Cottage Countdown

savingholmes

You are doing really well paying off the mortgage. Like your idea of a sun room too and the wood burning stove.

LeighofMar

Thank you so much SavingHolmes. Sometimes I get mortgage overpayment fatigue but this diary helps me stay focused. And I love how if my mortgage was gone, I could pay for the sunroom and wood stove and not have to worry about debt payments at the same time as regular monthly mortgage payments.

It's funny, all my houses before have had fireplaces and we've used them and loved them all. But I will never forget when my state had an ice storm that lasted 4 days without power. Our son was probably a year and a half old at that time and it was so cold that we were able to put the food in a cooler outside and it stayed frozen. We had a gas stove so we were still able to cook, and we all slept in front of the fireplace as a way to keep warm. It wasn't until after the storm that we found out our elderly neighbors next to us suffered through the cold because they didn't have any wood. I felt like absolute garbage for not even thinking of checking on them. I assumed they were using their fireplace. So ever since then, I kind of really insist on having one. It's not like we have long-term power outages on a regular basis, especially where we are now. But you just don't forget shivering like that and I don't want to be caught unawares. And this time, because I know for sure my sweet elderly next-door neighbor does not have a fireplace either, she could stay warm with us if the worst happened again. Other than that, it's one of the cheerful things in my life. I like a nice warm toasty fire while I read my latest mystery book or listen to a suspense audio or just sitting there watching nature with a cup of coffee. I think that would make my little house perfect. And it would still be loads cheaper than moving and buying a bigger house that has all that we need. My sweet DH wanted a garage too and this house didn't come with one so we figured we will build a carport as well for him and the sunroom for me and then we're both happy.

LeighofMar

Mortgage payment sent out today with OP of 97.59. Ending balance for October is $43,438.58. Total OPs for October equal $742.82. I've done my calculations and I would like to be at $40,000 by December 31st, but it looks like I will miss it by $1700.00. Oh well. Overall, I still almost reached my goal of $10,000 in OPs for the year.
Now that November is here, the rest of the year work-wise will be insane because of all the holidays and the customers closing and only paying on certain days. Plus we are right in the middle of our first real estate flip. It's going well, and there is even already a potential interested buyer, but we never get excited until they sign the dotted line. Problem is that our main client may have to go soon. It's just so stressful for DH even though the money's good, but if we get rid of our main client at the end of the year, we will only have one flip under our belt and need to invest those profits into the next one. We will still need working capital during that time. Those are the lows of being self-employed I guess. My transcription's going well but it's still a fraction of what we will need. I use those earnings to put in the investment/flipping pot for the business so no payroll out of that. We will see what happens.
The Efund received 116.00, general savings 80.00 and house fund 80.00 which we will need sooner rather than later with the roof starting to show weak spots. Onwards and upwards though.

LeighofMar

A baby OP of 38.58 made to get to an even number of 43,400.00. I have been doing some shopping and always looking for bargains but spending the money because I get so tired of not having long sleeved dresses for winter or no casual sweaters. I used to have a fabulous boot collection and I want to get back into that. In the meantime, we bought our garden arbor and dug the holes for our front gate where the fence will go. So excited to ramp up the curb appeal of our little cottage. And after all that work, I get to relax on the back deck with a fudgy pumpkin brownie (or two).
Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend.

LeighofMar

Another week, another OP of 318.60 to end at $43,081.40. We should definitely hit the 42K bracket at the end of this month. Excited about that. We are on payment 175, 10 years and 7 months ahead of where we should be. And payment 180 will be the official halfway point of paying off the mortgage. So psyched about that. My Ebates/Rakuten cash back has been sorted and they're sending me a check for $391.00. I was going to plow half of it to the mortgage, but now I think I will OP the 81.40 to make it an even $43,000.00 and then OP as I normally do every week. Then that gives me some extra money without having to burden my CC for all the winter clothes shopping I need to do (and have been doing:embarasse)

The grocery shop has been done for today. Budget is 200.00 for the two weeks and I came in at $142.00.:T
Could not pass up on the coupons for free water, bath tissue, and cereal to stock up. DH will pick them up later today. Meal planning is even easier now since DH has shifted his diet to instead of eating 3 square meals a day, he eats when he's hungry, snacking on healthy snacks if it's just a mild hunger and incorporating smoothies and whatever helps him during his workout. So I am pretty much following along. Since I have to make all my own food, it's so nice to not have to worry about making something at 12:00. Then cooking again at 4:00. Now, I have my usual breakfast, snack during the day and then we will eat dinner around 3:00-4:00. And I usually have a nice healthy baked good somewhere for dessert later. Ideas for this two-week menu will be grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches, Paleo Zuppa Toscana, teriyaki pork chops, chicken enchilada casserole, and burger bowls.

We had an Arctic blast since Tuesday so all my plants outside are dead . I'm hoping they'll revive in the sun, which should be coming back this weekend. I know nothing about plants so I don't know if that'll happen or not. I will do some more transcription today and then try to go for a walk in this cold to try to wake up a bit. I love how I can wake up feeling good like I've slept the whole night, then I look at the clock and it's only 4:00 am:mad:

Here's to the weekend, hopefully a sunny one :beer:

LeighofMar

Ugh! I ordered a beautiful set of candle lanterns for my front stoop and it was obvious the postal svc just placed a large object on the box that broke through and broke my lantern.:mad: So back they go. I was looking forward to decorating the outside. And a cat has rediscovered my flowerbed. It's war now. I've had it. So more fence posts this weekend and digging. Then weed control strips and tack strips for any creature who dares to use my flowerbed as their bathroom.
We are getting estimates for adding a wood burning fireplace to our living room but it may not pass code because of the antique mantle we have. So we probably have to go back to the original plan and add a sunroom with a fireplace. But I sure would love a fireplace for this winter instead of a few years from now so we will see.

CosmoCat

Oh boo to the broken lantern! Did they take long to arrive? Perhaps the others would be sent quick sharp for your inconvenience.

I have a gas fire in the living room, I thought I wouldn't like it, but it's actually really quite lovely, with none of the mess (because I'm a lazy cat)

Glad to catch up with your diary.

LeighofMar

Thanks for checking in Cosmo. I hope that despite all the chaos of moving you are enjoying your beautiful new home.

I used to have a lovely gas fireplace in a previous house but it always shot up our gas bill to use it. Though right about now I'd be happy to have anything that warms up the house if the power goes out

Have a great weekend all.

LeighofMar

$43,000.00 balance after today's OP of 81.40 which means next week's mortgage payment will take us in the 42k bracket. Hooray! I know I said I was going to put some cash back from my Rakuten check on the mortgage but Amazon happened and...you know:D

But it's all good. I needed tops, dresses, skirts, workout clothes, everything. Including some absolutely gorgeous burgundy Victorian boots that don't go with a thing I own. But I decided I would stop always being so practical and indulge myself once in a while.

Today I contribute to our retirement accounts and then will get some work done.

We put up the front run of our fence with the garden arbor and it looks just wonderful. It changes the whole feel of the house already. I can't wait to do the side run now. I swung the sledgehammer and everything. It felt great and I was happy I had the strength to do it. Maybe my workout routine is working after all. But I digress. Once that side is up we can regravel my parking spot and then I can do some plantings. So excited. :j

Time for coffee, work, and a walk.

savingholmes

Sounds like it is really coming together. I would love my mortgage to be at your level...

Enjoy your new clothes too.