Reach for the stars...

Butti

Nic,

I think they'd be quite happy to give you permission to rent. That was certainly my experience last year. They do seem to have had a strong dose of reality about the situation out there and ways in which people are coping.

Landlord insurance - I know Sainsbury's do one. It's next to the free range eggs on the baking aisle :rotfl:

B x

niccatw

Thanks guys. I don't perceive NRAM having a problem with me letting my flat out; I've had my mortgage with them for 4 years now with no problems (on my part ). The difficulty will be either staying on the SVR for the entire time I'm away and thus not having the security of a fixed rate mortgage, or remortgaging, where they might be less amenable to me letting. Assuming there's a mortgage out ther for me anyway. Quick look yesterday suggests there is one building society that would give me a 3-year fixed rate right now. But, if they allowed me to let, rental wouldn't cover the mortgage never mind the rest.

However, we're no-where near far enough down the line to have to worry about it just yet. While I don't think my flat will be worth what it was when I bought it, I think, given the price I paid and where I bought, it won't have dropped to scary levels. So 9 months might just give me enough time to scramble up to slightly better footing. I will plan on asking estate agents to come have a look around October time - for no other reason than lots of other stuff will be out of my hair by then.

In the meantime, I will continue my decluttering. It seems as if I've been doing it forever, but it's less that I have lots of clutter and more that, the more I do it, the more ruthless I become and the more likely I am to ask "why on earth am I keeping that?"

Eventually got rid of all the clothes I've been meaning eBAy for ever and a day! I gave back to the charity shops I am always buying from . I've whittled the "keepers" down to one wee drawer of things that might actually sell. I'm imposing a "two stikes and your out" rule. And I will do another wardrobe cull.

The livingroom and bathroom are fine. The cupboard of doom, the kitchen and my bedroom could do with another blitz. And I do need to pysch myself up to being just as ruthless with my books as I was with my wardrobe. :eek:

My hayfever is hideous today; I want to hose down the inside of my head. And there I was thinking I'd gotten off lightly this year. More fool me.

Just realised I have 4 birthdays at the end of this week - 6th, 7th and 2 on 8th. All close friends or family. Bang goes my NSD.

I also have a bit of a wedding pressie dilemma. It's my ex's sister's wedding next week. I wasn't invited but did get a last minute fb invite due to cancellations. I'm working second job so can't go, but I was always going to send a card. Should I also send a wee something? Bearing in mind I was with ex for 8 years and we are still friend's... or is a card enough?

To be honest, I wasn't in a dilemma until I read a thread on here where every-one seemed to be saying the going pressie rate, if invited was £50 :eek:. £20-£30 if invited but you weren't going. :eek:

Seriously? Is that normal? Are you entitled to a percentage back if the marriage doesn't last? :rotfl: (I should probably qualify my baseline here... I didn't get my brother and his (ex)wife a pressie on their wedding day as I really couldn't afford it at the time. They split up 10 months later. They got back togehter a few times and tried to make it work and I said I'd get them a pressie on their 5th anniversary. They haven't made it that far. )

Butti

niccatw wrote: »

.

I also have a bit of a wedding pressie dilemma. It's my ex's sister's wedding next week. I wasn't invited but did get a last minute fb invite due to cancellations. I'm working second job so can't go, but I was always going to send a card. Should I also send a wee something? Bearing in mind I was with ex for 8 years and we are still friend's... or is a card enough?

To be honest, I wasn't in a dilemma until I read a thread on here where every-one seemed to be saying the going pressie rate, if invited was £50 :eek:. £20-£30 if invited but you weren't going. :eek:

Seriously? Is that normal? Are you entitled to a percentage back if the marriage doesn't last? :rotfl: (I should probably qualify my baseline here... I didn't get my brother and his (ex)wife a pressie on their wedding day as I really couldn't afford it at the time. They split up 10 months later. They got back togehter a few times and tried to make it work and I said I'd get them a pressie on their 5th anniversary. They haven't made it that far. )

What would you like to do? What can you afford to do? You don't actually have to do anything because you weren't originally invited. Do these people know you are successfully digging your way out of debt?

You could just send a card. If you want to send something, given that you weren't originally invited, I would send a £20 voucher for somewhere nice - John Lewis, M&S.

Are you friends with the Ex or with the Ex's sister or both?
If a - maybe
If b - probably
If c - probably

If I was in your shoes and I liked her and I could afford it I would go for the £20. It's a nice gesture but it's not going to break the bank.

...but you could just send a card

B x

p.s. Does this help or am I just adding to your confusion?

MrsMoo2U

the thing to be careful with when remortgaging is that you dont do a residential mortgage and then ask quickly to rent it out. Might mean that you end up paying a hefty interest rate. These are the things to be researching now and then you are armed with information when the time comes to do it. No need to act yet. You can always do interest only when renting out (if you are happy to do that) That way any excess over that amount could be building up in an account and as the SVR changes you have a cushion within the rent payment to cover any increases. For example if you rent for £450 and your interest part of the payment is £200 you could leave the £250 in the account that the mortgage goes out of. If the interest rate increases and the payment becomes £220 then you are covered. Then when you come back you can decide either to pay any excess in the account into the mortgage or make use of it for a deposit on somewhere else. Once you have been renting the place for 6 months they dont count the mortgage as a personal debt for any further mortgage as far as I can tell. Just do the research and you will be fine.
Re the present. I agree with Butti. Do what you are comfortable with. Could you make something if you really want to give a gift but without breaking the bank? I was given a handknitted throw and a home made cushion for my leaving present in my last job. It meant far more to me than the expensive bottle of perfume but then I am always touched that people have put effort into making something for me.
Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain,
can we truly know what love means. Mother Therese

niccatw

Lots of food for thought! I think I need to print your posts off Cheri... they are my plan of action!

What I'd instinctively want to do re. pressie is find an awesome diving print, frame it and give that as a pressie as they love their diving. Not sure where you find awesome diving prints but I'm sure it can be done! Her brother is giving her away and their mum is lovely, so it's probably more a gesture to the family than to the sister per se, if that makes sense.

MrsMoo2U

Good idea to print things off but I am just throwing out my thoughts. I am sure that you will have plenty yourself.

For some nice diving prints you could try redbubble.com It is a sight where people put their pictures for sale. this one is particulary good. http://www.redbubble.com/people/kameranobs/art/3804295-surrounded you can just search for diving on the home page and it brings lots up. Not sure if you will have time to get one now though.

MatyMoo

I only ever give gifts if I want to, to a level I can afford and try to give something that is unique to the people I am giving too. Sometimes they have to wait for me to find the right thing!

Cheri is (as always!) giving great advice re the flat :T

CW2

Hi Nicca,

Just read through your diary from start to finish - wow, how fantastic you have done so far! I can't believe how much you have paid off your debts and your posts are always so positive and with an "onwards and upwards" attitude even when life throws things in the way. Congratulations :j! I've subscribed and look forward to following your progress to debt freedom!

Cx

niccatw

Hi CW2 . Wow, I'm very impressed you've read my diary all the way through! :T Thank you. It's a tough slog, but the support you receive through MSE cetrainly helps keep me focused.

Cheri - I had a look on redbubble too. Slight problem for me in that I have a bit of a phobia of fish! :rotfl: (When I say "bit"... ) I was very good though and managed not to drop the laptop in fright.

Checked RBS and scheduled loan payment still not in there. Pah! Now if that was the other way round, you know that letter charging me would already be on my doorstep. Harrumph!

Had yet another meeting with my boss today. She basically said she didn't want me to turn into her! :eek: She meant that because we both live on our own (my lodger notwithstanding), we don't necessarily have any-one to spout forth to when we get home and work has been a night-mare.

At least - I hope that's what she meant!!!

No NSD today; had dinner in our conference meeting venue! Very nice it was too (and very easy to make - couscous salad). Any-one listening in who organises conferences for a living would have been wondering how on earth we have managed to make it this far! :rotfl:

I think we walked about 4 miles on our walking training today. Given the sunshine, my feet weren't best pleased. My legs either. It's the furthest we've walked (together) but the slowest we've done. We're blaming the sunshine. But we are not complaining and would like the sunshine to stay!

MrsMoo2U

Maybe you should try sending RBS a bill! Sounds like a nice day and a lovely lunch.
What are you like looking at diving pictures but being scared of fish? If I had known I wouldnt have sent you a link. Now I am terrified of the sea but it draws me to it all of the time. I have been known to have a panic attack during a rainstorm whilst on a catamaran and swear that I am going to die, only to be told that we were just off the beach and I could paddle back in if I needed to.