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Dilemma, Dilemma, Dilemma

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  • Morning QotH, 
    Is moving day soon? Have you got any old blankets/towels to lay over your new carpet for the removal men? on the areas they will walk at least...
    Not sure how much DIY you're planning on but you can get an awful lot of stuff on FB MP from other people's leftover DIY jobs. We tiled an entire bathroom for less than £200, £50 on 10 boxes of tiles from MP and we had to then spend £150 on just a few boxes more to finish the job *ouch* still worked out cheaper though and looks lovely. We've done the same with most things in this house, from second hand doors to radiators etc all nice and MS :mrgreen:

    Good luck with the packing and decluttering, I am weird and enjoy this part of moving :lol:
    MORTGAGE BALANCE when we moved Aug 2024, £120,000. January 1st £118,267.06. May 1st, £116, 123, June 1st, £115,536, New mortgage added for extension- £165,000 July 1st!
    Mortgage Overpayments - September-December, £152.46. J- £103.27, F- £115, M- £91.50, A- £100, M- £200, J- £200. J- £200. A-£200, S- £200.
    Total- £1562.23
    Goal pay off 1% of current mortgage in 1 year. £1650

    EF- first goal £300
  • Hello Good Friday!

    So today was actually the big day when myself and the kids woke up to our last breakfast in our gorgeous London flat, made some final memories with a couple of rounds of hide and seek and took some silly photos and we bode a fond fairwell to our home of the last 5 years. I didn't quite know if I would cry or not. I didn't feel too bad, mainly because all our belongings were already out for a week and we'd just been left with skeleton items in full camping mode at a home.

    We travelled up by train to our new home and walking through the door was presented with an horrifying sea of boxes! The kids were really enthusiastic and have already started deboxing their room & I did a couple of bags, however was feeling really tired and less than in the mood to take to task.

    We managed a small essentials food shop and to be honest that was about it. The new house is lovely but really tired looking and not yet feeling like home but am sure this will improve over time. Right for now its time for yours truly to get some sleep and tomorrow start afresh.
    2025 financial goals & challenges!

    1). Mortgage (started Jan 2024) £105,729.62 / £122,400.00 Overpayment total: £959.94 (Inc Sprive yr 1 o/p £19.16 & £55.34 reg monthly overpayment) Equity 28%

    2). #7 Save 1p a day challenge 2025 £360/£780

    3). £2209.52/£3000 in Investment ISA (35/50 investments)

    4). Increase cash savings & saving pots

    5). Keep debt to a minimum.

    Favourite quote: 'Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gunna get!' Forrest Gump
  • northwalesd
    northwalesd Posts: 1,327 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    The very best of luck in your new home. May you make lots of new happy memories.
  • dawnybabes
    dawnybabes Posts: 3,460 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Aww congratulations in your new home x
    Sealed pot challenge 822

    Jan - £176.66 :j
  • Huge congratulations! Have a wonderful weekend in your new home
  • Drawingaline
    Drawingaline Posts: 2,988 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Huge congratulations on your new home ❤️ it does take a while, but you will settle down and once your things are out and on display it will feel much more homely.
    Debt free Feb 2021 🎉
  • Sistergold
    Sistergold Posts: 2,136 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Oh happy new home! Well done you! Wishing you and your family enjoyment and settlement in your new home! 
    Initial mortgage bal £487.5k, current £258k, target £243,750(halfway!)
    Mortgage start date first week of July 2019,
    Mortgage term 23yrs(end of June 2042🙇🏽♀️), 
    Target is to pay it off in 10years(by 2030🥳). 
    MFW#10 (2022/23 mfw#34)(2021 mfw#47)(2020 mfw#136)
    £12K in 2021 #54 (in 2020 #148)
    MFiT-T6#27
    To save £100K in 48months start 01/07/2020 Achieved 30/05/2023 👯♀️
    Am a single mom of 4. 
    Do not wait to buy a property, Buy a property and wait. 🤓
  • Hello Saturday :)

    So we have been in the new house a week and oh my goodness, its only when you move do you realise how much stuff you have and wow. Its been quite overwhelming to be honest. In our old place we had very little storage so had use of a storage unit which we no longer have so all that tut is now in our new house plus just what we had. We made good use of various kallax units but now finding these just don't fit ie too big in the new place and so we are struggling a bit with where to put stuff. The loft room / space has become storage. We seriously need to do a declutter.

    The house is lovely though, but as we are in here we can see there is a lot of work needed to be done to bring it up to modern standards and I joke with OH that its like being in a student house! Between us we have silently nicknamed its the 'doss house' which is terrible I know but is our little joke! Its actually a really lovely house just needing some cash spending on it.

    As for financials, we are feeling pretty poor at the moment truth be told and I think this is playing on my mind a bit too much. We've just made our second mortgage payment which included an overpayment of £55.34 so we have now overpaid £110.68. We've also decided to put £25 each away in the 'refurb and renovation' fund to get us started. I think I will have to use earnings from surveys to fund this to start with. I've also made a 3k balance transfer too which I didn't want to do but couldn't be avoided.

    Today we are going to have some fun with the kids on a local mini golf course and meet up with my mum, this will be lovely. Hopefully the weather holds out!


    2025 financial goals & challenges!

    1). Mortgage (started Jan 2024) £105,729.62 / £122,400.00 Overpayment total: £959.94 (Inc Sprive yr 1 o/p £19.16 & £55.34 reg monthly overpayment) Equity 28%

    2). #7 Save 1p a day challenge 2025 £360/£780

    3). £2209.52/£3000 in Investment ISA (35/50 investments)

    4). Increase cash savings & saving pots

    5). Keep debt to a minimum.

    Favourite quote: 'Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gunna get!' Forrest Gump
  • Hello Sunday, Hello Storm Kathleen!

    One of the new forms of cheap entertainment is watching the violent waves during a storm and today was no different. There was a sports car ralley on at the seafront which we thought we'd suprise the kids with as they love a good sports car, there was no McClaren nor a Lambo but I wouldn't of minded a spin in one of them nether the less! We took a couple of pics and then unexpectidly treated ourselves to cake & coffees. It was an unexpected spend but was appreciated by all nether the less.

    Yesterday I ordered an electric small pan which I plan to try to use whilst away from home, this arrived today so will see how we get on. We also needed to do a small top up shop of milk, bread and some other bits which cost £35, I also had a bit of extravagency but will see how it goes, I bought a mini usb hub that doubles up as a night light. As i've got older i've noticed i've become scared of the dark, can't do with pitch black, need some light so going to pack in my travel bag to use in hotels where its too dark.

    It was also a day to get back to match betting and tbh I forgot to tick an all important box so kinda lost some money. Need to get my head back into this. Will plan to rewatch some of the videos to get myself refreshed.

    Other than that, its been yet more unpacking which I will report, by now am pretty fed up with! Our poor loft is full to bursting, need a new house with more rooms to hold all our tut :#

    Have a nice evening everyone.


    2025 financial goals & challenges!

    1). Mortgage (started Jan 2024) £105,729.62 / £122,400.00 Overpayment total: £959.94 (Inc Sprive yr 1 o/p £19.16 & £55.34 reg monthly overpayment) Equity 28%

    2). #7 Save 1p a day challenge 2025 £360/£780

    3). £2209.52/£3000 in Investment ISA (35/50 investments)

    4). Increase cash savings & saving pots

    5). Keep debt to a minimum.

    Favourite quote: 'Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gunna get!' Forrest Gump
  • Hello Tuesday,

    Today is day 2 of a mini break from work, my normal working pattern is Mon to Weds and I'd booked yesterday and today as two days of annual leave. Tomorrow will be hectic for sure!

    Last year I was enjoying going to the gym and had a virtual challenge to do which kept me motivated, however after completing the challenge last July and then finding I needed to cut costs, I had to scrap the gym membership and along with it my fitness, diet and to some degree my mental health declined a bit. However after making the house move, one of my personal goals for the year is to dust off gym clothes & get fitter and stronger.

    This kinda kicked off yesterday, it was a nicer spring day, no rain and wind was less blustery so we decided to take a cycle trip around town. This was a lot of fun and included some coastal trails, we took a picnic and managed about 5 miles in all. This was a good motivational kick as this morning I was up before the kids woke and pushed myself to do a YT disco style walking work out video. The video was an 22 min / 2 miler one and I got to approx 19 mins before giving up. Tomorrow going to repeat the video with the aim to get to the end!

    The kids are not impressed with me today as i've said today is the day we catch up on school work. The kids both have some tasks that school has set for them. I'm then hoping to get them out to the swimming baths for a bit of fun later on!

    I think i've now sorted the last of the utitlity type of bills, submitting meter readings and now awaiting closing balances. I haven't been as diligent with working out all costs of moving but my credit card spends show its a good 4k with removals, cost of new carpet, travel etc. We are though settling in which is fab.

    One monthly income stream came in yesterday so it was distributed to £300 main reg saver & £150 S&S ISA.

    2025 financial goals & challenges!

    1). Mortgage (started Jan 2024) £105,729.62 / £122,400.00 Overpayment total: £959.94 (Inc Sprive yr 1 o/p £19.16 & £55.34 reg monthly overpayment) Equity 28%

    2). #7 Save 1p a day challenge 2025 £360/£780

    3). £2209.52/£3000 in Investment ISA (35/50 investments)

    4). Increase cash savings & saving pots

    5). Keep debt to a minimum.

    Favourite quote: 'Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gunna get!' Forrest Gump
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