Cottage Countdown

LeighofMar

savingholmes said:

So glad that your client has paid up and that the investment property is about to close. That's a serious turnaround from where you were. You also sound like you have very healthy savings. Go you!

Thanks, SH. We are looking forward to seeing what the next chapter is for us as we keep cruising towards semi-retirement for DH. This will help ease the transition.

BravingSaving said:

Just wanted to pop in and say well done you're getting so much done! I've just eaten my lunch but reading about all the food you've made has made me want to eat more   

Thanks for popping in Braving. Lol, you are too sweet. I admit sometimes I get tired of cooking as I have to make all my own meals due to my illness, but I figure, it might as well be delicious, right? Speaking of which, DH and I were talking about a restaurant we used to go to where they had an amazing 3-cheese shrimp dip, definitely something I can't have in a restaurant today. And it was obvious we were both missing it. Out of curiosity, I googled to see if there was a Paleo version and lo and behold! There was. I had everything except goat cheese. I made it, without the shrimp this time as I just wanted a cheese dip. It was even better than the restaurant and I actually texted DH that I had made it. He said he was coming home early. I thought he was joking. He wasn't. And he ate the rest of it.     
I'll take it as a compliment though since he is not on a medical diet and can eat whatever he wants. But sheesh!!! 

LeighofMar

Gloomy start to the day but finally looks like it's drying out. Maybe I can get back to painting the fence as it's half grey primer and half sage green painted. Work has been busy, but all clients are paid up so I can start attacking the business CCs tomorrow. I made the monthly contribution to our retirement accounts. Will have to project and see if we can give ourselves a small raise or not next year. If we can't do it for both, I think DH should have the raise since he's closer to retirement than I am and we might as well get the most out of his SS benefit that we can. We'll see. The investment property payout should come this Sunday. So excited about that. DH is currently working in the basement of that house finishing it electrically to make it habitable for someone to live downstairs. Wiring through concrete block is no fun, but he's handling it. He says as crazy physical and dirty as it is, he's actually more content because it's quiet, he can work by himself, and he likes keeping his mind and hands active without receiving a bunch of phone calls throughout the day. I can understand that. I despise phone work myself. If it gets him to a happier state of semi-retirement, then it will be worth it. 

Pork chops and red potatoes are done. Put them in the oven, so they're a little tougher than I would like but still good. I made some chocolate peanut butter brownies and need to convert that into cookies. I think that will be delightful. And if the sun would stay out, I can cut the front lawn. It's horribly overgrown, but we've had nothing but heavy rain for a week. Maybe I'll catch a break. 

savingholmes

Sounds like you made a really tasty few meals there. So glad business is good

LeighofMar

Mortgage OP made today $213.45. It was $200.00 to get me to $36,000 even and then the $13.45 I received in cash-back from Rakuten to get me into the $35s. Yay!!! Balance is now $35,986.55. Super stoked about that. Cashed out my transcription money today $331.00. Would love to party with it, but it's going to my CC to pay for my recent tires and alignment. Booooo. Oh well, at least I won't be in debt. Sun's coming out, but the ground is still wet, so probably no lawn cutting, but maybe I can get the fence painted if it dries up enough. Have a wonderful day, all!

savingholmes

Well done on the OP - you are really going strong. Well done on the transcription £ too.

LeighofMar

Payday today, hooray! Regular monthly mortgage payment sent of $511.90. This pays November 2020's payment. Goal is to pay December and January's mortgage payments this month and then have the rest of the year to OP freely. Let's see if I can make it happen. E-fund savings topped up with $16.00, house fund $80.00, and general savings $80.00. Mortgage balance is around $35,790.00 by tomorrow. 

But the best news is the investment property sold to our contractor's sister-in-law and we got our share. We invested $27,500 in the project and received $38,160.00 back. Super excited and happy to fill up the business savings account. Work-wise, we have clients asking us to send in bids, so construction is still going on. These are huge multifamily units, so that's always a good sign for the economy, I think. Plus on our local side, DH had to say he was taking 2 days off leading into the Labor Day holiday weekend because he's exhausted. We have projects on the books for probably all of September, so I will definitely squirrel away as much capital as possible in case the economy decides to take a nosedive. But so far, it's not showing any signs of that. At least for our sector. 

Fence is almost painted. I just did the majority of the interior run, and I'm exhausted now and taking a break while DH does the other side. So much for resting. He has been bidding in the home office and then went outside for paint. But he seems to enjoy that, so that's all that matters. I have to drag myself to make a quick lunch/supper as we eat early. A quick sphagetti with lentil pasta ought to do it. 

savingholmes

Well done - you are doing really well. Putting some money away for emergencies is a good plan. I think people often get in trouble due to lack of cashflow rather than there being something major wrong with their business / life model.

bit_by_bit

Wow. I just caught up with your diary and am now exhausted. 
Well done to you both. I like that you are working together on all of this. DH and I have separate mortgages as he has bought a house for his parents to live in.   
You have been working really hard and paid off so much i can see you reaching your target in 2023 easily.

LeighofMar

Thanks, bit-by-bit. The end is in sight and it is very motivating. 
OP of $90.00 sent today, which brings the mortgage balance to $35,690.00. That takes care of all the payments for 2033. Goal is to make all the payments through 2035, but will take what we can get. Payment 217/360. 
Labor Day was nice. I spent the day cooking ribs, roasted potatoes, and a cinnamon roll pastry. DH devoured everything. Also, I have been eyeing a sideboard for my dining room that I have wanted forever and once when the price had dipped, I didn't get it at that time. Then it went out of stock, back in stock but at a higher price. I just said forget it. Labor Day, I wake up and they had a flash deal on the sideboard. Instead of $659.00, they had it for $577.00. It's 70'' wide and solid wood and I don't have to assemble anything. I said sold. Can't wait to get it. It's a teal/blue type color that will match perfectly with my round wood table and teal chairs I had picked for my dining room. Plus I'm not shy about admitting I like the 1.5% cashback on my CC 

Transcription job surprised me yesterday with a random $40.00 bonus. Pretty thrilled about that, so now my transcription account stands at 120.00, and there seems to be plenty of work if I want it, so I will keep doing that in my downtime while things are quiet for now. 

Fence is painted. DH is just doing some touchup on the gates. The butterflies have found my garden, and it is so wonderful to see them, especially as I'm a newbie gardener. So it gives me a measure of satisfaction. I bought a hummingbird mint. Haven't seen any hummingbirds yet, but I can always hope. I would love for them to find my garden too. 

Off to get some work done, have a walk, and I have a Zoom meeting tonight and a presentation on it but haven't received the codes yet. Sigh. Plus we're out of my baked goods so need to do some more baking. Have a great day all!

savingholmes

Love your colour scheme. Another fan of teal here.