppycat1

I haven't opened the cheese yet.  It has a BB date of 01/06/21 so will be ok until I get time to cut it in portions and freeze.  I was up late requesting food items from Olio and collecting this morning.  Both as a Food Waste Hero and and Olio member.  Lots of people have collected items I collected from Te$co including some lovely bedding plants.  I've eaten Olio brioche rolls, vegan duck wraps, mac cheese, nut bar and Mum's homemade cake.

I did spend some money (£2.43) at L!dl's on ice lollies, crisps, sweets and fizzy for DS2.  He hasn't eaten/drunk it all and has had proper food.

DS1 is coming over for the day tomorrow so hoping to do a sausage roast.  Roast dinner but with sausages, it is something that we used to have all the time.  I have plenty of veg including three bundles of asparagus, broccoli and cauliflower. 

Back tomorrow with my end of month accounts.  

Poppycat1

End of month expenses/income

Income:

£1,543.38 - Wages 
£813.35 - Child related income
Total:  £2,356.73

Extra income:

£5.47 - Bank cash back for bills - after £2 charge 
£108.60 - Broadband (£75), Shopmium (£3.60), British Gas (£25), Voucher earned for using Amazon music (£5)
£0.57 - 10% NHS discount from Morrisons
£5.00 - Echo referrals, Morrisons voucher used.  More received but not spent yet
£44.92 - Survey sites, mainly cash from PA and Curious cat (£1.11) and a £5 Tesco Voucher from Media rewards
Total: £164.56

Bills:

£236.29 - Broadband, CT, Gas/Elec, Phone and water
Total - £236.29

Mortgage Interest: £139.95

Misc spending:

£46.02 - Diesel - still got 1/4 of a tank full
£2.50 - Chip shop chips for DS2
£4.99 - New broom for outside
£4.50 - Washing capsule subscription - Bio
£21.70 - Food - £10 Paid with voucher earned with Echo/Media rewards.  £11.70 spent on food for the month!  Mainly treats for DS2
1.50 - Toothpaste x 2
£41.38 - Cat food - Paid with £18.39 paid with the £75 Amazon voucher
Total - £122.59 - £28.39 (vouchers) = £94.20

Pleased with this month.  I haven't included the large refund from the water company and the vouchers that I have earned.  I will include the vouchers once I have spent them.

10% mortgage overpayment allowance also paid off and £860 towards next year's 10%.  I am aiming to get this to £1,000 before June's payday.

South_coast

Cracking month, well done you 👍👍👍 Especially on the extra income (more than the mortgage interest by a country mile) and the food spends! I spent £76.95 at the supermarket this month and thought I'd done well - and there's only one of me 😮!

Poppycat1

Thank you South_coast.  It's only because I do so well with the Olio collections that I can keep the food budget down by so much.  I picked up lots of items again today including lots of iced donuts, noodles, teabags, diary free milk, salad, pepper, onions, bananas, new potatoes, vegetables, bread, cereals and pastries.  I am going to aim to just spend vouchers in June and no cash.  To be honest it's not going to be difficult at all and I may be able to not spend any vouchers.  I have so much in the freezers, fridge and cupboards.  Keep thinking I should stop Olio for a few weeks and use some of the stuff up.  But hate things going to waste.

The extra income was boasted a lot by the £75 Amason voucher for changing my broadband provider 3 months ago.  The Briti$h Gas cashback also fell in the same month.  Going to have to get my thinking cap on to try and keep it up.  

Lovely day here spent with DS1.  He helped me take some stuff to the tip and cut the long grass.  Lovely to see him, he is coming back tomorrow and spending a couple of days with his brother whilst I work.  Two lots of washing done, changed my sheets and DS2 done his.  Still have a fair bit of washing to do.  Started sorting another pile for the tip.

Poppycat1

Long bank holiday at work today, not been home long.  I will get paid time and around 84% for 12.5 hours work today so worth doing.  I will not be counting this as extra income though.  I enjoy working bank holidays there is a different atmosphere.  I was organised last night and prepared all my food for today and tomorrow.  No money spent as usual.  I took some Olio items that I was given and wont use to work and left in the tea room for people to help themselves to.

Last night I renewed my break down cover, they quoted me £25 a couple of weeks ago and I didn't renew.  I got an email yesterday offering 10% off if I renewed so £2.50 saved.  If anyone is interested in using them let me know I thing there is a referral code for them.  Not used it before and don't know any details.  PA paid out £7.19 to paypal today so will take that out tomorrow and count it towards June extra money.  So £10.69 already for June.

I've had it confirmed that I have two hours overtime this Thursday, I will stay on after my normal day.  

Poppycat1

Normal mortgage payment came out today.  So mortgage is now £81,721.50 with 12 years and 4 months left to pay.  If I pay another £60 off it will reduce by another month.  Tempted but it will cost me £3 in early repayment charge.  I'm sure I will do it at some point but putting off for now. 

I have added some small bits to next year's overpayment account, it now stands at £875.52.  I will add the £24.48 on Monday to make it to £900.  £100 to find before the 24th June.

I done the two hours overtime Thursday and have agreed around 16 hours next week.  Two hours worth will be paid Friday and the other will be paid the Friday after.  This should give me the extra £100 to take the overpayment account to £1,000.00.

A few surveys done, plenty of Olio pickups, cereal, potatoes, rhubarb, Pret items and vegetables. Going to make rhubarb crumble today and have a sort out so nothing gets wasted food wise.

No money spent, apart from bills/petrol so far this month but we have to go to the city today to collect DS2 glasses up so will probably have to pay for parking. 

Poppycat1

I went to collect an Olio collection and received six boxes of the same cereal.  Kept one, four have been requested and collected.  Picked up some beautiful mixed coloured roses and tulips in a bouquet, some lilies, lots of baking potatoes and carrots.

I took DS2 to the city to collect his glasses and take a t-shirt back that was too small for him.  He bought it with his Christmas voucher a while back, £30 for a t-shirt!  As expected I had to pay for the car park but it was only £1.50.  I didn't keep to not spending any money on food and drink.  We were hot and gave in to a fizzy drink each, £2.20.

When we got home I rang DS2's bank to sort out his account.  He forgot his PIN and has been borrowing money from me for a couple of years.  All sorted just waiting on confirmation of PIN.  I transferred the money he owed me and some spending money for him in to my account and took some out to give to him.  This meant I had enough to pay some extra in the next year's 10% overpayment account.  It now stands at £1,000.  I should manage to pay in £900 each month from now until the end of the year.  I will then set a challenge of finding/making the extra £100 each month to make the £1,000.

12p PA survey done - every little helps!

Poppycat1

I love Sundays, I used to hate them because I thought they were boring. It was very sunny for the first few hours of the day now it is grey.  I was up early to do my Olio collection from TeSco.  6 packets of their Finest hot cross buns, a cake, red pepper and a loaf of bread.  I will keep the cake and take it to work tomorrow.  

I have 16 jacket potatoes in the oven.  When cooked they will be scooped out and filled with various fillings, put back and most will be frozen.  I have a bag of Maris Pipers which I will roast to warm up later in the week.  Then the rhubarb is going to be made in to crumble for the week.  

The flowers I collected yesterday are beautiful.  A really nice treat because I tend to only buy myself daffs because they are cheap.

After the food prep my only plan is to prepare for the working week and possible a bit of tidying.  My room is messier than my teenagers room! 

Enjoy your Sundays everyone.

Poppycat1

The two hours of overtime was paid today and after deductions received £14.82.  I've done 16.5 hours this week and will be paid next Friday.  Once this is paid I'll overpay the extra that will bring my mortgage down by another month.  It is £40 now as I paid £20 off a couple of days ago.  It cost me £1 in early redemption fees but I'm ok with that.  

Thanks to the person that used my Echo referral link, I have another £5 coming my way.  I hope you spend yours on something nice.

I was near a Waitrose yesterday and spent some of the voucher I was given a while back.  So mainly basics were bought, baked beans and some Shopmium items that I will get the cashback on later today.  Also popped to Morrisons and got some 80p vegan ice cream to have with the crumble that I still haven't made.  My parents are coming over today and I managed to collect four Prett baguettes for our lunch, crumble for afters.

I bought a couple of Shopmium items, fries and garlic mayo so should receive the cash back later today for that.  I have referred my son for it so he gets a free tub of Pringles and I get £2-£3.  He has started using Olio.

Better go an tidy up for the parents.  I'm 50 soon and I still feel like a teenager when they visit.

Chiglepig

Poppycat1 said:

Better go an tidy up for the parents.  I'm 50 soon and I still feel like a teenager when they visit.

I feel your pain fortunately I get several months warning of mine - but still run round like a headless chicken with a broom up their backside