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Steadily climbing the mountain, enjoying the view along the way
Comments
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Done my financial updates …
Oh dear …
I am becoming spendthrift again …
Had to move £630 from my easy access savings to my current account to cover remaining monthly outgoings … sigh …. It would have been £730 but I have decided not to allow myself any more pocket money this month - I still have £50 cash left from last month.
Lots of gardening spend in there (one lot for landscape gardener doing a job I couldn’t), some going out enjoying myself (including a train ticket for next month), training equipment, two lots of physio cost because I completely forgot about the first appointment (Idiot tax! 🙄), a new pillow to support me when I’m side sleeping etc etc.
September must be restrained. I’m likely to be away twice during the month but other than necessities needed for being away from home, I’m going to really try not to spend this month. I want to get this back under control. I probably ought to start surveys again - the grinding frustration and low reward of them really does make the point about every £!
KKAs at 16.10.26:
- When bought house £315,995 mortgage debt and end date at start = October 2039 - now £209,304
- OPs to mortgage = £20,180 Estd. interest saved = £10,393 to date
c. 17 months reduction in term
Fixed rate 3.85% ends October 2030
Read 76 books of target 52 in 2026 as @ 23rd October.
Produce tracker: £348 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.6 -
Oof … it has been ‘sweaty’ today! Rain has finally stopped and we are getting some fresher air coming in which hopefully will help with sleeping 😊
Tidied and cleaned my bedroom. It’s not perfect but significantly better and I can walk in there now without a sense of dread. 😉
As part of this I decluttered my sock drawer. Several pairs of shrunk knee high winter socks went in the bin and some weird super thermal ones that make my feet itch are in the charity bag 😊Made a start on the office by doing some filing and tidying. I have a shirt for Mr KK to repair (he has a habit of ripping out the side seams on his heavy winter over shirts) and I need to go back through the ‘employment and pensions’ hanging filing and thin it as it is stuffed to the gunnels!
Then fell asleep on the sofa for half an hour with Chloe on me … ❤️😊KK
As at 16.10.26:
- When bought house £315,995 mortgage debt and end date at start = October 2039 - now £209,304
- OPs to mortgage = £20,180 Estd. interest saved = £10,393 to date
c. 17 months reduction in term
Fixed rate 3.85% ends October 2030
Read 76 books of target 52 in 2026 as @ 23rd October.
Produce tracker: £348 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.8 -
Aaaand now the air fryer has died … 🙄
KK
As at 16.10.26:
- When bought house £315,995 mortgage debt and end date at start = October 2039 - now £209,304
- OPs to mortgage = £20,180 Estd. interest saved = £10,393 to date
c. 17 months reduction in term
Fixed rate 3.85% ends October 2030
Read 76 books of target 52 in 2026 as @ 23rd October.
Produce tracker: £348 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.4 -
I have a shirt for Mr KK to repair
I misread that as Mr KK was going to repair your shirt 😁
Oh no to the air fryer going kaput 🫤
❤️Mum 2018
0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
House cash purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 & left work. 🤗
Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year
❤️Dad 2025
Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1
Living off savings diary
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p14 -
currently available in Lidl….
I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Debt Free Wannabe, Old Style Money Saving and Pensions boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts 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 and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
Click on this link for a Statement of Accounts that can be posted on the DebtFree Wannabe board: https://lemonfool.co.uk/financecalculators/soa.php
Check your state pension on: Check your State Pension forecast - GOV.UK
"Never retract, never explain, never apologise; get things done and let them howl.” Nellie McClung
⭐️🏅😇🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅1 -
Thanks Brie 😊
KK
As at 16.10.26:
- When bought house £315,995 mortgage debt and end date at start = October 2039 - now £209,304
- OPs to mortgage = £20,180 Estd. interest saved = £10,393 to date
c. 17 months reduction in term
Fixed rate 3.85% ends October 2030
Read 76 books of target 52 in 2026 as @ 23rd October.
Produce tracker: £348 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.2 -
An MSE meet up! Exciting! Who's going?
We've had torrential rain and thunderstorms for a week almost. It has started drying up again though but the garden is looking very grateful.
Emergency Fund - £1000
Debts-
Groceries October £ 407.02/500
CC 316
CC 3058.17
Kitchen loan 38571 -
So far, @rtandon27 and possibly Greenbee and me! We are meeting for Din Sum in China Town (I’m only slightly terrified! 😂).
Some very heavy rain here today. Cat came in as a wet hedgehog again. It was a 4-tissues situation!! 😳😂😉❤️KK
As at 16.10.26:
- When bought house £315,995 mortgage debt and end date at start = October 2039 - now £209,304
- OPs to mortgage = £20,180 Estd. interest saved = £10,393 to date
c. 17 months reduction in term
Fixed rate 3.85% ends October 2030
Read 76 books of target 52 in 2026 as @ 23rd October.
Produce tracker: £348 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.2 -
I don't "know" @rtandon27 so didn't ask about it. Can you provide the when? I'm unlikely to go (haven't been to London since I don't know when) but would consider it. Used to love Chinatown when I lived in Eltham, OH & I would be up to the British Library and then wander across to get something nice before heading home. ah school days!! the foggy distant past!!
Tell Chloe to stop being a silly as soggy moggies don't get treats.
I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Debt Free Wannabe, Old Style Money Saving and Pensions boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts 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 and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
Click on this link for a Statement of Accounts that can be posted on the DebtFree Wannabe board: https://lemonfool.co.uk/financecalculators/soa.php
Check your state pension on: Check your State Pension forecast - GOV.UK
"Never retract, never explain, never apologise; get things done and let them howl.” Nellie McClung
⭐️🏅😇🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅2 -
Lie in to 7.30 this morning - lovely ☺️
Got a bit of gardening done. New thyme plants in the grounds, gently mulched with compost and chipped bark and cut the seemingly dead ones hard back.
Excavated the mini courgette plants from within the sea of bindweed, propped them up off the ground, mulched with compost and fed with powdered comfrey, gave them a little drink.
Finished a novel. Frustratingly open ended / unfinished to lead into the next in the series. It was fairly intense and a bit violent - why are all fantasy novels so weapons and fighting based? 🤷♀️Cut a few dahlias for the dining room table 😊
Insanely heavy showers periodically throughout the day, interspersed with hot sun 🤷♀️😊 Tried to dry some washing outside but it was getting a bit much dragging it in and out so I admitted defeat in the end and put it on an airer in the conservatory. Still haven’t used the TD 👏😊
Did 15 minutes steps with r1ck workout and fascia release No. 10 😊 Still not exercising a lot but am still struggling with this lurg … 🙄
Four rows of knitting done 😊
KK
As at 16.10.26:
- When bought house £315,995 mortgage debt and end date at start = October 2039 - now £209,304
- OPs to mortgage = £20,180 Estd. interest saved = £10,393 to date
c. 17 months reduction in term
Fixed rate 3.85% ends October 2030
Read 76 books of target 52 in 2026 as @ 23rd October.
Produce tracker: £348 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.7
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