Climbing the Mortgage Mountain step by step

savingholmes

I hope you recover soon.

Food sounds tasty. I need to pick some more of my apples. 

Good luck with the pensions...

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Well Friday already, not sure where this week has gone.

We've been eating out of the freezer quite a bit, Sausages, roasted new potatoes with rosemary and garlic and baked beans on Monday, Tuesday was Veggie chilli and wholegrain rice, Wednesday Burgers and fries but yesterday we did our grocery shop and had the usual fish n chips!  DH has asked for 'snacky bits' tonight, tomorrow we are (reluctantly) visiting family which will involve a long drive and a lot of diplomacy!!  Sunday will be a lazy, chilled day and I'll cook us something nice as a treat.

DD seems in a happy place, managing her money, still looking for a job but doesn't seem to be stressing too much about it.  She still hasn't heard from her father, he hasn't even bothered to check she is ok and has everything she needs, total waste of space.  She is very excited as we have some nice things planned for next year, including seeing P!nk

DH is loving his new job, especially as he spent the grand sum of £38 on fuel last month as opposed to over £200!  He has also managed to dodge absolutely horrendous road works on the only road in and out of our town, they are scheduled to carry on for about 18 weeks and are causing people really long delays of 1-2 hours each way!

MSE news, I feel I have taken my eye off the ball a little, still making payments to the mortgage but credit cards have snuck up on me a bit so I need to get a handle on that again, I know some usage is good for credit ratings but I mustn't let it get out of control.  We have had a full on year though with lots of milestones, weddings (including our own) and DD going to Uni so I guess I shouldn't be too hard on myself, it's all about balance.  I have started the 1p/365 challenge again for next Christmas, have got a bit of a head start as November 1st is my start date but I'm trying to cross off some of the bigger numbers to get ahead of the game, emptying my purse at the end of the day and using that cash.  I've checked my cashback and should have £160 for Christmas plus £45/50 from airtime rewards.  I've already got a few gifts stashed away so hopefully won't have too much to get, will make a list over the next couple of weeks.  DH and I are going on a cheap holiday at New Year, so that is our gift to each other for Christmas and Birthdays as they all fall at that time, DD will be home so no kennel fees for the dog.


Have a great Friday and relaxing weekend

MvTMM

savingholmes

The concert and the holiday sound lovely to look forward to. I love that artist. I'd love to see her in concert. I didn't realise she was coming to the uk.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Happy Monday!

@savingholmes Yes, she's touring next June, I'd always said I would love to see her if she came to the UK, never thought I'd actually get tickets!

Well the weekend was not exactly relaxing.  Diplomacy went right out of the window, I'm not taking rubbish from toxic people anymore, I've had years of that!  Someone seems to have a big issue with us eloping and not telling them before hand, but they are the only one with the issue, everyone else is happy for us and said how romantic it was.  Very awkward afternoon spent with them where they asked about everything else but our wedding so I addressed the elephant in the room, I think I'm off of the Christmas card list now   @savingholmes, I'm taking a leaf out of your book and am going to limit time spent with people that don't give me joy!

I need to do some meal planning this week and use what we have.  DD is home for 10 days from Friday and we have visitors from Wednesday next week and don't get paid til 31st so I need to produce some meals for us all in the meantime, which should be do-able.

Have a great day

MvTMM

savingholmes

Life is too short to spend it with mood hoovers...

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Hump day is upon us!

savingholmes said:

Life is too short to spend it with mood hoovers...

I totally agree!

So Sunday we chilled, smashed avocado and poached eggs for breakfast in bed and Sunday night we were really naughty and DH treated us to an Indian takeaway, it was really lovely and I can't remember when we last had one.  Back to eating out of our stocks now though, Monday I baked 12 jacket potatoes in the oven, we had bought one of the sacks from Lidl and made sure it had some good sized spuds in it.  2 of the JPs we had with chilli from the freezer and grated cheese and a sour cream dip I found in the back of the cupboard!  Last night we had baked gnocci with peppers, tomatoes, garlic, red onion a packet of 2 day OOD pepperoni and some long lost puttanesca sauce that had been lurking in the freezer, it was surprisingly yummy!  Tonight 2 more of the JPs with tuna, red onion and sweetcorn, the rest of the potatoes have been frozen for another day.  I'm thinking I'll make a cottage pie tomorrow with some more of the potatoes from the sack and some burgers from the freezer, that will feed us for 2 nights and make for an easy dinner on Friday when DD gets home.  I am planning cheese and tomato pasta bake on Saturday and freeze some for DD and a big roast on Sunday, either chicken or gammon from the freezer which should then produce leftovers for Monday.

We still haven't used the heating at home and I have to say I'm shocked that the Energy Price Cap Guarantee has now been reduced from 2 years to 6 months!  Once our visitors leave at the end of the month the hot tub will be packed away until next spring/summer.  It's such a relief that DD no longer has to travel for work, that's £200 back in the pot, although he hasn't actually managed to walk to work yet!  I'm also very grateful that we still have 3 years left on our fixed rate mortgage, they way rates have been rising has been a bit of a wake up call, we have had it so good for so long in that respect.

Counting my blessings, love my job, warm dry home, food in freezer/cupboards, good friends and the love of a good man.

MvTMM

savingholmes

Yeah I think the mortgage rates are really shocking - as is the energy price bit... Just have to hope things settle soon. It doesn't seem likely though. I have a long fix for which I am extremely grateful.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Happy Friday!!  It really is a very happy one as DD is coming home for 10 days!

Shopping done last night, minimal food bought, Christmas chocolate oranges bought and whisky and beer for our visitors next week, still managed to spend less than our old weekly shop.  Fish n chip supper last night, usual grocery day treat.  I'm making a shepherds pie tonight as I found some lamb burgers in the freezer, that should do 2 days and a huge chicken roast on Sunday.  We are going to see a band on Saturday night, just me and DH at present but friends may join us.

savingholmes said:

Just have to hope things settle soon. It doesn't seem likely though. 

@savingholmes, unbelievably things seem to have got even more chaotic since Wednesday!  Its like a bad sitcom!

10 days til payday, this month seems to be dragging and I'm not sure why, once we get our visitors out of the way and DD back to Uni I need to focus on longer term finances.  I did chase up some refunds yesterday, items that had been returned but not recredited.  One of which was a faulty microwave, I was told I'd get a refund as they didn't have a replacement in stock, so I bought a replacement elsewhere as I wanted that specific one, then I get an email to say a replacement has been delivered, unknown person has signed for it and it's no where to be seen, 10 days and 3 phone calls later I still haven't had my refund, I'm really not impressed, big High Street name too!  I've been making my £750 monthly overpayments to the mortgage and the last couple of months I've also rounded down the balance to the nearest £10, tidies everything up and slowly nibbles away a bit more of the capital.  Everyone has paid me for their P!nk tickets (I ordered 5) so that has all been paid straight off of my credit card as I don't want to hold a balance and pay their interest rates.  

Must do some work now, have a great weekend everyone

MvTMM

savingholmes

Ouch to the lack of refunds. Hope that resolves for you. 

I couldn't buy chocolate this early and have any chance of it lasting until Christmas.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

savingholmes said:

Ouch to the lack of refunds. Hope that resolves for you. 

@savingholmes - still no refund!!   Last Thursday I was promised someone would contact me with in 24-48 hours, still nothing so I rang yesterday lunchtime to be told their system was down and they would call me back, I'm still waiting for that call.  It's over 3 weeks since I returned the item, it's beyond a joke.  Moral of the story - don't buy anything from the electrical company that shares its name with Indian cuisine!!

Still got DD at home and our visitors arrived on Wednesday.  We had a lovely chicken roast on Sunday which I then made the leftovers into a huge pie for Monday and Tuesday.  Wednesday we all had a chinese as a treat, had promised DD one when she was home anyway.  Yesterday we had spag bol and garlic bread, most of which came from stocks, tonight is pie and chip night, again from the freezers, not sure about tomorrow yet, might do wraps and Sunday we are booked in for lunch before our guests head home.

Payday on Monday, I have the day off, taking DD to the station for her train back to Uni and then I intend to send off the meter readings and list some items on Eb@y or V!nted as they are not selling on Faceb00k.  I also want to work out what Christmas presents I have put away and who I still need to buy for. Grocery wise my plan is to buy as little food as possible next month and eat out of the freezers so that we can a) make space for Christmas goodies and b) clear the little freezer and turn it off.

2023 I am going to be very strict with myself, I think I've said that before, but quite honestly I have more than enough of everything, clothes, shoes, bags and toiletries so I am going to set myself and strict spending budget for the year, not sure what that will look like yet though, I will also allow monies made from selling unwanted items which will encourage me to declutter and move stuff on.  I have 2 holidays booked but have plenty of holiday clothes, swimming costumes etc and will put aside some mini toiletries for those.  We have no weddings to attend that I know of but I am sure I could put together a suitable outfit anyway.  I have been quite lax with spending this year, my excuse has been our wedding, numerous events and celebrations, The mortgage has come down and savings have improved but I know I could have done a lot better so I need to break this cycle.  Once I have decided on the figures I will add it to my signature so that I am accountable.

have a great weekend

MvTMM