Easter 2025 I’m coming to get you!

savingholmes

All the best for your appointment. 

Good you have help with your son.

Hettyhound

So this weekend I have been spending but with the aim of declutterring the house.  There is no storage spaces within my home and consequently everything gets dumped in corners, under beds and in drawers never to be seen again and therefore not required!  It’s really starting to bug me so inspired by some other diaries I’m decluttering.  Yesterday I bought 2 outdoor plastic storage boxes which you can padlock.  MSE ers will be happy to know they were on sale, £33 each instead of £45 each.  My son and I demolished an old wooden cold frame that was rotting and had a tip trip and we have another trip or 2 planned for today.  The boxes are very good and can be used as a seat too.  Hoping one will have gardening stuff/garden chairs in and the other some camping stuff.  I can then clear out under my bed and the tiny under stairs cupboard.  Today’s task is to clear out plant pots and cut up an old shelving unit that is in the garden and came across from the allotment shed when we took that down.  I want to set myself the challenge of a drawer at day but quite honestly some drawers could take a week!  I’m hoping to get the mortgage under the £20k point this month which I keep telling myself is a massive achievement.  I can’t make as big OP as I’d like but as a single parent with a child with educational needs I think I do OK.  I found my old bag of marbles yesterday and have set up a physical count down on my kitchen windowsill.  One jar has 81 marbles, one for every £250 left to pay off and one jar is empty; let’s see how fast I can fill that empty jar.  Food bills is another area I want to concentrate on.  Trying to eat healthy on a budget seems to get more impossible.  Todays plan is to get the slow cooker on for a veggie sausage casserole and I’ve got a chocolate chip sourdough loaf nearly ready for baking; school holidays kill my food budget ☹️. I’ll be popping over the allotment to see if I can dig up a couple of leeks to make a leek and cheese quiche for the freezer too.

beanielou

I think that you do amazingly well. Be proud. 

Hettyhound

So obviously I won't be paying off my mortgage by Easter 2025 but looking at the positives I'm now in a far better position than I would have been if I'd never started my diary.  It is my mortgage DD tomorrow on the 10th and if my calculations are correct I should be below £20K (around the £19,950 mark) which means I have paid off £60,000 on my own in 9 years and 5 months!!  I feel very rightly proud of this achievement and now have reached the final stretch.  I have a new target; to have it paid off by 29th October 2027 which will be my 60th birthday (I know I don't look old enough 🤣).  Its an ambitious target and I've created a massive spreadsheet to go with it but it is possible.

I've decided to target the food shopping bill as well as its just getting out of hand.  I allocate £240 per month (which does include dog food) but it doesn't seem to stretch anymore.  I need more targeted meal planning and to remember basic doesn't mean tasteless; also note to self I do not need avocado in my life!  I have looked at my "bills" account allocations too and done some fiddling with that.  I was adding a buffer of £30 per month to the account but goodness knows why.  It doesn't earn me any interest but £30 to the mortgage would be a better use of the fund.  I've also cut my "pets" amount from £20 to £15.  This is not the pet insurance but for the flea, worming and annual vaccinations.  I get the flea and worming online (with cashback) and as I only have a dog now the annual £180 saved up should be enough to cover it all.  I will also be telling the National Trust I won't be paying again for my annual subscription in August.  I allocate £8.50 per month to save up for the annual bill but I have now managed to get a MAX card for my son (which cost me £5 and is valid until October 2026).  Its all to do with his adoption and learning issues/statement.  The MAX card gives you free entry to loads of places, including some National Trust properties and our 2 nearest ones are part of the scheme.  The £75 already saved for next year is going to the mortgage today.  I also got a CEA card (for £6 valid until November 2025).  This entitles me to a free cinema ticket as a carer for my son, so a trip to the pictures costs £6.99 instead of £13.98.  I enquired with the company that do the outdoor cinema screenings that we went to last year as their 2025 programme is out.  They accept them as well and as the tickets are about £18 each its a massive saving.  I need to buy my son's ticket via Eventbrite and email them my order number and they will issue me a carers ticket.  I allocate £25 a month for the Days Out fund but might reduce this to £20 as with the free entry deals I reckon £240 a year (doesn't include food/picnic stuff) will cover it.  Well enough rambling on, which is mainly to keep myself on track.  I'm looking forward to leaving my 20's on Thursday!!

carboot_karaoke

Hi @Hettyhound l have only just found your diary and read the last few pages. 

I think your doing incredibly well  😊  financially and otherwise. I love the marble jar idea, and the fact you are sure to allocate time and funds for you and your son to enjoy together.

I joined the Grocery challenge thread last June/July and it has had a real impact saving us £100's if not more ever since.

We are hoping to be mortgage free at a similar time so l will be cheering you on your journey. 

Jessy103

You've done brilliantly and should be very proud of yourself! x

ladysummerisle

If you look at the figures, paying 60k over 9 years and 5 months averages to £531 / month. 20k over 30 months is £667. 136 extra a month, at a bit of a sprint. Sounds like a good target to me!

(i would say that - I’m attempting Sept 26 in advance of my Oct birthday. Single modest income, family of four.)

Hettyhound

@carboot_karaoke the marble idea wasn’t mine, I got it from reading someone else’s thread but I can’t remember who it was.  I tried it before but my son kept pinching and moving the marbles which rather defeats the object.  I use to do the grocery challenge and was really good at costing out my shopping list but then it got that every time I went shopping the prices had gone up so I was wrong with my budget anyway. @ladysummerisle thank you for the calculation's!  I’ve factored in some extra larger amounts that should be coming my way during the time; first bonus from help to save and 2 lots of extra assessment work we are allowed to do over Christmas for an external scholarship scheme.  I will also clear my 0% interest credit card in 12 months so that amount will go to the mortgage overpayment.  I do feel like it’s achievable.  My help to save account will be used to pay off the balance when there is about £1500 left and if I get really impatient I’ve got a small cash isa, a small stocks and shares one and a few premium bonds.  My theory is they will be easily replaced once all the mortgage and mortgage overpayment monies are going to savings anyway.

savingholmes

Well done on the milestone achievement. I think you are doing amazing. 

South_coast

YOU ARE AWESOME 😀 

That is all