Live on £4000 for a Year, 2009 Challenge, part 2

Frugaldom

cw18 wrote: »

Not at all sure about that place Nyk..... bedroom 3 is tiny (to what I'm used to!), and wouldn't even take my dining table and chairs!!

CW, I wasn't pointing the cottage out as a potential new home for you, I was just highlighting an example for whoever else asked. :rotfl: I'm not entirely sure why you'd want to relocate to a rural retreat in a completely unfamiliar area when you live in such a great house and have the convenience of family around you, especially when you're sharing the care of your GDs.

Washing Lot 3 now out, hoping it' stays sunny and breezy long enough to dry it as it's beginning to look a bit overcast out there. Must complete work asap, I want back out into the garden before the rain comes!

lyndasharp

Hi all, no cat yet. Waiting to find out if she's fit to leave the vets - they found a nasty ulcer on her tongue and have done a biopsy to see if it's cancer. We'll take her whatever they find as long as she's got a decent quality of life - the vets say she's eating well at the moment so that's good.

I have a very sore arm so typing one handed and will take too long to reply to everyone! Had a contraceptive implant change last night, and the old one didn't come out very easily. Thank goodness for local anaesthetic!

shaz_mum_of__2

Nyk

I like the look of the cottage but laughed at the "historical photo" label .........does this mean its a tip now ..lol

Gonna save some of the spuds next time i pick some and re plant we have spuds growing in the compost bins so it must work and i vaguely remember reading about it .........somewhere

Got a curry to make so bye for now

Shaz

cw18

Grrrr!! My turn to have a computer (actually my browser) crash and cause me to lose a long post -- probably a good thing for everyone else on here though :rotfl: (And yes, this one is a shortened version :eek: )

Upshot was -

didn't take the property as being aimed specifically as me. Love the relaxed look the outside of it has though


Why move? Finances really.......

If by this time next year DD coughs up a contribution for me having GDs, elder DS pays something towards his keep when home on leave and younger DS chips in while at Uni, that I stand a half decent chance of just about staying afloat enough to keep this house until 2016. Without just one of those I could be 'up the creek' before Christmas of next year, and find myself forced to sell quickly (taking whatever offer I get, and buying just about anything that's on the market but smaller and cheaper). I really don't want to be rail-roaded into a life change like that (especially as this is the first home I've had that it will be hard to give up), so the sooner I thoroughly explore all options the better.

In terms of getting myself extra income so I can stay put without relying on 'my kids', child care requirement around here are drastically declining (only to be expected with all the jobs that are going I suppose). Child-minders seem to have more spaces than ever, the before and after school isn't up to capacity (used to have a waiting list), and I'm sure there are less children being dropped off at nursery when I collect my GDs than there used to be (and I'm there at a regular time).

I've tried for a few part-time jobs recently, but nothing doing. Even before we get to my medical history I'm finding myself black-listed as not having relevant experience (they all seem to be bar/retail jobs - and last retail experience was the Summer of 1983).

So this leaves fostering - doubt the number of children needing spaces will fall (unfortunately), but the number of applicants to become carers could increase (with the loss of other jobs). And I've also been 'politely' informed that my back problems would probably be more of a problem for this than child-minding (where I might scrape through the medical)

I'm not sure I could stay living around here if I have to sell the house - not sure how easy it would be to keep passing it on a regular basis So it could be that a fresh start - either with some sort of business to go at, or with half the house proceeds to live off - could be the best option open to me at the moment. If I managed to bank half the proceeds and keep my expenses down around where they are now, then I should (just) be able to stay afloat until my first company pension kicks in (and I'm then "home and dry").

And if I am looking at moving to a new area, then where better than one where I know there are like-minded people to keep me on the straight and narrow when it comes to budgeting (and to help me learn all about growing my own veggies and keeping chickens)

taka

savingfortravel wrote: »

PM me Michelle if you want to chat x

By the way..have lots of lovely people following my blog but not sure who they are??

Any of you guys using an alias or another name.

sft

I am... I think my name comes up as learningtofly! I'm not 100% sure who all of my followers are either :rotfl: Hmmm must update sometime too...

Wow that house is cheap compared to here... ~£150k would get you a 1 (Or 2 bed in a not so great area) bed flat in Edinburgh! :eek:

Frugaldom

I know 2 people from 'down south' who sold up everything and then just stuck a pin in a map and said, 'OK, let's go'. One of them ended up here and is now helping run our local LETS group. :rotfl:

Been outside and we've managed to get the rest of the squares made for the potato well. It's all been put together but the landlord's going to think I've got a beehive if he drives past. :rotfl: Honest Mr & Mrs Landlord, it's a potato well, I'm terrified of bees.

I've finally managed to finish all the washing - 6 loads between yesterday and today! :eek: Just as well I have my soapnuts and homemade gloop. I love the gloop, it's brilliant stuff. If only it didn't look like something I'd want to eat!

CW - maybe you could amalgamate your relocation and longterm financial preparations with your crafting hobbies and start a cottage industry type home-based business?

We have low flying exercises going on today, by the looks of things. One Tornado went sideways right over the house, clearing the roof by less than 200ft. I have such a weird selection of things I enjoy and that's one of the things I love watching - low flying jets, especially when you get the kick back from the after burners or the almighty boom that rattles the windows. :rotfl:I did remember to warn SM we were on the flightpath before she settled for the house next door.

For an idea of what life in Frugaldom is really like, hire yourself a copy of Local Hero.

Buzzbox

nykmedia wrote: »

I know 2 people from 'down south' who sold up everything and then just stuck a pin in a map and said, 'OK, let's go'. One of them ended up here and is now helping run our local LETS group. :rotfl:

Been outside and we've managed to get the rest of the squares made for the potato well. It's all been put together but the landlord's going to think I've got a beehive if he drives past. :rotfl: Honest Mr & Mrs Landlord, it's a potato well, I'm terrified of bees.

I've finally managed to finish all the washing - 6 loads between yesterday and today! :eek: Just as well I have my soapnuts and homemade gloop. I love the gloop, it's brilliant stuff. If only it didn't look like something I'd want to eat!

CW - maybe you could amalgamate your relocation and longterm financial preparations with your crafting hobbies and start a cottage industry type home-based business?

We have low flying exercises going on today, by the looks of things. One Tornado went sideways right over the house, clearing the roof by less than 200ft. I have such a weird selection of things I enjoy and that's one of the things I love watching - low flying jets, especially when you get the kick back from the after burners or the almighty boom that rattles the windows. :rotfl:I did remember to warn SM we were on the flightpath before she settled for the house next door.

For an idea of what life in Frugaldom is really like, hire yourself a copy of Local Hero.

Maybe I should make that annonymous phone call to the BBC to pitch up and make a documentary about your life.... or shall I rather say, the frugal way!

JAMIEDODGER

Hi all, first chance ive had to get on here today. have been busy with decorating boys room again, want to keep going with this until its finished, i expect it to take a few more days. hoping to pop to ikea at the end of the month to get them a wardrobe and chest of drawers. i will get them a desk next month probably.

nothing much else to report but its been a productive day:)

patchwork_cat

Nyk have you taken the link to the cottage off, not thinking of moving - well not far afield anyway unfortunatley - schooling too much of an issue, but love to be nosey!

My turn for Family credit problems. I am bearing in mind Cheryl's problem and really at that place they really don't know what they are doing - sorry if any of you work there!

Does anyone do bead jewellery? If so can you tell me what pliers, cutters I need, have some round nosed - do I just need a pair of flat nosed pliers and side cutters? or can i get one that does both?

mama67

savingfortravel wrote: »

PM me Michelle if you want to chat x

By the way..have lots of lovely people following my blog but not sure who they are??

Any of you guys using an alias or another name.

sft

SFT I'm Maisie