Project Mortgage Neutral Begins

ajmoney

Plastering quotes... first one cae to inspect and was £1400, second (done via photos on phone and measurements) was £1600, yesterday's...£720 (also done via photos and measurements on phone). Common sense says I go with the latter who has good reviews but I am going to get in touch and see if he will be doing a physical check and when his availability is.

Stressful few days continue with some people at work causing me more of it than should be necessary, unfortunately it is part of my job. It all goes towards me thinking that a career change at the end of this contract is the right decision and not extending it further. Just as I thought I was getting on top of some things yesterday someone tried to scam an account that I am in charge of. Luckily I was wise to it, the bank sent a couple of messages to check having already frozen my card, after a long conversation on the phone it has been cancelled and a new one is on its way. They assured me it was nothing I have done, although after my own account being done earlier in the year it has me understandably nervous.

I should be going to the gym to do some physio exercises but I really want to do nothing, maybe I will force a walk into my day later.

Premium bond win went into my account this morning, I am going to top up my holiday savings pot but do think I might set the account up to re-invest in the future rather than give me a pay out. I will think about it.

ajmoney

It was a "get things done" couple of hours this afternoon: 
I raked leaves for 30 minutes, filled 2 big rubble sacks which went to the tip along with some old electricals.
Dropped a charity bag off 
Moved the dishwasher that was here when I moved in to the garage and organised an uplift for Tuesday and moved the tumble dryer into its place from the smallest bedroom.
Moved bedside cabinets from smallest bedroom back to the spare room where they belong and reclining chairs into the smallest bedroom from the living room.
I am trying to make the smallest bedroom into a multi-use space for working (from home) as well as a quiet space for knitting, reading and using my sewing machine when I get motivated.
They were small things but it meant the world to get them done.

ajmoney

Cheapest plasterer quote says he can do the work at the beginning of December, this all sounds too good to be true. I don't want it done until the new year so it will give me time to see if he is coming out to look at the work and do any extra work needed on the walls beforehand. I think there must be something wrong with this...

ajmoney

Paid my car tax for the year ahead this morning, I am so glad I put money aside for this each month so I can just transfer it and not worry so much. I generally need to pay an extra £10 to cover the rise from the budget but I can manage this.

I have been thinking about my savings pots, I have them for car costs, home, Chrtistmas and holidays. I stopped paying into the holiday one regularly during covid when I didn't need the money and it had got to a pre-setermined level. Since then as I have gone on holiday I have transferred money over when I have surplus but it is at the stage where I think a monthly amount going in again is the right thing to do. I am not sure how much this is going to be, I am going to do some sums and work out how much I am happy putting in there.

I officially have today off work but as I didn't work over the weekend (like everyone else) I can't justify doing nothing at all. I have a list of things I want to work through for work and home. The home ones have me quite excited, simple things but they should contribute to better running of the house

ajmoney

I got my work jobs done fairly quickly so hae been doing some of the home/garden jobs. I have been cleaning a load of old plant pots so I can donate them to a local garden centre for them to be reused. I had planned to do some more tidying up in the garden until my neighbour reminded me that our garden bins are now emptied once a month rather than a fortnight so have stopped for now. I might do some more later but anything I collect and tidy will need to go to the tip instead of sitting here.

A couple of my neighbours have moved a load of wood that had been cut from a tree when I first moved in. My ex-husband was going to use it but we don't have communication any longer so they have taken it to burn. Along with the wood they also cleared a few mouse nests but in return I got some shortbread and a phone number for a plasterer as well as a suggestion for a joiner when I need one. I have sent the plasterer a message to see if he can come and give me a quote.

Over the last couple of days I feel like that I am slowly getting things in order which is making so much of a difference to my wellbeing.

I have also had a look at my board game cupboard and have a few things for the charity shop. I think some more games can probably go but I am aiming to play them first before deciding if they are being kept or donated.

I have had a productive day but need to go food shopping so need to put some effort into that instead now!

ajmoney

Best payment for taking the wood away was the number for the plasterer. £760 so not the cheapest (although pretty close) but I know exactly what he is going to do and when and what I need to move where. While I didn't want the work done before Christmas he is away for the whole of January and I really wanted it done by the end of then so I can decorate so all 3 ceilings will be finished in just over a month's time. The way he is planning to work will hopefully keep the dust to a minimum so I will just do a good clean once he has finished.

It is exciting although I am a little nervous too.

Watty1

Really exciting!  I've found trades people seem to quote randomly.  The handyman I didn't like wanted £25 an hour.  A plaster quoted me a job and when I went back and said too expensive he cut the price by 45% which so annoyed me I didn't take him on.   Reviews are a hard one. I always wonder if they have been written by their mum!  My goodness I am a cynical one.  I end up going with some one I like in the end regardless of the price.  Which has not always been the best shout!

Great news on the win tho!

ajmoney

Thanks @Watty1 my neighbour has used him in 2 houses, that is a good enough recommendation for me. I was ready to go with the £1400 quote just because he had come to look at the job! The one I have gone with couldn't believe people were quoting without seeing it in person.

redofromstart

That sounds like a good deal to me, especially when some one has recommended them. 

Watty1

Absolutely - go with a recommendation - and you can see the job too!   Brillant.