Getting rid of a London-sized Mortgage

Tropically · 11 April 2018 at 10:02AM

Well I turned the other UK-based job down. Even though it would have been £4k more per year, and they also do bonuses up to 25% of people's salary. I sat down with my boss this morning and without mentioning the other job said that I needed better work. I'm not in the right headspace to change jobs and I didn't want to close down the opportunity to move abroad.

I dunno. No progress on anything, except I'm very close to my targets of not doing anything in April! I can't wait till I get a £500 Airbnb pay out which has been sent to me.

The hardest part of the MFW journey is realising just how long it is, and how much consistency you need to put in. I think it's even slightly harder than DFW because the numbers are usually so much lower (and the circumstances more dire).

Runders · 12 April 2018 at 3:42PM

Hey Tropically,

I've just caught up on your diary after being AWOL for several reasons.

I did laugh at Chip-gate and the Chip-traitors, personally I would have been in a right huff, I do love chips!

If I remember correctly we are in the same field of work. I've been looking to make a change too. I did get a job offer in Jan, but turned it down as I would have to move and I wasn't ready too at the time. I find it can be quite difficult to find jobs with salaries that mean I could keep living on my own

So for now I am staying where I am, but keeping an eye out in the jobs sections.

I too think the MFW is a long old slog, but it's one that is worth it in the long run. I got a bit disheartened this morning when I realised I had only paid off 15K in 3.5 years. But still, it's more than if I hade just been paying the payment and nothing else.

Food and entertainment are still my biggest problem areas, but I am starting to get into the batch cooking M'larky!

Tropically · 17 April 2018 at 9:13AM

Runders wrote: »

If I remember correctly we are in the same field of work. I've been looking to make a change too. I did get a job offer in Jan, but turned it down as I would have to move and I wasn't ready too at the time. I find it can be quite difficult to find jobs with salaries that mean I could keep living on my own So for now I am staying where I am, but keeping an eye out in the jobs sections.

I too think the MFW is a long old slog, but it's one that is worth it in the long run. I got a bit disheartened this morning when I realised I had only paid off 15K in 3.5 years. But still, it's more than if I hade just been paying the payment and nothing else.

Food and entertainment are still my biggest problem areas, but I am starting to get into the batch cooking M'larky!

Good to see you again!! We are in the same line of work! I have been finding that there is a skills shortage and so lots of opportunity, but not necessarily companies willing to pay more to get someone.We are definitely in the same boat.

We've still not made overpayments for the year, we are spending lots with the wedding.

Hmm... Can I post an image? Let me try.

Nope.. let me try again

Success! That is the difference our OPs have made and it would be great to carry on the trajectory.

I am SO close to cashing out uGov, but haven't been getting many surveys lately.
I also am mid-way through a £30 pr0lific survey which would be amazing if it cashed out.
We go on holiday next week, and then some cash back savings from Quidco should finally be processed.
I got a £5 refund for the delays I had during the snow storm, and also got a refund from TfL. They should owe me a refund again for another thing.
My partner's job seems okay again so I might make an OP soon. I think I need to get spreadsheet'n.

Runders · 18 April 2018 at 2:59PM

Tropically wrote: »

Good to see you again!! We are in the same line of work! I have been finding that there is a skills shortage and so lots of opportunity, but not necessarily companies willing to pay more to get someone.We are definitely in the same boat.

I think I may fall into that skills shortage category after nearly 10 years at sea. If people want me to interpret geophysical data to plan and conduct a HAB or EBS then no problemo, and I can fix and maintain all the equipment with my eyes closed. If however, they want me do stats and make some wonderful GIS maps with the data, then I start to struggle a little. I have just downloaded QGis, hoping I can work through the online tutorials and teach it to myself. I need to start coming up with a plan to expand my skill set so it's not just PM and Offshore.

Tropically · 20 April 2018 at 7:22PM

Runders, I meant that people want our environmental skills because there aren't many people who can do what we do!! But, they don't necessarily want to pay us for it.

I had the job interview. I keep working myself into negative thoughts, I became convinced today that they were going to offer me a position lower than my current one, and spent the day trying to find a cached page of the job offer. When I couldn't I asked the interviewer for it, and he gladly complied and sent a really nice message. I do hope I get the job. It would be a big change but so exciting. My partner is away this weekend and I am spending too much time alone with my thoughts. Sometimes exciting things happen, sometimes good things happen. If the don't, I still have a good life. Breathe.

My £30 prolific survey DID cash out, sweet.

Plus I have exciting news. Bank of Ireland now have a system where you can see the amount!!! Woo!

Our mortgage balance is precisely £293,132.65. PRECISELY precisely!! It's never been precise before.

Plus, they have offered us a 2 year fix at 1.79% so slightly more than we are currently paying, but we'd not have to have any fuss and could get consent to let. Our mortgage broker didn't quote as low as that.

No overpayments lately. I need a bigger emergency buffer in case my partner is made redundant and/or we move. I have budgeted a 6 month emergency fund (£12k ish) and £6.5k moving fund. I have no idea what an international move costs. I think it could cost anything, couldn't it? Am I going to sell most things or move a bunch of useless things?

mfmaybe · 20 April 2018 at 8:17PM

It all sounds very exciting - fingers crossed!

I moved abroad with precisely the amount I was allowed on the flight. 2 bags plus a bike. Visiting relatives brought more stuff in the couple of months that followed. I rented a furnished apartment, had to buy electricals anyway, because of the different voltage and plugs; and in any case rented out my flat with the stuff still in it. So bought plates and bedding and stuff on arrival.

What was expensive was paying deposits (house, utilities, phone), buying a car, that sort of thing. So a decent slush fund for that. There are many different factors and it will depend on where you are going.

de_artie · 30 April 2018 at 2:27AM

is zipcar actually cheaper than keeping your own car?

Tropically · 2 May 2018 at 12:09PM

de_artie, it's certainly cheaper than the start-up costs of getting a car. Plus, we don't actually use it that much so I might cancel before the membership. I live in central London. The membership fee is £60/year, a residents parking permit in my area of London is £120/year.

NorthernPeach · 2 May 2018 at 9:12PM

Hi Tropically,

Just read through your diary and gosh I do not envy your london mortgage :eek: However you are doing fab with your overpayments

Hope you decide what you want to do about work, I've had similar feelings about my job over the past 9 months or so (without the wanting to move abroad bit). It's so unsettling when you are not sure what the future holds for your job!

Hopefully your wedding planning is coming along well

Tropically · 3 May 2018 at 10:00AM

Thank you Northern Peach! I don't know what I want to do, I'll be so terrified if they offer it to me! The most straightforward would be if they don't. Then I could grumble about it, without having had to make any scary decisions on my own. If they don't, I'll feel stupid for turning down the other job, though. No news on the job though. It annoys me a little bit, I applied for the job in December, and was invited for an informal interview right away which was very positive. Then, I waited until April to have the official interview, and mentioned that I would want to move in November. They said that would be a problem for them because they want someone to start in June.

A few months ago, I found an incredible deal for a trip to Iceland. The flights were £30-ish, return! I bought them, and have just come back from my long weekend holiday. Iceland is horrifically expensive. I knew it would be expensive but I didn't know just how expensive. A private room in a house on airbnb near the airport was £50/night. Two soups and a single beer (which we split) was £30. Two bags of crisps, two pot noodles and a container of Skyr was £17 (our cheapest meal). Yikes. That said, Iceland was beautiful beyond measure and was incredible. Although expensive, the hostels we stayed at were of very high quality and the food was quite good, especially since I was bracing myself for fermented fish.

I had paid for the hotels, the tickets to the Blue Lagoon etc. over the last few months and so my partner paid everything on the trip. Yay for me!

I feel so happy and refreshed after the trip. Ready to work hard and save hard and get life and mortgage sorted!

Getting rid of a London-sized Mortgage

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