Ruby's Bought a House, Now I want to Own It!

ruby_eskimo

It's Monday, it's the start of a new month and I can finally breathe again without coughing or sniffling (too much anyway!)  

Had to take Thursday off work as a sick day as I just couldn't push myself any longer.  Spent the day in bed and managed to make myself feel better ready for a day out on Friday for our wedding anniversary - nothing too exciting but we went for brunch and then a slow walk round the gardens at the place where we got married.  They were setting up for a wedding that afternoon and it just brought back a lot of happy memories.  Then DH took me out for dinner at a very lovely local restaurant.  Spent the rest of the weekend just chilling out ready for a pretty full on week at work this week.

November is shaping up to be pretty busy for us with limited free weekends.  This weekend is particularly jam packed: FiL is coming over for dinner on Friday evening as he's in the area for a woodworking class, Saturday we might be going to a friend's housewarming gathering who's just moved in round the corner and then Sunday we're going for lunch with DH's family as his Mum got engaged to her partner over the weekend 🥳👰

As we're going to be so busy there's very little time for achieving things but by the end of the month I want to:

- Shred all the documents that need shredding
- Clean the oven
- Read 4 books
- Get rid of the donation / sale pile at the top of the landing
- Deep clean the fridge
- Defrost the freezer

Think that should be pretty achievable but we shall see.  This evening's plan is to deep clean the bathroom because it needs it, so have started by soaking the seal from the shower door to get rid of the mildew etc.  Have already emptied the bin and put the recycling stuff in the main recycling bin so small steps.  We also have our friendly roofer coming out this afternoon as we've started having some signs of a leak in the bedroom - think it's just some of the felting that needs replacing but hopefully it's nothing too sinister 🤞

Right off to make some lunch using up a whole bunch of vegetables for a vegetable rosti.

ruby_eskimo

Afternoon all.  Final mortgage overpayment of the year went out today and we're now at £246k exactly and have paid an additional £2411.32 this year.  December we're taking a break while the deal switches over and then from January we'll be making regular OP's again and hoping that we can pay an additional £5,000 thanks to lower standard payments and some additional cash.

Roofer came out yesterday and agreed that some felting needs replacing plus there's a crack in one of the ridge tiles which isn't helping matters.  So he's going to remedy those and install some eaves trays as well as that will help direct the water better into the gutters on the gable end of the house.  Should be £400 all in and the money will come out of the house pot.  Just waiting on a date when he can fit us in.

greent

That's a really good price for roofing work - we had a really tiny job done which cost around £1500 because the roofer needed a scaffolding tower  

Great news on the total OPs - and wow to looking to double them next year!

ruby_eskimo

Oh no @greent that's a shame.  This guy has his own mini tower and then was just happy as larry walking around on the roof so no additional costs there.  Work looks really good but time will tell when it next rains!

themadvix

We've had similar experiences - had a quote for £2500+ and then a man came to do a quote, was up there a while and came back down to say he was partway through doing it and it would cost £150! Huge relief... I must get him back for another job if we don't move.

ruby_eskimo

I love it when things like that happen @themadvix, fingers crossed he's just as cost effective next time you have him back.

ruby_eskimo

Had a lovely weekend with some friend's over for dinner on Saturday night (with their dog 😍) and it was great to just be able to chill out and put the world to rights.  Didn't find it quite as exhausting as previous interactions with people post-lockdown so think I may finally be getting some social skills back 😆.  They even gifted us a lovely bottle of champagne as a congratulations on DH's new job and on my graduation, so that will probably be saved for Christmas day (and means we don't have to buy any fizz ourselves 😏)

Only 2 days at work this week as have a funeral to go to on Thursday (DH's great aunt, so involves a 4 hour round trip) and then Friday I'm doing the long drive up north to stay with my best friend 🥳  The last time I saw her (and properly spoke to her) was August bank holiday weekend 2019 when she came down to stay with us.  We don't really get a chance to talk on the phone much because a) I don't like talking on the phone and b) she works shifts so I never know when the right time is to call her.  So the last 2 years have been spent messaging each other and sending a lot of gifts in the post like flowers and cake.  So excited about seeing her, her new house, her cats, and just having girl time which has been severely lacking from my life recently. 

On the money front, we're still waiting to hear an update from the Solicitor re: the re-mortgage so will chase them probably tomorrow as we should be switching in 2 weeks time.  Have got back on the Prolific train and already made £20 this week so pleased with that and have added it to the emergency fund and sold another item on Vinted.  Have created a little "clothes" pot where the sales proceeds are going and I can use that to replace things when I need them.  I've also been doing the 1p savings challenge over the last few months and have decided that the money from that is going to be the "treat yourself" pot for a few bigger ticket items.  Number 1 on the list is a new Le Crueset shallow casserole dish - we have a large one at the moment, but I've always wanted the shallow one in Marseille blue.  Currently about 50% of the way there but am keeping an eye out on second hand sites for one too that I may be able to get cheaper.  After that the next wish list item is a "nice" black leather handbag that I can use forever for nights out, events etc.  I'd rather invest a bit more in something that's going to last than keep buying cheaper versions that fall apart after a few uses.  No idea what I want yet as I'm quite specific about my handbags but again, have been looking on second hand sites to try and get an idea.  I'm definitely trying to be more conscious in my purchasing decisions - yes Primark pyjamas are cute, but they don't wash up as well as my M&S ones so will stick to those going forwards etc.

debtfreeoneday

I know it stating the obvious but I’m totally edging towards buying a capsule quality wardrobe. I tend to wear the same things over and over 

ruby_eskimo

debtfreeoneday said:

I know it stating the obvious but I’m totally edging towards buying a capsule quality wardrobe. I tend to wear the same things over and over 

Same, with the switch to working at home I just need a couple of good quality nice work tops and then a dress for the 1 day a week I'm in the office.  I've been slowly decluttering my wardrobe this year and realised that I also just wear the same things over and over again, although I have been trying to wear everything at least once.

ruby_eskimo

Had a lovely weekend away but my goodness am I tired.  Usually I'm in bed by 10 each night but this was 3 days of definitely being in bed after midnight and then being woken up at 5.30 by the cats meowing outside the door 😆  Was so great to see the bestie and have a relaxed weekend with wine, good food and lots of countryside air.  Her new house is perfect for them, they have lots of plans and next year should be very exciting.  Was a relatively low spend weekend apart from petrol and it's payday on Wednesday so 👍

Slept for 9 hours last night after the long drive home and still feeling very tired today but have a pretty full on day with work.  Luckily just a 4 day week this week so I can power through till Thursday evening and then a long weekend again.