The impossible dream

Tahlullah.H

Wow!  Thank you @Humdinger1 and @Mrs_Money_Penny.  That is so nice of you to say.  To be fair, I have not been the recipient of the negative comments, it's that I have observed it and tried to make comment.  Perhaps I should not have engaged, but a failure to challenge makes them think they are right and everyone agrees with their damaging, degrading viewpoint.  Anyway, today is another day and it is good to know that there are others that feel the same way about supporting and lifting others, rather than tearing people down.

I remember saying on here a very long time ago, when Tilly was still around, that Society is judged on how we treat those in need.  Unfortunately, this society on here is somewhat lacking.  But it is always the ones who want to voice their special brand of  'I am perfect, follow me'  who put themselves forward as the voice of the masses and are the loudest.  I should do well to remember that all we are doing is hearing the voice of the loudest, not the majority.

badmemory

Please don't judge us all by the comments of the few.  I too saw some comments around a week ago the like of which I have not seen before on the mortgage & debt free boards & hope I never do again.  I'm afraid some people just can't help themselves, but please ignore them.

savingholmes

I am subscribed to loads of diaries - and most of the time people are very supportive. 

Ironically the harshest comments seem to be reserved for the newbies who are just starting to realise they need to change. It took me several debt cycles before my light bulb came on and stayed on. That doesn't mean my earlier attempts to sort things out weren't valid - they brought me to where I am today - almost debt free. 

I hope you stay. I value reading your journey and your support along the way.

greent

Ahhh - I haven't seen anything recently - but I know the sort of comments you mean. The mfw board used to be generally free of many of those - although I do remember many years ago there were some morally superior (for want of a better description) comments on new diaries, usually from the same 2 or 3 self satisfied smug people - I have no idea of that's how the comments were meant to come across, but I didn't read them as particularly supportive. I hope there's not an increasing amount of those type of ppl on here - I've always found it to be pretty friendly - I only really read the diaries I'm subscribed to nowadays, though so don't see much.

Tahlullah.H

Lovely to hear from you greent and glad that you are still reading.  And thanks for your comments savings and badmemory.  It is unfortunate that there are those who we shall call 'morally superior', but the art is to ignore them, and hope that whoever is on the receiving end is strong enough to not buckle if they are going through a rough patch and in need of support.

Anyway, I battle on, everything is just about stagnant.  I am hoping building work will resume when the weather improves. 

I bought another electric throw as my original has given up the ghost.  But, I got my closing bill from Together E and I was over £300 in credit.  All good so it will help to build my buffer for later this year when the usage will spike. 

It is becoming harder to buy diesel, as so many fuel stations are without, driving from one to another, and having to pay silly high prices because the price is high anyway and then they know they are the only station with any in the area.

I need to spend money on the campervan as it needs servicing.  I did the car, now the camper, but I will have to save for this.  Hopefully, I will get it done before June so I can get a bit of use before winter comes round again.

savingholmes

Great news on having £300 in credit! 

Good luck getting fuel. Hope the servicing goes well. Have you got any camper van trips planned?

Tahlullah.H

No Savings, I don't have any trips planned, as the campervan can't be relied on until it has been serviced, and with everything going on so far this year, it has been on the back burner.

Anyway, a positive is I managed to pay £1k to the mortgage, which is really great.  I wanted to do this, just to make progress!  Perhaps not the best time to be putting money into the mortgage, others might say it would have been better invested in the S&S Isa, but I feel much better watching the mortgage amount reduce.  My current 2 year fix comes to an end next March, and the interest rates will be higher than expected, so the less to pay interest on, the better. 

This year is going to be difficult.  It is bad enough now, but come October, it will get so bad, I don't know how we will all cope financially.  So, paying off this debt remains a high priority.  2.5 years remain to pay it off based on my calculations, which still puts me on target of before my 60th birthday.  So much for the plan to pay my mortgage off early and retire early!  Abysmal fail.

As the man to put the glass in the house staircase hasn't returned, I have been thinking, perhaps I should just add another wooden bar to the staircase, rather than go contemporary with glass.  I think I will look at this alternative.  Not sure of the cost, but it might work out cheaper than the £1k I am expected to pay.  Plus, it might happen quicker.

The chimney is now starting to concern me.  Not in itself, but the scaffolding.  The garden room is due for delivery in May and if the scaffolding is still here, they won't be able to get it into the garden as it will block their way.  Anyway, I will keep my fingers crossed for some good weather - not attached to a Bank Holiday - that will allow the builder to come and do the chimney so the scaffolding can be removed. 

Work still to be done and paid for.  Money already allocated in PB's.

Staircase - wood or glass.  Starting to think wood.
Garden Room
Underfloor heating for garden room
External chimney
Scaffolding

One step at a time.

badmemory

Sticking my nose in here to say I would go for wood not glass.  I'm in my mid seventies now & I have noticed when I am in stores that have glass sides to their stairs that I start to feel a bit dizzy especially when going downstairs & it is definitely the effect of the glass.  One of the joys of getting older, but that is way better than the alternative!

Tahlullah.H

Thanks badmemory, the more I think abut it, the more I agree, and that's before considering the vertigo effect!  The house isn't at all contemporary, so the glass may look out of place.  Whereas the wood will match the staircase.  Yes, the gap between tread and handrail will not be completely filled, but a middle bar will go some way to creating a barrier.  Hey, the house has been like this since I bought it, so anything I do will be an improvement, but I think wood will be better suited.

savingholmes

Good luck with getting the improvements done. I imagine it is really frustrating waiting on all the trades. 

Well done on the mortgage OP. 

Retiring at 60 is still considered early these days. The average for a woman is now around 64.