The Four D's

DancingInTheRain

Awesome update, fabulous news on clearing 2 more debts. So close to debt free now, well done!

mark55man

well done Dan - its a great update for someone so close to reaching their goal.  so don't sabotage yourself by trying to squeeze too hard on the final straight and blowing up - if it takes until March don't kick yourself - just pat yourself on the back for getting the job done.  then start implementing the plans you are brewing to get your forever house and Atlanta.  

My advice on disney**** - kids will enjoy it as much (and remember a lot more) when they are a bit older so you don't have to rush to get there.  you will certainly enjoy it a bit more if they are a bit more independent

FootyFanDan

DancingInTheRain said:

Awesome update, fabulous news on clearing 2 more debts. So close to debt free now, well done!

Thank you  

FootyFanDan

mark55man said:

well done Dan - its a great update for someone so close to reaching their goal.  so don't sabotage yourself by trying to squeeze too hard on the final straight and blowing up - if it takes until March don't kick yourself - just pat yourself on the back for getting the job done.  then start implementing the plans you are brewing to get your forever house and Atlanta.  

My advice on disney**** - kids will enjoy it as much (and remember a lot more) when they are a bit older so you don't have to rush to get there.  you will certainly enjoy it a bit more if they are a bit more independent

Cheers Mark, yeah I think I will just keep going how I am at the moment. Although by doing so it drags that debt free date a little further I feel quite content and comfortable with how things are progressing. 

alt80

@FootyFanDan Said it before and I’ll say it again, you’re an inspiration to me on here - your mindset is admirable.

Well done on continuing to smash the debts and the month end surplus. 

I didn’t realise you’re renting currently. You’ll 100% get there with your deposit and there are still some incentives for FTBs (if relevant to you) so make sure you take advantage of these you only get them once - could be more to come soon (95LTVs backed by BoJo have been mooted). With the right broker there will likely be mortgage products available even with defaults but you won’t see preferential rates. 

Re promotion - if they are messing you about look at your options. 

BTW - if on the usual AST, your tenancy is more secure than its ever been currently. Not a bad time to be renting.

FootyFanDan

alt80 said:

@FootyFanDan Said it before and I’ll say it again, you’re an inspiration to me on here - your mindset is admirable.

Well done on continuing to smash the debts and the month end surplus. 

I didn’t realise you’re renting currently. You’ll 100% get there with your deposit and there are still some incentives for FTBs (if relevant to you) so make sure you take advantage of these you only get them once - could be more to come soon (95LTVs backed by BoJo have been mooted). With the right broker there will likely be mortgage products available even with defaults but you won’t see preferential rates. 

Re promotion - if they are messing you about look at your options. 

BTW - if on the usual AST, your tenancy is more secure than its ever been currently. Not a bad time to be renting.

Thanks mate. Its been a tough road at times. I guess we all have our weakness, but I finally feel like I have got through the worst position. It makes me proud when I read back to the early stages and see what state I was in then compared to now. 

The promotion I am confident will happen, it needed some movement elsewhere for it to go ahead - that has happened now and I think had COVID not intervened I would have been already in a position to move forward but nothing can ever be simple lol. I am hopeful when I go back in there will have been progress.

I am trying at present not to focus too much on buying an house, its not something I have ever really thought I would want to do so haven't really saved/planned for. However I am hopeful I am not leaving it too late to start. I currently enjoy the renting - although I know effectively I am just paying off someone else's mortgage I am content with it currently, although my financial position has defo improved I think I need a few years tough saving to put me in a good place to buy and have a solid emergency fund in place. 

alt80

@FootyFanDan definitely think you’re through the worse and you should definitely be proud of what you’ve achieved. 

Covid has held up far too much. Is your wife ok now?

Property is strange - some people are massively bothered about owning some would rather rent. I was bothered about it, bought on 100LTV at 21 as soon as I secured a grad role. Have a wonderful long term family tenant, no desire to buy at all - sees it as a millstone. Apart from as a student I haven’t rented myself but I always say while a tenant is renting one of my properties and paying their rent it is 100% their home and I always hope they treat it as such not just talking about keeping it tidy etc I mean making memories. To be honest if I’ve got a tenant in a single let I’d rather have to redecorate throughout when they move on than them be afraid to have a life. Not a pushover but I’m not the sort of LL who has a problem with a tenant putting pictures on the walls etc. Too many are and can’t separate business from personal.

FootyFanDan

alt80 said:

@FootyFanDan definitely think you’re through the worse and you should definitely be proud of what you’ve achieved. 

Covid has held up far too much. Is your wife ok now?

Property is strange - some people are massively bothered about owning some would rather rent. I was bothered about it, bought on 100LTV at 21 as soon as I secured a grad role. Have a wonderful long term family tenant, no desire to buy at all - sees it as a millstone. Apart from as a student I haven’t rented myself but I always say while a tenant is renting one of my properties and paying their rent it is 100% their home and I always hope they treat it as such not just talking about keeping it tidy etc I mean making memories. To be honest if I’ve got a tenant in a single let I’d rather have to redecorate throughout when they move on than them be afraid to have a life. Not a pushover but I’m not the sort of LL who has a problem with a tenant putting pictures on the walls etc. Too many are and can’t separate business from personal.

Yeah, she is on the mend so that is a positive step forward at least. We have managed it ok in reality, she was badly for a week or so but not as bad as we had expected. I think we have fallen quite lucky in the LL stakes with this place to be honest, he is a decent guy and when we have need anything he has stepped up. Last year our boiler broke and rather than just wasting time with parts which we knew would get through winter but break again he stumped up for a new boiler so defo looks after us. I love the place and the renting has always been okay for us, maybe the security of been homeowners is nice but that also brings extra financial burdens too so it is defo something that needs thinking about - more so it does give the little one some asset once we are not here. We pretty much treat and look after this place as if it was our own and he has always said its ours as long as we want it

FootyFanDan

Ah Friday again - hope everyone has had a good week.

Been a pretty decent week this week considering everything, the household seem to be getting better and only a few days left of isolation, even though restrictions here are tier 3 so not going to be doing anything too exciting once free! Today little money win after a few months of waiting cashback of £25 has gone into account for when I purchased breakdown cover so that is a little extra we weren't budgeted for, only a bit but every little helps right?

This weekend we are going to try make it a good one for little one, she would normally be out trick or treating but that is off the table this year. So tomorrow we have a little zoom disco and we are going to dress her up which she is looking forward...can't imagine how tough this whole situation has been for the little ones. We have shopping to last til next week so should hopefully be no spends this weekend so that is always a bonus

I have been looking at the figures and also the next few months of expenditure and its seems that my debt free date will be Feb time. There is just not enough flex in budget to move more payments into the debt pot. I am content with how far I have come and not going to force and push. The car is due for MOT/Service in December plus I need a little work on it before then as well so I need to factor that in - even though there is money already put away it won't cover all that I need. 

I have also managed to fix partners laptop today - she thought it was ready for bin but a proper look at it showed it needed a new fan - so this has saved us money, managed to get replacement for £16.95 and fitted it this morning and all working. We were sharing my laptop and were planning on her getting a new one after xmas but now no need.

Christmas pressie buying is pretty much sorted (as in all budgeted - I still need to buy some things). I think alot will be done online this year though so when buying i will keep a check on any cashback deals even if its just small amounts. This weekend I will probably get on that 

Hope everyone has a great weekend
 

alt80

Glad to hear your wife is ok and great to hear re house. Definitely pros and cons to buying or renting tbh. Wouldn’t worry about the whole having something to pass on to your little one - unfortunately if you or wife needs care when you’re older your res home will soon go. You’d certainly hope she will be established with her own life too. If there’s something to leave to my son I will gladly pass it on but I’m not sacrificing my quality of life for it and if he wants my business he can work for it. No qualms in maxing the portfolio LTVs and equity release from res home if that’s what it takes when I’m old haha.

We are having a ‘virtual’ Halloween too. Find the whole zoom thing very strange tbh but son will like it. Usually do trick or treat also he is quite annoyed it’s not happening this year. Definitely difficult for the kids - hard for us to get out heads around so even more difficult for them to understand. I am concerned it will affect them when they’re older - worrying about viruses etc?? Maybe just I’m paranoid but my son does seem quite concerned about catching the virus. When I was a kid we got sent out to catch them (maybe just my parents ha) but chicken pox is hardly corona lol.

Debt free February is brilliant and well done on the laptop fix/ Christmas.  

Are you Notts based too? FML I hope you’re not one of my tenants ha I’ll be mortified if you are with all I’ve written on here lol.