Nice People 13: Nice Save

LydiaJ

PasturesNew wrote: »

Also, not every house is increased in value by the amount it costs you to do the work. That's just a fallacy, a falsehood promoted by the telly.... and mostly in [a] London old/shabby houses with a stroke of luck with the market moving [c] houses were the developer is spending OOOODLES on it, to bring it up to "Wow - HIGH Spec".

[d] house improvements done when the market was rising rapidly anyway.

PasturesNew wrote: »

I could get one of those things called jobs, to pay for more work... but is that a good use of my time? To work just to build another bit? I don't think that's me. To pay out £20k on another bit would mean earning about £30k - and that's £30k "spare money", so it might take 3 years of working to save up for it. Is it worth 3 years of 8-6 working and no freedom? Not really.

It is interesting that you describe your current lifestyle as "freedom" compared with having a job. Just shows how different we all are. I would find the necessity of paring my expenditure to the bone to live as you live to be much more limiting than the requirements of going to work some of the time. Yes, I know, I only do 50% FTE, and that only in term time, but all the same...

PasturesNew wrote: »

Just been sitting here wondering if I could get what I want for £10k, by just having a simple "outhouse"/porch. Say something 1m wide just for the loo, a good sized utility sink and the WM. Adjoined to a new entrance porchway that's turned 90 degrees from the current front door orientation. Even if I were chomping at the bit to do this, it wouldn't be until 2016-17, just to decide

Don't think of it as spending the next year or two stressfully "making a difficult decision". Just build dozens of porches, extensions and other improvements in your imagination, and on your computer, in a "purely hypothetical pipe dream" way, and without putting yourself under any pressure to "decide". Then maybe you'll find yourself getting bored with the idea and realise that you've decided not to do it, or else you'll find one particular idea keeps sticking in your mind, and you can get more serious about investigating whether it's possible.

CKhalvashi

LydiaJ wrote: »

[d]It is interesting that you describe your current lifestyle as "freedom" compared with having a job. Just shows how different we all are. I would find the necessity of paring my expenditure to the bone to live as you live to be much more limiting than the requirements of going to work some of the time. Yes, I know, I only do 50% FTE, and that only in term time, but all the same...

Although for some, having about the same coming in as it going out, but working part-time for it can be considered freedom.

I'm happy working as I do (4am-3pm, 5/6 days a week), because I have freedom of the evenings with my DD's, and freedom to choose where I want to be in holidays, but for others I can appreciate it's not the case.

Surely life is about living how you want, and from what I can understand from your posts Lydia, we both have that, just in different ways

Yorkie1

I have finally planted the autumn-planting daffs and tulip bulbs.

They will either come up, or not. What was certain that they would not come up if simply left in their bags.

I should get the Christmas decs down now but have lapsed back into apathy and procrastination. (Other things which are more important are being put off first!).

It's flippin' freezing though. That wind goes straight through you. Luckily the house provided shelter during the said bulb planting.

CKhalvashi

I haven't had time to think about gardening at all yet, and probably won't until the spring.

Tax return for last year is now done and details just need to be imputted into computer, and when that's done, a large glass of Coke is in order, methinks.

Well done for being so organised Yorkie, and hope they come up and aren't frozen to death

LydiaJ

CKhalvashi wrote: »

Although for some, having about the same coming in as it going out, but working part-time for it can be considered freedom.

I'm happy working as I do (4am-3pm, 5/6 days a week), because I have freedom of the evenings with my DD's, and freedom to choose where I want to be in holidays, but for others I can appreciate it's not the case.

Surely life is about living how you want, and from what I can understand from your posts Lydia, we both have that, just in different ways

Indeed. Working part time and having enough money for my needs is about as free as life gets for me - although of course there are many things I am not free to do because of having kids, especially with no other parent to share them with. Wouldn't swap them for the extra freedom, though.

silvercar

There is a house on my road that is having an extension. Lots of scaffolding up. The house roof itself is covered in blue plastic sheets, the top of the scaffolding is boarded, the sides of the scafolding have white grooved plastic sheeting providing a wall effect around the roof area.

At least, that was the story yesterday. Today the white plastic sheeting is broken and parts are billowing like sails in the wind

LydiaJ

PasturesNew wrote: »

I have had so many knockbacks over the years. Time and time again. Every year. I grew tired of it and now lack confidence. I know I've worked for bad oppressive bosses and that's a very depressing way to live. Knowing you're tied to a specific desk every day, without fail, except the 4 weeks + bank holidays off, without respite, with trouble booking holidays off ..... awkward bosses, uncomfortable surroundings. Not good.

Me not working is a bit like somebody walking away from domestic violence really. I was emotionally abused many, many times in the workplace. It's awful out there.

ukmaggie45

Dear Generali, am glad to hear you are safely home!

I thought you might be interested in a play that will be on at the Sydney Opera House until Jan 17 (opened Jan 7).

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/theatre/masquerade-how-kate-mulvany-unlocked-the-secrets-of-kit-williams-classic-tale-20141219-12aj1k.html

I read about it on DoveGreyReader's blogpost about it.

Might be a nice thing to take your kids to if there's still ticket availability?

Best wishes to you and your family from Liverpool!

michaels

LydiaJ wrote: »

Don't think of it as spending the next year or two stressfully "making a difficult decision". Just build dozens of porches, extensions and other improvements in your imagination, and on your computer, in a "purely hypothetical pipe dream" way, and without putting yourself under any pressure to "decide". Then maybe you'll find yourself getting bored with the idea and realise that you've decided not to do it, or else you'll find one particular idea keeps sticking in your mind, and you can get more serious about investigating whether it's possible.

After all I understand it is not unusual to enter the house through the conservatory.

chewmylegoff

Were all your jobs at small companies PN?