More Effort Required - the next 5 years

SandyShores

£125 now sent to the mortgage.  First OP on this new mortgage.  If work decide to go ahead with the cuts that have been rumbling around, I should be able to make a few more OPs.  Scary to think I could be job hunting - I'm very rusty - but it will give us a chance of paying off this mortgage by SPA so I'll be prepared to go for it.

SandyShores

January mortgage interest: £665.85 which works out av. £21.48/day (12p down on last month)

Lovely premium Bonds win of £100 - sent to mortgage again so second OP now on this mortgage. Very glad I decided to do this - smallish amounts but they aren't missed as I never expected them.

Made some purchases, whoops, but am very pleased with both:

Dressing table mirror £30 from ebay, which is kind of a money saver. I've been paying to have my eyebrows done at a salon for a few months - its just been too frustrating trying to do them myself at home. But to honest its felt like she's been attacking them and on one occasion I was actually bleeding - I think she must be on a time limit because she goes so fast. I thought about finding a gentler salon but instead I've gone and bought myself an illuminated mirror which includes a magnifying part. Really pleased that its worked for me, no more savaged sore eyes and will have saved the cost in one month! Also feels good to have more control.

Then I bought a jumper shaver/de-piller (receipts voucher I earned was used) so that's a win as I've a few cardigans in need. Had a quick go but will try do a longer session at the weekend.

Decluttered three items sent off to Olio, but I have another few still to add.

No news on the job cuts yet.

SandyShores

Not sure where February went. I've starting writing a post a couple of times and didn't manage to finish and post.

Anyhoo, February mortgage interest was: £597.97 which is £21.35/day (14p down on last month) shouldn't be too long until its sub-£20. There's a possibility of paying a big chunk off soon - fingers crossed.

No PB wins this month though I decided on a whim to buy a scratch card and won £10. Bought another and won again. Third time wasn't lucky so I stopped while I was ahead.

This is part of the post I started - used my new mirror and really pleased that I can see to sort my eyebrows out myself - whoop whoop! Then I found out some old eyebrow dye and plastered that on - didn't have any vaseline to 'protect' the skin so I was just careful. Turned out great and a saving of around £60 (but of course I didn't do the eyelashes).

I did find some eyelash dye in the cupboard with the other stuff, and I tentatively used a bit but I definitely wasn't going too close to my eyes with the dye. Last time I had them done 'professionally' they looked great but my eyes were a bit sore for ages after, so I think I'll stick to mascara when its needed - which is almost never. I also saw an article about someone having their eyeliner tattooed on, but my eyes are too precious to risk someone having a needle near them (and I'll give the lash dye a miss too).

I've had a bit of a cold lately so healthy eating and exercising has taken a hit. I'm giving myself a bye though and some tlc. Feeling better day by day, so a couple more days and I should be back to it again. I'm trying to not feel defeatist about it, a few days off won't matter in the long run (its just the lack of progress that's frustrating).

SandyShores

And now I don't know where March went. Getting towards month-end again and the arrival of payday.

Not much (well nothing material) has happened towards repaying the mortgage, but I realised that we are at over 48% (estimated) equity. Almost 6 years ago when we moved in with 5% equity we barely owned the ensuite. Now I think we own the whole of the upstairs and possibly most of the stairs. Just the downstairs and outside to pay for now. Working towards the mortgage being in the 100s - should be a couple of months - and then will focus on being over 50% equity. Fingers crossed for PBs on Thursday as any win will go to the mortgage.

Meanwhile we're making progress in the garden. MrShores isn't a gardener - I think he'd have concrete and grass left to his own devices. He's also not very patient - but the fun of gardening is planting something and waiting for it to grow and fill a space (rather than instant concrete/gravel etc). But he's loving the ceanothus I planted as a baby plant about 5 years ago - its small tree sized now and has the most beautiful flowers every year. We've agreed on some changes to the garden - some hard landscaping with some planters and somewhere else to sit (I've seen a lovely garden sofa and am itching to buy it).

Once that's done we can look into decorating.

KajiKita

Steady, solid progress on the mortgage 😊👏

You day Mr Shores isn’t really a gardener but as he is enjoying how the ceanothus has grown and is blooming, it sounds like he is on the verge of becoming one 😊

KK

SandyShores

Thank you Kajikita :) The mortgage payment went out and monthly interest showing. 31 days in March, so worked out to £21.24 interest per day - that's 12p down on February🎉

And yes, I have to agree Mr Shores is definitely showing the inklings. He was talking about carefully pruning some lower branches off the shrub in the front garden. He's identified the ones he wants to target and was asking my thoughts. I had to compliment him on his pruning of our shrub rose - he pruned it back hard at the end of last year (wrong time of year according to the books), but it must have been the right thing to do as its looking better than ever now its spring. I even mentioned buying another tree for the back garden and he was encouraging - so tree now purchased and waiting for a suitable gap this weekend.

The plans for the back garden include a slated seating area behind the garage - its a spot that's too shady to support much grass. A flower bed will be extended up to it, and another planter installed at the side of the garage where it gets a bit too wet and mossy in winter / cracked and bare in summer. We're going to put ferns and any other shade loving plants in it. We're still in slight disagreement about containers on the patio - he thinks they are clutter, whereas I think they break up the hard landscaping. I bought a set of wheels to go under one of the containers and he likes that - can move it out of the way to clean the slabs.

savingholmes

Happy new diary - sorry - I'm totally behind on diaries. I caught up on yours today. Good to have a five year plan. Well done on the equity - that's a fantastic achievement.

SandyShores

No worries at all @savingholmes I am exactly the same. Real life has just taken over, which is good but its nice keeping up with everyones progress. Thank you, I can't believe it myself - not that long ago I thought we'd never get back on the property ladder at all, so to be in our lovely home and with plans to be MF by retirement - I have to pinch myself.

Just popping in to say that I decided to start some decorating at the end of last week, and then Mr Shores stepped into help and we finished in record time. Today we are taking it easy (may have overdone it slightly) but its nice to sit back and enjoy it. Few chores indoors (washing etc) and outdoors (garden tidying) to do, but my back is appreciating a little sit down. We have decided to do a bit more decorating ourselves (once we've recovered) but there are three rooms that we are definitely going to get a decorator in for - we've been recommended one so we'll be getting a quote after Easter.

I'm also thinking of buying another tree for the slate area we are having, maybe a morello cherry tree as it will go in a pot - and I've also got some cuttings from a fig tree that I'm thinking of for a spot at the back of the garage. Its just a cutting to start with so I can delay buying a large pot. The cherry can grow in more shade so that may be better for the shady spot I'm thinking of. (Does this garden spending ever end).

kaycastle

Happy new diary @SandyShores I love the targets you’ve set and love the thinking in terms of you now own the upstairs and most the stairs 😂 I’m wondering psychologically what made you start from the top down with that visualisation but I’m just nosey and overthink how brains work 😂

savingholmes

I recently bought a cherry tree and a plum tree even though I don't really have room for them. Going to put them in pots I think. Good luck with your garden and decorating plans.