SLLM (Single Lady Large Mortgage)

Sistergold

Springfield1970 said:

Dear @Sistergold

Thank you so much for your reply. I can't tell you how nice it is to have found you and see that your struggles and goals are similar to mine, (except you have 300% more children than I and and even bigger mortgage 😂).
So you are the queen bee in my mind and a great big inspiration for when I have moments of doubt and isolation, as no one I know has the same kind of responsibilities and circumstances.

To read how you have tackled some really big skills like welding, and making your own furniture, is very heartening, as I sometimes wonder if I am some kind of man woman! Ive only become like this through necessity but I really enjoy it. I think my friends get pretty alarmed, particularly the ones that are 'safely' married and in a set role. It's difficult to change any time let alone when you are in midlife.

67 from 70 is a big win!! I'm looking forward to both our numbers gradually getting 'younger' 😊
I'm still 67 in MF years. Here's to being 59!

Yes, here is to 59! 

Sistergold

Mortgage update 
hello laddies, I hope you are all well and your mortgage payments are going well? Those in new houses I am sure have all settled in? Renovations how are they going? Oh how about DIY projects? For me the diy has not been going well. I was hoping to be able to start making the living room seats but it has not been possible so far due to the persistent rains. I do have some wall painting I could do as the house needs a refresh but I was hoping to do that during winter 🤔.  Don’t want to now start painting when I would rather be welding(as it means two jobs on my cards if rains stop).  With this weather who knows maybe this year I will not be able to weld much? Today it’s overcast but weather report says no rain till midnight so might do some metal cutting and maybe some welding 🤷‍♀️. I am off today by the way so hope to do some bits.

Mortgage interest has been added as balance was 

New balance after interest also new monthly payment has gone up by £50 due to new interest rates as I am a tracker. Interest added this month was approximately £1106.

I am now so close to £2k monthly payment such that if interest rates should go up again I will now be paying over £2k 🥴 when my product expires in 2025 I will now plan to make another massive overpayment if possible. This new product I am on has higher % penalty for any early repayments, only allowed £1k op per month with no penalty. 

LeighofMar

Sorry about rising interest rates. I can't imagine having to worry about how those rates can affect future mortgage payments. Here, your typical mortgage is fixed for 30 years and if interest rates drop, you can always refinance to take advantage. 

Renovations on master bath remodel are complete. Now cleaning all the dust everywhere which is no fun😣. Kitchen is next on the agenda. It will just be cabinet and countertop replacement and keeping the same footprint. I already have all newer appliances except for the oven which we may change to a gas oven. We will see. 

If the weather is lousy, a paint project sounds perfect. Hope you can get back to welding soon. 

Sistergold

@LeighofMar, your mortgage arrangements are good as it secures the roof over your head and it only changes when you decide you want to refinance. Here it’s like a circus at the moment as life is financially stretched with other expenses and the mortgage is the most threatening. I am ontop of my finances in general yet I can not help but feel a bit “stressed” about the constant changes in rates. I know I could have fixed but I didn’t find that favourable still. The only way out is pay it off as quickly as possible I guess. 

Oh that’s good news that the master bath is done! With regards to kitchen refit it’s easier when the footprint is staying the same. Especially if things like plumbing and stove don’t need to change as it makes the renovation it cheaper. You are in an even better position as you are keeping most of your appliances as those add costs quickly.  Good luck with the kitchen. 

Side note- I changed from a gas oven to electric. The old setup was all gas. I really found that the gas oven did lovely roasts but it was a very slow process. Also I just wondered if the gas flow rate was enough especially when the all plates on stove were in use aswell as the two ovens? Anyway even without using stove at the same time roasting was rather slow. Maybe gas ovens are more efficient where you are or you just love gas ovens? For me it’s a no no for above reason. So I changed to dual fuel so gas on the stove top and electricity for ovens. The electric oven is now much faster for the Sunday roasts and pizzas.

On the weather front, yesterday was dry so managed to work outside. Managed to cut some metal for have the lounge seats and also welded quite a bit of it. I am also off tomorrow and if dry will be able to carry on. Did not have enough metal in general but have ordered more and delivery is on Monday. 

Sistergold

Mortgage update
Hello laddies, hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I am away on holidays with the children but decided I need to see how my mortgage is doing. So logged in and balance after monthly payments is at 

Just as a comparison last month before interest was added the balance was 

The monthly payment is £1995 of which only £894 goes to capital repayment. Also added to the direct debit is £50 OP. Total capital repayment was £944. Interest is a pain at the moment but I just need to tell myself I have reduced it as far as I could. £1100 to interest is still irritating as it’s higher than the capital repayment! Will look at adding another £160 to my OPs in future so that the same amount as interest goes to capital aswell. 

Decided to live a little and splurged on a holiday with the children to Florida. It has been so hot! We have enjoyed some shopping, food, walks, swims. Will be going to the resorts for some rides. Have paid for universal, Will se where else to visit. Managed to top up on my work dresses as I find it’s easier for me to get nice fitting cloths in the states for my body shape. 

My budget is out of the window with this holiday as it was not preplanned but well life is too short has to be the motto in these moments. 

Have a lovely week laddies. Just over a week left on my holidays and will be back to base! 🌺

Friday1989

Your holiday sounds wonderful @Sistergold. I think you have the right idea. It's all about balance and things like memories of going on rides with your kids are priceless. I can still clearly remember my grandma's hat flying off her head on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror when I was a kid. Fairly sure my dad misled her about what the ride involved 

My spending this month has not been my best but I had a great time at music festivals, a ballet, an art exhibition, and seeing Barbie (unexpectedly emotional!!!) I won tickets to one festival and got very reduced tickets to two day festivals but spent lots on overpriced beer and food  I also used the cinema society to save a bit on the cinema tickets. 

Realistically even a "bad" month means saving and I know summer is always expensive. I actually managed to somehow spend less than usual in July despite buying furniture so I guess it evens out. 

I overpaid another £3000 so I'm under £160,000 now  Just need to keep chipping away at it

Sistergold

@Friday1989, congratulations on the £3k overpayment! That’s a big achievement! I pictured your grandmother’s hat flying off and it brought tears to my eyes. I went on many rides thinking well how bad can it be and through out the ride I was just closing my eyes and praying to get to the end of the ride alive. In the end common sense prevailed as my children tried to convince me to go on one last ride. At that point I told myself that enough was enough I will now stop while I am ahead. They argued the ride was fun and not worse than the ones before but I just said no. To be honest I was too exhausted to stomach much more upside downs twisting around and so on. Many memories were indeed created but I thank God my head did not fly off my neck! 

This Rockit is one I would never get on! 

This was the ride I wisely avoided getting on. 

THEN we went to Volcano Bay well, by the time we went there having leant lesson on my previous day riding experience I made sure I did not show unnecessary courage and just enjoyed paddling and swimming in the pools. The chutes(rides) down this volcanic mountain I could not get into even if it was to save my life! It was way too much adrenaline for my age I thought! My children had a good time though so I give it to them. 

Remember Forrest Gump? 

These bang bang shrimps were to die for! 

All in all it was a wonderful holiday and We got back in one piece despite the storms. 

Sistergold

Oh just a mortgage update, always need to keep figures updated whenever there is a change. So interest rates went up again. Also monthly interest was added to the balance. So interest rate, mortgage balance and monthly payments moved from 👇🏾

To 👇🏾

My monthly payments are now over £2k 😵‍💫

LadyWithAPlan

Great to see all the progress you have made on the mortgage and the kitchen - I have been awol (got busy travelling and dated someone who then dumped me by text ! )  but am back and refocusing on house buying - thinking in next 6 months need to get serious about it 

I recently got a Sofa reupholstered- had a friend do it as it was tricksy but I will do a more simple shape myself next time 
my base was v good so … 

Goldhawk Rd in west London has amazing fabric shops much cheaper than online /and retail as you can see the fabric in the flesh  - online looks good but is much thinner than you’d imagine - my fabric was £75 per meter (v good upholstery fabric) and it is much nicer than the £300 pm stuff I saw in heals and designers guild 
still was £700 in materials and similar cost again in labour 
The webbing and backing you can also buy at Goldhawk as well as braiding etc

you can get foam (fire retardant) in King’s Cross - Pentonville Foam and rubber and they cut to rough size - it’s heavy as I discovered walking it home  

my diy classes have stopped sadly as they wanted the tutor to teach evening classes for free! 

Sistergold

Oh welcome back @LadyWithAPlan, yes we did miss you so glad you are back. It’s good that you are refocusing after a break! The man is really a loser to let you slip away! Sent a text what a boy well you need a man! Thank you I will surely visit Goldhawk as I had no idea where to try, and you are right online is risky and yet very expensive. I have all the framework cut but welding has been slow due to ongoing wet weather ontop of the normal work/time constraint! 

I do hope you will be able to carry on with your diy courses soon as free courses are not easy to come by. Will rush now to your diary and read all your exciting updates! 💃🏾💃🏾