We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Progress is...
Comments
-
RT, with all the love in the world - sort out your flipping Dermatologist appointment - it’s been on the list forever, and I understand why it keeps getting pushed aside, but you have to look after yourself as well as OH or the wheels will come off! 😘😉🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her6 -
@EssexHebridean - you my love are an absolute darling - No excuses, it has been on my list forever & a day!
I can promise you that co-incidentally as of today I've partially done it - have been on the phone with insurance so much I now know the key players (and manager's by name), they have approved my dermatology claim and I will either be getting an appointment at the same private hospital OH will be having his treatment, or the fancy dancy private practice in the city near my place of work. Booking it is the next step - I now have a bit of breathing room as between insurance and private hospital, I have a team of (non-NHS) administrators who are so far doing a damn good job!
PS - the private hospital also has damn good coffee & snacks in the waiting room (free, so very MSE) - sure beats spending 5 pounds a pop at the C0sta in our local NHS hospital or having overpriced weak dishwater tea from the canteen!4 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)New projection - 14 YEARS 7 MONTHS LEFT OF 20 YEARS (reduced by 17 mths)6 -
I have never been so glad to see the back end of a week in my life! Somehow I managed to juggle work - the good, bad & the ugly - OH's medical needs - my medical needs and still come out of it relitavely sane & with only one seizure! All small victories but they added up to a whole lot of results. I'm well and truly wiped!
So as I am skipping my work social this evening and hunkering down at home with my dear OH, I thought it best to have a look at the list & update it before moving into the weekend...
...and like all good weekends, it has started with putting in a load of laundry!
important tasks...
❗ do bus pass application
❗ clean up of spare laptop sitting at the office, I've not cleaned it up yet!
🔱 never ending paperwork filing - piles have been sorted, envelopes ditched and ready for putting in the lever arch
⏳ my savings need juggling - not started yet
routine tasks...
🔆 YNAB juggling
🔆 across the pond banking
✅ water bill - paid on the due date! (17th)
🔆 3rd Saturday of the month - pay off credit cards
🔆 8/10 mortgage overpayment for the year
🔆 have a think about mortgage overpayments for next year - have a funeral in the budget now so large overpayments might not happen
🔆 grocery order
🔆 meal plan - have a look through the royal marsden cookbook
🔆 weekly digital planner
🔆 supplements
🔆 Weekly surveys & contests
🔱 laundry - first load of several in the machine
non-routine tasks...
🔆 pack OH's bag using list - another scan on Monday followed by a course of radiology
✅ sort out formal wear for occaisions - all purchased and ready for the two dates
🔆 steam formal wear and hang up in closet
🔆 pick up OH's new suit - he's lost 1/3 of his weight & the old one looked ludicrous!
🔆 still on the hunt for ballerina wedges that fit for everyday use!
🔆 clean washing machine once laundry done for the week
🔆 submit meter readings
🔆 Delay Repay
🔆 EHIC card - is old one valid or do up application
🔱 BFF & I chatted several times & forgot to discuss money each and every time!
medical follow-ups...
✅ contact medical insurance to make sure they cover Thursday's treatment - specialist has organized this
🔱 ❗my dermatologist referral - have docs names - now need to book appt - insurance has authorized! (see above)
⏳🔆 follow-up on OT recommendations for work assessment - this can wait a bit, the Cerberus is currently behaving!
🔆physiotherapy appt for the ripped muscle in my arm
❗follow-up on private eye specialist for myself
❗write formal update to the NHS folks to tell them how unimpressive their administrations has been - 2ww has turned into 2 months - if it wasn't for private, OH would be well on his way out of this world as his NHS prognosis is 3-12 months
epic list of garden things...
🔆 harvest last of the chilis - the are gorgeously ripe
🔱 need to transplant two chili plants & bring indoors
🔆 pick and process apples (if the birds havn't had them all!)
🔱 once lavender is dry from rain make lavender bundles for drying
⏳ start getting quotes for new felt for flat roof & summer house & shed (needs doing in autumn) - on hold
⏳ 4 bags cotswold stone - trip to W!ckes postponed - on hold
⏳ transplant remaining baby trees into their new pots - on hold
⏳ trim down and rehome butterfly bush - on hold
⏳ new trellis needs to go up for the climbing rose in the front - OH has acquired the hardware! - on hold
⏳ finish taming climbing jasmine & add more supports for it to grown on - on hold
social calendar...
💝 Oct - thanksgiving - carried over to this weekend! - it's been a hellofa week
⏳ korean street food - mate is back from Thailand, but he wants to partake of a Diwali themed lunch next week instead
💝 Nov 1 - family occaision & party in Melton Mowbray - hopefully OH will be well enough to go - it's his family
💝 Nov 11 - another occasion this time closer to home but more formal - friends coming in from London as well - we can't actually miss this one so life will be planned to accomodate! - another friend bailed - I'm shocked TBH & even offered to pay for her train fare down - I hope she takes me up on the offer!
Meal Plan... (in the works)✅ 🍆 🧀 Monday - Veggie Day - Eggplant Parma from the freezer✅ 🐟 🦐 🥬 Tuesday - Fish Day - Sea Bass & prawns & green veg & noodles
🍗 🥗 🍠 Wednesday - Chicken Day - Herb Chicken from the freezer with salad and sweet potatoes - nope we had Cornish cream tea instead sent to us from our friends in France as a cheer-you-up meal!
✅ 🍖🥔🥕Thursday - Meat Day - slow cooker Beef & Potatoes & Carrots with Georgian tomato sauce
🌭🍟 Friday - Fakeaway - Hot Dogs & Waffle Fries
Saturday - Easy Peasy - ??? - possibly slow cooker leftovers
🦃🥧🎃 Sunday - Roast - Postponed Thanksgiving Meal - Turkey & all the sides (Sunday Roast Canuck Style)
🍝 🍄 🥓 Monday - Veggie Day - Slow Cooked Gnocchi with mushroom sauce & bacon lardons
Tuesday - Fish Day
Wednesday - Chicken Day
Thursday - Meat Day
Friday - Fakeaway Day
Saturday - Easy Peasy Day
Sunday - Roast Day
Monday - Veggie Day4 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)New projection - 14 YEARS 7 MONTHS LEFT OF 20 YEARS (reduced by 17 mths)4 -
Hey well done on making progress on getting it sorted - it’s so challenging when all we want to do is focus on someone close whose needs feel more immediate - but we definitely have to “put our own mask on first” in this situation I think, don’t we.
i will also thank you for giving me a kick to sort a meal plan for next week, too! Seeing other people get their houses in order on that one always encourages me to to join in!🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her4 -
Enjoy your weekend.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.2 -
Well done! I too get inspired to get my act together when I see other people doing the same. Love your emoji filled menu plan 😃3
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 352.1K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.5K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454.2K Spending & Discounts
- 245.1K Work, Benefits & Business
- 600.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.4K Life & Family
- 258.9K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards