Millionaire Challenge

Listerbelle

Dear all

I am sorry to be only reading and running without contributing these days.

I am very caught up with my almost-toddler, my child's school and general family life. I have also pulled out my sewing machine for the first time in two or three years, and have sewn a few items for my son. MSE? Possibly. Will it help me be a multi Millionaire? Well, unlikely but it does help me relax and then refocus on aspects of my life that are important to me. I regularly listen to a variety of motivating podcasts...the latest is a new one, recorded in Scotland and called something like UK Property News.

Meanwhile we've run a few numbers by our mortgage lady and it seems we can buy another property for up to $500K if we were to move out of our current home and rent that out. We have three rentals so far. My husband would prefer to have an easier, more relaxing life...but to be honest our rentals rarely cause us any concerns or headaches. Of course it's easy to feel this way when there is some cash stashed to deal with the issues..... Husband would like to move to a nicer area which is further away from the school, I already have an hour round trip twice daily so would prefer to be closer. (His commute is 11 minutes each way...)

OK, back to lurking. Best wishes to all.

lessonlearned

Caz. Just had a quick look at your blog. I love that house.......houses like that are so well built and they can be made to be so cosy and welcoming. I would love to rent it at northern lights time when its ready......

I was thinking of booking a northern lights cruise but I would seriously consider a trip round Bonnie Scotland instead.

I used to live in Helensburgh and we spent many a happy trip touring round the highlands and islands. We even bought land in Orkney but I let my first husband keep it in the divorce settlement because I knew I would never be able to build there.

Apart from my trip to Edinburgh last year I haven't been back to Scotland in over 40 years. I think I'm overdue a visit.

Kaya. I agree take your time. This is all very new to you. You need time process it all and work out how you are going to move forward. The last thing you need is well meant but conflicting advice from family and friends who don't have any real knowledge or experience and whose actions could make matters worse.

I have a niece, now aged 32, who has quite severe Aspergers. She is a lovely girl but she needs a lot of patience and understanding. Her grandparents meant well but they often made delicate situations worse by trying to intervene.

You need support from the right professionals and parents who are in the same situation so you know how to deal with it all. You can tell family and friends when you feel comfortable that you have the knowledge and experience to address their questions and assumptions.

My youngest son doesn't have Aspergers but he does have slight dyslexia and dispraxia. He is arty and dreamy and when he was a child he was not your typical "rough and tumble sports mad boy". He was very sensitive and couldn't bear to be teased. His grandparents didn't really understand and thought he was a bit of a wimp and would get exasperated with him. It didn't make for easy visits at times and I was always relieved when the visit was over.

Good to hear from you Muhren, glad you are enjoying your new job. Exciting times.

Yes I think Tink must be on holiday by now. Hope she is having a whale of a time.

Nice bright sunshine here. I have a car load for the charity shop - just trying to summon up the enthusiasm to get cracking.......:rotfl:

ms_night_ryder

Ll you seem to be at the chazza weekly now they must love you! Are you still avoiding the chazza that didn’t want your stuff that time? That made me laugh!

I didn't know what a croft was. I like the blog, the northern lights will be a big attraction come renting time, how exciting.

lessonlearned

No not the same chazza. :rotfl:

I find that different charity shops take different things.

Today I had some items of unwanted furniture and unwanted electrical items. I took them to the YMCA - they test the electricals and they have a couple of guys who can do simple furniture restoration.

Yes the YMCA know me quite well now.....:rotfl: I used to volunteer at Scope so I also donate to them quite regularly.

Hopefully I've nearly finished the big great clear out. Another couple of weeks should see it all done. But in my defence I had to do mum and dads cottage and then dads flat as well as my own stuff.

It's been a bit of a marathon.......

I have to confess to having been a bit of a hoarder in the past but I can assure everyone I'm a changed woman. Losing my husband and my mum and having to deal with their effects has taught me it's only "stuff". Hanging on to it won't bring them back.

Plus I don't shop as much as I used to so hopefully once I have finished it won't pile up again.

At least that's the theory......:rotfl:

Karmacat

Good stuff

Caz, thanks for the blog link - I'd forgotten about that.

cazmanian_minx

LL, you'll be very welcome and mates rates will be available The northern lights are supposed to be really strong again Thursday to Saturday next week, so fingers crossed I'll be able to get a better picture. I hope it's going to be helpful in getting weeks booked in the traditionally very quiet January and February!

cazmanian_minx

Well, I've got a lot to learn about filming and even more to learn about commentary, but if anyone wants a look round the house:

Outside (just under 3 minutes):
https://youtu.be/EgGcCC0SQIA

Inside (just over 11 minutes):
https://youtu.be/GqdSasqDkAw

Karmacat

Ooh Caz! I've watched the first, I'm trying to watch the second, but Firefox is insisting on updating, so its staggering a bit. Looks fantastic, though, really beautiful. Did I hear right, that you own the land but not the house, because of crofting regulations?

cazmanian_minx

Karmacat wrote: »

Ooh Caz! I've watched the first, I'm trying to watch the second, but Firefox is insisting on updating, so its staggering a bit. Looks fantastic, though, really beautiful. Did I hear right, that you own the land but not the house, because of crofting regulations?

Kind of the other way round. What I bought was the tenancy of two crofts - I have to pay an annual rent of just under £65 to my landlord, the Scottish Ministers. The house is considered an 'improvement' to the croft, and I can do what I want with it, but because it stands on tenanted croft land, it's not mortgageable. Fortunately, there is now an absolute right in crofting law for a tenant to have the land their house stands on decrofted, together with a small garden area, so that's one of the things I need to get on with, as it'll take a while to go through and the project is being funded on 0% credit card money transfer offers until the house is mortgageable.

lessonlearned

Great project there, Caz. Beautiful setting and huge potential.

Well I'm very tired today and my back is playing up - all that lifting heavy boxes. However, the good news is dad has now moved and settled in and my major decluttering is now done:j:j I'm just going to finish a last few bits in my bedroom today and then a final swoop in the study later in the week and that's it.

The cellar needs a good sort out but I'll wait for the warmer weather, it's too cold down there for me.

I have 4 boxes for the auction house, mainly Crown Derby and Royal Worcester, some Denby Pottery and some jade. I have no Idea what it's worth.

I also have a box full of unwanted jewellery so I need to see what I can do with that. I might have some of it remodelled to my tastes, some I might sell. There's no point it sitting in a drawer and whilst it's nice enough it's only "average". We're not talking Liz Taylor sized rocks here. :rotfl:

So that's about all the "treasures" dealt with. A big weight off my shoulders and the bank account is looking quite healthy as a result.

Still not found a house yet.......there's nothing that takes my fancy - at least not at a price I want to pay.:rotfl:

Savings going very well and managing to make the most of the cash flow and keep the spending down to acceptable levels. The shower came in on budget.

I have decided to hire someone to do the hall and staircase rather than go the DIY route. It's just too high for either DS2 or myself.

I also have some heavy gardening clearance work to be done before we can sort out the new seating area so again I'm going to buy in some extra help. No point comletely wrecking my back

The house next door has just been thesubject of a renovation programme and has just been valued. They have made a good job and have added around £40k. This bodes well for us although we are not selling yet.

We have decided that this house will be "base camp" whilst we do the next one. Neither of us feels like living on a building site again. The mortgage is only £265 per month and it would cost us twice that to rent anything half decent.

Time to tackle that last bit of decluttering. Should only take an hour or so and then I might potter around the garden after lunch.

Onwards and upwards.