Living the dream on a 47" Narrowboat:

bast

So briefly we went from a 60,000 pound income to around 20,000 pound. Not wanting to go into detail my beautiful husband became very ill and was told he needed to give up his job. Unfortunately the pension agency did not agree so he earns nothing while I work. But I have him and for me that is everything. I saw how his job was affecting his health and we chose for him to leave. Money never dictates life for me after us both losing very close family members.

However we find ourselves in a mire of debt which as we talk is around the 37,000 mark and today I had that light bulb moment when I need it to stop and we need to start it coming down.

A bit about ourselves we own a house with a hugggggee mortgage we rent this out with a loss... We live on a narrowboat and she is beautifuly very old, and we are slowly doing her up... we chug around the north west and enjoy the slow pace of life and the wonderful wild life we see

What is this life if full of care

We have no time to stand and stare?

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep, or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this, if full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare

I love this poem :

bast

I went home for a while but came back when the debt became incredibly hard to manage in two different counties... thanks to the inspiration of so many diaries on here I have decided to join....:) Lets chug together

Igamogam

Welcome Bast! Just popping in to wish you good luck. I had my LBM yesterday and have felt a bit whoozy ever since - in a weird elated way, and started my diary accordingly. You have made the first step and there is plenty of very useful supportive help on these boards. I started with a few challenges just to keep me focussed and I was surprised just how quickly I have become hooked

I have subscribed to a few interesting threads and diaries too; I had begun to think I was the only one with what seemd like such an insurmountable problem and now I find they are plenty in the same position and who are tackling their debts in many and varied resourceful and creative ways - all inspirational
So If you dont mind I am happy to 'chug' alongside - keep us posted how you are getting on

girlracer

Good luck on your debt free journey

Wordsmith

That's a fab poem to keep you inspired and motivated. For what it's worth, I am with you one hundred per cent on your husband giving up a well-paid job to be able to stand back and "smell the roses" - no amount of money is worth that stressful situation. Yes, you have big debt, but you have made an enormous life-style change to start rectifying this situation - and one that many people on these boards will envy (although I'm sure it is not all a bed of roses!). My advice is to treat the whole debt-busting scene as a hobby and a challenge (which is not the same as "challenging"). It becomes addictive and second nature.

On a practial note, I am assuming the house is in negative equity, hence you keeping it rather than selling?

Good luck!

bast

Thank you for those lovely positive responses how kind you all are... The house is complicated Wordsmith it has around 50,000 pounds in it and I could sell it eventually. Houses are not selling quickly and I am not prepared to reduce it too much... It was worth 210,000 pounds now I would imagine 185,000 if you could get that. The complicated part is it is rented to my children, and a couple of their friends. One is about to leave and they do not want anyone else in there. So we shall take up the shortfall in the rent. What will happen is , when we sell the house we shall obviously keep the majority of the 50,000 pounds, what I want to do is to give my children the rest, that would include anything the house makes and anything the mortgage is reduced by, the longer we have the house the more we can give them.

This might sound strange to people but our family is very close knit and my husband and I want to do this. For us family is everything and we would rather share while alive than give it to them on our deaths.

We love living on the boat we do find it hard but it is so much fun. We get our own water, find our own logs for warmth, we are cosy and although rather intimate, as it is small, it is huge fun:) We often wake up and say lets take her somewhere else I am bored of this scenery this weekend :) Its wonderful to decide to move your house on a whim.. But... we also have to empty our toilet every weekend and doing locks is rather painful...!!! So its not all a bed of roses.. You have to give up a lot of small things that you take for granted... I dont have a washing machine.. I have a twin tub... I dont have a toaster or a microwave... Because everything you use is dictated by the amount of electricty you use .. so even a very small hairdyer, iron uses loads.. We eventually want solar panels and the plan is to be as self sufficient as possible to the point of growing a few veg on our boat...:):) Sorry i have waffled on for too long but I love our boat she is unique...

bast

So today I have spent 13 pounds on basics we have only a small fridge no freezer so we have to shop daily which is fine we take the boat out , park her, and walk into town..:):) Work is hard who wants to work within the public sector at the moment you are told constantly by the government your crap, your customers feel they own your soul but hey I am sooooo lucky to be in work.... Just would love a lottery win I feel proud of the 13 pounds because really I wanted to walk across the fields to the pub, and have two sizzler meals with a free bottle of wine for around 20 pounds, but instead we cooked

candygirl

It sounds idyllic hun:DI went out with a jerk who had a cruiser and when we used to go up and down the canals I always admired the barges, much to his annoyance:D:D:DThe people on them always seemed so laid back and friendly:D:D

tanith

Sounds tough but idyllic bast.. I'm sure many would envy you and what a wonderful thing you are doing for your children... I take my hat off to you and I hope you make headway with your debt..carry on chugging..:)

affordmylife

i would like to see your 47" narrowboat xx

kremmen

Congratulations on your new life.

I am bringing up the rear. I have retired early and income dropped from £30K ish to just over £10k. I am selling my place to my kids ( at a £30k discount so that they can have some return from the sale before I shuffle off).

Once the mortgage is paid off I hope to see you on the cut.

Paul.

PS...I lost the stress and also 3 stones...never felt better :beer: