Later is here

chelseablue

Hi there


You've been given some great advice already but just wanted to chip in with the fact that when I lived alone I used to spend about £30 a week on groceries (those were the days!)


I would really recommend shopping in Lidl, I used to shop in one of the main supermarkets (a clue, the green one) and everything I've tried from Lidl so far has been the same quality or better than where I used to shop.


Good luck!

Lotstogain

Thanks again all.


I will check out cheaper groceries. Over the past month or so I have tried to be better - doing a 'sensible' planned shop, buying value items to make and freeze economical meals. But then I get bored and feel the need for something tastier and buy rubbish which adds up.


Re a lodger, I am now seriously considering this.


And I will do a snowball calculator. I've recently transferred a balance and I'm waiting for the statement to confirm figures, but I think my cc total is actually £23.5 k over 5 cards.


I'd love to be cc debt free by my 50th - but that's just under 2 years away. Right now it seems impossible although I think OP said it could be done. I'll see what a revised SOA and snowball calculator come up. Thanks again.

[Deleted User]

Hi

We took on a lodger over three years ago when OH was made redundant. It was the best thing we ever did. Our house is a renovation in progress but we used part of his redundancy to finish the single bedroom. Rent it out Monday - Friday at £80 per week. At the moment you can earn £4,250 tax free and next year is goes up to £7,500.

We got permission from the mortgage provider to have 1 lodger and have specialist household insurance which includes public liability for lodgers.

Yes, there is sacrifices but they're worth it and you get use to having a lodger. Just make sure you have a contract and take up references properly. I used spareroom.co.uk to advertise free, they also have advice on what to do etc. Lodgers have no legal rights as tenants and can be evicted sharpish if necessary. For this reason my notice period in my contract is only 2 weeks but I have had no issues. You can also stipulate what sex you want the lodger to be if you want. Basically you can set the rules to be whatever you want them to be.

Good luck achieving your full on light-bulb moment. :-)

Lotstogain

[quote=[Deleted User];69695028]Hi

We took on a lodger over three years ago when OH was made redundant. It was the best thing we ever did. Our house is a renovation in progress but we used part of his redundancy to finish the single bedroom. Rent it out Monday - Friday at £80 per week. At the moment you can earn £4,250 tax free and next year is goes up to £7,500.

We got permission from the mortgage provider to have 1 lodger and have specialist household insurance which includes public liability for lodgers.

Yes, there is sacrifices but they're worth it and you get use to having a lodger. Just make sure you have a contract and take up references properly. I used spareroom.co.uk to advertise free, they also have advice on what to do etc. Lodgers have no legal rights as tenants and can be evicted sharpish if necessary. For this reason my notice period in my contract is only 2 weeks but I have had no issues. You can also stipulate what sex you want the lodger to be if you want. Basically you can set the rules to be whatever you want them to be.

Good luck achieving your full on light-bulb moment. :-)[/QUOTE]


Thanks - brill - just the sort of advice I needed. Cheers!