Cheery's country living adventure

shangaijimmy

We all start getting excited as we near the end of the month as it invariably means money shuffling and spreadsheet shenanigans! And then plotting and planning... And then dreaming of what the balance may look like in 6 months, 12 months, 5 years...

Cheery_Daff

Yes, the end of the month is pretty exciting isn't it?? And even more now I have some premium bonds! I'm lucky - I'm paid on the 18th so get a mini flurry of activity mid-month as well 😁

So today has been ok in finance terms.

* closed Coventry account and requested funds
* paid interest from both regular savers off mortgage
* confirmed receipt of my lamp which attracted an unexpected customs charge - looks like the vendor is going to refund some of that for me.

No response from the kitchen guy who measured up on Friday, but I have had a nice email from another bloke, sending me some guidance and asking for a rough budget so he can make suggestions. I've emailed to tell him what we want doing and a very rough budget and we'll see what he comes back with. Can't do anything til July, but I'm struggling to get anyone else to do anything before then anyway, and at least this guy seems on the ball and cheerful. We'll see...

shangaijimmy

I feel your pain trying to organise tradesmen. There is so much uncertainty about getting the right person in to begin with, and invariably when you find them they have are fully booked for an eternity..., which reaffirms the original challenge of finding the right person! But then doesn't progress the job list! Our sister in law has an old house that has an endless list of jobs doing. She's got to the stage that she books someone in (9 months in advance, 6 months in advance etc...) for a week or two, or 4...and decides nearer the time which job to get done!!

Cheery_Daff

Ha, that sounds like an excellent strategy!! I think this is basically going to be like that - I'll just keep adding stuff to the list of jobs as they go wrong 😂

Ominously not heard back from second kitchen man after I sent vague list of jobs and budget last night...

Did hear back from the people who are holding my freezer door seal to ransom though - because I ordered it more than 30 days ago (because I couldn't find ANYWHERE that had it in stock) they now can't take payment as their authorisation has run out, so I have to ring up to sort that out. Yawn.

Cheery_Daff

Right. Had email back from second kitchen man. I like him - he's being detailed and realistic. Gave a time estimation for bringing room itself up to scratch, separate estimate for buying and installing kitchen, added on extra as I'm a bit out of his normal geographical range, and said in his experience jobs often end up going about 10%over budget. Gave an overall very approximate cost of £10k for the kitchen, and asked me to send pictures of the bedroom, which I hadn't previously done. 

I'm happy with that, it's roughly what I thought anyway, includes buying the actual kitchen, and will mean I don't have to sort out separate electricians, plumbers etc. 

The bedroom is far less complicated, just needs plastering and a hole in the ceiling mending, so I'd anticipate that would only be an extra couple of grand, but even if the whole thing went up to £15k quite frankly right now that feels like an excellent use of some of Mr Cheery's pension money so have a functioning house by the summer. 

Will take some pictures of the bedroom and email back later. 

Both regular saver balances have arrived in the current account, so I'll buy premium bonds this evening too. And obviously I'm going to win the £1m jackpot so I won't have to worry at all about the kitchen or the mortgage ever again 😁 the more I say it, the more likely it is to come true. That's how these things work, right?! 😂

rtandon27

Well done on the progress Cheery!

Karmacat

That kitchen quote is really good value, Cheery.  A functioning house for the summer, yay!

Baileys_Babe

Fingers crossed for a function house for the summer.

I think you will find it is my turn to win on premium bonds I have held mine since I was born and I've yet to win anything with my huge investment, £4 😂 fingers crossed it's one of us.

Cheery_Daff

Ha, well I can beat you there BB - I've had £5 since birth and have also yet to win anything at all 😂😂

I'm hoping that putting our entire savings in there will make all the difference! Although I will laugh so hard of we do win, and it's one of the bonds I've had for 40 years that comes up 😂😂

Anyway, another £9000 bought 😮 They won't go into the draw til April as they have to be in there a whole month first (what a swizz!) but good that it's done. One more regular saver to go, but that doesn't end til 22nd March.

Pictures sent to builder, and I think I will contact another couple. I've spoken to five now I think, but so far only had this one quote, and that's only provisional as he's not actually been out to see the place yet!

Baileys_Babe

Good luck with all your premium bond holdings, but it will make me smile if it is one of your original bonds which win. It will give me hope for my own which I have held for nearly 50 years 😃