My Money/saving adventure!

Teacher2

You seem to have considerable resilience and fortitude to be able to rise above your unfortunate beginnings. I too had a difficult childhood (though for different reasons and to a lesser extent) and I can sympathise with your desire to focus on the future. I saw a good job (I became a teacher) and financial independence as the keys to a happy life and so they have proved. I have been cautious, risk averse, prudent and careful with money, saving where I could. These are not characteristics appreciated by others but they have served me well and they will bring you security, independence and happiness. My biggest shock and disappointment came when my father, other relations and friends who knew how poor I had been and how hard I had worked became jealous and resentful of my success and started calling me 'lucky' and 'rich' as if some friendly fairy had waved a wand and given me something for nothing. This will probably happen to you as you are clearly going to be a successful person. You'll have to find some way of dealing with it. Best of good fortune to you!

The_Magnificent_Spoon

Just thought I would give a quick update while lounging around in bed on a sunny Monday!

Managed to find a flat mate, all moved in and seems like the perfect flat mate for me. Quiet, tidy but sociable. Maybe a bit too quiet, but he's not been here long and is new to everything round here!

Ebaying is going reasonably. Although it is extremely annoying trying to sell things on there. People just seem to expect everyone selling on there to be running a shop, and be tied down to their PC answering questions all day, every day. Receiving nasty messages from people because I've not replied within an hour, or because their post was late and they've not received something exactly on their estimated delivery date, is a bit demoralising. I can't wait till I've finished getting rid of everything, although will take me a couple of months at this rate!

So things are looking good, I've spent quite a lot more than I was intending this month on family/friends but I should still well be on target!

squeen

you done well and thank you for sharing us with your story. Your goal ,£25k,I think there always be ,i hope you can get. From your experencise, i have leant a lot.You are so good and optimistic .yeah,there is always hope,only if you can be optimistic.

The_Magnificent_Spoon

Hey all,

Just thought I would take a few minutes to update on how I'm doing!

I managed to get a flat mate in, who turned out to be a bit weird. Through him though I've made a couple of good, normal mates. He is moving out, across the country though (temporarily...) next week but I think I'm done with living with others!

Good fortune has hit me this week, and I've made quite a bit of extra money through work totalling around £2.5k. Which, takes me to not too far off my goal! I'll be working my bum off for the rest of the month in the hope that ill hit my target by August. Ill be visiting a mortgage advisor this week for some initial advice etc this week, so things are looking good! its unbelievable to think of where I was just four years ago, and here I am looking for houses to buy!

Apart from that, things are a bit up and down. I've had some good days, where things have been going well and I've been enjoying life, and some bad days where several people who were supposed to be friends have managed to make me feel like crap through misguided attempts at being 'funny'. So I'm a few friends down, but never mind. I'd rather be a bit lonely than have people I can't trust around me.

So in general, I'm well on track! With a bit more hard work and luck, I'll be in my own place by the end of the year!

novagirl

Well done on such a great achievement Good luck with the meeting with the mortgage advisor.

coolcats

You are doing well, well done. I hope the meeting goes well.

The_Magnificent_Spoon

Well, its the end of the month (ish), I've just been paid, and I've finally reached my goal!

After a hectic month and some decent overtime, I've finally made it to the £25k target that I've been saving up for. Which gives me just enough for my deposit, plus fees and anything I'll need for moving.

In more good news, I've been to see a couple of mortgage advisors. Both have said theres absolutely no problems with me getting a mortgage for the amounts I was looking at. I was a little worried, as I did have some bad credit history from the situation with my ex a few years back, but five years of completely unblemished credit history (having paid off a loan, flexi loan, overdraft, three credit cards and two credit agreements!) has left me in good standing.

So, that's the easy work done with, now I need to get a start on the difficult work... finding a house! The problem is, I know exactly WHERE I want to live (which is exactly where I am now, I love it here), but the houses here are not exactly WHAT I want. I've kind of been spoilt with my apartment, as it is huge, and has big, open plan rooms. The houses around here are the opposite though, lots of small cramped rooms.

It has to be here though, I love my town, I love my area (nice and quiet, yet modern), I love the location (close to the train station so I can get about the country easily). It's just a shame that there isn't a house that's nice and open, with a garden bigger than a shoe box.

Best keep looking!

coolcats

Well done on reaching your target. You have done well to pay off the debts and save so much. I hope you find the perfect house that you want to be home.

The_Magnificent_Spoon

I have had some good luck with my savings I admit, last month I made an extra £2000 which I never expected. Without that I might have been running a bit behind! I'm there now though but it's not stopping me, I'm getting my bum into gear and catching up on some of the ebaying that I've been slacking on.

Have probably a good week of ebaying to get done. It does still seem weird though that I don't NEED the money like I used to, I used to have to sell things just so I could afford to go shopping. I hope I never have to go through those days again!

I've spent the weekend house hunting, and have found a really nice place. It's a little small, but as its just for me it should be fine. It's in a nice quiet area, near a canal lock. There is a slight problem though - in that the house in my opinion is overpriced by about £10k-£15k. I could afford it, but I'd feel cheated out of my hard earned savings if I paid over the odds for it.

So, guess I need to put my business hat on tomorrow and start negotiating!

*mudangel*

Have just read your story. Very inspiring stuff! Congratulations on reaching your goal and very exciting news to be looking for a house! Totally get what you mean about getting value for money on a house, it sounds like you're sensible enough to do what's right for you.

Keep us posted!