Renovations and Repayments.

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  • Suffolk_lass
    Suffolk_lass Posts: 9,308
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    Alex, I think you will find your newly-learned spreadsheet skills a huge reassurance regarding debt on a 0% card - just keep tracking the spends in the spreadsheet in one column and the amounts you pay it down by in an adjacent column with a total for each - then you can take one from the other and divide by the number of months over which you intend paying it off - so for example in excel, numbers or google sheets the calculation would be:

    =sum(total spent-total paid)/n months

    It is remarkably reassuring to know you have it covered.
    Save £12k in 2024 - #2 target is £5000
    OS Grocery Challenge 2024 16.02% spent or £480.73/£3,000 annual
    I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
    My Debt Free Diary Get a grip Woman
  • AlexLK
    AlexLK Posts: 6,125
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Forumite
    May Targets:
    Days getting longer and summer only around the corner, May is the month to sell a no longer wanted classic, I think.

    Organise trip to Rutland Water with in-laws. Now have a day.
    Organise Whitsun holiday. 1. Trip to R.W. 2. Trip to the coast.
    Start work on the bathroom Done a little more work to this today but mainly been out.
    Total Grocery Spend: £145 / £400.
    Surplus Money: £70 / £1,000.
    11.30pm bedtime: 4 / 31. Managed to go to bed early last night and will hopefully do so tonight, also. So, tentatively calling '4'.
    Meditation: 4 / 31. Think I'll have 30 minutes to myself after my son has gone to bed; I am a bit stressed.
    Schedule / Spreadsheets: 7 / 31.
    De-clutter and Sell: / 5 items.
    New Recipes: 1 / 4.
    Books read for pleasure: / 3.
    Learn something new or refine a skill: 1. Continue learning and applying new knowledge to create more sophisticated and streamlined spreadsheets. 2. Learn a new piece of repertoire. 3. Demolishing a bathroom It's almost done and ready for the next step. :eek: Doesn't take long to destroy something which has stood for many years. :(.
    maman wrote: »
    The point of no return! Delighted to hear you've made a start on the bathroom project.:)
    I agree with others that you do need to have confidence that you can pay off the card within the time frame without worrying but the more selling you can do to offset the spend the better.

    How long do you anticipate using your outside privvy? Have you got trades and the new bathroom stuff ordered?

    Certainly is. Can't say I'm feeling particularly delighted about it at the moment. That could be something to do with getting up twice last night and not being able to get back to sleep the second time. Also, son was causing a fuss about going to our neighbour's to have a shower. I suppose it is a bit awkward but we all got a free bacon, sausage and egg breakfast. :rotfl: When they had a problem with their hot water, they came here so we would return the favour. It will work out and I think it's going to be really good when it's done. My wife managed to do something to her back today which isn't good because she is meant to be working away Wednesday and Thursday.

    I'm concerned we're going to go over budget and owe more than first anticipated. Materials are working out to be as anticipated but we are thinking about having tradesmen do a little more. One I use for the rental properties is fishing for work, so I might see what he will charge as he's good.

    Our plumber has ordered the materials. We haven't paid anything yet but I suppose my delusion that we currently owe nothing is wrong as we're just waiting for an invoice that we'll need to pay. The current hope is to have it finished by the end of the month. My parents asked if we wished to stay with them. It would make things easier, wife isn't keen though.
    Alex, I think you will find your newly-learned spreadsheet skills a huge reassurance regarding debt on a 0% card - just keep tracking the spends in the spreadsheet in one column and the amounts you pay it down by in an adjacent column with a total for each - then you can take one from the other and divide by the number of months over which you intend paying it off - so for example in excel, numbers or google sheets the calculation would be:

    =sum(total spent-total paid)/n months

    It is remarkably reassuring to know you have it covered.

    Thank you, SL. :) It is helping and we have a spreadsheet my wife set up.

    Have done the calculation and worse case scenario is going to be 9 months. That would mean saving nothing over that time period and no real overpayments, either. Also means not selling anything too.
    2018 totals:
    Savings £11,200
    Mortgage Overpayments £5,500
  • AlexLK
    AlexLK Posts: 6,125
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Forumite
    May Targets:
    Days getting longer and summer only around the corner, May is the month to sell a no longer wanted classic, I think.

    Organise trip to Rutland Water with in-laws. Now have a day.
    Organise Whitsun holiday. 1. Trip to R.W. 2. Trip to the coast.
    Start work on the bathroom
    Total Grocery Spend: £150 / £400.
    Surplus Money: £70 / £1,000.
    11.30pm bedtime: 5 / 31. Going to bed after this. Went to bed early last night but didn't have a great night's sleep. Had nothing to drink since 8.30pm, so hoping I won't wake tonight as I can't get back to sleep.
    Meditation: 5 / 31. Only done the one minute one today. Will do the sleep one when I get in bed.
    Schedule / Spreadsheets: 8 / 31.
    De-clutter and Sell: / 5 items.
    New Recipes: 1 / 4.
    Books read for pleasure: / 3. Haven't read much this month so far but hoping that will change this week.
    Learn something new or refine a skill: 1. Continue learning and applying new knowledge to create more sophisticated and streamlined spreadsheets. 2. Learn a new piece of repertoire. 3. Demolishing a bathroom.

    Not had a great day today, lack of sleep causing me to not feel too well, I think. No progress on selling / debt clearing (back to that :eek: :() or life. Have done some work, though.
    2018 totals:
    Savings £11,200
    Mortgage Overpayments £5,500
  • Suffolk_lass
    Suffolk_lass Posts: 9,308
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    AlexLK wrote: »

    Have done the calculation and worse case scenario is going to be 9 months. That would mean saving nothing over that time period and no real overpayments, either. Also means not selling anything too.

    Ah yes Alex but with each item you sell, and every little bit of saving you make (housekeeping, for example) that debt figure will reduce in your spreadsheet or the 9 months will come in - and with each passing month, that 9 month figure will reduce. Trust me, you will start to feel better.
    Save £12k in 2024 - #2 target is £5000
    OS Grocery Challenge 2024 16.02% spent or £480.73/£3,000 annual
    I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
    My Debt Free Diary Get a grip Woman
  • maman
    maman Posts: 28,500
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    AlexLK wrote: »
    My parents asked if we wished to stay with them. It would make things easier, wife isn't keen though.


    It's a kind offer but not one you should accept. You've only just moved back and got re-established as your family unit. That's the way you need to move forward. Your parents will have to do without their personal chef.;)
    AlexLK wrote: »
    Have done the calculation and worse case scenario is going to be 9 months. That would mean saving nothing over that time period and no real overpayments, either. Also means not selling anything too.


    But you can sell to help offset the costs. And even if you're not saving or overpaying temporarily, you are adding value to the property. Most important of all you're making your family home more comfortable for all three of you to enjoy.
  • AlexLK
    AlexLK Posts: 6,125
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Forumite
    May Targets:
    Days getting longer and summer only around the corner, May is the month to sell a no longer wanted classic, I think.

    Organise trip to Rutland Water with in-laws. Now have a day.
    Organise Whitsun holiday. 1. Trip to R.W. 2. Trip to the coast.
    Start work on the bathroom Work has been started, the move around is happening.
    Total Grocery Spend: £180 / £400.
    Surplus Money: £230 / £1,000.
    11.30pm bedtime: 7 / 31.
    Meditation: 8 / 31.
    Schedule / Spreadsheets: 12 / 31. The one things I'm keeping up with.
    De-clutter and Sell: 1 / 5 items. +£150 which will mean we're £150 less in debt once the invoice is paid. :)
    New Recipes: 1 / 4.
    Books read for pleasure: / 3.
    Learn something new or refine a skill: 1. Continue learning and applying new knowledge to create more sophisticated and streamlined spreadsheets. 2. Learn a new piece of repertoire. 3. Demolishing a bathroom.

    An absolute nightmare couple of days. My son has been violently ill (some kind of sickness bug), wife has been working away. Stayed up for 42 hours with no sleep at all on Wednesday - Thursday.
    Ah yes Alex but with each item you sell, and every little bit of saving you make (housekeeping, for example) that debt figure will reduce in your spreadsheet or the 9 months will come in - and with each passing month, that 9 month figure will reduce. Trust me, you will start to feel better.

    Absolutely. :) Managed to be up £150 this week and we're on target to have the £1,000 surplus, so should be up £1,230 this month and we've got the rest of the month to make some more.
    maman wrote: »
    It's a kind offer but not one you should accept. You've only just moved back and got re-established as your family unit. That's the way you need to move forward. Your parents will have to do without their personal chef.;)

    But you can sell to help offset the costs. And even if you're not saving or overpaying temporarily, you are adding value to the property. Most important of all you're making your family home more comfortable for all three of you to enjoy.

    :rotfl: Well, I ended up going to my parents' when my wife was away. :o Having been awake for 42 hours with absolutely no sleep, I was feeling rather ill myself and my son still wasn't too well but was getting better. My parents do things to infuriate me but if I really need them, they will help and in those times are usually really good. Yes, I'll accept I'm 36 and shouldn't need my mother and father. :o

    Today they made one of my recipes together for lunch. They've told me they are going to try the recipes themselves and I've shown them some websites with recipes and how to use an iPad as a "recipe book" by propping it up on its stand. No idea how they'd not worked that out for themselves, though. :rotfl: Both are being reasonable at the moment but I'm not expecting it to last as I always have done in the past. We did have a serious talk about the fact my son struggles to trust them; my parents were devastated. :(

    Already trying to offset the costs, maman. 9 months is the worst case scenario and I don't think it's going to be that bad. I don't want to be in debt and want to declutter the house (well, to my standard ... ;)), so there's going to be things to sell anyway. Also, we are trying to live a bit more frugally until this is paid.
    2018 totals:
    Savings £11,200
    Mortgage Overpayments £5,500
  • Woohoo Alex! Hope all's well.

    Caz that tractor is a BEAUTY.
  • Suffolk_lass
    Suffolk_lass Posts: 9,308
    First Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic First Post
    Forumite
    Good to see you back Alex - your Son's illness explains where you had gone. Watch that selling stuff bug, it can become a bit of a compulsion! Before you know it you will have accumulated enough for the bathroom, then the mortgage, and next thing you'll be on the FIRE trail ;)
    Save £12k in 2024 - #2 target is £5000
    OS Grocery Challenge 2024 16.02% spent or £480.73/£3,000 annual
    I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
    My Debt Free Diary Get a grip Woman
  • maman
    maman Posts: 28,500
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Forumite
    AlexLK wrote: »
    Today they made one of my recipes together for lunch. They've told me they are going to try the recipes themselves and I've shown them some websites with recipes and how to use an iPad as a "recipe book" by propping it up on its stand. No idea how they'd not worked that out for themselves, though. :rotfl: Both are being reasonable at the moment but I'm not expecting it to last as I always have done in the past. We did have a serious talk about the fact my son struggles to trust them; my parents were devastated. :(.


    That's great news! It'll give them something to occupy their time instead of relying on you to entertain them as well as the obvious healthy eating.


    Hopefully, in time, they can rebuild a relationship with LittleK.:)

    AlexLK wrote: »
    An absolute nightmare couple of days. My son has been violently ill (some kind of sickness bug), wife has been working away. Stayed up for 42 hours with no sleep at all on Wednesday - Thursday.:rotfl:


    Well, I ended up going to my parents' when my wife was away. :o Having been awake for 42 hours with absolutely no sleep, I was feeling rather ill myself and my son still wasn't too well but was getting better. My parents do things to infuriate me but if I really need them, they will help and in those times are usually really good. Yes, I'll accept I'm 36 and shouldn't need my mother and father. :o.


    Poor little chap (that's LittleK not you!:p). Thinking about it though he's had minimal illness since starting school which is unusual. Hopefully it'll be the same for you when you 'start school'. It's very common to pick up every bug going until you build up an immunity.


    No problem with looking to your parents for help in the circumstances. I would imagine it must have been very difficult if LittleK was violently ill with no functioning bathroom. It's just that I don't want you (or them) to get too comfortable with you being there.

    AlexLK wrote: »
    Absolutely. :) Managed to be up £150 this week and we're on target to have the £1,000 surplus, so should be up £1,230 this month and we've got the rest of the month to make some more.

    Already trying to offset the costs, maman. 9 months is the worst case scenario and I don't think it's going to be that bad. I don't want to be in debt and want to declutter the house (well, to my standard ... ;)), so there's going to be things to sell anyway. Also, we are trying to live a bit more frugally until this is paid.


    I think you've done really well with your grocery budgets lately. It is possible to eat healthily without it being too expensive. I think the way forward is plenty of planning so you don't waste food or buy ready made stuff, have smallish meat portions balanced by plenty of vegetables and keep away from the cake shop!


    However you pay it off and I'm sure you will it would be good if you did it so you can move on to the next project rather than because you don't trust yourself with the 0% card.


    Hope you have a good weekend now that MrsK's back and things returning to normal.:)
  • AlexLK
    AlexLK Posts: 6,125
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Forumite
    May Targets:
    Days getting longer and summer only around the corner, May is the month to sell a no longer wanted classic, I think.

    Organise trip to Rutland Water with in-laws. Now have a day.
    Organise Whitsun holiday. 1. Trip to R.W. 2. Trip to the coast.
    Start work on the bathroom More work happening over this week, I think by the end we will have some items fitted.
    Total Grocery Spend: £200 / £400.
    Surplus Money: £230 / £1,000.
    11.30pm bedtime: 7 / 31.
    Meditation: 8 / 31.
    Schedule / Spreadsheets: 14 / 31. The one thing I'm keeping up with. :)
    De-clutter and Sell: 1 / 5 items. +£150 which will mean we're £150 less in debt once the invoice is paid.
    New Recipes: 1 / 4.
    Books read for pleasure: / 3.
    Learn something new or refine a skill: 1. Continue learning and applying new knowledge to create more sophisticated and streamlined spreadsheets. 2. Learn a new piece of repertoire. 3. Demolishing a bathroom.

    We are using a cashback card for grocery shopping / petrol. Finding it much easier to track spending rather than everything going through the account / cash. We set up a direct debit which will clear the whole balance every month, so no potential issues with it not getting paid. When my wife suggested this, I was very reluctant but it seems to be working well so far.

    Also set up a direct debit for the 0% card to take £300 per month, so no chance of that becoming a new nightmare problem.

    Will catch up with comments tomorrow as I'm very tired after a busy weekend. :o
    2018 totals:
    Savings £11,200
    Mortgage Overpayments £5,500
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