Prosperous soul embraces creativity & mortgage neutrality

L9XSS · 1 August 2022 at 8:29AM

As always it sounds like your making your surroundings, house and garden perfect for your well being. Your also supporting your son and daughter in so many ways. Really enjoy reading your updates, hope you sort the Friday off work. “Little improvements” always help my mindset too. I’ve decided to go back to the gym and get back to the shape I was in 2 years ago, both mentally and physically. Another step forward in my “counterintuitive approach to living a good life”.

elantan · 1 August 2022 at 8:39AM

you've been very busy and productive, well done, can I have some of ypur energy ?

beanielou · 1 August 2022 at 9:16AM

Happy August.

savingholmes · 1 August 2022 at 9:25AM

Thanks Jwil and L9XSS

I want to get to the body weight I had 20 or so years ago - and better fitness - so no pressure!

I have today, Friday and next Monday off work so hoping that will smooth my energy levels and get things done. I'm supposed to go and see wider family next Saturday but don't want to. Debating. I'd be tempted to go away for the weekend but DD is away at least one night so that feels a 'waste' and I'd have to find a solution to the cat... I also don't want to spend that £ - I want to save it to go and see DS in September - and potentially go to K*w with him.

It's over a year since I decided I wanted a divorce - and almost to the day since the papers were first submitted. I spent the last year processing the 'freedom and money' side of divorce but only since I learned Ex had found someone new have I confronted the 'relationship' side of divorce more. Glad I have an excellent counsellor - she's found a new room we can use - so although I'll have to travel - grateful that won't be going to remote counselling.

This time last year I didn't know if I wanted to keep the house, whether it would even be possible, whether I could get a mortgage, whether I would ever be debt free - or that the divorce would cost at least twice what I was quoted. I am so glad though that I went through the process as quickly as possible and didn't dally. I'm glad that I chose a solicitor that I warmed to as she was very efficient and getting on with her made the process much easier. I wish I could learn to worry less!! Although there have been quite a few challenges - my life is better now - even while I'm still on the journey.

Everything in life takes longer than I expect but I'm glad of the changes I have made - feel I'm putting the right building blocks in place to secure my financial future. Today, I want to refresh my financial goals. I want to make all the progress I can while I have the income I do.

I aim to hit

over £3k in interest paying savings in August
over £4K by September
over £5K by November
and over £6K by December.

My mortgage will be around £193K by 1/1/23.

I want to have paid in around £1k to my SIPP/AVCs.

I aim to be £600 in credit by early November with my utilities so I'm in a better position to face what's coming. Tomorrow I'll be at around £300 in credit.

Tonight is SW. Before than I want to paint some more of my bedroom. It's beautiful weather so I may also go out for a bit.

beanielou · 1 August 2022 at 9:56AM

That's an ambitious list.

jwil · 1 August 2022 at 10:35AM

You've come so far in a year. Good luck at SW.

elantan · 1 August 2022 at 10:57AM

that's a great goal to have

savingholmes · 1 August 2022 at 3:19PM

Thanks Beanie, Jwil and El

I want to make sure I don't fritter my £ - and if I'm not OPing direct off my mortgage - I've still got a big goal to hit at £196.2K! The savings total I gave includes £ for the car, holiday and xmas pots so may get some raided out of that at some point. Will see how things go.

I'm close to the £3K already as I already had a starter EF - but I'm holding some other money as a float for any works I get done. If I don't need it for the house - I'll put it into savings. Hoping to know better towards the end of this week. So far I've used the £ from DD to get ahead with the energy bill - as I'd originally done my budget assuming she'd give me nothing!! She is already trying to re-negotiate... so can't rely on it.

Had today off so have painted a bit more of the woodwork with lots of rest and podcasts in between. It is taking at least 2 coats which is irritating - however it's a warm if slightly muggy day so the paint is drying quickly. My house is in the worst before it gets better stage! I have the arbour in my lounge at the moment as we took it out the car but then rushed out yesterday. It still needs moving into the back garden. At some point I need a shower as I seem to have lots of white paint on me...

I need to bring in yesterday's washing off the line - dried it overnight but it was still damp earlier. I also put some cleaner in the WM and put it on 60 - to give it it's first clean since I bought - hope it's worth it!!

Had chicken and leftover roasties today which was nice. Need to put the leftovers in the fridge. Also had overnight oats. I got some YS strawberries yesterday at the c00p so felt blessed. Got SW tonight - should have some kind of loss but didn't eat well over the weekend (coffee cake and ice cream) so will shave a little off rather than anything more substantial! Hope I manage to find my dieting mojo again.

I don't feel as exhausted as I did at the end of last week which is a relief - but I don't know whether that's because I'm not even trying to concentrate. Either way - I have a 3 day working week this week so should make it through to Friday okay.