I've quit everything. Now what ?

lessonlearned

AC - just to clarify.

My advice has never been not to spend but rather to spend wisely.

I still would have advocated waiting a while and "making do" until your health was better and you had more of an idea about whether or not you would be in a position to return to work at some point.

Having said that I do understand the arguments about getting the messy jobs done, although tbh I still don't buy it. A new bathroom isn't that big a deal and shouldn't be too disruptive.

You could just stay with friends or check into a modest hotel or B&B for a few days whilst the water is switched off. DS1 and DIL did this, didn't add too much to the bill.

Given that you have decided to go ahead with the bathroom I ventured to suggest the underfloor heating now rather than later. It won't add that much to the budget and now would be the time to do it.

You could probably have clawed some of the cost by a bit of judicial shopping. Is your guy passing on his discount to you......;) or are you Increasing his profit.......

My go to guy, Andy, always lets me have any materials at cost. Many do not not, they will charge you full retail price and pocket thr difference. It's a nice little earner for them.

With the case of the tiles it was "only" 10 per cent but fancy porcelain tiles for four walls and floor don't come cheap and 10 per cent adds up........Same with Bathstore. We priced it up and even with Andy's discount Bathstore was still way cheaper.

AC. I know I nag but really you are terribly impulsive and headstrong (and sorry but maybe just a tad lazy).

Instead of opting out of the shopping and leaving it to someone else with a bit of effort surfing the net you could save yourself a lot of money. I could understand it if it meant trawling round the shops but you don't even have to leave the comfort of your sofa to shop around.

Only once have I have left it to Andy to chose stuff for me. Yes he got me a great deal but I ended up with boring taps. He was trying a bit too hard to save me money. :rotfl:

Now the taps are the jewellery to the "little black dress" which is the plain white bath. For an extra £20 I could have "blinged up" the sanitary ware and added a bit of designer chic.

Same with you, if you shopped wisely you could easily find the money for the underfloor heating without breaking the bank.

Saving money on the shopping is the secret to stretching a renovation budget and keeping costs down.

If you don't believe me watch the £100k house and see how Piers the architect and the designer whose name escapes me think outside the box for creative and cost saving solutions and who always shop wisely.

I have renovated several properties and learned from each one and yes I often learned the hard way. That is why I am happy to pass on what I have learned to save you and anyone else who is reading some money.

Isnt that what MSE is all about.

Ps your guy won't be disposing of the waste for free.....not if he is being responsible and not fly tipping. He will be charged a fee at the tip. Only private householders are not charged, builders etc have to pay. He will find a way of clawing back his costs.

If he has any sense he might make a few quid on the scrap value of some of the better bits. Copper is still fetching high prices and most plumbers do save up the metal bits and pieces for scrap value.

So please don't think he's doing you a big favour, getting rid of the waste for free. He doesn't know you from Adam, he knows that he is unlikely to be getting further work from you so he won't be putting himself out to give you freebies.

Please don't fall for that little ruse. He will be charging you one way or another, at least for the tip fees.

harz99

Good luck with the upgrades AC, although naturally I agree with LL about your free spending ways of doing things!

lessonlearned

Oh dear.......I do sound like a right old skinflint and miser at times don't I.

I really dont want to spoil ACs fun. I just want him to slow down a bit and be careful.

AC wouldn't it be awful if you overspent and then got into debt again because you were a bit too hasty.

I like to spend money too, honest.

I enjoy splashing the cash. Of course I do. I could spend for England. I could spend us out of the deepest recession and give everyone full employment.

Big spenders like Elton John, Tina Turner, Michael Winner??? Hah.......Amateurs. :rotfl:

Sometimes it is actually nice to know that you could spend but that you choose not to - at least for the time being. (saw a great Mercedes convertible the other day and yes I have the money in the bank). But no, I'll wait till I'm good and ready. And driving around like a flash movie star will be all the sweeter for the wait.;)

Having money is about choice, its freedom and independence. By living the way I do and exercising my MSE muscles means that I don't have to look for work ever again if I don't want to.

Yes I might one day set up a little business but it will be at my convenience and it will be doing something I enjoy rather than slogging away at something I dislike or which leaves me feeling drained and exhausted.

That's what I want for you, AC.

The freedom for you to work or not work, the freedom to wait until you feel back on top form and to wait until you find something you will enjoy.

I just think if you carry on spending at a rate of knots you won't have those freedoms.

Have you read a blog called mr Moneymoustache. Well worth reading. It explains FI (financial independence) and what it really means in terms of choice and opportunity better than I can.

Play your cards right and you can have FI Too.

And......an added bonus.......you get to "Stick it to the Man" .......:rotfl:

Never again will I have to work for some idiot overbearing t w * t of a boss or suffer ignorant and selfish colleagues.

I have peace of mind and total and absolute freedom. Concepts that cannot be easily measured but which are worth their weight in diamonds.

dreaming

Oh dear LL - Skinflints R Us? I'm also careful about what I spend although I seem to have flashed the cash a bit freely in the last couple of months. It is mostly stuff that needed to be bought - either replacement for worn out items or to make life a bit easier. I shop around via the internet too to get a good deal - even the lavender plants (neither replacement or making life easier - just necessary for my spirits) were bought on a really good deal by buying in bulk and splitting the cost with friends.
To be fair to AC, I'm not sure he has been too profligate. He is doing the painting himself which has saved a bit of cash, and although I would have completely covered carpets and then had them cleaned before moving in, I don't think replacing the carpets need be too bad. Similar with bathroom - I think if it is as bad as it sounds I would probably have it replaced and the price doesn't seem too bad. I just hope there are no unforeseen expense and the tradesman lives up to AC's expectations. At least he has reined in his thoughts re kitchen.

AC - I don't suppose you will but it might be worth keeping a spreadsheet with a running total of how much you are spending, and how much you have left of your capital. That might give you some pause for thought.

I have just been weeding/pruning in the front garden and back is aching now.. I hve completely filled my garden waste wheelie bin from a border just 8ft by 2ft. Neighbour told me that council are looking at scrapping the free garden waste collection when the contract goes out for tender next year. They are also thinking of scrapping the 8million crates (maybe slight exaggeration) we have to sort the various recyclables into. It is annoying when the bin-men refuse to collect stuff that is incorrectly sorted but then they chuck it all into one big lorry anyway.

lessonlearned

Don't get me started on the councils waste policy........utter nonsense.

The won't take large items so that encourages fly tipping. Walked down a side street today......mattress left on the on pavement:mad:

They stopped "free" green waste disposal here a couple of years ago. Now you have to pay.......as well as the scandalously high council tax.

As for sorting out rubbish and recycling properly. Well we live in an area with a fair few students. Now bless them their brains are far too big and full of important stuff to sort out their recycling so the council refuse to empty their bins......but as you say they just lump it all together at the plant anyway.

We must have one of the most profligate councils in the U.K. But of course they never have any money to pay the important stuff and are shutting down essential services right left and centre. And yet there's always money for their vanity projects.

Over £33million revamping the council offices at a time when they are laying off staff, cancelling services. They just had a huge stand off with teaching assistants........I know mothers who lost their jobs because the schools were closed so often because of the strikes which went on for months.

:mad::mad::mad:

Sorry but a red mist descends every time I think about them. :rotfl:

It's our local elections soon - I just hope to goodness the present lot get thrown out. Problem is they seem to have a stranglehold on the local press and we only hear half of what goes on when it gets leaked to the internet.

Oooooh if I ruled the world..........;)

lessonlearned

Dreaming....... a true skinflint like me would have bought one lavender plant and then taken cuttings.....better still I would have taken cuttings from my sisters lavender plant, which was taken from mums plant which originally came from my lavender plant.:rotfl:

Told you I was thrifty.

dreaming

lessonlearned wrote: »

Dreaming....... a true skinflint like me would have bought one lavender plant and then taken cuttings.....better still I would have taken cuttings from my sisters lavender plant, which was taken from mums plant which originally came from my lavender plant.:rotfl:

Told you I was thrifty.

Ah but I wanted dwarf white and pink lavender to fill the circular bed I a made last year. As I said it takes my heart soar so well worth it. I do swap cuttings with my sister in law and buy the half dead end of season plants at b and q. So far they have worked v well.
Funnily enough there is a mattress dumped over the road from me. Neighbour has reported it but it blocked the way for an oap on their mobility scooter and would be a hazard at night as most of our street lights have gone.

lessonlearned

dreaming wrote: »

Ah but I wanted dwarf white and pink lavender to fill the circular bed I a made last year. As I said it takes my heart soar so well worth it. I do swap cuttings with my sister in law and buy the half dead end of season plants at b and q. So far they have worked v well.
Funnily enough there is a mattress dumped over the road from me. Neighbour has reported it but it blocked the way for an oap on their mobility scooter and would be a hazard at night as most of our street lights have gone.

Gawd....what are our services coming to. You could t make it up.

Bet the new flower bed will look fab.

another_casualty

Wow! Lots to listen to
LL, you are great ( as wth all of you) and you want the best for me as always .
TBH , something just tells me what I'm doing is right . It's a feeling I get . The more I go to my new flat, the more I find it's hard to get out And that is before I lift a finger. Odd or what ?

I'm delighted in one way , that I'm,actually making decisions rather than over thinking and losing time and momentum.

The waste people allow about 3 free dumps a year so to speak .
James has only been up there once this year , so he told me it's for free. This is one of the reasons I feel fine with him . Very much honest and to the point . The price I'm getting is good overall .
I cancelled the other appointments for areason . Something seems right.
TBH , I don't think replacing the carpets will cost that much . The rooms are fairly small .
I've not spent much so far , except daily food etc.
I think that I should do things now to my new home, rather than later.
Watching The overall cost . If I have to move on again in a couple of years, it will look so appealing to buyers . Better than now .

I know I have to be careful , but if I'm not spending £15k plus, then I think I'm doing alright .
I have my deposit to come back, and I bought slightly under budget.

I have to,live in the place , so gotta make it the best I can within reason.
You will obviously all be updated along the way
Thanks

another_casualty

Had a few ciders with my friend . Initially it was gonna be coffee,but we went to Poole quay and were fairly smashed .
I do remember lots of the pubs from previous years. The blue boar was our favourite . They were great people in there .
Thankfully , I had nurofen in the flat which came in useful around 2am

Had to force myself outta bed, as james the bathroom man will be here shortly. Headache gone , but I would've loved to have had a couple more hours in bed .

I'd better look at the colour schemes to make sure I know what I want
:rotfl: