We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Prosperous soul embraces creativity & mortgage neutrality
Comments
-
Glad you had a good time away, and lovely photos!
I enjoy counting the number of items I declutter, it helps me realise I have made progress even when I don't feel I have."Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee6 -
Sounds like you had a fab time. I love the mural on the house. Thanks for the pics.If you have built castles in the air, your work should not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them
Emergency fund 100/1000
Buffer fund 0/100
Debt Free (again) 25/0720257 -
All sounding goodI am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.
Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.
***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb. ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.7 -
Glad you had a good break and well done for not busting the budget.
I'm a people pleaser too and it's tricky to change. In some ways it's a nice trait but when it tips into seeking approval and losing yourself to please others then that needs re-calibrating. At least we know we do it and can try to adjust.7 -
Great pics, sounds like a much needed lovely weekend.6
-
Thanks @Drawingaline @Blackcats @beanielou @jwil @doingitanyway
I've had a really restful day. The most strenuous thing I did was drive DD to the chicken place.
On the money side of things
Need to check how much fuel I have tomorrow - to see if I need to top up to take DD to work next Monday. Nearly at the end of my monthly budget... so don't want to refill out of principle - as if I spent more than £!0 it would eat into my EF. It's hard not to panic with the negative news train in full gear but I am trying to focus on what's good instead.
Gratitude list- I feel by going to the show - and seeing family - I actually 'lived' a little this weekend having spent a long period on what felt like 'pause.'
- My cat is still super soft and was very happy I returned. Because DD was home at the weekend I also didn't have to pay anyone to look after my cat.
- DD gave me a nice welcome back and had not trashed the house or had a party while I was away - instead she learned to cook a new recipe and even unpacked and packed the dishwasher.
- Really grateful for the weekend's hospitality - it was also a lot easier going around London with an experienced guide. It was nice to see my wider family - and especially good to see my DS. I got several prolonged hugs from him - and he seemed as happy to see me as I him. He is making new friends and settling in well. (He only moved out in October so it all still feels new to me). I took a crate of stuff down and a painting for him - helping declutter my house a little more! Love that he values my art - and that his housemates agreed to put my art up instead of what was there before!!
- Grateful I have a 5 year fixed rate at 1.84% on my mortgage and that all my other debt is 0% - with a 0% 23 month CC available for urgent spends like my motor bills. All CCs are on track to be cleared within their 0% period.
- By the time I've cancelled out the planned CT rise - my £150 rebate will mean I pay around £9-10 less pcm than I do now which is still great news.
- I'm due in the office tomorrow but am due to pick up a gift voucher so win:win. Hoping to treat myself to nice food with some of it on the way home.
- Today I was grateful to 'past self' as I've had half a pizza from the freezer today and some of the bacon and bombay potatoes I froze the other week. I also had half a small tin of salmon with jacket potato, raddish, spring onion (free from the other week still), 10p carrots from the other week and some tinned sweetcorn. I also had 2 oranges and some biscuits.
- I'm due almost a year's backpay at some point. I'm hoping to book a week away in a cottage by myself and use the monthly increase to offset some of the energy price rises.
- I delayed putting the heating on until this evening - just making do with the elec blanket - if I make a habit of that - and work from my base occasionally that will also help offset energy prices.
- I can get free smart meters which will also help me control my energy use. I'm going to decide whether to switch one account to the other fuel provider before I do or whether to just leave it...
Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £174.8K Equity 32.77%
2) £1.6K Net savings after CCs 14/8/25
3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £25.3K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.2K) = 31.1/£127.5K target 24.4% 15/8/25
4) FI Age 60 income target £16.5/30K 55.1%
5) SIPP £4.8K updated 29/7/2514 -
Loads of positives!LTotal Debt Dec 07 £59875.83 Overdrafts £2900,New Debt Figure ZERO !!!!!!:j 08/06/2013
Lucielle's Daring Debt Free Journey
DFD Before we Die!!!! Long Haul Supporter #1248 -
Loving the gratitude list! Took a while to catch up, but glad to see so much positivity despite the constant movement in your lifeWhat I do not give, you must never take by force.
Mortgage outstanding - 30/12/22 - £25,900. 31/01/23 - £22,300. 28/02/23 - £20,500. 31/03/23 - £17,500. 30/04/23 - £15,800. 30/05/23 - £13,800. 31/06/23 - £11,300. 31/07/23 - £9,800. 31/08/23 - £8,300. 30/09/23 - £6,000. 31/10/23 - £3,000. 30/11/23 - £1,200. 06/12/23 - £00.00
God save us everyone, As we burn inside the fire of a thousand suns, For the sins of our hands, The sins of our tongues, The sins of our fathers, The sins of our young. Linkin Park8 -
What a lovely lot of gratitude points!🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her7 -
I love your lists!"Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee6
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 351.3K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.7K Spending & Discounts
- 244.2K Work, Benefits & Business
- 599.4K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.1K Life & Family
- 257.7K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards