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Please remind me which lever turns the water off.
I know this is the way to turn the water off, I just want to check which levers to turn. A water softener is in the cupboard next to this under sink cupboard. All the taps in the house, except the garden tap have softened water so go through these pipes. (I’ve turned the water off before so know this works, it’s just a…
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Making 2026 a debt busting year
Hi all So, DH and I have been in debt for years, mostly credit cards, and decided to make a real effort last year to start to clear them. The aim is to have them all paid off by the end of 2027. We have no mortgage but do have a loan for some for some work on the house which will be cleared in April 2028. We started 2025…
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Turning Straw into Gold: Creating Long Term Security & A Solid Home
Hello, I am joining you on the debt free journey, for a couple
of loans that are giving me anxiety and also my mortgage. I have been reading
these diaries for inspiration and it’s time to start my own. I hope to get to
know many of you as time goes on. I moved into my home last April and I have some
loan repayments that…
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New road tax VED rates to kill big classics?
I read that new VED rates are going to affect some post 2001 classics like the Mondeo ST 3.0 and VW Golf R32 where the current £430 road tax is rising to £790 in April as they are in K and higher CO2 bands. This will surely kill any market for them as affordable classics.…
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Living the Good Life - mortgage free and living in line with our values
Evening all, I thought it was time I started a
new diary, as we've now been mortgage free for 18 months and the last pesky bit
of mortgage debt (on the 0% card) went in October. We're now almost through Mr
MV's 40th, Christmas, New Year and my 40th (coming up next week), so it seems
like a good time to start afresh and…
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Question about curtain width
I need to replace the bedroom curtains in a house I’ve recently moved to. The good news is that they’re a standard drop of 137cm, but the width is not. The pole (excluding finials) is 127cm. I’ve seen some ready-made curtains I like but the width options are 117cm or 168cm per curtain pane, bought as a pair. The advice…
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Knocking years off the mortgage…that’s the goal!
Good morning! So thought it was time I started a diary so I can keep track of progress we have made. Bought our home in 2019 with a £240000 mortgage. Consistently overpaid £100 a month for the last 4 years and now starting to tackle the mortgage seriously, we are able to overpay around £600 a month so we are clearing 2…
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NST February 2026 - You Are Enough
Ninja Saving Turtles February 2026 YOU ARE ENOUGH Some people thrive in the winter months, a lot of us struggle. The cold and rain seep into your bones, ice and snow create hazards, winter bugs wear you down depleting your physical and mental health. Darkness surrounds us, the world atm is a very dark and threatening place…
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Car tax going forward & taking payment for a sold car.
Car Tax I'll be looking to buy a car, probably two & have recently heard about some older cars soon to be costing the owner a ridiculous amount in car tax. When looking at cars I can only see what the charge for them is now, not what it's going to be later in the year. Is there an easy way to find what this would be so I…
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Should itsthelittlethings spend less on coffee?
Hopefully this works as an all new diary for me. Will add my debt into my signature and keep track of how I do going along.
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Reduced interest payments on FIT TARIFF
When I invested in solar everything was expensive with risks but the 25 year contract encouraged me to invest. Now the Government has seen fit to change the contract this; undermines trust in such schemes and using the excuse most use CPI instead of RPI is weak to say the least. I would hope large institutional investors…
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Learning to walk before I run
Hello all! :) I am returning to the forum in an attempt to gain your collective wisdom in sorting out our dire finances. I've been experiencing a series of mini lightbulb moments of late and have realised that it's time for a change. Despite being vaguely savvy as regards areas of personal finance such as pensions, I have…
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Council Tax Query - Reduction?
Hi, We are privately renting and currently we are a total of 5 adults (2 married couples) and 1 child living in a 4 bed property, we are all related (family). We (5 adults) are all on the tenancy agreement. However in the next few months 2 adults (1 married couple) will be moving. We will therefore need the tenancy…
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January 2026 Grocery Challenge
Welcome to the 1st Grocery Challenge of 2026! As always this challenge is to reduce your own grocery budget to levels that you will be pleased with, not forgetting that we always recommend that you stay inside your own comfort levels and take things gently one step at a time. Remember that this is not a competition....it's…
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Hoping to retire early- My plan
I am 49 this year and hoping that wife and I will retire next year once we are both 50 When we retire we would have the following Savings in mixture of shares/ cash / isa - £250,000 we will use some of this till we get to 55(£40k a year) DC Pension Pots totalling- £550,000 which we would take 25% Lump Sum then drawn down…
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The all new using what you have from your Freezer, Cupboard or Shed (Barn)
It is probably time to have a new thread for this. What do you have in your freezer? In your cupboard/shed? Do you have a veg patch or allotment? What did you manage to store, preserve or freeze? I, myself, like to cook following a recipe, but love to add veg from my allotment!
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HSBC Premier up to £750
Everything's Premier when you get up to £750 Open a Premier account by 23 Feb 2026, and by 30 Apr 2026 switch your bank account and salary of £100k+ using the Current Account Switch Service for £250; and / or transfer £100k+ of savings / investments, and maintain your balance for 3 months for £500. Offer ends 23 Feb 2026.…
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Paid off plan 2, still not showing as cleared
Hi :) I had 2 student loans- plan 1 and plan 2. Plan 2 was paid off, and I continue to pay plan 1. My problem is, plan 2 is still showing on my online account and repayments continue to go to it, leading to a credit balance. I have spoken to slc and explained and they've said it all balances out and my plan 2 payments are…
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Moved out of parents address - time to balance transfer
I have four credit cards totalling £17k that I need to balance transfer in a few months, however I have moved from my parents house buying my own house - will this effect the balance transfer applications to other card providers?
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Hopefully debt free before Mortgage renewal in June 2026
Hi, So, My mortgage is due for renewal in June 2026. I bought a house for £190,000 with around a £48,000 deposit on a 5 year fixed rate of 1.63% interest which comes to an end on 30th June 2026. I currently owe £129,363 and pay £517.72 and i have 25 years and 6 months left to pay (i will be 68 when this ends). I know…
