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

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  • Jessy103
    Jessy103 Posts: 2,250 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Have a lovely holiday! 🙂
    Mortgage Balance as of July 2025 £14,900.
    Starting Mortgage Balance (June 2019) £72,000.
    Aiming to be mortgage free by my 40th birthday, June 2026!
  • craftingmad
    craftingmad Posts: 3,363 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I hope you all have a really fab holiday and enjoy the surfing 🏄🏄🏄
    Flowers x
    Thanks Flowers.
    We had so much fun with the surfing even though we are still struggling to move and are covered in bruises.
    Our son took to it like a duck to water and was amazing. He apparently was doing all these really hard tricks which usually take years to learn - I on the other hand could not even stand up but it was so much fun.

    Mortgage - £2338.07 paid off Feb 2023 BTL 1 £51,089.10 £35789.36 paid off July 2025 BTL 2 £81,504.52 BTL 3 £77,497.02
  • craftingmad
    craftingmad Posts: 3,363 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Jessy103 said:
    Have a lovely holiday! 🙂
    Thank you x 
    Mortgage - £2338.07 paid off Feb 2023 BTL 1 £51,089.10 £35789.36 paid off July 2025 BTL 2 £81,504.52 BTL 3 £77,497.02
  • craftingmad
    craftingmad Posts: 3,363 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 30 June 2023 at 9:02AM
    Good morning all.

    Well we are back from holiday with bump and hubby and I are straight back and starting work today :( 
    The holiday was amazing. We all had such a great time. The sun was shining, the views were amazing and we packed so much in. We went surfing, go karting, played crazy golf, played golf football, lazed on the beach, done a spot of shopping, visited a zoo and so much more but I feel like we need another holiday to recover from this one! There is not a part of my body which is not covered in a bruise or hurts!! I must be getting old ;) 

    No moneysaving took place at all - we done exactly what we wanted and ate out ever single day!!! 
    In the old days I would have felt so guilty about spending so much but now I'm so happy that we made so many amazing memories and treated ourselves too.

    Back to normality today though and project pay off these mortgages is back in full swing. 

    I've got a huge suitcase full of dirty washing but in true British fashion it is absolutely chucking it down on the Norfolk Broads today so don't think I will be starting any of that until it clears :( It will just have to stay in my hallway and we can step over it each time we need to use the front door ;)

    I've got a huge sticker order I have got to get made urgently and I am blessed to have also received four more orders whilst I was away so these need making also. Plus I'm working in the chippy tonight and every day up to and including Sunday so this should keep me out of mischief!! 

    It looks like one of the staff has left the chippy as their number has been removed from the group chat so there is a possibility that I may pick up a few more hours to cover their shifts next week. The money will be great as it can be thrown straight towards the mortgage savings pot but I'm not sure I would be able to cope with the boss more than twice a week usually ;) I'll hopefully find out all about the plans tonight when I start my shift. 

    So here is my (not so) little list for today:-
    1. Play on Mistplay  - 2 points earned so far ;)
    2. Complete a Nectar survey 
    3. Check on costs for express delivery to Canada for customer - DONE an additional £11 in order to meet her deadline so my fingers are crossed that this does not put her off and she cancels the order :( 
    4. Check bank account and see if money for website for order has been received - DONE £880 transferred into OP savings pot :)  
    5. Set up custom listing for business card enquiry received whilst I was away - DONE now just have to wait for payment :)Payment received so will have to get to work tomorrow on this order :) 
    6. Enter competitions 
    7. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji   
    8.  Meal plan for rest of week and next - DONE :) 
    9. Food shopping and stick to list - DONE although did pick up some buy one get one free ham and cheese pastry puffs which look delicious and worked out at only 25p each :) Also used lidl app and had a £2.50 off £25 spend coupon so used that and transferred the £2.50 to the OP savings account :) 
    10. Scan shopping for Shop and Scan - DONE :) 
    11. one load of washing dry outside (if it stops raining) - no hope today I think so it will have to wait until tomorrow :( 
    12. Complete a survey/searches on Inbox Pounds
    13. Complete a survey on Panelbase  
    14. Start large order for stickers
    15. Make up friendship teabags for order and post off on way to supermarket - DONE :) 
    16. Renew breakdown insurance
    17. Chippy Shift - DONE :) 
      

      
    Mortgage - £2338.07 paid off Feb 2023 BTL 1 £51,089.10 £35789.36 paid off July 2025 BTL 2 £81,504.52 BTL 3 £77,497.02
  • craftingmad
    craftingmad Posts: 3,363 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 1 July 2023 at 7:58AM
    Well I woke up at 6.30am this morning but have spent all that time faffing around so have not achieved anything I need to have done. Must try harder and start to focus from now ;) 

    The chippy shift went well yesterday and they even sort of said that they missed me (in a roundabout way of course). They want me to do Sundays taking over the shift which the person who left did but stop my Thursday shift which I'm not overly happy about as often on Sundays they close early plus it involves loads of cleaning which I do lots of on Saturdays (far more than my far share). Plus Sunday's is only a trial thing so they could stop at any time and I want some time with my family and weekends seems to be the only time I get it especially as they said I would not be working any weekends at the interview :( He also did a Friday night shift which I would prefer but they don't me to do that one as somebody else wants it so it feels like I'm picking up all the shifts which nobody else wants (understandably as they are always hard shifts) :( 
     
    I've asked them if I can do alternate Sundays and Thursdays so I shall see what they come up with (although knowing them they will not listen to a word I've said) :( 

    I've got a huge order I MUST work on today which is going to take up most of my time so I'm going to keep my list quite short today so I can at least (hopefully) see some progress.

    It's also payday for hubby today so fingers crossed I will be able to transfer over a nice sum which was left to the OP savings account which should give me a little mood boost :)  That will make a nice anniversary gift for us as today is our 23rd wedding anniversary. In true MSE style we are both working and not bothering with cards or gifts.

    Here's my very little list for today:-

    1. Play on Mistplay - DONE 152 points so far (thanks to a 50 point bonus for playing a new game) :) 
    2. Complete Canada order and drop off at UPS collection point - DONE :)
    3. Make plantable heart stock for outlet (same place as UPS drop off so can save myself a trip if done at same time) - DONE :)
    4. Check bank account and transfer money left at end of month - DONE hubby's wages are in including lots of OT so £2K has been transferred to OP savings account :)Happy anniversary to us :) 
    5. Start work on huge sticker order (5000 stickers to print and handcut) - DONE 50 stickers out of 5000 printed and cut - gonna have to work much faster :(
    6. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji   
    7. Get three loads of washing dry outside - two loads dry but rain came so no time to hang out third load :( 
    8. Renew breakdown insurance
    9. Chippy Shift - DONE :)
     

      
    Mortgage - £2338.07 paid off Feb 2023 BTL 1 £51,089.10 £35789.36 paid off July 2025 BTL 2 £81,504.52 BTL 3 £77,497.02
  • ~FlowerPot~
    ~FlowerPot~ Posts: 1,621 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    oo!! well done thats a nice healthy OT payment to the savings pot!!!
    And happy anniversary! <3
    ♥️ ♥️ ♥️
    🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
    Decluttering 2025 So far 403 / 2025
    Decluttering 2024🏅🏅🥇🏅🏅🏅⭐⭐⭐🌸 DS2🏅🏅DD🏅🥇🌸
    25 in 25 So far 1 /25

    ⭐My rambling savings Diary ~⭐
  • craftingmad
    craftingmad Posts: 3,363 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    oo!! well done thats a nice healthy OT payment to the savings pot!!!
    And happy anniversary! <3
    Thank you.
    It was the best anniversary present for both of us and so much more useful than flowers or chocolates :) 
    Mortgage - £2338.07 paid off Feb 2023 BTL 1 £51,089.10 £35789.36 paid off July 2025 BTL 2 £81,504.52 BTL 3 £77,497.02
  • craftingmad
    craftingmad Posts: 3,363 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 2 July 2023 at 7:16PM
    How is it the 1st of July already? This year seems to be passing at lightspeed :( 

    Time for a yearly update I think. I'm sure you guys don't really care but they help to keep me motivated ;) 

    YEARLY UPDATE

    Overpayments Made = £4979

    Amount Added to Savings Pot = £17262.87

    The amount in the OP savings pot now equates to just over 37% of our current balance our first BTL mortgage  B)

    I'm really proud of how much we have achieved this year so far and am really hoping that we can keep up the momentum for the next few years and see these BTL mortgages gone or at least reduced by a considerable amount :) 
    Mortgage - £2338.07 paid off Feb 2023 BTL 1 £51,089.10 £35789.36 paid off July 2025 BTL 2 £81,504.52 BTL 3 £77,497.02
  • craftingmad
    craftingmad Posts: 3,363 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 2 July 2023 at 7:38AM
    Another day of operation MF Wannabe is about to commence :wink:

    I do love the 1st of a month as I get to complete my spreadsheet so I can really see the progress we are making. It does however make me wonder why we were not smart enough to start climbing our mortgage mountain sooner! 

    Son wants a haircut today so I've got to go into town but I'll combine it with buying some petrol too as I'm running on vapours after our little trip to Cornwall so at least that will save me a trip later on in the week. I'm hoping to feed him up before we go to save having to buy an expensive subway/McD's whilst we are out. I'm actually a bit sick of fast food after our holiday and am craving salad, fresh fruit and veg which is so unlike me. Can only be good for my waistline and health though so long may it continue. 

    I'm back in the chippy again tonight for my usual shift. Last night was really busy so I guess tonight will be the same however I'm hoping the staff I'm on with tonight might pull their weight a bit more with the cleaning! Last night they just stood and watched me, only occasionally wiping down a surface (and even then not very well!). Think it didn't go unnoticed with the boss though so fingers crossed that's brownie points for me and he will let me swap my shift next Thursday as I've realised it's my son's prom and I would not miss that moment for the world.

    I've got to plough on with the large sticker order today in order to get it made in time for client's deadline. Hoping I can rope both kids into helping me - just got to work out how little I can pay them so I still make a profit ;) 

    Other than that just planning the usual little things which seem to be making a difference so here's my little list for today:-

    1. Play on Mistplay - DONE 7 points earnt ;)
    2. Work on huge sticker order - started cut 40 stickers and now got kids cutting them and paying them 5p a sticker so fingers crossed its a good incentive to get lots cut :) 
    3. Raise custom order for business cards - DONE and customer paid :) 
    4. Cash out Airtime Rewards - DONE £10 voucher cashed out so £10 transferred into OP savings pot :)
    5. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji   
    6. Get two loads of washing dry outside - one load on line and next load in machine :) 
    7. Submit Shop and Scan barcodes and receipts - DONE :)
    8. Renew library books to save overdue fines - DONE :) 
    9. Renew breakdown insurance
    10. Chippy Shift - DONE :(



       
    Mortgage - £2338.07 paid off Feb 2023 BTL 1 £51,089.10 £35789.36 paid off July 2025 BTL 2 £81,504.52 BTL 3 £77,497.02
  • craftingmad
    craftingmad Posts: 3,363 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 3 July 2023 at 6:57AM
    Morning all. 
    I'm back in the chippy today for my final shift of this week but after yesterday's shift it might well be my last :( 
    I made a small mistake which was easily rectified and my boss balled me out in front of everybody and just kept picking at me all night. Honestly I left there nearly in tears. I'm all for paying my mortgage off early but I'm beginning to think that it is really not worth the hassle for the £40 odd quid I am earning per shift, especially as I am literally broken each time from working so hard whilst I watch others coasting along and he keeps telling me how amazing they are!. 
    I'm going to start seriously looking for something else from next week :(

    On a positive note though, my lovely mum and dad sent us a couple of scratch cards for our anniversary and we have won £9 between us so we will cash that in and put it in the OP savings pot :)

    I've got lots of orders which I need to work on today so I'm hoping our daughter will help out again with the stickers which need cutting or else I may have to pull a few all nighters and I think I'm getting too old for those now ;) 

    So my list for today is a very, very small one:-

    1. Play on Mistplay - DONE 117 points earned today :)
    2. Work on huge sticker order  - 100 cut so far only 4500 to go :(
    3. Make seed packs for urgent order
    4. NSD - DONE £5 transferred into OP saving account :) 
    5. Cash in scratch cards
    6. Chippy Shift - DONE :) 
    Mortgage - £2338.07 paid off Feb 2023 BTL 1 £51,089.10 £35789.36 paid off July 2025 BTL 2 £81,504.52 BTL 3 £77,497.02
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