Follow the Yellow Brick Road 2023

SandyShores

I was wondering about the year ahead and thinking about the year behind.  So I looked at last December's post and found this:

At the end of 2024 I'd like to be able to say I've:
Planned more meet ups with friends and family - near, far and wide   TICK
Used the sewing machine and started lots of those purchased crafts NOPE
Made another three blinds and bought two sets of curtains TICK
Achieved more at running and had a regular weights session YES and NO
Got to a place of 51% equity NOPE 34.5%
Read lots of the books I've bought  NOPE
Done a few of those social activities I keep on about - crafts, driving, climbing.  NOPE
Bought as little as possible but sold a lot of stuff on V1nted. SOLD loads, but buying, hmmm.
Reduced the number of trips to the supermarkets e.g. sorted a monthly Asda c&c (rather than weekly).  DEFO
Continued shaping the garden incl. veg plot (raspberries/salad are okay in shade).  NOPE
Replaced a shelf unit in the garage with another set of hooks.  YUP
Made a decision on taking one of my pensions e.g. larger lum sum vs larger pension. YUP
Got a less stressful job. YES
Won £1m on the PBs (well you can hope).  NOPE

The sewing machining, exercising, reading, gardening have been on my list this year, but they are definitely on the top of the list for next year (just under the mortgage aims of course).

I also saw that last year I had lost weight at the year end (compared to 2022), but this year I have put almost all back on - except for 1.5lb so there's a win!

The mortgage has definitely reduced, and this site has kept me more focussed than I'd otherwise have been.  Other people's threads are an amazing source of knowledge and motivation.  

So these are the things I'm currently thinking about for 2025:

Keep up the fabbing.
Fab the house next year
Be Authentic and all that it brings
Remortgage with 60% 
Work - continue with the enrichment and learning
Enjoy the Charity Shopping with (Mum in mind )
Make time for the Painting/Crafting/Sewing and just enjoying life
Make a routine again of exercising/keeping healthy/being fit
Read those books.
Enjoy the garden.

That's enough for now

savingholmes

You've made progress which is good. Weight goes up and down. It's a fact of life for most of us. Have fun and enjoy life regardless.

LadyWithAPlan

Well done on the OPs and some great 2024 wins there!

I am really focusing on seeing friends pre xmas and glad you managed to see yours, its so important

SandyShores

savingholmes said:

You've made progress which is good. Weight goes up and down. It's a fact of life for most of us. Have fun and enjoy life regardless.

Thanks savingholmes always the right direction with the mortgage.  Not so with the weight, but I'm pleased to say its not stopped me doing anything and despite eating lots I'm still slightly down on starting weight, so its a bonus.

LadyWithAPlan said:

Well done on the OPs and some great 2024 wins there!

I am really focusing on seeing friends pre xmas and glad you managed to see yours, its so important

Thanks LWAP, just paid another £1k OP and we'll be at 35% equity once the regular payment goes out.  It will be a stretch to get to 40% for remortgage time but will give it a good blooming go.    We are now the proud owner of one third of a house.  I like to think that we own the downstairs rooms now - equivalent to a one bed apartment in our part of the world.  We are working towards owning the upstairs too - so we'll own a duplex - and will move on eventually to owning the garden/garage.  Just under 5 years ago we only had 5%, which was probably the downstairs loo - although a very nice and warm loo to own

Glad you are still getting to see your friends, it certainly makes a difference to coping with the things life throws at us.  

savingholmes

What are fab OP to end the year!

Merry Christmas 🤶 🎄 ❤️ 

SandyShores

Thanks @savingholmes and a Merry Christmas to you too

We are definitely ending the year on a very good note.  The last 12 months hasn't been easy, and although I haven't achieved everything I wanted, we have got through some difficulties and I'm looking forward to 2025.

Sandycat and I were hunkered down on Sunday morning, basking in the simple pleasures of life being safe in our home.  We made it downstairs for breakfast and lunch, but I was mainly sorting through some life admin upstairs.  I did sort through some out of date stuff in the kitchen. 

I really need to re-organise the kitchen cupboards as most things just got plonked places when we moved in.  We have two whole shelves of drinking glasses, including a couple of posh sets, but use the same few 1kea glasses all the time.  I'll be watching utube vids of kitchen organising over xmas and looking back to view the plastic tub organising tips on here.

LadyWithAPlan

5 to 35% ownership is a huge jump in 5 years 

SandyShores

LadyWithAPlan said:

5 to 35% ownership is a huge jump in 5 years 

I know, I never would have thought it LWAP, seemed like such a mountain to climb.  But the house has increased in value by approximately 14%, which is £55k.  Plus we have made OPs around £22k and with the interest rate so low (1.8%) its made a good dent.  The next few years may be a bit slower once we remortgage to a higher rate and include the H2B, but its been a good start.  Once we are over the magic number of 40% equity I'll be very happy.  

debtfreeoneday

Awesome progress. 

LadyWithAPlan

40% is a great goal -once you hit that I think it will feel like it’s quickly diminishing 
hope you are having a great xmas