I'm paying how much interest a year??!!

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So it may not look it with the figures but this has been a tough month. Dance Camps, school uniform / supplies purchases and a couple of birthday parties as well July 2025 has felt like January 2025! We took a decision to dip into the savings pot for these to maintain momentum with the OP's, justified as the saving rates on one small account of ready to access cash down to 1.75% so it wasn't doing much for us anyway compared to the 2 regular savers and main emergency fund (still in excess of 6 months essential expenses, really good metric for saving that) though as I type the washing machine is making a interesting sound when it drains so it might be taking a hit soon.

Anyway summer holidays are a killer for the funds and no mistake. Roll on 14 August.

Got a new distraction with OVO energy, PowerFlex challenges to shift electricity use away from peak times and into selected slots to win "Free" electricity each Sunday. I knew as soon as we got the smart meter put in I would be looking at it constantly so might as well get something back in return.

Started present shopping for the eldest's birthday in September as well, turns 11, not asked for a party but might want to do something with a couple of her pals, maybe cinema and McD's but will see. She's getting her first mobile phone as well, repurposed Samsung from her Uncle so that's going to need a sim card as well for another monthly expense but we want her to be savvy with it prior to high school. Want her to be independent getting around rather then relaying on us but confess rightly or wrongly we'll be tracking as well. Honestly don't know how my mum and dad coped knowing I was out of the house dawn to dusk most summer days with no idea where I was.

Redirected my small saving payment into the S&S ISA for £100 a month into it just now. Logic says it's better against the mortgage just now but suppose we're going against logic this year so why not. The ambitious portfolio has increased in value by over 4% so far and I feel good for taking the step towards supplementing the retirement income / bridging the gap between finishing work and pensions kicking in. It's really not a lot in the grand scheme of things but it's something and I can ramp it up over the next 10 years. Start of month figure to follow shortly.

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We sit at £54,624.07 after the direct debit is off, so side mission for this month is to have the next monthly check in under £53,215.87 for £10k off the mortgage in 8 months. Ambitious £1,408.20 target for the month for sure, only reached that level once so far this year at the start with no council tax and some cash gifts from Christmas but we'll give it a go!

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Reading back and need to correct myself on years shaved off. Must have used the original rate a few posts back when looking at years shaved off. At the current rate according to MSE we're just over 6 years ahead of schedule in 7 months and on course for 9 years at the end of the year.

 

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Price of kids shoes this year! Side mission is looking a little less achievable as still waiting on cost confirmation for next years dance uniform as well but it's good to have goals!

carboot_karaoke

Maybe the base rate decrease will help your 2025 goals.

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Had just seen that, will mean a recalculation of the direct debit as well. Be interesting to see what they bring this down to keep us on the 21.5 year term.

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OMG 0930 yesterday and added into the group chat for P7 prom up here! 30 minutes into the first day back. Thankfully saving pot strategy has been used and we have funds put aside for the whole years worth of fun and costs.

TSB in touch, dropped us down to just under £420 a month on the direct debit. Took around £35 a month off from 1/9/2025. Down from £517 at the start of the year with the combination of rate cuts and OP's. One more rate cut and we are under £400 a month. Still adding the difference onto the OP's. Approaching the £54k balance mark as well.

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Dear me this is proving to be a tough month for the OP's. New pair of shoes needed for the eldest as the pair we bought our too big (she tried them on and all good) apparently and looking at a good £150 next month to take her and a couple of pals out for some bowling and the arcade after. Dance uniform is more then expected, petrol is up, everything is up in price it seems. 

Not getting down with this though, it is what it is. There was always going to be times this year when OP's would need to take a backseat. Got lucky with my dental bill at the start of the year and the MOT this spring. Been enjoying seeing 4 figures in the OP column each month so far but if it doesn't happen this month I'm cool with that. Long game and all that, be it £100 or £1,000 every OP brings us closer to that mortgage freedom date.

LadyWithAPlan

Wow well done on the focus and those LPS seems you’re getting a really good mix of living life well and paying off that mortgage is super early

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Well this has been the month, a below par £780.08 OP this time round, Just over half of the £1.4k month target but you know what? Still another noticeable chunk taken off the balance and hopefully we are below £54k for the balance come 1 September.