Preparedness for when

DawnW

fuddle wrote: »

Renting allows you the flexibility of moving on when opportunities arise. When DH saw that his company were opening up in Dorset back in August we went for it, got it and very quickly realised he needed to be down there by December 1st. We've had only a few months to arrange this opportunity - a one we would have had to let go should we still have the mortgaged house.

Reality is that we won't be getting on the housing ladder as it is, never mind moving to the more expensive south. Our financial plan consists of saving all through our working lives to buy a retirement property at retirement. We are now of the mindset of we work to pave our way through life and to secure our future for when we are not able to earn an income. Of course the same worries apply with funding repairs when owning but I think I'd have more sleepless nights worrying about paying rent on our pensions as I tend to think we will be on our own by then - what will be in the private pensions is what we'll most likely get.

Fuddle, my OH and I are MUCH older than you, and we kind of did what you are planning to do. We didn't have a repossession issue, but were simply SOO skint that nobody would have even considered us for a mortgage. We were married at 18, OH worked on a farm (very low paid in those days before the minimum wage) and I was a SAHM to 3 children, as back in those days, if you weren't either well paid, or a social services case, there was no childcare available, and we lived far from family who might have helped out. Once kids were all at school, I got myself some qualifications and got a job. Gradually we paid off the debts incurred in simply paying the bills and putting food on the table (and I know there are many in this very position today ) saved a deposit as the kids grew up, and bought a modest terraced house in a local market town. We have now paid off the mortgage and it is ours, or at least not the bank's any more. It is very modest, and we have never been, and never will be, on the 'housing ladder' - no good with heights me :rotfl:

So, hopefully it will work out for you as well We didn't splurge once we were debt free, and still don't, not being particularly interested in expensive holidays, gadgets, etc. Being old, you get to realise that nothing is new, what happens in the past comes round again, and hopefully it will work out as well for you in the future, and like us, you might get there before retirement - don't give up!

ginnyknit

We visited a little Yorkshire town on the way home yesterday, Richmond, and it was lovely to see small shops thriving - butchers, bakers and small local charity shops. People were waving to shop keepers and smiling :eek: I remeber the main street here was like that 20 years ago. I ran a Sue Ryder shop when the lady herself was still in charge and running a community shop was more important than profits - although the first led naturally to the second. I miss it so much, it was like a little village. Now we have Mr A and little else. Down the road the market is thriving despite being in Mr T's car park but its still a little limited.

I despair of my family, well, my Sil really. Last week there was an emergency, her son thought he had broken his leg and was househusband for the day. ' Mum can you come and pick up the boys so dad can take me to A&E' However he didnt know she had broken a false nail so had to rush to the salon and get it fixed first :mad::mad: and had them re-painted while she was there :mad: You really couldnt make it up.

[Deleted User]

Oh MAR we live in a biggish village with one bus an hour in either direction and none at all on Sundays. There has been one burglary that I know of in the 20 years we've been here and I know nearly everyone I meet when I'm out and about. Docky knows more people than I do and they're all very polite and speak to him if we meet them, leaving me confused, easily done I know! They've just stopped the bus running a loop through the village as they were worried that it passed the school and this village is so quiet in the daytime you can hear the birds singing. The noisiest happening is when the local football club have matches in the recreation ground up the road and that is at 2ish on a Sunday afternoon and it's the enthusiastic supporters cheering!!!. It's not at all scary pet, and not at all like NYC or even York, it's a lovely sleepy backwater and very comfy to be in, Lyn xxx.

fuddle

Mar I've been looking at crime stats in the south and in comparison to the NE its sleepsville!

Towns 'down there' in the county I'm off to are quaint, adorable, well looked after, clean and have a relaxed atmosphere, people have a sense if pride... in a town! the towns are connected by vast amounts of beautiful countryside and very expensive looking rural villages. It's difficult to put into words but I felt safe while down there. Would I go to London though? Would I 'eck! I'd be petrified and on edge all the time.

I think you're right in saying we've still got time on our side. When I get to working again and the children don't need before/after school care (was costing us over £500 per month when I worked for that brief care for 2 children) then we will hopefully have some scope to save more we've spoken before about trying to get a mortgage on a ground floor flat as they tend to be priced around 90k, would be ground floor for mobility issues etc

Who knows but what I do know is that we'll never achieve a mortgage on a dream home - I'd be scared to try and contentment means more to me than striving.

thriftwizard

Mardatha, I can walk for 5 minutes through our little town (provided I don't stop to chat to too many friends) then I'm in farm & woodland, dotted with ancient monuments, & may only see a couple of other people all day, depending on my route. I'm within half an hour's drive of beaches that scarcely see a soul all year, because there's no car park near them so it's a fair old hike down to a beach with no "facilities" or shops. I'm also within 20 minutes of a beach that's black with roasting bodies & sticky with ice-cream in high season and areas where you wouldn't want to walk alone at night... so what you describe is there, but it's only a very small part of the South!

mardatha

Good thats nice
Up here right now it's monsoon rain, wet sheep, and a very ratty virgo.

craigywv

I live in small area right beside the city center, believe it or not its quiet. Because our city is right on the edge of our country the sea is 5 mins drive from my house also in other direction 10 mins drive your up a mountain sheep, cows the lot! my friend lives in a housing estate 5 mins from me her front door is Belfast city and open her back door and its cows at end of her garden.I love living here we are not too populated and plenty of forests , fields etc... 10 mins up motor way is mum and dad now they live in the depths of the countryside long lanes etc. and my sister is even further into the sticks and she only 25 mins away. I enjoy living where I do knowing I can be in seaside/ country within minutes.

[Deleted User]

MAR put the RV out into the field and bring the sheep in to dry off!!! one at a time, not all together or they'll puff up and you'll be wedged in a corner of the room!!!

[Deleted User]

Just spotted 400g tins of Heinz soup, at Asda, for 50p a tin.

Bought a pack, of 24 tins of tomato.

Karmacat

GreyQueen wrote: »

They were playing rock & roll but I can't jive. So I kinda boogied in place because the street was all crowded and buzzy and I was as happy as a pig in mud.

Trying to catch up, after having been off mse for weeks through illness, and I just love, love, love this bit :jits sort of what prepping is about, really - making sure you have the skills and resources in place so that you can be happy as a pig in mud :beer: