Renovations and Repayments.

gallygirl

Fantastic Alex, well done :T

AlexLK

maman wrote: »

:T that's amazing. At the rate you've saved I can see the new target being smashed too. Well done!!

gallygirl wrote: »

Fantastic Alex, well done :T

Thanks both.

As for saving more money, we'll have to see as Mrs K is not pleased. My business is not doing so well (problems with ex-business partner) so I'm not taking an income from that at the moment. The money saved is from antiques / other sales less tax. At the moment we are living on Mrs K's wages plus music teaching and money my parents give me for helping with their properties which she is not exactly happy about. We are spending our way through this every month, it's about £3,500 in total, which I think we could be spending less, hence trying to budget again.

Don't really see the savings as just 'mine' but she cannot see that even though she's got access to the money and we made a decision together that the money will be used to improve the house. At the moment she wants to use the savings to get a loan (of a further £35,000) for a car she has seen for sale.

ourcornercottage

Cue MSE expert dismay about mrsLK!

It is really difficult if you aren't both singing from the same hymn sheet so to speak.

Perhaps try to discourage the car purchase / loan first as that would really set you back.

You cannot push the issue though, that just doesn't work. You need to try to be more of a team (easier said than done) and see any saving or debts as a team thing.

I really don't know what to say, I pick up from some of your posts that you seem to think yourself second in the relationship rather than equals. Maybe this might cause some of the money related disagreements.

I'm sure at some point this will change

Watty1

indeed cue dismay re Mrs K and large loan for a car.
Think how much of the house could be done up for that

maman

ourcornercottage wrote: »

I really don't know what to say, I pick up from some of your posts that you seem to think yourself second in the relationship rather than equals. Maybe this might cause some of the money related disagreements.

I'm sure at some point this will change

I think there are massive signs of change. It seems Alex is behaving responsibly and curbing his desire to spend on treats. And I think the parents are increasingly impressed with their son.


I wonder if you spend some serious money on the house, perhaps a luxurious new bathroom so that MrsK can see an outcome from the saving whether she might feel better.


You definitely don't need another car. You have several already.

AlexLK

ourcornercottage wrote: »

Cue MSE expert dismay about mrsLK!

It is really difficult if you aren't both singing from the same hymn sheet so to speak.

Perhaps try to discourage the car purchase / loan first as that would really set you back.

You cannot push the issue though, that just doesn't work. You need to try to be more of a team (easier said than done) and see any saving or debts as a team thing.

I really don't know what to say, I pick up from some of your posts that you seem to think yourself second in the relationship rather than equals. Maybe this might cause some of the money related disagreements.

I'm sure at some point this will change

The thing that annoys me the most is the fact that one day she's really on board, wants to sort the house out, wants to get it paid for ASAP, wants to stop wasting money but the next she's bought something for a few hundred £££s, booked a holiday or is displeased with the fact I'm trying to save money. It's OK whilst it suits her. To be honest I think the only reason she's not decided she'd rather not be overpaying the mortgage is because I've said if she leaves she can have the equity.

I always try to involve her and go along with what she wants most of the time, so I'm on her team.

Watty1 wrote: »

indeed cue dismay re Mrs K and large loan for a car.
Think how much of the house could be done up for that

I've said we're not doing it, nor are we paying to have the work on the house done with a loan. I'm just disappointed.

AlexLK

maman wrote: »

I think there are massive signs of change. It seems Alex is behaving responsibly and curbing his desire to spend on treats. And I think the parents are increasingly impressed with their son.

I wonder if you spend some serious money on the house, perhaps a luxurious new bathroom so that MrsK can see an outcome from the saving whether she might feel better.

You definitely don't need another car. You have several already.

Definitely trying (and largely succeeding) to curb the spending. I avoid going to towns / cities and go for a walk instead, pity Mrs K can't do the same. She decides that she doesn't want to spend the day with me and off she goes to spend money. Yet at some point she says she regrets it and wants to save for the house etc. etc.

Perhaps you're right that she needs to see an outcome. We did start planning the bathroom but really the roof should come first for obvious reasons.

I agree that we don't need another car, to be honest at this moment in time I don't even want one because I'm happy with what we've got.

AlexLK

Sunday 30th August, 2015.

Dear Diary,

It's been typical bank holiday weekend weather here in Derbyshire, as a result (OK, Mrs K's nagging ) we've spent a day tidying a lot of the clutter in the house. Have to admit it's been worth it for the end result and this place is starting to look more like a house. Also managed to have a rational discussion with Mrs K over the finances, she reckons she wants to save and pay the mortgage but she finds it hard to resist buying 'stuff', don't we all?! I know her friends don't really help as most of them don't have families of their own and she's keen to prove that she's not 'become boring'.

On to the finances, we've budgeted £1,000 per month towards the mortgage which means an overpayment of just over £250 per month from September. I've put the usual £30 away, so only £1,950 to go in order to meet the new target and another £50 has gone into the S&S ISA.

Next week looks to be an interesting one as it's the last week with son before he starts school, I'm quite sad about that and wish he could remain 4 forever. All uniform has been bought including a new winter coat and school shoes, at the moment he doesn't seem too impressed by the notion of wearing the 'same' (not literally :rotfl:) clothes all the time. I'll miss him when he's at school, he brightens my day. Also next week I have the PGCE open day which could mark something of a new start for me too.

Yours Faithfully,
Alex.

ourcornercottage

That never goes away alex, both myself and BF miss miniOCC every day he's at school still and he's going into year 2 next week. It's never a chore for us to walk him to school and pick him up, we just love it. He on the other hand loves school and can't wait to get rid of us for the day :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Glad you've come to an common ground with mrslk. Everyone has different things they find harder. Just keep reminding her! I think it's even harder when you are living in a dooer upper as it can seem like everything is never ending. I must admit I feel like mrslk myself some days but now (say for the last year or so) I control it.

Orange_Ena

Hi Alex. Well done on reaching your 10k target, that's brilliant news :T

Aww hope your son has a great first day at school. And that you get through that day too. Take tissues