Coming home from a 6 month trip; Any tips?

Cats_pajamas

Hello all,
I have had the most wonderful 6 months travelling in South East Asia and now I'm back. My trip was largely made possible due to the help of this site, allowing me to sort out my money, and my attitude to money and then empowering me to take the big plunge to travel and have some time for me. I worked hard for it and had a lot of help from a lot of you so Thank You. :beer:
Now I'm back and keen to keep up the good work started before so I have financial choices (some of them very important) to make. Some things I might even have over looked.
I don't have debt on my return. I am returning to my old job and have got a tax rebate for the last year and a small amount back from the bank for unlawful bank charges. I am minding (but paying full rent for) a friends house for 2 more months with my boyfriend and then plan to get back into my flat which was rented to work colleagues (without profit) while I was away.
The things that are occurring to me are;
I need to get my car back on the road (currently insured, off road (SORN) and in need of an MOT (govt test centre booked for 19th April).
I would like a mobile phone contract and was with vodafone so am trying to get a good deal from them but am open to moving supplier so long as I can keep my number and its not too complicated a deal.
I will need a new mortgage (NW 2 year fixed rate expired 2 months ago while I was away so I need to act fast, I think) but I am thinking about buying out the second owner on the flat and/or selling in a year or so. I actually feel that shelling out a few hundred pounds for expert advice on this might be a good idea as it feels like a very big and potentially minefield filled project. BF and I would like to buy a place together in the not too far distant future.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I live in South London so any local advice would be welcome (if necessary by personal message). Redirection to any siomilar threads would be great as well.
Bye for now and thank you in anticipation,
Cat
PS It was great fun living on $10 a day including everything!!!:money:

richardw

You may be shocked about house price rises in South London, so buying out the other owner may be more expensive than you think.

Cats_pajamas

exactly my worry - but the situation could get worse for me. Its staggering esp around here in Streatham. My firends are selling and they are shocked.
Thanks,
Cat