Halving our income and still aiming for mortgage free!

smetf

NSD again, am wondering whether having a target of NSDs per month might help! Feel quite pleased as managed all my visiting and errands on foot so no fuel consumption either. HM pizza dough just rising ready for tea, I usually make double so it's an easy tea second time round! 
Been paid today so hoping that will tide us through to the next payday in a week! Just the broadband bill and one Aldi shop to go.

smetf

Another NSD and finally getting on with my dissertation so a win all round.
Made a final OP for April of £25.22 (surveys and £10 cashback from sim referral). 
Bit of a strange couple of weeks on the job front, have two new jobs (both quite small, 2-4 hours weekly each) and am looking like my 4-8 hr role is going for another company. But it should free up some time for my biggest part-time job so it really is swings and roundabouts!
Had a good week for line drying and cycling.
Moneywise, have signed up to a new regular saver with better interest and a cashback credit card for food and fuel, all set up to pay off in full each month.
I am thinking of paying a bigger chunk off the mortgage next month, because I have been earning around half my previous income rather than the 0% we planned for when I started this diary the savings are continuing to grow. Need to update sig and have a think!
S

smetf

Been run off my feet with work stuff and getting ready for assessment and exams with the youngest but today is a proper day off, planning an NSD (unless we get a holiday booked but funds are ready for that).
Run and a roast dinner are the main items on today's agenda 
Had a big reassessment of money and done some moving around. Upshot is that on top of the usual 167.19 OP we have sent an extra £820 OP bringing us to a mortgage that starts with an 8 (yay)!
Had a slow week on surveys and extra funds as been too busy but might be able to make extra payments from income by the end of May.
Off to update sig and catch up on others diaries, happy Sunday morning all!
S

smetf

Sunday catch up on diaries. Not much to report from a money point of view, although have calculated that the mortgage is now costing £156 in monthly interest, about £9 less than when I last calculated. I should be able to make another chunk of OP on top of the usual as we don't need to add to other pots at the moment.

Work keeping me busy and youngest has done 2 papers from her last 2 GCSEs and 2 more to go after half term. Completed her college application today so am hopeful for September. 

Trying to get my (very delayed) dissertation finished but it's a bit of a slog at the moment. 

Bluegreen143

Just had a quick read of your diary, sounds like you have a very busy time of it! Well done on your OP in your most recent post and on getting your mortgage down to starting with an 8! I dream of the day 😅 realistically we need to build up cash savings before OPing again though as we wiped them out buying a car recently.

smetf

A quick pop in as my main focus this month is dissertation writing (I'm on a timed break)!
Have made my usual OP of 167.19 plus the 245 that usually goes to supporting eldest at uni so have updated sig accordingly ( and have now noticed my holiday fund has disappeared, will add that back on, we've paid the deposit for a week in Cornwall).
I should be able to divert the 245 for July and August too.

Hope everyone is well, back to the essay writing...
S

smetf

Hi everyone,

OP of 167.19 made as usual. I'm hanging fire on any more OPs till holiday and labour for home improvements is paid.
We had a lovely week in Cornwall, weather was pretty kind to us and our favourite activity was swimming in the sea!
My dissertation is in (such a relief, just hope I've done enough to pass).
I have a new job, starting Monday, working for a charity. This means I have resigned two other roles and a further two have come to a natural end. I'm hoping by the end of August it will all feel a bit more settled and finances will be more predictable again.

We switched to a cashback credit card and it has made the monthly budget all untidy, I think it's the extra spends we've had recently. 

Hope everyone is keeping well in the heat!
S

smetf

Well it's been a while - although nice to see I predicted it would be end of Aug when things settled down!
Aug OP of 167.19 plus an extra 20.87 (to make it start with an 87) made so off to update sig.

After a spendy July with holidays/ new doors etc, August has been much more frugal and given me chance to settle into work and new routines. 

I am planning over the next few week to get back in the survey habit as all of that can be redirected to overpayments. I'll do some reassessing of the budget over the bank holiday weekend and should be able to pay another chunk off. 

Will catch up with diaries too.

S

LadyWithAPlan

Well done for finishing your disertation and being able to divert the summer uni amounts to the MFW pool. Such a great example for your kids as well!

smetf

September seems to have come around quickly. I've not managed to get back in the survey habit yet, think having the majority of my work based at a computer means I'm not as keen to get back on it!
Standard OP of £167.19 went out at the beginning of the month and have just made an extra OP of £896.50.
We have a month and a half before the 10% resets and can pay up to 5k off - I'm torn between doing that and keeping our EF at its current levels...

In other news, have passed my Masters, such a relief! Youngest starts college tomorrow with an induction day - she's super nervous but hopefully it will go ok!