From Flat to Farm

a_silver_lining

Partners job hunting has been a bit tricky so have both been feeling a bit low. I've decided to look at mortgages in case we do not sell this year. Weighing it up there are mortgages £100 cheaper per month, with no product fee and 0.5% repayment due if sold within two years, which would only be £450. My current providers standard rate would be almost £300pm more by my calculation so seems a no brainier. I'm going to call my provider tomorrow and weigh it up.

On the money saving side I have moved a bit more into my savings account.

£1.20 Quidco cashback.
£1.58 Shopmium.
£30 sold shed.
£6 profit off a scratch card. We never buy these, but was to cheer my partner up, so a lucky win.
£30 not made additional money, but saved from spending so I moved over.

1,145.76/5K in selling home expenses!

Have some more sales to push and am waiting for the bank referral to go through, so will keep plugging away.

a_silver_lining

Still no news on the job front so I reviewed my mortgage.

I weighed up a lot of options, staying on my fix until October and then going on the standard rate, staying until then and moving to a different provider, or switching now with my current provider.

I chose the later, so will be saving £90pm off my current deal and then £220 once October comes rather than going onto their standard rate.

I had to pay a fee, but there's no early repayment charge. Worst case I sell in 6 months and break even, best case I will be thankful I'm not paying £220pm more!

I can overpay as much as I want, so the goal is to get to 3k, and then split money 50/50 to savings and overpaying.

debtfreeoneday

All sounding exciting in here, hope you get good job news soon.

a_silver_lining

Finally got the login so I can see the mortage as it is now.

£92,246.50, with £333 payment next month and then an ongoing £370 from then on. Much better.

Aim this payday is to get my savings to 3K. I have two weddings, one which I will need to give cash to, so it will be interesting to see where my savings get to.

I have someone picking up a lamp I sold on Monday, so that will be added to the saving pot.

Today we have started clearing through the kitchen so prepare for sale. It has made us realise what a slow process this is, so we as aiming to do half an hour a day.

kaycastle

This all sounds so exciting Good luck with your savings and moving.

Hope you get good job news soon. Will be checking back.

a_silver_lining

So thought I would do an update

I moved to Ireland two weeks ago!!

Flat has a buyer and I believe is a few weeks away from completion. My solicitor thinks I have answered the last of the buyers questions, and we are moving the last of our belongings over next weekend.

Has been an expensive and scary time!

Have started a new job. I've only done four days and was emergency taxed I think heavily, but I'll have to wait and see the payslip. I'm paid weekly, which I haven't yet got my head round, so have done a possible budget and believe I can save 1000E a month. My partner should be able to save more then that, so our deposit should keep building up!

I'll come back and update once the flat has sold and we have been saving for a few months. We still think that we will not be able to buy for two years due to my partners work situation, so may be a slow start to this diary

ChasingSunshine

Exciting times. Good luck!

savingholmes

Great news. Enjoy Ireland. It is something we've considered as we want a house with land too

a_silver_lining

Savingholmes, I'm hoping that we will be able to buy a lot more land then the uk. I was based in the SE of England on a below national average salary. Here I'm on an average salary and property is so much cheaper I'm crossing my fingers and going to save!

No garden here in the rented flat, just room for some flower pots so will have to be creative with the growing for now. We found the rental through a family friend and is 500€ cheaper then rent elsewhere so the savings pot should build up

Bargainhunter30

Congrats on the move! We've just done the same but moved to the north. The house we live in here is twice the size for the same price as our house back in the North of England! The OH's family have just bought a small holding for the same price as my family bought a 2 bed flat for recently in the south of England! It's crazy, so I'm sure you'll end up with something amazing. Good luck with the saving and enjoy the more relaxed lifestyle that I'm sure you're experiencing.