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A Year in the Life of...
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That food sounds amazing GAP - I'm in awe of LMG! (And also slightly wishing I could borrow her to cook for us!
) 🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her3 -
Menu sounds great. Someone else cooking it even betterAchieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £174.8K Equity 32.77%
2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 6/7/25
3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £24.3K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.2K) = 30.1/£127.5K target 23.6% 29/7/25
4) FI Age 60 income target £16.5/30K 55.1%
5) SIPP £4.8K updated 29/7/253 -
Oh to have someone to cook for me!I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.
Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.
***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb. ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.3 -
It's quite good. She didn't used to cook but when the first lockdown hit last year we had to work out a way to have meals. We decided on the HF boxes as that way we didn't need to worry about what was left in the shops. I was WFH the whole time and she was furloughed. The instructions are so easy to follow that one day she didn't ask me what we were having for tea, she just took it upon herself to start making it. It took off from there. She's pretty good now, even makes up her own recipes. Only downside for me is I have to do the dishes. Let's just say it's not my favourite chore and the fact that she's an extremely messy cook does not help. I tidy as I go along but not her, she just leaves everything where she uses it, including empty packets, onion skins, every pot I own. I appreciate getting cooked for but sometimes I'd rather do it myself and not have the clean up. Although I usually end up cleaning up anyway.Mortgage at 12/07/2022 = £175,000
Mortgage today = £161,690.76
300 271 payments to go.House buyout fund £21,000/£40,000
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LOL. My DS is like that. A stunning cook - but the messiest on the planet I reckon.Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £174.8K Equity 32.77%
2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 6/7/25
3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £24.3K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.2K) = 30.1/£127.5K target 23.6% 29/7/25
4) FI Age 60 income target £16.5/30K 55.1%
5) SIPP £4.8K updated 29/7/253 -
I've had a wee bit time away. Bf and I went on our Newcastle trip last week and had such a lovely time as always. I've had a few little health issues but I'm feeling a bit better now. May have to get a referral for an investigation at the hospital but I'm holding out as long as possible.
I haven't managed to save anything to the EF from this month's salary as I hadn't saved enough over the year for Christmas. I hate to say it but I might even have to dip the EF a bit if I'm still short. It's not a huge deal, it's just not ideal. I have started working on my 2022 budget and I have upped the savings for next Christmas. I had planned to do that last year but I didn't change the budget figures on the spreadsheet and by the time 2021 arrived I didn't have it spare. I have upped the amount to my mortgage repayment vehicle (started that this month) and I also paid £120 off the mortgage so it's not all been spent on nonsense.
I have managed to catch up with a few diaries but I still have a couple to go so I'll probably do that after work tomorrow. LMG is working a late shift so I'll be in by myself.Mortgage at 12/07/2022 = £175,000
Mortgage today = £161,690.76
300 271 payments to go.House buyout fund £21,000/£40,000
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Glad you had a lovely time on your trip away, but sorry to hear you've been having more health issues.
On the EF/Christmas thing - you've acknowledged what's caused the issue, and started planning ahead, PLUS you have the standby funds there to plug the gap. That all sounds like good money management to me!🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her3 -
Thank you EH. I suppose as well, I put all 'spare' cash into the EF accounts as it's good to see the balance going up and I'm less tempted to use it but it's not really all EF money. That's why it's not a huge deal, it just makes me look bad dipping the EF for random spends.
Your diary is next on my hit list and currently has 80 unread posts!Mortgage at 12/07/2022 = £175,000
Mortgage today = £161,690.76
300 271 payments to go.House buyout fund £21,000/£40,000
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I don't think there is anything wrong with the way you use your EF. We don't have lots of different pots but because the balance is reasonably high dipping into it for things you have saved for is fine. Maybe just do as I do and don't take your savings below a certain figure just in case it is needed for a real emergency.girlatplay said:Thank you EH. I suppose as well, I put all 'spare' cash into the EF accounts as it's good to see the balance going up and I'm less tempted to use it but it's not really all EF money. That's why it's not a huge deal, it just makes me look bad dipping the EF for random spends.
Your diary is next on my hit list and currently has 80 unread posts!I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free Wannabe, Budgeting and Banking and Savings and Investment boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
The 365 Day 1p Challenge 2025 #1 £667.95/£301.35
Save £12k in 2025 #1 £12000/£80004 -
Wise words ES, thank you.
I know that we could survive 4 basic months on a little under £5k so that should probably be my EF line unless there was an actual emergency. Once the festive season is over I'll be putting money into savings again anyway. Maybe I should split out the amounts in my signature to be clearer. Might do that later.Mortgage at 12/07/2022 = £175,000
Mortgage today = £161,690.76
300 271 payments to go.House buyout fund £21,000/£40,000
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