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Small steps lead to big changes...

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  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 95,771 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Mortgage-free Glee!
    Brownies are a good idea for little miss  :)

    I want a doughnut now!
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.

    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.
    ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
  • jwil
    jwil Posts: 22,082 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    beanielou said:
    Brownies are a good idea for little miss  :)

    I want a doughnut now!
    Hopefully she'll enjoy it.

    doughnuts generally are lovely!
    "Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 28,997 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Enjoy the swimming.

    As people have said to me - look back and think how far you've come on decluttering and on your financial journey in recent years. Your kids have usable bedrooms. You were able to rewire upstairs as the clutter wasn't in the way. That's huge progress.
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £174.8K Equity 32.77%
    2) £1.6K Net savings after CCs 14/8/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £25.3K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.2K) = 31.1/£127.5K target 24.4% 15/8/25
    4) FI Age 60 income target £16.5/30K 55.1%
    5) SIPP £4.8K updated 29/7/25
  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 95,771 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Mortgage-free Glee!
    Enjoy the swimming.

    As people have said to me - look back and think how far you've come on decluttering and on your financial journey in recent years. Your kids have usable bedrooms. You were able to rewire upstairs as the clutter wasn't in the way. That's huge progress.
    So this.  Be proud.
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.

    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.
    ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
  • jwil
    jwil Posts: 22,082 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Enjoy the swimming.

    As people have said to me - look back and think how far you've come on decluttering and on your financial journey in recent years. Your kids have usable bedrooms. You were able to rewire upstairs as the clutter wasn't in the way. That's huge progress.
    Thank you.  That's very true.  :) However much I still moan about the clutter, it is infinitely better than it was.  The kids rooms weren't usable before because they were rammed with stuff.  Downstairs wasn't much better.  Now they have their rooms, and the front room in particular is nowhere near as bad as it was.

    beanielou said:
    Enjoy the swimming.

    As people have said to me - look back and think how far you've come on decluttering and on your financial journey in recent years. Your kids have usable bedrooms. You were able to rewire upstairs as the clutter wasn't in the way. That's huge progress.
    So this.  Be proud.
    Thank you :)  It's good to have those reminders to make me think back to how it was.
    "Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 28,997 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Didn't a car go too?
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £174.8K Equity 32.77%
    2) £1.6K Net savings after CCs 14/8/25
    3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £25.3K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.2K) = 31.1/£127.5K target 24.4% 15/8/25
    4) FI Age 60 income target £16.5/30K 55.1%
    5) SIPP £4.8K updated 29/7/25
  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 95,771 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Mortgage-free Glee!
    I am sure it did  :)
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.

    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.
    ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
  • jwil
    jwil Posts: 22,082 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Didn't a car go too?
    beanielou said:
    I am sure it did  :)
    Yes, you are right, thank you for the nudging!  It has been really useful and a good reminder of how much we have achieved.
    "Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee
  • jwil
    jwil Posts: 22,082 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Today's PAD £2, yesterday £5

    Jan - £141
    Feb - £139
    March - £89
    April £149
    May - £79
    June - £2
    "Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee
  • jwil
    jwil Posts: 22,082 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Swimming was good yesterday, I must try and go more often.  The problem is that most of the times I can go, the pool is closed for swimming lessons.  I'll have to look and see if there are any options for a Friday perhaps.

    Today we are seeing family so that should be nice.

    I need to do the financials.  I've been a bit spendy the last couple of months so trying to have a quieter month to try and get on top of things.  We are off to Edinburgh in a couple of months so want to have a nice bit set aside for that.

    I lost another 1.5lb today which takes me to 8lb off now :grin:  It would have been a 3lb loss if I'd used yesterday as a weigh in 🙄, but hey ho.  Hopefully it will come off again in time for next week.
    "Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee
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