Countdown to Freedom

Cheery_Daff

Hi tilly,  and welcome back!

I don't think I originally followed your diary (although I was around on MSE back then), but I have read it all since 😮😂 (in my defence - if one is needed - I think I started when I had covid and no energy to do anything else,  and got swept along with your enthusiasm 😂 I confess I never actually do tilly tidies 🙈 but I have very much annoyed your focus. 

Good luck with your new adventures,  

Cheery x

Viking_mfw

I actually just started my second read through a couple of weeks ago. It helps to keep the focus when nothing much is happening in that mid month point! Like others I discovered your diary through investigating what TTs were. 

greent

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS said:

Thanks Greent. It's good to be back albeit with a different focus. How are things with you? 

All is good here, thanks. Daughter got engaged last weekend 🥰. Middle son has just started uni and we've bought a motorhome to aim for a better work/ life balance 😁

Mrs_Money_Penny

Hi Tilly so wonderful to hear from you with an update and living a wonderful life in the sun. Look forward to hearing about your next adventure. It’s made my day an update from you. xx

debtfreewannabe321

Hi Tilly, I have been doing TT since the first time I was on MSE (years ago!) I still do them now Great to hear your updates!

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

What a lovely community MFW is. I'm supposed to be weeding in the allotment but having injured my shoulder I'm not able to at the moment. Weather is cloudy and cool over here. Just in case anyone thinks it's wall to wall sunshine, we need the rain and have a week of it ahead.

Finding a good builder in the Algarve is a nightmare. We're fortunate to have found one to do the renovation but the snagging fix stuff was a bit tricky. There are too few builders, plumbers, electricians here. We're wondering whether to stick with the builder we know, or find a new one,

We are going to start researching insulating options for building. It's cold & damp here in the winter. 

Thanks for reading and it's lovely to hear from people xx

savingholmes

I don't think I followed your diary live - but have read about 2/3rds of it since you got MFW.

Good luck with the tradespeople.

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Looks like we are going with the previous builder. It's going to be a long journey but at least the design is no longer on a napkin. L shaped house, with kitchen, utility and garage on the short  side of the L. Bedrooms/bathrooms on the long side facing the garden. All rooms will open to the courtyard style walled garden. Should mean we can grow passion fruits etc against some of the walls. The garden will be sheltered and avocado, fig trees will be planted. We've never managed to grow avocado trees. Our site is supposedly too open, yet neighbours have managed it

The garden will be smallish and secluded with the outside kitchen near the house. May end up being adjacent to the kitchen with a large overhang from the house. We can use 300msq for all building including patio, pool, garage, house. That really needs to include any covered or permanent surface. Our current drive to the garage is illegal as it is outside the 300smsq. Pretty complicated given we live in the middle of nowhere & there's no-one to complain 

I'm thinking of writing a blog about the whole build as we've had lots of people asking advice about our renovation which is now 4 years old. The more people share, the fewer mistakes people make which can be costly

Spreadsheet is up and running to track spends for the build which start way before there's a hole in the ground.

Off to make some BNS soup for supper. I'm grateful most days for MSE. The things you learn don't leave you

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

savingholmes said:

I don't think I followed your diary live - but have read about 2/3rds of it since you got MFW.

Good luck with the tradespeople.

Good luck on your journey. It seems never ending at times but every penny off the capital is a reduction in interest. I love that thought

KajiKita

I have been reading your diary on and off for as long as I have been posting here - finally finished! So happy for you that you are MF, your children are happy, Mr T is healthy and busy and the renovations are so clear and so positive in your mind 😊

You asked about posting here when talking about controlling the renovation costs rather than becoming MF. I don’t see why it would be a problem. For me, this board is about the nitty gritty and practicalities of achieving dreams - whether it’s being MF or building the home of your dreams - please keep posting 😊

KK

PS - good luck with the avocados 😊 🥑