Keep calm and carry on....

South_coast · 30 December 2019 at 2:21PM

Good afternoon all

I have lurked for years and love reading all of your stories, but keep finding myself getting grumpy when you're not updating your diaries at the same time as I am available to read them (I tend to do a mega catch-up in bed on a Saturday morning, then you're all off being busy in real life); so thought I'd set up my own diary to keep me going until you post fresh news for me to consume!

I absolutely love my home (in an "only-a-mother-could-love" way, as there is work to be done once MF), so no plans to move. As of today, the mortgage balance sits at £32,978.14, with £700 currently in transit and £175 set aside to transfer next week (have to stagger the payments around month-end so they don't force a recalculation of the monthly payment). All things remaining equal, I could be looking at a balance of c£13k this time next year, although a job change is likely to be on the cards, making c£18k a more likely target. Hopefully I will end up somewhere between the two.

This makes MF in late 2021 a realistic possibility, rather than the mid-2022 I have been targeting. While this is a very exciting prospect, the numbers look pretty alarming - hence "keep calm and carry on" - stay focused, breathe, and don't lose your head!

I have just under £5k in an S&S ISA which serves as my emergency fund, pay the maximum that my employer will match into my pension, and save in advance for all annual bills, so think I have got most things covered off. Hopefully I'll be back to update this regularly, or I won't even have my own diary to keep me occupied!

LeighofMar · 30 December 2019 at 2:31PM

Welcome with your new diary. That balance and target end date is amazing and will be cheering you on to make it. So exciting.

South_coast · 30 December 2019 at 4:26PM

Thanks, LeighofMar!

I do feel a bit sheepish when I see some of the huge balances on here, but it still seems like a lot when I'm doing it on my own and have never had any "real" debt before (just student loan and 0% cards for stoozing). It's all relative though, and I'm very happy with my lot

Jessy103 · 30 December 2019 at 5:32PM

Good luck! Will be cheering you on!

South_coast · 30 December 2019 at 6:08PM

Thanks Jessy!

South_coast · 30 December 2019 at 10:21PM

Right, not a bad first day here....

Low-spend day, £1.50 on groceries
Told Consumer Pulse about 2 songs I'd "bought" from iTunes. Paid with a voucher I cashed out from Shoppix, so that will be £1.00 back from CP for a 0p spend
Claimed an AGC from Shop & Scan and ordered a book which has been on my wishlist for ages. £1.00 left of the voucher and will be another 50p from CP when it arrives

Don't worry, not normally this productive. Normal service will resume once I'm back to work on Thursday

newgirly · 31 December 2019 at 9:57AM

:wave: found your diary! best of luck, I’ll be reading

shangaijimmy · 31 December 2019 at 10:40AM

Welcome along for the obsessive mortgage OP journey!!

South_coast · 31 December 2019 at 11:28AM

Thanks both, it's like being visited by MFW royalty!

SJ - I have no doubt about the obsession. I can be quite an obsessive person anyway (to the point of not being able to sleep sometimes), but am telling myself this is at least something useful to obsess over and with a finite end - although I do wonder what will happen then!