Halving our income and still aiming for mortgage free!

smetf

Our October monthly payment of 616.53 has gone in. Despite a larger credit card bill with final holiday accommodation payments the accounts are looking pretty healthy- but this month will see a reduction in salary as my hours reduced from the 1st October.
Was hoping to really enjoy my first week of better work/life balance but a nasty bout of Covid meant rest and sleep was the main thing on the agenda - couldn't go to my self-employed job either so that'll impact income for the end of the month.
On the plus side, am feeling much better now and as a bonus have got back into surveys, I should hit a few payouts soon (first ever Yougov one is within sight).
A busy work day today and tomorrow, better get to it!

smetf

Morning all,
Third week of reduced hours and this one feels like I can appreciate it. Feeling well (and no extra days like last week)!
Getting into a good 20/30 mins of surveys before and after work habit.
Inching ever closer to the first Yougov one, plus £75 for a market research session and prolific looking healthy. Should get a £25 payout from OnePoll too - hoping to make an additional payment this month before submitting MFiT-T6 update form. 
60k seemed like a really ambitious target when I set it, particularly with the income drop but it should be doable by Jan 2025 even with the poorer interest rates we'll be paying from Jan 2024.

smetf

Made an OP of 232 to take us into a mortgage starting with a 67 - I'm setting myself the stretch target of getting it down to starting with a 65 by the end of the year which should be doable. It'll be about another £240 to find by the end of December.

smetf

Happy Saturday all. 
A nice quiet weekend planned here. Parkrun completed, we cycled there and back rather than running as we're still a bit wiped out post Covid.
Leek and potato soup cooking away, surveys up to date.
Trip to the cinema this afternoon, we have a voucher for free drinks and snacks, plus we bought a ticket subscription when there was an offer a while ago so no cost for us. However the oldest two are coming along so their tickets are to pay for!
Cheap wine from France in the fridge and chicken defrosting for tonight's tea so it's not an expensive day overall.

smetf

Nov OP of 616.53 has gone in. Our EF has taken a bit of a hit as the eldest has needed a temp loan for phone and weekend away, she has a job but won't get her first paycheck till end of Nov. I'm quite happy for the EF to be used for this - and I know she will prioritise paying us back.
Had a lovely day out in London with friends yesterday, only paid for lunch and then a coffee so not too spendy (other than the train tickets).
This morning I've been for a run, hoping to see my nephew later and then doing a bit of dog sitting for a friend so should be a NSD.
Hope everyone has a nice Sunday. 

LadyWithAPlan

Great to see your focus and also having fun 

well done on that huge 60k target now seeming doable v inspiring! 

Also as I live in london well done on not having too spendy a day here I love it but it gets expensive unless you keep an eye on it and are v mse !

smetf

Final OP of 2023 made!
616.53 brings us down to an outstanding balance of £66,119.
New mortgage all sorted for Jan 24 and it'll up our standard payments by £83 as it's (unsurprisingly) not as good as our current deal. It's a 2 year fixed deal with 10% max overpayments.
I can't see us managing to be mortgage free by the time I'm 50 (just over 3 years) but all being well we can do it by 53...

debtfreeoneday

That’s not a bad rise considering. Doing awesomely on those OPs 

smetf

First OP of 2024 finally made! A good start with £1396.31 to start chipping away at the max OP allowed this year and makes me feel the somewhat ambitious target for the MFiT challenge of £60k by end of Jan 2025 is achievable.
In other news I have a new, slightly better paying, job from mid March. Still not convinced I have the work/ life balance quite right but moving in the right direction.

smetf

A quick pop in to say OP of £534.56 made and sig updated. Holiday all booked and a start made on paying accommodation. Will need to review finances in May and hopefully make a chunk of overpayment when the FD fixed rate saver finishes.