Money-shuffling towards mortgage freedom

MeandO

Hello, I’ve been a member on the DFW boards for a long time having cleared any major debt some years ago. I’m a single mum to my wonderful DS and work part time, now WFH. 

I’ve been overpaying my mortgage for a few years but the past five years have dealt me some horrendous bad luck with first one, then a second house after surveys missed major structural issues on the first and then new build quality on the second was dire. (No prizes for guessing the name of the new build cowboys developers who built the 2nd one but I’ll give you a clue - it starts with a P and ends in ‘ersimmon’). Never. Again. 

We went from an old house, to brand new and am back to old again after finally selling the overpriced cardboard box last year and buying the best of a bad bunch on the market at the time which, in the words of the estate agent it ‘needed a bit of work.’ Turns out that was an understatement, but I’m hoping we’re nearing the end of the renovations now. So is my bank balance.
The mortgage has gone up and down over the last few years due to moving several times and, more recently, remortgaging to cover the cost of escalating work needed, but am determined to get rid of it as quickly as I can now. I’ve cleared £1000 off the mortgage in the past 3 weeks, so have made an overpayment of around £600. This won’t be sustainable long term unfortunately due to being on a P/T salary and being the only adult in the house, but am aiming to overpay by a minimum of £150 a month, hopefully a lot more.

A link to my old diary with the why’s, where’s and you wouldn’t believe it if I told you’s in full detail can be found here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5859495/meandos-money-shuffle

Hopefully we’re on the up whilst the mortgage is on the way down. 

M x

Mrs_Money_Penny

Will be cheering you along the way. Your doing a great job single handed xx

MeandO

Thank you Mrs_Money_Penny. 

MeandO

I didn’t sleep well again last night, I got too engrossed in a book I’m reading so read until late and then couldn’t switch off. My own fault and I’m paying for it in tiredness this morning. 

I’ve laid a load of weed suppressant material down out the front this morning, ready for the landscaping materials to be delivered today. I’m hoping they’ll be easy to crane over the wall so I can just slit the bags and spread it out rather than have to shovel it all and wheelbarrow them in place. Not sure my back will take the latter. I’m just having a (much needed) coffee and then will get on with my list of things to do today, first on the list is to start making DS’s birthday cake and some figures out of icing as I’m running out of time. His presents are all bought and mostly wrapped, so I’m organised on that front. 

Yesterday’s mortgage op is not showing yet, but am eagerly awaiting the figures to drop! 

MeandO

I’m quite pleased with progress today. I made the icing figures and lettering this morning to go on DS’s cake. Doesn’t sound like much work, but took me flipping ages! They’re now drying but will save me loads of time next week when I have just one day to make the cake from start to finish (It’s a birthday tradition he loves that I make him a super-cool cake every year 😊). 
I wrapped two more birthday gifts I’d forgotten about and then even managed to have half an hour of reading my book with a cuppa. 

This afternoon, just as I was going out for the school run, the two bulk bags of stone turned up for the front garden. I’m so grateful to the delivery guy as he craned the bags right over where I needed them and just slit the bottom for me, dropping most of the stone near enough in the right location. Saying that, I’ve spent an hour and a half shovelling, shifting and spreading £207 worth of stone around the front garden this evening and now my back’s in half. I got it all finished though in time to cook tea for DS. 

Tea tonight was a batch-cooked Chinese chicken curry. Not the best recipe, but was healthy as was full of veg and budget-friendly. 

Two refunds from the big A maz on have hit the bank account today so I’ve updated YNAB. My next goal will be to find or make and extra £99 to round the mortgage down a bit more. I like to tidy up the numbers  

MeandO

£44.70 spent on filling the car with diesel this morning and a £9 op sent to the mortgage to round it down a bit more. 

I submitted a gas meter reading this morning, half expecting me to owe a lot of money as we’ve had the heating on a fair bit over the winter, but I owe just £18 so seems I’m paying the right amount of £32 per month, £28pm for electricity. I’m so relieved I switched to a 2 year fix back in June otherwise I would really be panicking about the increase in energy costs. 

No wins on the premium bonds this month unfortunately, there’s always next month! 

MeandO

DS and I have driven back to my home this weekend to stay with my parents for a few days. Their health is not good and we don’t get to see them much due to us being over a 3 hour drive away, so it is lovely to be here. This is not the house I grew up in as my parents downsized a few years ago, but it still feels very much like my home. I feel like myself here and I feel grounded if that makes sense. DS loves it here and loves seeing all of his family here - my parents, my siblings, his cousin - again today DS said he ‘wished we lived here.’ So do I my boy, so do I. 🙁

DS and I popped into the local town today to return some jogging bottoms that didn’t fit which my folks had kindly bought him. I also managed to get a few bits on my list from the £ shop and picked up some groceries for my parents whilst we were out. DS spent some of his money in the lovely local old fashioned toy shop and we also found a birthday gift for his best friend too. I bought some perfume in the boots half price offer which my parents are going to give me for my birthday. 

Today my brother called in and gave us some clothes and bits he’d bought for DS. I tried to pay him as he doesn’t earn a lot of money and he does struggle at times, but he wouldn’t hear of it, so he’s going to come round on Sunday before we leave and I will cook a nice brunch for everyone. I do all the cooking whilst we’re here anyway as my Mum and Dad are both battling serious debilitating illness, so I look after them whilst I’m here and do what I can to help and try and make sure they are eating well at least for the duration of our stay. I so wish we lived closer, it would be so lovely to have family round now and then and to be able to do things for them. I really wish I had moved back years ago. I would be tackling a much bigger mortgage if I had though, house prices are astronomical in this area and it is a very sought after place to live with many properties as second homes or holiday homes. I just couldn’t afford to buy a property here. 🙁

Anyway, off to sleep now for me. It’s wonderful to be here but it does tire me out doing everything for everyone and taking on the role of temporary carer. I would do it for them every day if I could though. 

MeandO

Another £10 op sent to the mortgage  

Mrs_Money_Penny

Every little helps. Enjoy your time at your parents but do try to get some rest though xx

MeandO

Thank you Mrs_Money_Penny xx 

We’re back home now, was lovely to see our family and is always difficult to leave. 😢 

I’ve finally caught up with myself on YNAB this morning. There have been lots of spends lately, mainly on DS’s and OH’s birthdays but they’re worth it. ❤️❤️ The gifts account is now empty though so I need to start building that up again for next Christmas. 

I’ve ordered the new front door for the house today (a planned spend) using some of the remortgage money. Only a £60 deposit so far, but the total price fitted is £1689. I’ve shopped around and been to several different local companies and unfortunately the one I wanted to use didn’t get back to me despite chasing them twice and I’m done with chasing and waiting for people tbh. It’s a shame as they fitted a door in a different house for me and were lovely so I would have liked to use them. The company I have gone with are coming out to measure up on Friday. 

I’ve sent another little £10 op to the mortgage today so it’s now down to £78,970 - I’d be happy if I can knock that £70 off before next payday. 

MeandO

I've returned two A Maz On parcels today, one gift for OH which wasn't suitable when it arrived and one pack of themed birthday decorations I bought to decorate the house for DS's birthday, only there was no 'I' on the birthday banner! It should be around £55 once refunded, £15 on the credit card, £40 to the bank account. 

I've also requested a payout from TCB of just under £7. I'll top it up to £10 and make another little mortgage op when it arrives.