Balancing not just the budget

EssexHebridean

Yes! What DIA said - how's it all going?!

RosaBernicia

New home is wonderful but has no internet til next Friday which is why I'm a bit quiet! I've just finally got round to setting up the laptop with the mobile as a hotspot.

It is a wonderful feeling to know that the place is mine - I can make it the way I want it and (barring disasters) only I choose when and if I leave. I'm still really pleased with the house itself, there is very little that needs doing and it will be so lovely when I've got it all sorted. The neighbours are nice, the area is quiet, the local shop is open til 11 every night and my journey to both work locations is fine. The route for one location actually takes me right past a Wa1trose which I'm sure will come in very handy as they are still the best option for gluten free stuff and it means I will be able to dash in for emergency stock ups. There is also an Ald1 opening nearby.

In the meantime I am still spending my evenings fetching stuff from the old flat which is really wearing thin now - I want it finished so that I can spend my time arranging and sorting it in my new house, and I want time to go exploring my new area and shopping! Still, I'm hoping it will all be done by the end of next week. I do want to replace a lot of my furniture so am looking out for options and popping in the charity shops just in case, as well as looking on 3bay. I already found a fab sofa at an astonishing price and have ordered a bed that was just about exactly what I had been looking for - oddly it was on sale and the cheapest thing in the shop which felt a bit weird, I was prepared to spend money for the right thing so felt a bit of a cheapskate taking the cheapest one but it really was the best one I've seen!

Moneywise things are OK - I managed to track down the electric supplier yesterday despite the estate agents telling me the wrong one, so now that can be sorted - I was getting worried that the lights would suddenly go out as didn't know who was listed for the account! I also got the council tax bill revised for single occupancy. Must sort the electric and CT at the old flat so that they finish up on time. And of course as soon as I've emptied and swiped over the flat I can reclaim my deposit.

I had a payment from the extra contract today which is fab and it will be payday tomorrow. I've already fibbed to YNAB and put it down as today so that I could look at next month's allocations. It looks alright - I've got double CT and rent to pay for the first week or so, plus the interest on the first month of the mortgage, so it's not a usual month. I'm hoping to sort out a new budget from April and there should be some to put aside each month so I will have to think about how to work that. Though I'm afraid I may have the first month already marked as it turns out there's room for a dishwasher


Rosa xx

Tinkerbelle2000

Hi Rosa

A little late to the party but congratulations on your new home.

I hope you are more settled in now and managed to get your deposit back from your rented accommodation.

Tink xx

doingitanyway

Ooh Rosa, we are due another update from your new life. Have you had any more thoughts about a new diary? DIA x

RosaBernicia

Thanks Tink and DIA

Today is my first day properly in my new home - I finished clearing the flat yesterday so finally got to just drive to and from work and my house :j . I so love it. It's wonderful to be out of the city - the drive is so much nicer and here is so much quieter. I wake up to birdsong instead of traffic and even though it's a terrace there is much less noise than from my shouty upstairs neighbours at the flat.

The place is still a tip but I'm really looking forward to getting it all sorted bit by bit. Lots of ideas.

I did do a Sunday shuffle yesterday and things are OK although it's astonishing how quickly the extra money I had saved has gone down - moving van, extra rent, double council tax, upfront line rental, new bed. Fortunately there is nothing major to be done so I'm thinking of just spending money month by month, that gives me time to work out what I want to do with each room. I've requested my full deposit back so am expecting to hear back later in the week. The electricity refund is already on its way and I will ring about the council tax refund later in the week. Oh and the first months' mortgage payment includes the interest for the month, which is OK but it would have been nice if somebody'd warned me because that's over £200 more than the usual payment going forward. I also still need to sort out mortgage insurance cover.

I've brought so much stuff from the flat that is just going to end up at the charity shop because I don't need it here and there is no longer any need to keep it in case I need it at a future house... because now I decide when and if I will move, not a landlord . I will ask the charity who will hopefully collect my old bed to take some extra stuff too.

I haven't decided what to do about a diary yet, but I will be doing a new budget from April so perhaps the two should go together. Will think about it

Sorry to dash off but still lots to do!


Rosa xx

EssexHebridean

So pleased to hear you're finally in and starting to get properly settled!

Boo to solicitors not telling you about the larger than normal first mortgage payment - that should really be a pretty standard warning. I remember the best thing about when we bought here being that thing of realising that as long as we paid the bills nobody could tell us we had to leave. :T

doingitanyway

Birdsong instead of traffic? Got to be good

ZTD

RosaBernicia wrote: »

Thanks Tink and DIA

Today is my first day properly in my new home - I finished clearing the flat yesterday so finally got to just drive to and from work and my house :j . I so love it. It's wonderful to be out of the city - the drive is so much nicer and here is so much quieter. I wake up to birdsong instead of traffic

:eek:

How loud do the birds round there sing?!



What's the mortgage insurance cover for?

RosaBernicia

Belated and very quick Sunday shuffle report from last week - I did do it but have been swamped!

All looking ok but I am feeling much less flush as the costs of moving have hit and I am planning what I want to do with the house which means I've spotted more things that will cost. I have also had to replace the car (long story, not going to go into it here) - think I have found a reasonable deal and do like the new one but basically it has wiped out most of my buffer fund to cover the extra cost of a newer replacement. However, that's what buffer funds are for and I decided I'd rather do that than take it out of the money I had set up for house things. This month has been quite cheap in other areas so there may be some reshuffling I can do on payday - only another week away.

House is still a tip but am making progress. New bed arrived and put together yesterday - rather pleased with it as it was an astonishingly cheap deal (£250 including delivery for double bed frame, mattress, duvet, pillows and duvet set) but looks really good and was very comfy . I gave the old one to charity and will be sending them more stuff as I replace things.

So things are a little hectic but good.


Rosa xx

kerri_gt

Sounds like you're settling in well Rosa, well done on the bed deal. Hope all ok with the car, typical timing eh? Good thing is st least you had that buffer in place. The cost of moving is astonishing isn't it, I swear when we moved I spent days just dishing out cash to various people.
Hope you're loving being in your new pad though. Its a lovely feeling isn't it xx