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A Better View 🌄
Comments
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Utterly wonderful @Fortune_Smiles! Please consider starting a new diary with a different focus as you would be sadly missed. You inspire newbies! Love Humdinger xx6
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Congratulations Fortune! So happy for you CM4
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Congratulations Fortune and MrFS, all your hard-work and focus has paid off, so happy for you both 👍😁
Greying XGC July 2026 £67.36/£232.50
GC June 2026 £225.39/£225
GC May 2026 £225.53/£200
Non-food spend July 2026 £29.24/£80
Bulk Fund 2026 Month 7/12 - £4.67/£75.58 (reducing balance - start £120 pa)
""Mother Nature don't draw straight lines
The broken moulds in a grand design
We look a mess but we're doing fine
We're card carrying lifelong members
Of the union of different kinds..."
"Union of the Different kinds" - R Christie & T Gilbert, Fisherman's Friends4 -
Many congratulations, it’s a wonderful feeling.5
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“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters in the end.” Ernest Hemingway
Thank you everyone for your good wishes. I have been reading back over my diaries and what jumps out is all the support and encouragement I’ve received from the forum on this journey. It has meant the world.
And what a journey it has been. I joined the Forum on 12 July 2012 – a smidge over 12 years ago. At that time, Mr F and I were paying off the mortgage on our first house together. We got very close to that goal and then decided to move to our dream house, with a similar sized mortgage to our first, and found ourselves back at square one 😲 But, this time, we were old hands at this money saving lark and wouldn’t be fazed.
We paid off the new mortgage of £220,999 in 7 years and one month – 10 years and 11 months early 🥳 We made some sacrifices but also tried to balance saving with living and, I think, got that right most of the time.
It feels strange to be mortgage free. It’s been our primary financial goal for so long and, without it, I’m feeling very happy of course but also a little rudderless. I think Mr F and I need to sit down and plan out the next stage of our adventure together so we have some direction. Oooh – I’m feeling excited about that already 😁
Thank you again my Forum friends. We couldn’t how done it without this diary and all of your help. Good luck on your own journeys, I’ll be popping in and cheering you on.
In the meantime, take care and very best wishes from the Fortunate homestead…
…all ours at last 🏡
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6623005/happy-days-in-our-golden-years/p1?new=1
Working at Living22 -
What a beautiful front door, and now it's all yours!"You won't bloom until you're planted" - Graffiti spotted in Newcastle.
Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind - Doctor Who
Total mortgage overpayments 2017 - 2024 - £8945.62!7 -
Sending virtual hugs and best wishes from both of us, for your next stage in the journey XXX4 YEARS 10 MONTHS DEBT FREE!!! (24 OCT 2016)(With heartfelt thanks to those who have gone before us & their indubitable generosity.)...and now I have a mortgage! (23 AUG 2021)Original End Date - Sept 2041 New projection - Sep 2038 (reduced by 3 years)3
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Woohoo - it's been nice sharing forum life with you. Hope you stick around.Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £167.4K Equity 38% 3/4/26
2) £2.1K Net savings after CCs 14/5/26 (but owed £1.3K) so £3.4K
3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £44K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.7K) = 50.3K of £127.5K target 39.4% 3/7//26 (If took bigger lump sum = 72.2K or 56.8%)
4) FI Age 60 income target min £17.1/30K 57% (may need more) If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%
5) SIPP £5.7K updated 29/5/264 -
Ohhhhh Fortune! I've been off the boards and come back to find that you won't be continuing with your diary! I feel quite bereft as I really enjoyed reading your updates. 😞
BUT - other such wonderful news! A new Baby Fortune and no mortgage! Fantastic!👏👏👏
As all you other fans have said, please continue to post occasionally on diaries and don't be a stranger!
All my warmest congratulations to you and Mr F and - I'd still love to hear of your adventures going forward.SSG xxx
P.S. And what a wow of a house!🥰Finally Debt Free! - July 2016 🌟
Finished Emergency Fund- £10,000 April 2017
🌟
RETIRED: MAY 2021!!!!😀🎆
My diary: “Seasidegal's Scrimpy Retirement Diary!”6 -
House looks stunning.Please pop by from time to time. It’s like losing a friend ☹️x2026 Decluttering 5026⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2025 Decluttering 17207⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2024 Decluttering 11728⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️6
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