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Steadily climbing the mountain, enjoying the view along the way
KajiKita
Posts: 9,306 Forumite
I have been pondering for a while stating a new thread, as at 700+ pages my old one is getting very long and doesn’t feel so aligned with where I am now.
2026 is going to be about getting myself to as healthy and happy a place as I can. Life is short and my inherent perfectionism means that I tend to want to achieve, immediately, which with a mortgage as big as ours is just not practicable and means I am putting pressure on myself and creating anxiety which is not helpful. So, the title of this new thread reflects this - I’m steadily climbing the mountain towards being mortgage free, but I want to enjoy life along the way (without spending a fortune! 😉).
For those on MFW who don’t know me, I live with my husband Mr KK and a bossy cat called Chloe, in a little cottage with a big, scruffy garden more or less out in the country. We have a big mortgage and are getting older - Mr KK is 60 and I’m 55. In some ways I know we are on a fools’ errand having such a big mortgage at our age but it was always our dream to live somewhere like we do and we love it here 🤷♀️😊
2026 is going to be focused on:
- decluttering and making the house work better for us
- getting the veggie patch under better (not perfect!) control and growing more food for us (lots of bindweed and brambles.) I’d like more scent in the garden too 😊
- seeing friends and enjoying time with them
- Getting a bit fitter and healthier, it would be lovely to lose a stone, but let’s see how we get on (going gently with self imposed pressure here! 😉)
- crafting and reading instead of endlessly scrolling
Hope we all have a really lovely 2026 🤩
KK
2026 is going to be focused on:
- decluttering and making the house work better for us
- getting the veggie patch under better (not perfect!) control and growing more food for us (lots of bindweed and brambles.) I’d like more scent in the garden too 😊
- seeing friends and enjoying time with them
- Getting a bit fitter and healthier, it would be lovely to lose a stone, but let’s see how we get on (going gently with self imposed pressure here! 😉)
- crafting and reading instead of endlessly scrolling
Hope we all have a really lovely 2026 🤩
KK
As at 15.01.26:
- When bought house £315,995 mortgage debt and end date at start = October 2039 - now £222,084
- OPs to mortgage = £12,881 Estd. interest saved = £6,203 to date
c. 16 months reduction in term
Fixed rate 3.85% ends October 2030
Read 7 books of target 52 in 2026 as @ 23rd January
Produce tracker: £29 of £400 in 2026
Watch your thoughts, they become your words.
Watch your words, they become your actions.
- When bought house £315,995 mortgage debt and end date at start = October 2039 - now £222,084
- OPs to mortgage = £12,881 Estd. interest saved = £6,203 to date
c. 16 months reduction in term
Fixed rate 3.85% ends October 2030
Read 7 books of target 52 in 2026 as @ 23rd January
Produce tracker: £29 of £400 in 2026
Watch your thoughts, they become your words.
Watch your words, they become your actions.
Watch your actions, they become your reality.
18
Comments
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Woohoo. A happy shiny new diary for you KK.Am along for the climb. XxI 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.5 -
Happy new diaryMy mortgage free diary: +++ Divide by Cucumber Error. Please reinstall universe and reboot+++
GNU Mr Redo4 -
Love the title, very apt4
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I'm here for the steady climb too 😄 hope 2026 is a great year for you!Emergency Fund goal - £717.77/1500
Weight loss goal 1 - 1/7 lb
Mortgage OP goal 2026 - £128.27/£4500
New Diary- https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6647063/investing-in-us-holidays-health-and-the-road-to-150k#latest4 -
Happy New Year and happy new diary Kajikita 😊 will be following along as usual. Willow4
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Joining for ideas too, currently at the bottom of my mountain such is currently too high to see the top of:eek::eek::eek: LBM 11/05/2010 - WE DID IT - DMP of £62000 paid off in 7 years:jDFD April20174
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Happy New Diary. Also joining your band of climbers!3
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I've packed the Kendal mint cake, the compass and the blister plasters. I'm here to join your merry band of climbers 🧗
Greying XGrocery Spend January 2026 £175.39/£300
Non-food spend January 2026 £20.32/£80
Bulk Fund 2026 Month 1/12 - £0/£1204 -
Happy new diary KK, nice to hear you sounding both focused and cutting yourself some slack 😊https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466032/an-in-between-phase/p1
'self-blame can be as egotistical as self-praise... any work worth doing is greater than we are... we must not overrate our importance to it, either for good or ill' Margaret Kennedy Lucy Carmichael3 -
KK and the climbers, love it!Greying_Pilgrim said:I've packed the Kendal mint cake, the compass and the blister plasters. I'm here to join your merry band of climbers 🧗
Greying X3
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