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Mortgage Free now aiming for FIRE

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  • TallGirl
    TallGirl Posts: 6,234 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    No news on the missing case but work is sending me a replacement laptop so that is good. My old one has been wiped and the phone sim disabled but hopefully it will turn up some day. Would be nice to get my other stuff back as well obviously. 

    Did the reclaim on the train tickets going up as they cancelled all the trains so I had to struggle to find another route with DG driving me to another station. Would be nice to get something back I wish I had known we could claim it for us and it was not going to the booking company I would have claimed before.

    Pain working on the Mac it is definitely getting sold after this it is so different the only thing that is nice is the screen it is much bigger than my other ones but you cannot connect anything USB to it only the USB C which I do not have. Roll on Friday when I get the other one.

    I got my knitting box yesterday with my yarn to make the squares for the blanket which is what I am enjoying the most. The other make was a strange looking head wrap or a square basket for the bathroom. Neither of which I really like. The booklet has how to make a Christmas Stocking and other weird stuff so this is the last one at £24 it will be cancelled and I will embark on a proper project such as a blanket or maybe a sweater. I shall see what I fancy. 

    I did also get influenced this morning. I spent £22 on deodorant due to a celebrity discount code. I forgot mine when I went away so that includes a little travel on. I used to use roll ones but have been using cheap spray ones and they are really boring so these have a nice fragrance and I hope they are nice. Lets see if it is wasted money.

    Got a couple of coffees on expenses but no stamps however they were much needed plus we had a nice dinner out again on expenses with the whole team which was great too. 

    I have also cancelled my Graze box the first monthly box was very underwhelming a lot of packing and not a lot of stuff plus you can non longer chose the stuff you do not like so that is a no from me. I had it every two weeks but with some longer breaks so money saved. 

    My cash ISA is set up with MoneyBox and £6020 has been transferred from the old investment account. The other SS ISA is also up and running and having regular payments added into it. 

    It is such a pain to type on this key board I shall have to stop now. 
    Save £12k in 25 No 49
    PB Win 21 £225, 22 £275, 23 £900, 24 £750 Balance Dec 25 £32.7K  
    Plan to move to Denmark for FIRE by Autumn 2025 “May your decisions reflect your hopes not your fears”
    New diary aiming for fire https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6414795/mortgage-free-now-aiming-for-fire#latest

  • TallGirl
    TallGirl Posts: 6,234 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Still no suitcase but all ok apart from another meltdown from DG about golf are you getting bored yet lol I am.

    The pro is doing another coaching trip next year same time as this year but in Portugal. We are going and will definitely do the hotel for a few days before hand.

    Still struggling to do any real work but hopefully today the replacement laptop will be arriving. I cannot wait. We have got haircuts later so that will be nice to as mine is so long.

    I saw a clothes dryer on marketplace yesterday for £5 went to get it and it is great. unfortunately it has a very wide pole so it will not go in the base we already have which is concreted in. There is some kind of plastic inside the foot so if I can get that out it will just fit which would be amazing and a very cheap replacement for the one that broke. 

    Golf is Saturday DG has pulled out but I am playing with some lovely ladies and I will most likely be more concentrated not having DG around.

    Anyway please bring back the warmer weather I want to wear my sandals now!
    Save £12k in 25 No 49
    PB Win 21 £225, 22 £275, 23 £900, 24 £750 Balance Dec 25 £32.7K  
    Plan to move to Denmark for FIRE by Autumn 2025 “May your decisions reflect your hopes not your fears”
    New diary aiming for fire https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6414795/mortgage-free-now-aiming-for-fire#latest

  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 28,979 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Sorry about the suitcase. We've all had those kind of moments. Don't be too hard on yourself. Good that work were understanding.

    Enjoy the golf tomorrow. Hope the weather is kind.
    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
  • TallGirl
    TallGirl Posts: 6,234 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Golf was good played ok as well not in the prizes just outside.

    chilled the rest of Saturday but today got some stuff done in the garden and booked a person to reattach the fence panel. We could do it ourselves but we would need screws and brackets plus our time and the arguments it would cause £60 is better spent this way for now.  

    Tried to renew the golf membership but did not have the pin so did it online which trigger M&S to call me but I missed the calls. Will try again tomorrow we have to renew before 1/5 to get some freebies. 

    Triggered free bread at Lidls and next one is free pasta sauce. Dg is close to bread so will get that next time. Did buy some daisies to brighten up the front. 

    Gym booked for the week starting with two classes tomorrow. Been having two weeks off. 

    Email from train company no suitcase news. 

    Did spent £22 on some yarn to make a shawl instead of having the knitting box. At least it will get used. 

    Steak dinner with jackets as we’ve just come back from golf practise and swim spa at the club. It was lovely actually. 

    All beds cleaned house sprayed with Indorex hopefully that will kill the last flees. Must make sure we don’t skip another treatment again. 

    Have a lovely Sunday evening. 
    Save £12k in 25 No 49
    PB Win 21 £225, 22 £275, 23 £900, 24 £750 Balance Dec 25 £32.7K  
    Plan to move to Denmark for FIRE by Autumn 2025 “May your decisions reflect your hopes not your fears”
    New diary aiming for fire https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6414795/mortgage-free-now-aiming-for-fire#latest

  • TallGirl
    TallGirl Posts: 6,234 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 22 April 2024 at 9:49AM
    Steak dinner was really not worth it it was Lidl but their standard not Deluxe I would not buy again though. I think we should go back to buying a bigger joint and cutting it ourselves into steaks. Macro did great whole fillets but during the pandemic they went up to £75 so think I should look again and see what they are now. Less wastage as DG is really fussy plus we can decide the sizes. 

    I did get in the garden yesterday the new daisies potted up and my tomatoes potted up too as well as the basil. I found a couple of self sown tomatoes so keeping them they should be the cherry ones from last year. Also got some spring onion and some radish into the ground. I will grow less this year but do more flowers last year the beans and peas were so disappointing I want to give it a miss.  

    Joint account down to 60p but Asda coming today and we did not go to Lidl yesterday which was good for us lol. We did buy a coffee and soft drink at the club but it was nice and I am still spending the £75 freebie they gave us. I need to sort M&S out today hoping I can message via the app or something. They were right in being alerted as I had tried to used the card first with the wrong pin and then I tried to pay the same amount online. Cleaver really but also inconvenient when I did want to pay. 

    I am going to Bodybalance soon and then 6pm for pump it is a pain going twice in a day but lets see how I get on. I do love the feeling you get after a good stretch and the spa wore me out lol. Only did a few lengths of swimming so cannot have  been that. 

    Hopefully fence person will turn up today I will get him to quote for the coving as well he is a painter and decorator. As much as we say we can do it we just never get around to it and DG gets so stressed with work she needs to chill at weekends. Considering what her hourly rate is it does make sense for her not to do that type of DIY. We shall see we do need it done or we cannot get the next step towards the move to Denmark. 

    Juts checked my wageslip I have doubled my pension contribution paying an extra £412 in but actually only lost £248 in wages due to the reduction in national insurance contributions so that is all happy days I can afford that. Hopefully my works pension will now really take off and help towards FIRE very soon. 

    Still first there is work and it is a whole week ahead of us. Hope you all have a lovely Monday. 
    Save £12k in 25 No 49
    PB Win 21 £225, 22 £275, 23 £900, 24 £750 Balance Dec 25 £32.7K  
    Plan to move to Denmark for FIRE by Autumn 2025 “May your decisions reflect your hopes not your fears”
    New diary aiming for fire https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6414795/mortgage-free-now-aiming-for-fire#latest

  • TallGirl
    TallGirl Posts: 6,234 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Body balance was good she does pump right before so if I could get up early on a Monday and do work I could then do the back to back classes that would work really well I think as now I have to go back out again.

    Found out why I could not pay my membership on the interest free card it was because it would exceed the limit by £120. So annoying. I have made a payment to clear all our joint purchases off this card and then DG is paying me her share she owes me as it just got too confusing. Then I am going to leave the debt on there and I can keep the cash in a high interest savings account. Otherwise things just gets too confusing between us. 

    Fence chap is here he seems really nice I think he will do an ok job. I just hope it lasts while we are here I am getting so bored with constantly having to fix it. I am lucky the fence at the back is much more sturdy and protected between the houses.  
    Save £12k in 25 No 49
    PB Win 21 £225, 22 £275, 23 £900, 24 £750 Balance Dec 25 £32.7K  
    Plan to move to Denmark for FIRE by Autumn 2025 “May your decisions reflect your hopes not your fears”
    New diary aiming for fire https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6414795/mortgage-free-now-aiming-for-fire#latest

  • TallGirl
    TallGirl Posts: 6,234 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 23 April 2024 at 2:48PM
    More money committed today but the guy who did the fence is actually a decorator so he has come up with a solution for the cracks in our house which means we do not need coving. He charges £100 a day so that seems really cheap to get it done. He is also going to fix the front door where it needs painting after the rain got in. This means the house would actually be ready to get on the market sooner than we need but he only thinks the crack will get bigger if we leave it any longer. Hopefully it is about 5 days work which DG and I would have had to do so happy with that decision I will just take it out of savings. Sometimes I value my leisure time more and I am not sure we could have done it well enough not to crack again which would then have been annoying if we do not put it on the market this year. 

    It is nice when you meet a trades person who is nice and knowledgeable and takes pride in their work. 

    My celebrity influenced beauty purchase has also arrive I do quite like it and the travel size is so dinky and cut. RIght now I obviously have no travel toilet bag but lets see if it arrives. 

    - Fix panel on fence that fell out in the last storm - DONE fixed paid £60 
    Paint the front door surround - will get done by painter starting 6/5
    - Order hot tub cover cleaner
    - Get cleaner for hot tub cover and clean cover
    - Book trains in Ireland and bus to airport
    Change my address and marital status on DK site
    - Research tax on ISA and Pension in DK
    - Pay RL £20K by 27/03 DONE and in my account £5K added as tax rebate
    - Increase by work pension contributions from 10% to 20% DONE first payment this month 
    - Book summer flights to DK DONE
    - Return golf shoes or get different pair DONE found a pair
    - Open Monzo S&S ISA and set up regular payments. DONE
    - Withdraw from Moneybox and then open new cash ISA to put money back into. DONE
    - Await reply from RL and CMC CMC sorted awaiting response to complaint from RL 
    - Paint all wood in back garden
    - Paint the 3 new fence panels
    - Paint raised beds looking tired 
    - Sort will out to include civil partnership
    - Book reading for Civil Partnership

    Save £12k in 25 No 49
    PB Win 21 £225, 22 £275, 23 £900, 24 £750 Balance Dec 25 £32.7K  
    Plan to move to Denmark for FIRE by Autumn 2025 “May your decisions reflect your hopes not your fears”
    New diary aiming for fire https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6414795/mortgage-free-now-aiming-for-fire#latest

  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 28,979 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Good news on your net pay after increased pension. 

    Getting someone for £100 a day is fab. I need to find someone like that again.
    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
  • TallGirl
    TallGirl Posts: 6,234 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Thanks Savingholmes it is a good price and I felt such peace yesterday knowing the fence was done (fingers crossed no more storms) and that we had a plan in place for getting the rest done very soon. It is money spent on something we could do ourselves but I do not really want coving up all over the house it is better to get the cracks fixed instead. He is certain he can fix them so they wont come back which is all we need.

    I also felt really excited of the thought that we could if we wanted to put the house on the market after that. We do have the woodwork to stain in the garden (there is not a lot), stain the wooden steps (bigger job) and paint the white planter but they might need a bit of patching up as well. They there is the carpet on the landing that the cat ripped that will need replacing but hopefully just the top bit not the whole stairs. Ironically that is the carpet that was fitted last and not a very good job. I was going to complain but the small shop had a change of manager or owner (I think one passed away) so I never got the bill. Eventually it was just too late to own up and pay so if we do get it replaced I will get them to do it. 

    We are not ready to make any moves yet to Denmark due to my work situation but due to the swimming pool in the garden this house might not be that easy to sell and it has to be done in Summer which is why it would be tempting to test the waters this year and see where it goes. 

    My pump class was cancelled last night which was annoying but I had been to Body balance so did not go up there and do something else. Today is combat and aqua back to back which is new for us. I have also got a lot of work to do and some meetings but come 5pm I shall be off this laptop. 

    My M*neyB*x cash ISA has been funded but it is just waiting to clear. I am not adding anything monthly to it as I am building up the S&S ISA with M*nzo instead. I do need to update my save £12K in 2024 but I feel things are all over the place with DG owing me money and also having to set aside money for the painting. I can however now make the payment for the membership as the payment I made yesterday has cleared. 

    First things first a smoothie for breakfast. 
    Save £12k in 25 No 49
    PB Win 21 £225, 22 £275, 23 £900, 24 £750 Balance Dec 25 £32.7K  
    Plan to move to Denmark for FIRE by Autumn 2025 “May your decisions reflect your hopes not your fears”
    New diary aiming for fire https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6414795/mortgage-free-now-aiming-for-fire#latest

  • Watty1
    Watty1 Posts: 6,887 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Could you put the house on the market and if / when it sells rent until you are ready to move to Denmark?  I know renting is considered dead money but it does, in my limited experience come with benefits.  One of the joys when I was renting was that if things went wrong it was someone else's responsibility. 
    Made it to mortgage free but what a muddle that became

    In the event the proverbial hits the fan then co-habitees are better stashing their cash than being mortgage free !!
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