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

craftingmad

MONTHLY UPDATE

Overpayments Made = £1979

Amount Added to Savings Pot = £2370.30

Not a bad start but we need to try harder if we want to get these mortgages gone in 7 years!! 

I think I may have to rethink my work situation!

craftingmad

Well I've been a bit bad at updating this thread this month but I blame it on being poorly. We both have this horrible virus which appears to be doing the rounds and are fighting chest infections
I have still been plodding away though and making small steps to help the mortgage free dream. I'll post figures at the end of this month.

Today, however, I have been quite naughty as we had a McD's for lunch, had to buy new trainers (a necessity as mine had fallen apart), new jeans for hubby (he managed to rip two pairs of jeans this week and his bottom was hanging out so again no choice) and I've gone way over on the food budget this month after going food shopping with the boys!!

On the plus side we were going to have a takeaway tonight but decided that Asda's pizza counter would do instead so saved ourselves a few quid with that  

I also received a cheque from Royal Mail today following a claim I had put in for a parcel they had lost (its for £50 - more than I expected as though I was only covered for £20) so that will get paid in when I am next in town.

craftingmad

Not much to report from me today - we have taken the dog for a lovely (but very windy) walk along the beach and could not resist popping into the bakery there and treating ourselves to a pasty each. The dog got a free sausage though so that's saved us a few treats I suppose

Been to Lidl and used my £5 off a £25 spend voucher and I had also qualified for a free chocolate bar on their reward app so I've added £6.05 to the savings pot today ready to be paid off when we remortgage. However it does mean that I am well over the food budget for this month now so will try and claw some back in the next few weeks! 

I've also scanned my shopping for Shop & Scan (working towards a £10 Amazon voucher), checked free postcode lottery, tried to do a couple of Nectar surveys but got kicked out before I finished (4 points added for starting though!) and I've completed a GFK survey too. These won't be paying off my mortgage anytime soon but every penny counts I suppose. 

I've also completed two orders for my Etsy shop which will be posted tomorrow and I'm hoping to complete another one tonight. Orders are slow at the moment - I think the cost of living crisis is biting everyone so people are being far more careful what they are spending their money on (either that or they are all trying to pay off their mortgage too!  

Beef stew is cooking in the slow cooker so there is a wonderful smell coming from the kitchen which is making me very hungry and I've double portioned it so there will be enough to go in the freezer to be reheated for another day - saving a bit extra energy too!!!

craftingmad

Not much progress again today as still struggling with my chest infection but I have managed :-

1. a NSD so added £5 to the overpayment pot
2. sent an invoice to an outlet who stocks my items on a sale or return basis for £2.50 (really think I need to look at my prices again for them so will do that as soon as the last 3 packs of items sell I think). I will add to the overpayment pot when I receive payment.
3. Checked free postcode lottery (not a winner)
4. Completed a GFK TV survey
5. Sold a book bundle on FB marketplace for £10 so added this amount to the overpayment pot
6. Worked on a new product which is similar to one of my best sellers so will launch in my Etsy shop tomorrow
7. Had no heating on today so far - I've been toasty warm in my wearable blanket jumper  
8. Turned off all lights son left on this morning
9. Set up a SO to the overpayment pot for £100 per month as not spending this money on craft supplies (1st payment is credited on 3rd March so will declare that then)

£15 added to the overpayment today is better than a kick in the teeth isn't it  

craftingmad

Oh dear I feel like I have seriously slacked in my efforts this month - I must try harder from tomorrow! 
Small progress again today but I'm trying to tell myself that any progress is progress and will help us clear these mortgages quicker. 

So today I have;-

1. Had a NSD so added £5 to overpayment pot
2. Completed Nectar survey for 80 points
3. Played on Mistplay and Playspot and gained some points
4. No heating on until 4pm - my wearable blanket has kept me toasty all day
5. Meal planned for week and will hopefully only need a very small top up so should be well under budget for this week
6. Checked Free Postcode Lottery (not a winner)
7. Sold a cutting die on FB marketplace for £10 so that's been added to OP pot

But the good news is that today is Hubby's payday so with a combination of cutting spending and his overtime I have transferred £1765 into the overpayment pot today as well (which includes the £5 for the NSD and the FB sale mentioned above).

That's made me feel much better   .
 

craftingmad

YEARLY UPDATE

Overpayments Made = £2479

Amount Added to Savings Pot = £5748.52

craftingmad

I cannot believe we are in March already - where is this year going!!!

My intention is to step things up a gear this month and really try hard to add a really good amount to the overpayment pot but I feel like I've been trying hard for not much reward today. 

However today I have managed to:-

1. Have a NSD (so added £5 to OP savings account)
2. Sell a set of mugs on FB Marketplace which have been listed for ages (£3 added to OP savings account - every little counts!)
3. No heating on until 4.15pm but I'm struggling with my chest infection again so could not go an longer as it's freezing today   
4. Checked free postcode lottery but not a winner
5. Completed GFK TV survey
6. Updated spreadsheets and budgets for the new month
7. Played on Swagbucks and Playspot and earned some points
8. Put a claim into Quidco for cashback which has not tracked
9. Completed Nectar survey for 100 points
10. Scanned small supermarket shop OH came home with after work
 

craftingmad

Well even less progress today but my chest infection has really stepped up a gear and I have had to admit defeat and go to the doctors for antibiotics

I have today managed though to:-

1. Have a NSD (I'm not counting the antibiotics as these are a medical necessity in my eyes) so £5 added to the pot
2. Played on Mistplay, Playspot and Klarna to earn points towards vouchers
3. No heating on until 4.30pm - wearing my blanket jumper and nice and snug
4. Transferred £100 from my business sales into the OP savings pot
5. Checked free postcode lottery (not a winner)
6. Listed a set of 11 Michael Morpurgo books on FB Marketplace for £10 - hopefully they sell quickly
7. Completed Nectar survey for 50 points and watched video on Sainsbury's bank for 50 points

craftingmad

Today I mean business:-

I have:-

1. Played on Mistplay and Playspot to earn points
2. No heating on until 5pm (my wearable blanket jumper is a godsend)
3. Nectar Surveys for 32 points
4. Worked on a large order for my business
5. Checked freepostcode lottery (not a winner)
6. NSD so £5 added to OP savings pot
7. Completed GFK TV survey

craftingmad

Today is mainly going to be a declutter day because the house needs it so much - it's filled to the rafters. I am going to aim to get rid of two black bin bags out of the house every weekend for the rest of this year. I've already filled one with odds and sods which are broken or just not good enough to sell and I have another one half filled with recycling after sorting through a huge pile of papers which my son had just shoved in a bag on the landing. I've also filled a large plastic box full of things which can be sold so hopefully I will be able to list some things today and tomorrow on FB Marketplace which will help to add some funds to the OP savings account. 
I've also done my bit for charity and got a large box full of items to donate to my village hall who are having a  jumble sale at the beginning of next month.

I'm hoping for a NSD too so that will add another £5 to the OP pot and I am supposed to be having a lady collect an item tonight which I listed ages ago on FB marketplace so fingers crossed she turns up. It's only £2 but I keep telling myself that every pound counts and will help us achieve our MF dream  

I've also played on Mistplay and transmitted my shopping scans and receipts to Shop and Scan today so moving slowly towards vouchers on both these platforms.