30 small steps

A question about : 30 small steps

Hello. After making OP here and there and being on track life has thrown me a few curveballs. I am now married and have a little boy which has lead us to converting the loft. Savings have paid for half but the remainder has increased the mortgage by 30k hence the diary title. I want to make some small OPs whilst I build up my emergency savings.

Small steps taken: Cost reduction
1. Switching power off at plugs and switching lights off. Not sure if this has had a major effect but EON have reduced my monthly payment so must be helping.
2. Switching to low energy light bulbs.
3. Menu planning and sticking to it. DH fairly good natured about this although is missing meat.
4. Not buying new clothes for myself. Alas was doing well but have been tempted by sales and bought new jacket for work.
5. Free days out. Lots of walking and visiting parks.

To do :
1. Haggle with BT re broadband.

Small steps taken. Making money.
1. Make OP with money made from tutoring.
2. Sell unwanted items from loft.

To do:
1. Write more reviews so can cash in points.

Small steps taken: Mortgage
1. Considering paying for new bank survey to reduce LTV and get a better deal.
2. Have set up OP of Ј50 per month.

Best answers:

• Hello! Sounds like your really on the ball here! Just wanted to wish you luck and check out your ideas as we are about to buy a property with a much bigger mortgage and I am already trying to figure out how to cut it down!
  Good luck!
  Jodles
• Ј50 overpayment has come off my account so pleased I have made a small step to being MF.
  As I am on holiday I am making small steps to decluttering the house. A box of toys for charity and have looked out some bigger items to photograph and try to sell. Will do this after lunch. Any money raised is to go straight to overpayment.
  My tutoring has come to an end but received a lovely email from my student.
  Needed some mascara so downgraded from my normal brand to Boots No7. Still cant believe it cost almost Ј10 with a discount voucher. Oh well even a small saving can help reach my goal.
  Next task to to look out the spare change pots and bank those. These would go into my son's account but am going to use them for OP as my aunt gave me money for him when I visited her so not feeling too guilty.
• Glad to say counted out the loose change and have a grand total of .....Ј16. Have also put our Take along Swing up for sale so hopefully can add to this before making my OP.
  Thank you Malc for the advice. Have unplugged chargers and discovered that my printer has been on all the time just wasting electricity. Have changed my direct debit so OP should be easier and I just need to make sure the electricity usage continues to go down.
  Off to get a box of things ready for the charity shop. Hope everyone else's day going well.
• Welcome and sounds a good start.
  Another worker at the chalkface?
• Hi Alchemilla yes another teacher here. I am trying to make use of the holidays to get all my finances sorted as I will have very little time once term starts.
  On today's list my "Making More Money" item is taking pictures of my nicest maternity dresses to sell on my local recycling website. I will be sad to let them go but it is unlikely we will have another child and we need to declutter. By posting this on here I feel obligated to get it done.
  The next item on this list is dealing with some old shares of mine which were bought out so I am due some money. I don't think this will be much but every little helps.
  Unfortunately the rest of the day is taken up with "Home Improvement" items which all cost money. The main ones being sourcing lights and garden paving.
• No interest in my items for sale yet. If no takers by Friday will put them to the local charity shop. Can go to the bank at the same time to pay in my loose change. Off to add a few more items for sale just in case someone is interested in them.
  Good news on the shares front as had lost the certificate but because the holding so small not being charged and so have another Ј16 to add to OP.
• Asking for the MAC code did the trick. Ј10 better off per month and phone bills should be lower too. Getting a new hub and caller ID for free so good result. DH would have liked to upgrade to infinity but I'd rather save some money for the present.
  No takers on my baby/maternity things so looks like they will be going to the charity shop.
  Got a 0% credit card so stoozing. Also spent some time checking interest rates on my savings. Horrified to see one ISA is paying 0.25%! It really pays to keep your eyes on these things.
  Mortgage comes off fixed deal this month and going to have new survey so can get the best LTV deal.
• Washing machine has been leaking a little so was thinking of calling a plumber but just received a letter to say my insurance runs out at the end of September. Sad to say I didn't even know that I had this insurance but this does mean it looks like it will be repaired for free.
• Another teacher here too, good luck with the savings and long may the hols continue
  Wish
• Good luck! Every little OP helps!
• Not a lot of money made for OP to date.
  Charity shop is benefiting from my de-cluttering. Dh has man flu so lots spent on fruit, vitamins and cold relief tablets. Wardrobe de-cluttering also resulted in realisation I do need more workwear clothes so trousers, jumper and skirt bought. Being MF seems a long way away.
• A small gain today as managed to sell some books. In addition I was sent some new shampoo and conditioner to test.
  Our building work has finally finished apart from some snagging so lots of cleaning and tidying going on. Unfortunately DH managed to break the hose on our vacuum cleaner so have had to order a new one.
  Once the house is tidy again we are thinking about having a student stay with us. Friends of ours do this and it would be an extra Ј1000 a month although only for a few months.
• My lovely parents have come down to help us sort out the house so they have treated us to some of mum's great home cooking. I have found a few things in the loft to sell such as a boxed ZX Spectrum. This should help with a few more OPs.
  On this weeks list of to dos is to call the bank for a new valuation to help us get a better deal. The new carpet is fitted on Wednesday so if they came at the end of the week that would be great. It will be interesting to see if the valuation reflects the work we have had done.
• New carpet looking good. Of course now thinking the living room should do with a new carpet too although adopted the more money saving version and hired a carpet cleaner.
  Bank will do a book valuation which is lower than the price I would expect to get if selling but would give me a deal which is based on 70%LTV. They will perform an actual valaution for around Ј350 which should give us access to the 60% deal. The only issue there is finding time as neither of us can take time off work. I would also like to get a fixed rate mortgage before interest rates rise.
  Have been transferred to SVR in the meantime and paying Ј100 less so can leave my original payment and have more OP. Good news!
• Been so busy at work it's been hard to find time to keep up with being a MFW. Bank call back system wasn't great as they failed at time agreed time. On the plus side thanks to my OP our LTV is improved so I have my 70% LTV deal without having to do anything else.
  Other MFW items to sort this week is our contents insurance which is very high. Went through Quidco and have a deal which is half the price of our current one. Even better as get cashback on top.
  Unfortunately washing machine has died so need to have it repaired or replaced.
• Been so busy menu planning has suffered but hopefully back on track again. Tonight oven on to roast chicken and so will pop some vegetables in for roasted vegetable pesto pasta for tomorrow's lunch. Might even do some chocolate muffins.
  Been checking our energy usage and electricity is looking better but gas still high. I need to convince Dh to switch from baths to showers!
  Once new mortgage deal starts will set up my new OP. Should be able to put just under Ј200 per month although need to think about building up my emergency funds again.