DrCarrie's adventures in saving to be a mortgage-free wannabe

DrCarrie

Hello, all new friends and old?

I am here for a new adventure, and to document my adventures. To notice new obstacles and turn them into paths. 

I have never been a saver. I am 50 and have never been a saver. I have been a spender. I have cleared my debts 3 times and spent significant windfalls. I have had 2 mortgages and now I rent (£895 pcm). I paid off the last of my credit cards (bar £25, which will go out as a DD mid-December). I am now ready to get back to securing my future and living a life with fun and frolics in the cheap seats. 

I have cleared 21K in debt in 26 months, it's been an adventure in ongoing spending less and earning more over that time. Learned a lot of lessons about what I want and what I need. I use the 50/30/20 rules for guide for my budget but my wants are 10% and my saving is 40% of my salary. There are lots of adjustments on this along the way. I am wanting to get 20K in the savings coffers for a new home  - in the Midlands (currently in Brighton), and 1K in the EF. 

I have secured an overtime rate and so I am hoping that I will be able to add a fair bit on top of the 37% of my salary going into the deposit pot (with 3% of my salary going to the EF). 

Part of my adventures are always about food, I used to be a chef,  and I am taking on a new challenge of 30 different plants a week...Tim Spector style. A new book is out, not bought it yet. Other adventures will be learning from the boards, making good use of my Season ticket when I have one, and my Network railcard. Airing myself out daily and generally doing things with not much money, or that are planned for. 

I am going to track the small wins and add them to the deposit fund. Like my round-ups and sweeps at the end of the month. Starting next month. 

😇😀😇

the_cross_rabbit

Good luck
CRx

DrCarrie

Thank you, CR, for the luck, and for stopping by. 

I had an email from the energy company, telling me my statements are ready, so I had a look - very much in credit (and they put the £66 in my bank account). My usage is down by 55% on the Gas, and 23% on the Electricity, compared to the same quarter last year. I have minded bing purposefully careful, but not obsessive. 

Feel a bit more secure in the knowledge of having a good cushion for the next quarter, likely to be the most expensive.

I was going to buy an electric throw, but I have decided to just have a duvet and blankets with a hot water bottle when I am on the sofa, and at my desk, if need be.  

LadyWithAPlan

I think having a diary is so useful to keep on track and celebrate the small and big wins, especially as mortgages and house deposits are such big beasts.. I certainly have made and spent a fortune in the past so this new frugal me needs fellow MSE'ers to keep on track as I live in London so need a HUGE deposit.

I am going to buy a heated throw as they also look fabulous but the faux fur one I want is sold out in Argos and as I have £40 of Nectar points I want to use against it, I am being incredibly self disciplined and not buying it from elsewhere. 

savingholmes

Good luck on your journey.

DrCarrie

Thank you @savingholmes for wishing me luck and stopping by. @LadyWithAPlan - that sucks about the heated throw being out of stock. Hope they return soon, so you can snuggle. After being really poorly a the beginning of the week (when I was on leave), I am a bit more lively. Got some batch cooking on the go. Done a small amount of Christmas shopping and went to where I thought the mobile shop was to change my contract, to find it had disappeared along with several other shops in the shopping centre including Lakeland plastics. Money seems to be falling out of my Christmas and food pots at the rate of Knots!

DrCarrie

Here is my first weekly check in for this journey! - the clock started on the 1st.

NSD = 1
Tilly Tidy = 80p
Round ups = £1.52
Fun and Frolics in the cheap seats - enjoying an autumnal walk

South_coast

DrCarrie said:

Fun and Frolics in the cheap seats

Ha ha, love this idea 😀!

beanielou

Happy shiny new diary 

DrCarrie

Thank you @beanielou

Weekly check-in 5-11th

• Tilly Tidy = 14p
• Round ups = £1.16
  
• NSD's = 5

Fun and Frolics in the cheap seats 

• Appreciating the views from the train on the early morning commute
• Glorious full moon
• Walking to a fancy baker and getting bread, walking back along the seashore/prom
• Getting lovely salad stuff from a farmer's market stall in the park
• Haircut – great fun chatting with my hairdresser
• Free yoga class – as an introduction to the studio, I liked it
• Off to the cinema later, no ticket required, as I am still using the free tickets from my membership

Pretty good going in the cheap seats I thought @South_coast. Lots of work to do this coming week, catching up and pre-Christmas, not expecting much fun or frolicking happening!

NeverendingDMP

Lots of luck in your new diary x