The second hurdle - Nichelette v the huge mortgage

South_coast

Or put it in your back garden?

Nichelette

To be honest there are things I could do, but as annoying as it is, we hopefully won't be here this time next year, so for now I'm just getting it go. If we were planning on staying I'd definitely do something. Thing is she doesn't know we'll hopefully be off in the not too distant future, and the bin has to go back when we go (there is a waiting list) so she's not getting to use it for long anyway 😆 .

I put 1k in nursery account when we were paid and most direct debits will go tomorrow. I actually need to try and find out what school term dates are so I can give notice on DS1 place. I forgot but we paid a deposit (think was £100-£150) that is returned when he leaves. Can't believe he starts school in a few months 🥹. I love chatting to him now. It's such a lovely age. Plus I can see how much easier things will be in a couple of years when DS2 is the same age. He's such a chatterbox. He's the complete opposite of DS1 who was speech delayed (suspect autism). We were watching music videos yesterday and he said 'I like this one'. It's the first time he's done that so wasn't expecting it. Very cute 😊

Nichelette

Just given notice on DS1 nursery place. Last day will be 27th August 🥲. Can't believe he's leaving so soon. His nursery is such an amazing place, he has been so lucky. The playgroup I went to was just a hut on a playing field basically 😂. 

Positives are we've now only got the bill we will hopefully get today for July & the August one for him, plus we'll get the deposit back, though we'll lose the 7% sibling discount (though obviously losing a whole FT bill more than makes up for it 😂). 

Need to try and have another round of decluttering. Got rid of a good amount on vinted recently. I generally find if I get the chance to list things they do actually sell. 

beanielou

The time will fly in. 

Nichelette

Feeling a bit poor this month as have put £1700 in DS1 tax free account to make the most of the tax free part (no funded hours in August so am expecting bill to be around 3k). DS1 had stay & play at his new school yesterday. Was only 30 mins but he loved it. He's so excited bless him. 

Have also spent about £50 on school uniform, and I had a 50% off code for the wild deodorants so I did a bulk buy that was about £50. I know they're not the cheapest, but I like that they don't have aluminium in them or use plastic, so I think in our situation it's a small luxury we can manage. I'm trying to use environmentally better things where I can. I don't think I can share on here but I had a smol code which got me this bundle for £6 all in too https://smol.com/uk/products/home-bundle . I thought it was a good deal to try and I like the bits so I'm continuing to use a lot of that for the same reason. 

Virgin sent me an offer on an old CC I don't use that I was going to close (they'd credit me with £10 if I spent £30 on it) so I got DH to use it for fuel. We never get overtime, but his work is getting ridiculous so he's being given some hours which is always welcome. 

We're going away for the weekend on the 11th so that will probably burn money a bit too. I've not braved taking the kids away for various reasons so we're testing the water to see how they get on away from home. It's only an air b&b so we can come back early if it's a disaster lol. 

PB results day is tomorrow. Would be nice to get something but not expecting it as we've been lucky the last couple of months. 

Moving wise everything has been so busy we've not achieved much. We've decided pushing ourselves is too much with everything going on. This month especially is very busy, so we're going to take our time a bit more and look to maybe Feb-March instead. I know it's not ideal, but tbh there isn't a lot coming on the market either so I think we missed the window a bit for this year too. 

Mortgage has gone today. Other positive is we can focus on trying to reduce it a bit more as we'll have about 1k a month 'spare' from not paying nursery fees. I think if we really push on we can possibly get to around 180k outstanding. 

Anyway, onwards...

Nichelette

So we actually won £50 on PB's this month. I had a quick look and we've won £525 since last September so I think we've been quite lucky (most is £100, would be nice to get something bigger lol). We reinvest any winnings, so now we've got £9,350 in there. It's our emergency fund, but I might consider taking a couple of thousand out to OP the mortgage. We've also got money available on 0% cards if we were in a major emergency so we could probably take a little out. 

I need to go through bits for vinted again. I got rid of a good amount when I did my last lot but it has dried up now because I've not been uploading. 

I've got a next sale slot booked for 4 today. I know they're not the cheapest but quality is better and sale prices are good. Having two boys everything is passed down so I think it's good value for money. As an aside, I can't believe how much things are in primark etc now. I was looking at a dress the other day and it was nearly £30. That would have been about £9 a few years ago! I'm so out of touch now lol. 

debtfreewannabe321

Yay to no nursery fees soon! It is sad as they grow up though, the cute stages passing by so quickly. But the extra money will be great! You won't feel like you're working to pay for the nursery any more 😆.

The prices of clothes also get me....I can't help but compare what they were a few years ago too. And then I usually put them all back on the rack and walk away 🫣.

Nichelette

debtfreewannabe321 said:

Yay to no nursery fees soon! It is sad as they grow up though, the cute stages passing by so quickly. But the extra money will be great! You won't feel like you're working to pay for the nursery any more 😆.

The prices of clothes also get me....I can't help but compare what they were a few years ago too. And then I usually put them all back on the rack and walk away 🫣.

Will definitely feel like a pay rise! Obviously having a baby is lovely and all, and there are some bits I miss, but I've always felt like I prefer them slightly older. DS1 is still very cuddly and DS2 is a massive clinger. I love watching them learn and being able to talk to them. Although DS2 is still quite little it is much easier and I do feel like we're starting to get our lives back a bit. If I was younger I think I'd probably have had a third, but I'm not and everything is ridiculously expensive so it's a no 😅. 

I'm terrible now. Did get quite a bit from next, but whenever I see full price things on shops can't cope with the idea of buying when I know csn get same for £2 on vinted 🙈

Nichelette

Has been over a month since I last wrote in here. I'm sure I don't need to say how time seems to fly... 

Mortgage is approaching the 180 bracket now. It feels like only the other day we'd gone under 200k. Last nursery bill has been paid for DS1 (2.6k  ). His last day is 27th, then we're in limbo until 10th September when he starts his 2 hours a day.. Finally goes all day on the 17th. That will be a bit of a pain, but the 2 hours are 1-3 which helps a bit as I can at least drop him on my lunch break. 

Nursery have given me figures of bills for rest of year (£1045, £1217, £1005 & £857), so averaging about 1k, then with the 20% tax free it's about £800/month which is obviously far better. I've set up a regular payment of £500 into vanguard account which will probably end up going towards moving costs. Anything else left over at the end of the month I'm going to OP mortgage with. 

DS2 needs to have an operation on his foot to lengthen the tendon as it's too short which is making his foot wonky. He actually manages really well with it, but it's really difficult to get shoes for him and it gets stuck on his trousers when I'm dressing him. I've been given a date of 16th Dec but depends on striking etc. In a way it would work out quite well as he'll be in a case for 2 weeks and splints after. I'm not sure if he'll make it into nursery, but if it does go ahead then they are closed most of the week over Christmas so we're not having to pay for days he's not going (tbh am dreading trying to juggle all the time off school already as it's more days than we have holiday). We have to travel to London for it too which is a bit annoying. I'd take him on the train, but not sure if it's a good idea with him post op and in a cast. 

Speaking of work, it's awful and I'm desperate to leave. I'm really hating it at the moment. We got put under a different manager. It's horrible because said person is clueless which I really struggle with. There are more redundancy rumours. I don't think it will be my bit, but if it were I'd be tempted. I'm dreading when my immediate manager retires (spring). I keep trying to think everything happens for a reason. Absolute worst case, we have a bit of emergency money which would tide us over along with redundancy for a while, and practically it would make life and juggling school etc easier. Plus we can pay mortgage and survive on just DH wage if it came to it.  

Oh, and we won another £25 on PB's this month. It's the least we've had recently, but not complaining!

Payday next Friday. Have some money left, though not as good as usual due to extra huge nursery bill.

Expect I'll be back soon when I remember whatever I've missed out 

beanielou

Jukst do your research on DS's surgery as it can revert.