Cutting it Fine - the challenge is on!

Kittenkirst

Aww love a good excel house payoff chart! Totally agree about the shed adding value and storage space; our buyers were super pleased we have a shed as it helps for all the outdoor stuff that needs storing and looks lovely there too- so its definitely a plus point

debtfreeoneday

Do love a good visual house progress chart!  

SandyShores

Thanks Kittenkirst and debtfree I love the visual of the house equity.  We've only a few squares shaded - but its a lot more squares than when we were in rented  and its growing .  I think they should have to give you one of these charts when you take out a mortgage. 

SandyShores

Mortgage Overpayments
Slow but steady - I'm topping up about £80 each month to make sure that £1k comes off the mortgage each month.

Weight
Stopped going up and have started coming down again.  Three more lbs to get back to lowest in first lockdown..

Savings
Christmas Saver is going well, Emergency Fund is a bit strange - planning to get back on track by September.  We have some other pots on the go - we are (amazingly) Savers!

Health
Keeping the running going, but haven't been able to get back to three days a week.  I need to get back on the programme ! .  Stretching classes booked in, so I just need to start walking a bit more too and get the weights going again.

Life
Things are progressing with studying and work   And giving back is also progressing.  So, now that's starting to drop into place I need to look more at hobbies - I always seem to put these on the back burner, but they are so important.

Kittenkirst

Sounds like you are making great strides in all areas @SandyShores well done!

savingholmes

Sounds like things are going well. Hobbies can help make life worth living so if you can make time for them they can really help.

SandyShores

Thanks Kittenkirst and SH, I really want to pay off the mortgage as quickly as possible so that we can retire without a mortgage, but don't want our years before retirement to be miserable.  My hobbies always seem to get put on the back burner - originally due to lack of funds but also due to lack of energy and time.  Things are steadying out now, so I've no excuse not to prioritise myself and my hobbies really aren't that expensive (I don't want to do sky diving or scuba diving ).  

I've just been reading Eat that Frog's page and I realised that we've been eating out of the cupboards almost all week.  Our last spend was Monday, and that was only £2.30 because I returned something to the shop and picked up some fresh tomatoes and peppers at the same time.  The NSDs have really had a good effect on the food budget (as has the eating less) and there may even be some money left to make more mortgage overpayments.  I might have to start adding an NSD target to my goals.  DH's sideline has brought a bit more in this month, which I've set aside for the shed fund.  He's been looking at applying for another job, which might mean he'd have to give up his sideline.  Its fine with me as its slightly more money and a more interesting, less taxing job, so it would be perfect as we head into our 60s.  Fingers crossed for him.

SandyShores

Woke up really early today, so I'm just listening to the birds singing and watching the sky get lighter already.

I have to do something when I wake up, otherwise I start overthinking things.  I need to look at some sleep hygiene advice again, everything is going really well at the moment and sleep would definitely be the icing on my current (not currant ) cake.

I've just re-read the first page of this thread and its good to remind myself of the progress I've made this last year.   I also re-read the first post from my other Thread, which is almost two years ago now - when we were still planning to get back on the property ladder.  Still have to pinch myself that we have our lovely house, and really need to kick into touch any doubts whether we did the right thing.  Since having children my life seems to have been plagued with being frozen because of being unable to make a decision just in case its the wrong one.  These days I'm trying to go with the advice that if you've reviewed choices and still can't decide, it probably means that there's not much difference between the two so just pick one and go with it.  Its worked out quite well so far.

savingholmes

I like that - I also like the saying "it's easier to steer a moving ship."

eat_that_frog

Just catching up on all the posts I've missed @SandyShores. You're doing really well.

Really interesting what you say about hobbies. Since having my son 18 months ago I just haven't really done anything for myself if that makes sense.

I love what you said about advice: if you've reviewed choices and still can't decide, it probably means that there's not much difference between the two so just pick one and go with it. I'm going to pinch that and use that myself from now on. I've also become quite paralysed making decisions since becoming a mum, what's that about.

Aaaaaaand I'm definitely going to do the house shading picture. I love the idea of visual progress.