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

themadvix

Portugal sounds like an absolute bargain It's our 10th anniversary this year and I'm saving for a short break in Europe, but whether this money will get swallowed up by our trip to America or moving, I'm not sure. 

Totally with you on the library thing - people are strange!

Good luck with the decluttering this weekend!

SandyShores

I'm the same with sitting in front of a computer all day.  I think I lose the use of my legs or something.  I've started being a bit more active, but need to get walking a lot more before and after work.  I just rejoined the library last weekend, it was really easy to do to access the digital offerings.  I just need to go in to register to borrow the physical books, but I plan to do that.  I've ordered a couple of second hand books recently too - so much cheaper than new and although I've got a kindle I do like a book to hold sometimes.  The second hand books arrived and were immaculate.

ruby_eskimo

SandyShores said:

I'm the same with sitting in front of a computer all day.  I think I lose the use of my legs or something.  I've started being a bit more active, but need to get walking a lot more before and after work.  I just rejoined the library last weekend, it was really easy to do to access the digital offerings.  I just need to go in to register to borrow the physical books, but I plan to do that.  I've ordered a couple of second hand books recently too - so much cheaper than new and although I've got a kindle I do like a book to hold sometimes.  The second hand books arrived and were immaculate.

I've definitely noticed an improvement since I started walking every day and well done on joining the library.  I ordered a couple of used books last week using an amazon voucher I got from work and they arrived today both literally brand new for pennies!

ruby_eskimo

This weekend was tiring and emotional.  Friday I had the day off work so walked into town to pick up supplies for taking to the parents house this weekend plus running some other errands.  Then Saturday we were up at 6, at my parents by 9:30 and started the great clear out by 10 am. Decided to start in my old bedroom which was almost floor to ceiling with plastic crates filled with "stuff", most of it from when I was at uni.  The reason it was all still there is long and complex but basically when I moved out 10 years ago, I wasn't allowed to get rid of the things I wasn't taking with me (because it kept ties to the family home, I might need those things and therefore would have to come back...as I said, emotional weekend!)  So we stated with all of that.  And it resulted in being banned from the local charity shops because they couldn't take any more stuff (we did 5 runs, each time my car was packed with stuff), 2 runs to the tip for recycling stuff and then 2 runs to clothes donation bins.  I also brought 3 crates of books home with me that I've arranged to drop off at the local Oxfam book store after work today, plus 3 crates of stuff to go through here / things I want to keep like (yet more) books.  We stopped at 6pm for dinner and then I cleaned the bits we'd cleared on Sunday while DH was out for lunch with his mum.  Stored the Christmas decorations in the old, now empty wardrobe for my parents and gave them a pile of things that they need to sort through themselves (plus a load of paperwork to shred / burn).  Half the room is now sorted and I could have got the other half sorted on Sunday but was conscious that I needed to actually spend some time with my parents as I'd banished them downstairs for all of Saturday.

We had a long chat while DH was out, about how my mum feels overwhelmed with everything and I gave her the advice to start small, with one drawer, and take everything out, and only put back what she wants to keep.  She can then put the stuff she wants to get rid of in one of the now empty plastic crates and store it in my bedroom until I'm back in a few weeks when me and DH will dispose of it for them.  Think that made her feel better - she even went and got rid of all of my dad's old work shirts that he doesn't need since he's been working from home for 2 years and will be retiring this year; small steps.

Will be checking in with them tomorrow to see how they're both feeling but safe to say I am shattered - very glad I had a training course for work most of the day today so I didn't have to think too much.  Will be logging off in about 45 minutes to head to Oxfam which unfortunately has no parking nearby (was told on the phone that I couldn't possibly use their staff carpark at the rear 🙄) so will be lugging books backwards and forwards for a while as DH has to carry on working till 5:30 and they close at 5.  Then I'll be doing the weekly food shop on my way home (it's definitely quicker without DH 😉) and then I need to try and get some of my own house in order!

ruby_eskimo

Had another busy weekend this weekend; we spent the weekend in London for DH's Christmas present from 2020 - seeing Back to the Future the Musical.  Was absolutely amazing experience, cast were on top form and the staging was perfect.  Budgeted to stay overnight in a hotel near Trafalgar square and dinner at Dishoom which was also amazing and DH was looking at the cookbook on the way out so that might be arriving in our house soon.  The hotel wasn't that expensive by London prices but ended up being a steal; the same hotel is now showing at £200+ a night when I paid just under £100.  Walked A LOT so no exercise needed today I think.  Felt very strange to be around so many people and to be in central London again but also felt quite normal.  Stocked up on lateral flow tests so will be testing regularly this week but keeping 🤞 that we're ok.

It's payday today so need to do the shuffle soon.  Think I'm almost there with maxing out the LISA for this year so should be achievable by the end of February.  Not a lot else to report really although I'm probably missing something really important but I'm still quite tired - think today is going to be fueled by lots of caffeine.  It's only a 4 day week for me so at least I only have 4 days to limp through at work.

themadvix

Sounds like a great weekend and an absolute bargain for a West End hotel!

Well done on maxing out the LISA for the year

Fortune_Smiles

What a fabulous weekend - glad you enjoyed it.

Fortune x

ruby_eskimo

Morning all.  Had another long weekend last week just to get that annual leave used up.  Wasn't as productive on Friday as I wanted to be but realised that the rest was very much needed instead.  Hosted my first in-person book club since Feb 2020 on Saturday so the house was scrubbed from top to almost bottom in anticipation.  Was so lovely to see everyone, lots of good chat and they enjoyed the book I chose so win win (it was Half a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie).  Didn't get up to a whole lot yesterday apart from a food shop then stopping by a retail park so DH could have a look for an outfit for a fancy dress party we're going to in a couple of weeks.  I did pick up a new cleansing balm from TK Maxx which was reduced to £3.99 from £27 and I needed a new one anyway, plus a new sports bra and leggings which again were reduced and the money came out of my "Sweat Stash" pot so was all accounted for.

Last day of January so time for an update:

Money

- Overpay the mortgage by at least £5000: this is a bit of a stupid one really as DH's already said he want's to use some of his inheritance to pay a chunk off the mortgage and it will be more than £5000 most likely but still, it's a lot of money and a goal I want to achieve. Paid £56 off this month with it being the first month of the new mortgage.  Going to make a proper overpayment when the February payment has cleared.
- Max out the LISA: enough said. So close to this for the current year, only £148 to go.
- Build the emergency fund to £10,000: I have a plan for this and think it's achievable, kind of. Added a couple of pounds here and there so far from cashback and surveys, will update the signature with the new total.
- Reduce my personal spending: I don't need new clothes, shoes etc. so want to try and reduce this category and increase the number of NSD's each month Significantly reduced the extra spending this month, so much so I could send an extra £350 to the LISA.  Managed 16 NSD's in January, and want to beat that in February.

House

- Declutter 365 items: I made a conscious effort to declutter this year and want to continue into next year.  There are still lots of things that can go, we're just holding on to for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON. 38 items gone, with a lot more ready and waiting to leave, just need to actually take them to the dump / charity shop.  Think I was a little done in by the decluttering at my parents house so took it a bit easy here.
- "Renovate" the Kitchen: this is the only room in the house we haven't touched since we moved in.  We don't want to rip it out, but it does need paining, new flooring and a new blind  DONE 🥳 still need a new blind but the work is done.  Yes the floor is lifting slightly in places but it looks so much better than it did.
- House to Home: basically finish all the odd little jobs that will turn our house into a home / haven e.g. replacing the internal door, finish painting the woodwork, radiators etc. Need to sit down with DH and work out what order we want to do things in.

Personal

- Learn a new skill: Already signed up for calligraphy classes so will see how that goes Received my kit, just need to start it now.  Maybe this weekend.
- Visit a new (to me) place in the UK: I'm lucky to say that I've visited a lot of our wonderful homeland but there are still places yet to be discovered Booked to go to the New Forest in May so this should tick this off the list.
- Visit a new (to me) country: This one is of course dependent on external factors but I want to tick another place off the list Hopefully going to Lisbon in October 🤞
- Read 52 books: Definitely achievable 8 down so far and should finish another 2 this week.
- Build healthy habits: Most years I say I want to lose weight but this year I've kind of changed my focus and thinking on this.  I've struggled to lose weight for about 15 years and while I'm not currently at my "lightest" I just want to be healthy and happy.  So rather than lose weight next year, I want to focus on getting stronger by working out at least 4 days a week, have daily yoga practice which will help with my flexibility and strength and mental wellbeing and get outside for at least 30 minutes every day. Apart from a week where I wasn't very well, I've managed to do everything every day.  I'd say an 80% achievement rate isn't too bad!


I'm really pleased with the progress made so far and we're only one month into the year.  Hopefully the momentum continues.

themadvix

Great progress on your goals!

South_coast

Well done, you're flying high 😀!