My Mortgage Free Mountain - A 7 year expedition to climb to the top

Baileys_Babe

Lovely to see you @craftingmad please try and take sometime to rest and recuperate.

How frustrating for you both that your hubby has made the car worse.

craftingmad

Baileys_Babe said:

Lovely to see you @craftingmad please try and take sometime to rest and recuperate.

How frustrating for you both that your hubby has made the car worse.

Thanks Baileys. I ended up spending most of yesterday relaxing and resting so that has done me the world of good

Yes hubby seems to be making a lot of things worse recently

Fingers crossed he doesn't break anything toady!

craftingmad

Good morning everyone,

What a change in the weather. Its raining on the Norfolk Broads today so I'm very glad I at least got some of my washing pile completed yesterday Today I have two baskets full to put away  

I have another day off today so plan on spending it doing pretty much the same as yesterday - a mix of working on my business, housework and resting   I might even treat myself to a phone call to BTL mortgage 1 to check the balance - that always makes me happy seeing it decreasing each month  

Its hubbies payday today so I will be buying a  few gifts ready for sons 18th birthday a week on Sunday. How is my baby turning into an adult so quickly

It is also payday for BK today and interest day on one of the savings accounts so all that money will be transferred straight into the savings account (hopefully will be around £550 in total)

 So today I HOPE I WILL:-

1. Play on Mistplay (50 points target) - DONE 62 points earned today
2. Watch videos on WeR8 - DONE three videos watched for total of 19p
3. Print planner for existing customer
4. Print business cards and flyers for Etsy customer - DONE 
5. Send proof to Etsy customer for plantable tags - DONE
6. Comment on in search of posts to try and get new orders
7. Order sons birthday gifts using discount codes if possible - two small things ordered so far with a 10% discount code saving me £2.49  
8. Phone BTL1 mortgage company for up to date balance and check on redemption fees for when fixed rate ends in June - DONE balance reduced by £300 which is good and confirmed only £100 in fees if we redeem in full on 1st July  
9. Return plastic pockets to Amazon for refund - Gutted return window has passed
10. Email rental management company and advise rent increases on two properties from June 2025  
11. Check free postcode lottery - DONE not a winner
12. Check for code for Amazon voucher cashed out in Prime Opinion - DONE still not received so chased again
13. Complete three prime opinion survey 
14. Renew FB marketplace listings - DONE 7 listings renewed
15. List something new on FB marketplace - DONE brand new science set found in cupboard listed for £10
16. Take a course from a membership
17. Design something new to sell
18. Post in a FB group to try and get a sale
19. Tidy some of the house and declutter at least 5 things
20. Put away clean washing - DONE two full wash baskets put away
21. Write and schedule FB posts for next week
22. NSD

craftingmad

Good morning,

The sun is shining and I'm feeling good so that is an added bonus for today. I might even chance a line of washing today to help me catch up  

I have an 8 hour shift at BK today as well but not too bad hours (12pm - 8pm) so that will take up most of my time especially given that there are roadworks on the way in which are taking around 40 minutes to get through so I will need to leave with plenty of time to spare, but I also hope to get a few more things completed to help us on our mortgage mountain climb. All the small things seem to really be adding up Hubby has set us the target of trying to get enough money to pay off all the mortgages by the end of this year which even I think is a little ambitious but you know me, I do love a good challenge, so lets see how much progress we can make If you take into account our investment (which was set up always with the intention of using it to pay off one of the mortgages) it means we need about another £40k in total to become totally mortgage free, so after the sums I make it that we need to be adding in £4500 per month into the savings pot  That night be a bit tooi much even for me and my frugal workaholic ways 

So today I HOPE I WILL:-

1. Play on Mistplay (50 points target) - 8 points so far today
2. Watch videos on WeR8 - DONE seven videos watched for total of 42p 
3. Print planner for existing customer
4. Post off business cards and flyers - DONE
5. Print and post off plantable tags for Etsy order - DONE
6. Comment on in search of posts to try and get new orders
7. Order sons birthday gifts using discount codes if possible
8. Email rental management company and advise rent increases on two properties from June 2025  
9. Check free postcode lottery
10. Check for code for Amazon voucher cashed out in Prime Opinion
11. Complete three prime opinion survey 
12. List something new on FB marketplace
13. Get a load of washing dry outside
14. BK shift (12pm - 8pm) - DONE
15. Turn off heating timer as seems to be sneakily coming on in the morning and late at night
16. See if I can transfer any of hubbies wages into OP savings pot (need to take into account sons birthday)
17. NSD - DONE

craftingmad

Good morning and happy mother's day to all the mummies out there.

Well work yesterday was absolutely manic so I achieved hardly anything apart from the three things I really wanted too so I am still classing it as a win  

Another day at BK today but only 6 hour shift today so hopefully it will be much better. Again though I'm not going to beat myself up if I achieve nothing more than work today. That alone helps add a nice little sum into the OP pot each month

 So today I HOPE I WILL:-

1. Play on Mistplay (50 points target) - 2 points so far
2. Watch videos on WeR8 - DONE seven videos watched for total of 40p
3. Submit hours to cafe so I can be paid today - DONE
4. Transfer cafe earnings into OP savings account - DONE £434.96 transferred
5. Print planner for existing customer
6. Print and post off plantable tags for Etsy order as realised I have not printed both designs yesterday!
7. Comment on in search of posts to try and get new orders
8. Order sons birthday gifts using discount codes if possible
9. Email rental management company and advise rent increases on two properties from June 2025  
10. Check free postcode lottery
11. Check for code for Amazon voucher cashed out in Prime Opinion
12. Complete three prime opinion survey 
13. List something new on FB marketplace
14. Get a load of washing dry outside - in washing machine at moment on a quick wash
15. BK shift (12pm - 6pm) - DONE
16. Turn off heating timer as seems to be sneakily coming on in the morning and late at night - DONE
17. See if I can transfer any of hubbies wages into OP savings pot (need to take into account sons birthday)
18. NSD - DONE  

craftingmad

Morning everyone (well that's if anyone is still reading this thread after my erractic posts!)

I'm still here and plodding along although I have to be honest that hubby and I are starting to question if there is any point to us working so hard and saving to clear off all our mortgage debts. My dad is back in hospital and really poorly thanks to the doctors originally failing to spot that he has a urine infection. This has now got worse and is attacking his whole body which is causing his kidneys to fail. It also turns out that he has two broken bones in his back where he fell but yet again the hospital said nothing was broken originally. My mum is obviously beside herself and understandably struggling to cope as she also has her lung cancer to worry about so it looks like the only two options available long term will be a care home or for them to move closer to me so I can look after them. It seems so unfair that two people who have worked so hard all their lives will have to sell their house to pay for their care fees whereas somebody who has not lifted a finger their entire lives gets it all for free It's really making us question whether we should just enjoy every penny we earn rather than trying so hard to clear our debts Life can be so unfair can't it  

Anyway I am going to try and continue as normal for the next few days until we know what is going to happen in the future as honestly it helps giving me something else to focus on at the moment. I was meant to have a day off today but I have been called into the original cafe for 3 and a half hours later so won't have as much time free as I first thought. It also means that I won't have a day off this week so need to remember to take it a bit easy so as not to burn myself out.

Other big news is that I have lost the diamond from my engagement ring. I'm gutted as I have had it nearly 26 years and never had an issue but I can only think that I must have caught it on something and it loosened the clasps to hold it in place. I cannot actually get it off my finger though as I have put on quite a bit of weight in those years so in true MSE fashion I have repaired it using a sticky gem and a glue gun. It might be a bit smaller than my actual diamond which I lost but from a distance it still looks like the real thing so that will do for now    Maybe if I lose weight later down the line I will take the ring off and get it repaired but for now I'm happy with my sticky gem dot - I'm a cheap date 

So today I hope to:-

   So today I HOPE I WILL:-

1. Play on Mistplay (50 points target) - 2 points so far 
2. Watch videos on WeR8 - no videos available
3. Add hours I have worked onto spreadsheet to ensure I get paid for them later in the month
4. Check to see if interest received on one savings account and add onto spreadsheet
5. Print planner for existing customer
6. Print and post off plantable tags for Etsy order as realised I have not printed both designs!
7. Comment on in search of posts to try and get new orders
8. Email rental management company and advise rent increases on two properties from June 2025. Also ask for valuations on both properties  
9. Check free postcode lottery
10. Check for code for Amazon voucher cashed out in Prime Opinion
11. Complete three prime opinion survey 
12. List something new on FB marketplace
13. Get a load of washing dry outside
14. NT cafe shifts (11.30am - 3pm)
15. Take a course from one of my memberships
16. Change postage prices in Etsy shop and on website to take into account Royal Mail increases
17. Design something new to sell
18. Make a card for mum and dad and post off using stamp received for compensation
19. NSD - DONE

Baileys_Babe

Hello, I've been wondering how you're getting on.

I'm very sad to hear about your parents health 😔 As an alternative of going into a home could they instead have carers come to their house or even live in? This is my parents plan. 

Glad to hear you are thinking about preventing burn out, take care 🤗

craftingmad

Morning everyone,

I'm still here and plodding along although our MF journey is having to take a bit of a back seat at the moment due to parents health taking up most of my time. I am still working away in my three jobs though and all this money along with the interest on the savings accounts are being added to our OP pot so at least we have not stalled.

I have a day off today - a proper day off - no visiting mum and dad (as my Auntie is down) and no work to go off too so it means I can catch up on some orders which I must make and hopefully work on my business a bit to try and keep that ticking over and giving an extra small income. I also need to get some housework and washing done as it has been badly neglected these past few weeks and I really want to try and start my decluttering journey again as I know that a clearer house will help to unclutter and soothe my mind.

I will also be making sure I find time to just sit and relax as I am understanding just how important this is - especially at the moment with everything going on. 

Fingers crossed I will also get a chance to update our spreadsheet as feel like I have not done that for ages.

Wish me luck I'm going in  

So today I HOPE I WILL:-

1. Play on Mistplay (50 points target) - 2 points so far
2. Watch videos on WeR8 - DONE 5 videos watched for a total of 32p
3. Add hours I have worked onto spreadsheet to ensure I get paid for them later in the month - DONE
4. Update spreadsheets with new figures - DONE as an added bonus I found another £600 I could transfer into the OP savings account
5. Check to see if interest received on one savings account and add onto spreadsheet - DONE £311.23 added
6. Print planner for existing customer
7. Print and post off plantable tags for Etsy order as realised I have not printed both designs!
8. Make cross in my pocket for Etsy order - DONE
9. Make communnion token for Etsy order - DONE
10. Make elephant pocket hug for Etsy order - DONE
11. Post off orders
12. Comment on in search of posts to try and get new orders
13. Email rental management company and advise rent increases on two properties from June 2025. Also ask for valuations on both properties  
14. Check free postcode lottery - DONE not a winner
15. Check for code for Amazon voucher cashed out in Prime Opinion
16. Complete three prime opinion survey 
17. List something new on FB marketplace - DONE two things listed - horrible histories game for £5 and petlab probiotic chews for £40 - fingers crossed I can get rid of them and make a bit of cash and some space in the house
18. Renew FB marketplace listings - DONE 22 listings renewed
19. Get two loads of washing dry outside - two loads hung out on line and third load in washing machine
20. Take a course from one of my memberships
21. Change postage prices in Etsy shop and on website to take into account Royal Mail increases
22. Design something new to sell
23. Make a card for mum and dad and post off using stamp received for compensation
24. Meal plan for rest of week - DONE chicken strips today, mac and cheese tomorrow (as only me) and chicken breast roast dinner on Sunday
25. Declutter 5 things from the house - DONE lots of junk mail, toilet roll tubes, empty containers in bathroom, old wrapping paper disposed of in recycle bin and out of date flea treatment and mouthwash thrown in the bin   
26. NSD - DONE  

LadyWithAPlan

So sorry to hear re your parents - hope you find a solution that works - 
You will have a lot extra on your plate so rest when you can 
 Ouch to that nasty dog bite

Great focus on the savings - £4500 is a lot per month but an amazing goal to go for !

Baileys_Babe

Good to see you @craftingmad sorry to hear about your parents.

The list you have written is massive, remember today needs to be about you rest, relaxing and recovering 🤗