Saving £100k for mortgage, living a simple life

earthgirl

Thanks courgettes for your encouragement and support. I have let things deteriorate with the kids sleep. I think I am back on track ds 2 no longer sleeps in our bed (just cause he sleeps longer then) and ds1 now goes to bed without me in the bed after 3 years. I am not blaming lack of support its my responsibility to endure they develop good habits.

Have a mix if good news and bad to report. Good news was we found a house we lloved and it meant a whole new life by the sea in Scotland near to where we were on holiday. Amazing house and so much cheaper than Cheshire! But we had our buyer round today with a surveyor/builder friend of hers. They were talking about height problems o on the attic conversion for ages (previous owners did it) and at the end she didn't seem very keen and I feel a bit deflated. I really hope it goes through and we can start our Scotland adventure, but I doubt it.

On the upside I did a tutoring and only spent 20pounds on a hen do afternoon out today. It was my first time away from both children and it was lovely!!

Courgette

It may have been a tactic to make you think they weren't interested so they could come in with a sneaky offer and you'd be so shocked and surprised you'd take it. We attempted this once by leaving a week between second viewing and putting an offer in. Didn't work though, they still knocked it back!

Signs are that the housing market's picking up again so don't worry too much (easier said than done I know)

earthgirl

hmm hadn't even thought about tactics!!

Feeling a lot happier now and all loved up with oh, he has been lovely lately. We have decided that we don't need to worry too much if this buyer drops out, our Scotland adventure can begin next year.

Brodiebobs

Wow sounds fantastic, as courgette said it may be a tactic, we did and it worked even though our 'builder friend' was DH uncle.

summerday

Hope things work out buying and selling your houses. Having just been through it all I know how stressful it can get. Agree with the others that it could be tactical pretending not to be keen etc.

Hope your little boys are sleeping better now too. Like Courgette, I have done some controlled crying, using the Ferber method and was glad I did. My dd was so much happier in the daytime too when she got in the habit of getting herself to sleep and staying asleep all night. Feels awful hearing them cry at the time though.


Glad the party went well and thanks for the tips, I've taken notes! X

earthgirl

Thanks for the positives as always. We have made headway with ds1 sleep he now goes no bed on his own and will let oh take him up and read him a story. Before it had to be me for three years!! We just pandered to him too much and I let it get silly. Next step is to let him be put to bed by a 'baby sitter' maybe my mum.

Didn't do controlled crying but will probably do this with ds2 soon.

As I predicted our buyer has come back with work needed to be done to ensure the attic conversion done by the previous owners has building regs. We re onot impressed as we explained we were not selling it as an attic conversion just a storage roo and aalways said even on the first viewing we were selling as it is. There is no way we are reducing our price so we will find out on Tue if she still wants to go ahead.
Fncially it is bett Aprf next year anyway due to the fixed costs of oh businesg to scotla
However s
As we have been talking a lot about moving up to the west coast of Scotland lately witih oh adapting his business and me being unemployed, r

earthgirl

Sorry I can't get my phone to type or edit my posts so they are a bit all over the place. Just wanted to finish by saying that as we were imagining having low income and high mortgage due to the possible move, it has really sharpened our focus on reducing costs and increasing income.

I have been through the overhaul your finances plan, and have changed energy company. I also have to apply for working tax credits and go through the up your income guide.

Out of seven a level and gcse tutees six of them got a* and one got an a. I was so nervous as 4 of them only had an hour lesson with me per week and we're entered as external candidates. Anyway two of them have re booked for the next year and I will get some testimonials for my website to push it a bit further.

In terms of reducing costs, we have decided to cut down our wine consumption to 5bottles per week at 4pounds per bottle. If I can get our weekly shop for food and other household things in at 20 pounds including nappies and baby stuff as well, i would be well on the way to making the sort of changes we need to afford the new mortgage.

I have started bytrying to reduce the consumables. I have been using washable wipes and nappies and reducing our use of kitchen roll and other such things. When we find out if we are moving I can do more such as make more paper briquettes from junk mailand ccollecting more logs.

I am going to try to think of ways to reduce our washing bill too. I have been mostly using little or no petrol each day, and doing free activities which the children have loved and done with their friends as well, brambling and making jelly and also a free swum at a local health club. Currently we are having a very relaxing cheap break at mums and going on to dads to use the free teacher sea life voucher. Happy days here!!

earthgirl

Well you were all right and it looks like it was a tactic to knock money off, as the buyer wants to go ahead despite us not knocking anything off. So OH has put in another offer on our dream house in Scotland. very very nervous now... everything could change!!

FloppyDisk

Hello earthgirl, I'm a little bit late to join the party but just been catching up with your diary now, and WOW what an exciting day! Sounds like you have a cheeky buyer but you can't blame her for trying, hopefully she sees that she has a good deal and everything goes as smoothly as possible where house sales are concerned. Are you having to get a mortgage for your new place?

Best of luck and will keep and eye on your brilliant progress!

Floppy x

Muser1

Wow so exiting! Scotland is my dream too. Do you have a link to your old diary I am newish so didn't read it first time around. xx