There and back again...reducing the mortgage to manifest our forever home

Tjh1412

Managed an hour in the garden before I admitted defeat to the cold, but progress is still something. Warming up with a cup of tea, and have decluttered 2 shortbread biscuits with that as well. 
Another load of washing done and dried outside, yesterday's batch is ironed folded and put away so no longer feels like we are living in a chinese laundry so much. 

Had an email from the new life insurance company saying am now eligible for a reward, £125 Amazon voucher redeemed there so have managed to make £145 today which am happy with. Have £150 in my bank earmarked for new baby stock up from Amazon baby wishlist, so will use the vouchers instead for this now. 

Logged into the app and sent a £100 OP for this month across with the newly freed up funds. Have a pile to start listing on Vinted as well so fingers crossed can manage another small one later in month to get 2026 off to a decent start 

Tjh1412

Mortgage payment and my £100 OP have landed on the app, so now at £183, 943. I like round numbers, so going to try and manage an extra £43 this month. 

Looking back, we were paying £708 interest when first started the mortgage so interesting to see that we are making an impact at least 😊.

NSD yesterday and today, apart from direct debits for mortgage yesterday so that's a win. Hoping we can make it to Monday before spending again but we do have a snow warning so may have to get milk tomorrow 

Tjh1412

May just be dread of the return to the commute on Monday at 7 months pregnant, but I've been thinking about and doing some reading up on FIRE. 

Looking at our bills/expenses for my pre maternity leave review, I realise that almost half our income is spent on nursery fees, mortgage and savings currently. And in the other categories could definitely cut back, been far too easy lately to grab convenience food or pop into the shop to satisfy a craving and walk out £20 lighter recently.

So I am wondering if this might be possible for us, even if its just to allow for part time work in say 10 years time. 

Partner and I both love a slightly mad challenge, so we have decided to set ourselves a target to reduce all our expenses to half our income overall from now until maternity leave and save the rest, then we will naturally be having to spend less anyhow.

Will keep rambling away here with how we are getting on, am finding the diary so helpful in keeping me focused and on track.

Time now to tackle the ironing pile and then relax with a cup of tea whilst DP anguishes over the darts final

Tjh1412

Managed another NSD today, as spent a good chunk of it sleeping after a night in maternity triage. They are now making noises about signing me off work, really hoping to avoid this though as this is a fairly new job amd can't afford SSP for 2 months before SPL. Consultant appointment tomorrow so will find out more then.

Need to get MATB1 and apply for maternity allowance tomorrow as well, lovely 27 page form there 😑.

We have had some snow flurries today, so caved and put the heating on. I miss a real fire, definitely adding that to our list of wishes for the forever house. 

Been very low action day, but we have everything prepped for the return to the work/nursery world tomorrow at least, and I made another batch of soup using some sad looking veggies and chicken bits from the fridge that would have otherwise been chucked. 

Hope all are keeping warm and not having too many Sunday scaries over work tomorrow 

ladysummerisle

Dare I say it, maybe the move to part time could be shifted to the years when the little ones are small and the nursery fees are large? The time flies and there are benefits aside from financial to having one or both parents cut their hours. Perhaps see how shared parental leave goes. I used to do condensed hours which worked well. My husband has been the SAHP and I confess his domestic skills outweigh mine. I know I’d have had far more stress having to do nursery runs with both working. 

Tjh1412

Thanks @ladysummerisle, that's a good point. My partner does have the option with his current job to do term time only, which we may go for after SPL as its only a small difference when we factor in not stretching the funding.

Another NSD today, hospital have signed me off as only fit to work from home so at least I will have full pay for a bit longer, and no commute in the icy/snowy weather will be a bonus. Looks like baby is still making escape plans though, so will need to spend this weekend on bits for hospital bag so that is ready to go. 

Slow cooker pork and apple casserole gor dinner tonight, house smells great from it too so looking forward to that, and then its time to fill out lots of forms once small one is in bed 

Tjh1412

Only spend today was £6 for the bus to work and back. Very sore from that so must chase up sick note in person. Work have been kind enough to say I only have to go in one other day this week while they wait for it, so that's £12 saved on the commute at least.

Very cold and icy this morning, got the heated airer out so can make a start on all the baby laundry this evening. Cup of tea and decluttering the last of the shortbread now, then get that done and an early night for us I think 

Tjh1412

Unexpected day today, spent 95% of it at the hospital and if they'd had beds would have been kept in. So it will be a very low activity few weeks for me now.

Managed to avoid a takeaway this evening due to batch cooked freezer meals, but will need to see if am going to be allowed to go back to work at all before baby comes. If not, we will be on a massively reduced budget an extra 8 weeks; we can cover this bit it is one more thing to stress about 🥲

beanielou

Try not to stress. Easy for me to say though.

Tjh1412

Thanks @beanielou, doing my best.

Spendy day today. £57.69 on our first supermarket shop of the year, £11.80 on medications and then £145.78 on the nursery furniture and decorating bits. However, due to January sales and cashback that was reduced from RRP of £799 and as it includes the cot and mattress, curtains, lightshade, wallpaper and all the bedding I am happy with the spend. Was going to hold off until payday but with recent events we decided we would be happier getting it sorted sooner. 

Upside on the money front, work have agreed to me just doing what I can from home so will definitely have full pay for a while longer yet, they have been so supportive so definitely feel like the change of company was a good move. Will be a quiet weekend, we are still due to be lashed with yet more rain on the tail end of storm Goretti so some baking with the little one and a roast dinner is the plan