Had a mortgage too long - it's going, going, gone!

AlexLK

Ali-OK wrote: »

Think that was someone else into the fast Fords Alex, but I do remember my younger days of my friends parents having a 2.8i Capri - great car

Not sure who it was, then!

Definitely a great car, it was a lot of fun on the roads and I've never owned a V6 before. Mrs K is quite keen for one now (and so am I ... just don't tell the sensible lot that post on my diary ...).

Are you still being good and not looking to buy another fun car?

Ali-OK wrote: »

Could be a while before any building starts - late summer 2017 or Spring 2018 is most likely. Don't want to be doing it whilst DS is in the midst of GCSEs and don't think I'll have enough saved before then...depends on the costs which I'll get quotes on once tech drawings are done and how quickly I can save it

2017 /'18 seems an age away! Can understand you not wanting to be doing whilst your son is in the middle of his GCSEs, though.

I happen to know a good engineer if you need any advice on the structural side ...

Ali-OK wrote: »

Finally got the food shop done at Ald! - £21.70 spent, that's better. Will start to aim to be within £100 a month.

Another batch of chilli made tonight, one for dinner and 6 for the freezer.

Really don't know how you manage to feed yourself for a week (IIRC) for £21.70. Anyhow, it's rather impressive.

Ali-OK wrote: »

Dogs have invaded the netting and borders today :mad: fortunately plants are established well enough to have coped with them rambling through and over them. I think it's the nightly visiting hedgehog leaving a scent.

Hope everyone's having a good Saturday.

Until recently I'd forgotten how inquisitive dogs are. Fortunately, no nice garden here that is open for a dog to roam. How do your dogs find the artificial grass?

Ali-OK

Oh I think it might have been Broggers..remember talking company cars on his thread - he had a Sierra (don't think it was a Cosworth though).

Lots of my brothers friends had older Capris and the parents of those newer ones, such was the popularity then. Fantastic fun. You're safe posting your cars here .

Well, would you believe the Planning chap had the same sports car as me, older mark, but turns out we sort of know each other due to that and that's when I am tempted back into ownership. But still being very good and just keeping the one runaround

It won't be long before 2016 is here, so 17/18 isn't far away - I'm open to using my emergency fund if I find I'm close to what I need and the timing is right - guess I have to avoid the frosty months. There is one other route and that's a 0% loan from my Mum - it's more she would like to see it done whilst she is still with us, so there's some discussions if/when PP is granted. Let's see what the quotes come in at first.

I thought of you and specifically Mrs K for structural calcs...I suspect some will be required. Will keep you posted

It's good to be back to the old weekly shop lower amount. Am shopping to meal plan requirements only, not re-stocking everything we get low on. Does make quite a difference to what is needed to fulfil that in a week (much comes from batch and freezer), rather than what is required to have a stock of everything.

Dogs are loving the new grass. They're often playing or laying on it, it's surprisingly soft New jobs now include hoovering it if I am so inclined and cleaning it...a bit of laundry detergent diluted in a watering can does the job apparently! A very different maintenance schedule than a mower and bit of seed :rotfl:

How are you getting on with pup - glad to see you're going to training with her.

Brogden

Ali-OK wrote: »

Oh I think it might have been Broggers..remember talking company cars on his thread - he had a Sierra (don't think it was a Cosworth though).

It was a Sirra Sapphire Cosworth Ali !! Not the hatchback version with the massive vulgar spoiler up the back window bacause I've never been a pimp or a drug dealer :rotfl:.

The world was a different place then and Brogden was a different person !! To work for a huge, supposedly responsible household name and have that as a company car was just disgraceful :o:o!! Times change.....they do.....;) ......

Good to see you in such fine fettle . If you don't mind my saying.....varying your 'acker-activiites' and using some to fund your renovation and not just being hooked on OP's says to me you are feeling very well, relaxed and confident about life in general and we could all do with a bit of that !!

That's not to say that OP's aren't a great thing though :cool:!!

Absolutely made up for you :T. It's about time we had another post innit?

Broggers xx

Watty1

Fab news on the PP. Look forward to the updates


And Alex - one of the sensible lot from your diary has caught you posting here about wanting another car :rotfl: There is no escape!

AlexLK

Ali-OK wrote: »

Oh I think it might have been Broggers..remember talking company cars on his thread - he had a Sierra (don't think it was a Cosworth though).

Lots of my brothers friends had older Capris and the parents of those newer ones, such was the popularity then. Fantastic fun. You're safe posting your cars here .

Well, would you believe the Planning chap had the same sports car as me, older mark, but turns out we sort of know each other due to that and that's when I am tempted back into ownership. But still being very good and just keeping the one runaround

It won't be long before 2016 is here, so 17/18 isn't far away - I'm open to using my emergency fund if I find I'm close to what I need and the timing is right - guess I have to avoid the frosty months. There is one other route and that's a 0% loan from my Mum - it's more she would like to see it done whilst she is still with us, so there's some discussions if/when PP is granted. Let's see what the quotes come in at first.

I thought of you and specifically Mrs K for structural calcs...I suspect some will be required. Will keep you posted

It's good to be back to the old weekly shop lower amount. Am shopping to meal plan requirements only, not re-stocking everything we get low on. Does make quite a difference to what is needed to fulfil that in a week (much comes from batch and freezer), rather than what is required to have a stock of everything.

Dogs are loving the new grass. They're often playing or laying on it, it's surprisingly soft New jobs now include hoovering it if I am so inclined and cleaning it...a bit of laundry detergent diluted in a watering can does the job apparently! A very different maintenance schedule than a mower and bit of seed :rotfl:

How are you getting on with pup - glad to see you're going to training with her.

I've never had a Ford, so if one turns up, it'll be something different for a while.

Can't imagine you'll have any trouble being granted planning permission then, Ali. I suppose you're right about 2016 and subsequently 2017 and '18, don't really know where time goes now... I must be getting old.

Pleased to hear the dogs are enjoying the grass. I'm getting on a lot better than those first few days with pup, she's getting on well and I'm starting to not being able to imagine life without her so that must be a good sign. My son is really enjoying learning how to look after her too.

Brogden wrote: »

It was a Sirra Sapphire Cosworth Ali !! Not the hatchback version with the massive vulgar spoiler up the back window bacause I've never been a pimp or a drug dealer :rotfl:.

The world was a different place then and Brogden was a different person !! To work for a huge, supposedly responsible household name and have that as a company car was just disgraceful :o:o!! Times change.....they do.....;) ......

Good to see you in such fine fettle . If you don't mind my saying.....varying your 'acker-activiites' and using some to fund your renovation and not just being hooked on OP's says to me you are feeling very well, relaxed and confident about life in general and we could all do with a bit of that !!

That's not to say that OP's aren't a great thing though :cool:!!

Absolutely made up for you :T. It's about time we had another post innit?

Broggers xx

Cosworth powered company car sound good to me ... where do I sign?

Watty1 wrote: »

Fab news on the PP. Look forward to the updates

And Alex - one of the sensible lot from your diary has caught you posting here about wanting another car :rotfl: There is no escape!

Nooooo! Does the fact I'll only have one if I can find one at the right price and make a few extra £££s at the end of ownership to go towards the savings redeem me at all?

Ali-OK

Your wish is my command Broggers I'm back! Observant too - am in a good space generally and the mortgage will still be chipped away at. £120 as OP in 6 days time :j Suspect some worry will return when I'm in the new office - those overheads can weigh heavy on the mind.

Very hopeful on the PP Watty and spending far too many hours playing with layouts as there's so many possibilities internally. But think I'm there now and can visualise the finished look...which likely means I'll get impatient at some point to start :rotfl:

Oh you got outed on the Capris then Alex :rotfl:. Glad all good on the pup front, have you found out if she's a good traveller in the landy?

DS had a fab birthday on Sunday and his other GPs insisted on paying for lunch, so a NSD and I chipped in with the £5 off voucher . Lovely weather too, so all sat out in the new garden for birthday cake. Polished that off when my side came over for the eve

So the run of NSDs continued through Sunday, yesterday and today. Work ticking over nicely and DS has a few school things on. He's being a guide for the 2 Open Days for new intake, so changes in meal plan to accommodate a fast turnaround in and out tomorrow evening.

Other financials:
- bank account checks daily still happening
- freepostcodelottery still being checked daily
- Inbox £s is up at £7.03
- P!necone £3 in PP ready to move

Extra spends this month to come - train fare for Neuro appointment in London next week and possibly fuel fill up - will run on fumes if need be for a day or 2

Next job - catch up on diaries!

debtfreeoneday

I'm tempted to read up more about this grass!

hiddenshadow

Hi Ali! Congrats on the DFWin, and I admire your restraint in moving straight on to MFW!

Ali-OK wrote: »

It's weird SJ, as I pick my 'pay myself day' and tend to manage it by my own month ends and having the 5k in my current account, pay day feels a bit of a non-event. Hmm...I really am not normal :rotfl:

When I was working for myself I found the same thing - I liked payday only because I could move all the money around the accounts and update numbers (and spreadsheets!), not because it was "pay day". I look forward to pay day a little more now (for the same reasons), being employed means I'm not 100% positive what day everything will go in so there's a bit of suspense involved.

Ali-OK

debtfreeoneday wrote: »

I'm tempted to read up more about this grass!

It's not that hard to lay DIY (says she who directed/watched :rotfl:) and prices have come down whilst choice and quality seem to have improved. Looks like 2 neighbours are following suit...I should be on commission :rotfl:

hiddenshadow wrote: »

Hi Ali! Congrats on the DFWin, and I admire your restraint in moving straight on to MFW!

When I was working for myself I found the same thing - I liked payday only because I could move all the money around the accounts and update numbers (and spreadsheets!) , not because it was "pay day". I look forward to pay day a little more now (for the same reasons), being employed means I'm not 100% positive what day everything will go in so there's a bit of suspense involved.

Thanks Hidden - I started the MFW journey whilst I was still paying debt off at 0% and it's meant bigger OPs since then which is addictive. It'll slow down whilst I save for the extension, then ramp back up again. Plan and plan some more

Much the same with updating spreadsheets and moving money - added one is making sure I pay in enough in the right month to keep the account fee free, so sometimes have 2 pay-days close together. Keeps me on my toes

Who knew getting paid could be this exciting!

Ali-OK

Evening Diary

A busy week with work which is great for the finances when I pay myself next week (opted for 3rd, but will pay myself some probably on 30th as well - see above).

Opportunity to chat to teachers at DS's school last night when I picked him up (£1 for parking though) - he was 1 mark short of an A grade in a GCSE Biology test paper :T. He seems really motivated at the moment :j

Checked out the change bucket and bagged up £10 in 20p's - will get that banked soon.

- bank account checked - 4 days to MOP and £800 is going
- freepostcodelottery checked
- Inbox £s - up a tad at £7.15
- Qmee - is up at 55p

Extension plans have been modified and are in the Planner's Inbox waiting for his return from hols . Hopefully they'll get the green light from him to recommend PP granted - I will then speak to the key neighbours it will affect. One might be tricky, but selling the advantages of it is my tactic

I've also ordered the very last bit for the garden - a glorified shed aka summer house. Was going to do it next year but a deal came up and saved £85 so went for it and the patio furniture will have a dry home over the winter and the garage will get used to house the car once more. Arrives in 2 weeks, DIYers primed for errecting and painting :j

Food shop done tonight too - £24.96 spent with extras for DIYers here this weekend - a bit of patio to re-lift and angle more to get rain to run off. Obviously didn't feed them enough cake that day :rotfl:

Friday tomorrow - hoorah!