Debt free in ten years-my new, more realistic challenge.

HappyNow

Hi Poohbear, just checking in to make sure you're OK as you've gone very quiet. You're probably just busy chopping wood .

So cold this last few days, hope you are managing OK without your oil burner. Still, at least the wind and rain have stopped which is a blessing for those of us with draughty old houses x

poohbear59

Thanks Happy, It is bitterly cold here today so I have wrapped myself up in a blanket to sit and write this. Now that we have decided not to replace the boiler on the credit card DH and DS2 have been cutting, transporting and chopping wood. I am the back up crew, doing the feeding a watering. I was relieved that the wind died down but it has been replaced by sub zero temperatures here. Still we have a warm lounge and hot water

We have decided to spend on insulating the house, particularly the hall which is huge and the coldest spot in the house. My job next week is to price up kingspan and insulated board and see where I can find it the cheapest. Insulating is going to be an expensive exercise but it will save a lot in the long run.

I went out on Thursday to do some Freegling and Freecycling. We went shopping at Aldi and this time didn't then go on to Mr T or other shops to buy the bits they don't sell. I have managed to give away all the old single sheets and duvets that were just taking up space. I was given a load of files so I can sort out all the paperwork more easily. Because we live so far from towns when we go out we try to do as many things as possible the same day.

The bad news is that DH has no paid work for the next week or two. It means he can get on and do some repair and insulating jobs around the house but we don't have the extra money to pay for materials. If we go ahead we need to be extra sure that we don't increase our debts.

poohbear59

To make life bearable we need to spend even though we are trying to cut back even further.

We need:
2 exterior doors as the front and back porch door were badly damaged in the recent storms.
Insulation for hall roof and exterior walls

We would like:
To complete double glazing the back of the house.
A new central heating boiler.
A more up to date 4x4 to get out in the Winter

Tomorrow's job is to price up insulation for the hall and to find the cheapest exterior doors I can. I need part glazed, a half glazed back door will do.

beanielou

The joys of home ownership~Not!

poohbear59

beanielou wrote: »

The joys of home ownership~Not!

How very true!
We used to call this house 'The Money Pit' after the film. It is 17th century so we have had to learn a lot about how to respect it too.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::eek::eek::eek:

HappyNow

Hello, I hope you're staying cheerful

Our house is 17th century too. I love the mullions and the beams and the fireplaces. I hate the damp and the drafts and the cold. Mr Happy (when in one of his more philosophical moods) reminds me that the house was damp, drafty and cold long before we were born and will still be damp, drafty and cold long after we're dead. He's right of course, and we are very lucky to be living in such beautiful old buildings, but it doesn't make the winters any easier!

Hope the quest for doors and insulation is going well x

poohbear59

I am managing to keep warmer now. DH and DS2 have spend the last three days cutting and chopping wood. And for the very first time the fire stayed in last night:D It is great how much keeping warm can lift your spirits.

After a lot of research I have found that ebay seems to have the cheapest insulation. I am going to call the local builders merchant to find if they will match the prices.

poohbear59

The heat logs managed to get the radiators hot last night It makes me feel so much better when I am not cold. I got £120 for my birthday so I can use it to pay off part of the garage bill.

poohbear59

I just realised I wrote a post yesterday showing exactly where I stand and how much we need to pay off over the next 7 years. It was very depressing But I seem to have lost the post.

HappyNow

Ah happy belated birthday. If I remember correctly you have now joined my 53 club!


Shame you lost the post. That happened to me when I completed my snowball calculator - is that what you used? It wouldn't let me save it because I wasn't logged in, then when I logged in the calculations disappeared. I remember it gave me a debt-free date of April 2019, so plenty of time to re-do it!