From Flat to Farm

a_silver_lining

Thanks Bargainhunter30! Very glad your move paid off It seems there's so much more space here to enjoy, and many part are so affordable but still commutable. I'm going to keep looking online at properties here and we will explore different areas so when we are ready to buy we know we are buying our dream home.
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Update from me

I exchanged today, with completion on the 31st. We were ready to complete today but it was then revealed that the buyers mortgage starts on the 31st.

I ended up knocking 2k off the price as the mortgage evaluation came back as 4k under the price. It was a strange amount to price it as, but I checked out the paperwork. I thought the boiler would have caused money to be knocked off as it's old (but working) and hasn't been serviced since way before I bought the place, but they were fine with it.

I'm excited and relieved, although it's odd not having a new home to be excited about! I need to work out where my money will be until we buy and whether I move it from £ to euros any time soon.

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As for saving here, I think I said in a previous post that I left the job I moved for? It really didn't work out

I found an xmas temp contract within two days and it's fantastic. It's only 16 hours a week for the first three weeks, and then could increase. But at 16 hours (plus the bit of pay I got for the job I didn't stay at) it will pay for my rent, house bills, mobile, gym and food (if I'm careful) for three months until the end of Janurary.

Hopefully I will get overtime to help cover some discretionary spends, xmas gifts and car expenses (although I don't need to drive it to work, so it's mainly insurance). I'd like to not start chipping away at my savings.

This will leave me time to find a full time permanent job for Janurary... hopefully.

I am going to spend this weekend looking for another temp part time jor or place to volunteer as the spare time is a killer!

a_silver_lining

Long time no see.

Cost of moving rant:

End of 2019 was a bit of a bummer for me. I worked my temp xmas job, which helped a bit, but still ended up biting into my savings more then I would have wanted to.

Moving was super expensive all together!

My car insurance cost 1400 compared to the £700 I was quoted in England, plus I had to get it 5 months earlier then I would have in England and my old insurance company only refunded £35.

I also had to pay 200 tax, 65 driving licence and 100 odd MOT, all of which I wouldn't have needed in England.

My half of moving our belonging over was about 750.

First month over I had to pay mortgage and rent! Plus my rent is 425pm, which compared to my mortgage interest and bills means each month is around 200 more expensive here.

Plus unemployment in October and January.... where I was saving around 750pm on my old salary (so 3k down).

I think this move has cost me between 5-10k!

I realise this is in part due to my job falling through, but having always worked it's been a shock to the system.

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Job:

Rant over, I have managed to secure some part time work in a company I am VERY excited to be working for. Job hunting here was terrible, as it's such a small pool of jobs compared to South England, and my previous career as a Horticulturist just isn't available here, whereas I was being headhunted in England. I've had to readjust my expectations.

The new job is a far commute, plus toll roads I may not be able to afford, so I'm budgeting a lot for travel. My hope is that I will be able to pick up extra shifts and then get myself into a full-time role there, and head for promotion. It's a massive company, so fingers crossed!

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New Budget:

Relieved that with employment I can now budget.
My rough ongoing budget is:

1225pm Income (Should be slightly more than this, but I have opted into a 4% pension, matched 6.5% by employer, so rounding it down until I know for sure.)
- 425 rent and bills inclusive
- 20 mobile pay as you go
- 100 toll road (Based on me getting a saver ticket and 5 weekly returns) To do: Apply for monthly Toll Saver
- 250 petrol (70mile return journey, at a rough calculations using very low MPG, cost is 11.62 pr journey) To do: Research if there are any reward cards for petrol stations
- 250pm savings
= 180pm for food, entertainment etc

I'm hoping to offset travel in the summer with getting lifts partway into work with my partner and then cycling through the city or catching the bus. Long term I think we will have to look to move nearer the city as our commute makes our cheap rent here normal rental prices for the city, plus we will have a long commute each. To do: Find a good audio book/ pod cast for commute.

My partner pays for both of our gym membership. There are no other regular expenses.

Saving money

Work:
I found out yesterday that I will be paid a 20 minute break for my 6 hour shifts, so if this is on top of the 6 hours then this is an extra 84 a month if my calculations are correct.

Clothes:
I also get free uniform including boots, which is a godsend as I was just about to buy some!
I buy my clothes mostly in charity shop, and have no clothes needs apart from a new sports bra and trainers. I'm going to ask for both of these for my birthday. To do: Message and ask for trainers.

Food:
We get a free healthy meal, fruit, and hot drinks whilst at work, so this will drastically cut down my food spend. I plan on utilising this fully. Will be interesting to see how much it takes off our food shop.

Currently, we are spending about 75pw on food. I have finally set up reminders so we will get 10 euro off per 50 spend to bring this cost down. I've set up point cards for where we shop, and I have started to work out where to buy some items cheaper, so our main shop is where we get the 10 off, and the top ups are used to get items cheaper elsewhere.

Lastly, I miss my garden! My plan this spring is to buy very cheap salad and grow this through the pots available for me to save a few pence. To do: Will research more into this.

Entertainment:
Socialising is far more pricey here. I've already started to try and cheapen it and when a celebration out was suggested for me getting a job, I changed it to a tea and cake party here. I plan on baking cupcakes. Much cheaper. To do: Look up recipie using items in house.
My plans for the future are to arrange walks/hikes and bike rides as most of the group love getting outdoors and we can take a picnic. We also have been given free camping gear from friends who have left the country, so this will equal cheap entertainment in the summer.

Making Money

Work:
I am hopeful that they said it's possible to pick up extra hours. As I will only be doing 24 hours per week I will be saying yes to any and all!
I was going to find some places to volunteer, but I think I am going to double check tax implications of a second job, and if it's ok I will try and find some local (no driving) flexi care work to fit around my main job. To do: Look up tax and possible companies.

Craft:
I had good luck selling in a craft fair before Christmas. I have started making some little items and so will slowly get together an Etsy. Big savings are going to be making gifts this year, as I have planned to buy handmade or handmake where possible to save money.

Selling:
Always had loads of luck selling in England. Everything is so pricey here I have decided selling would be a good bet. Ebay and Gumtree seem to be barely used, so I need to research more into where and how to sell bigger items. To do: Research ways to sell bigger items.

I used to charity shop twice a year loads of little bits but I have talked with my partner and we are building up a stash of cheapy items and I will do a big end of summer car boot sale and try and make a little money.

Tax:
I need to claim back my UK tax as I was under threshold when leaving. This should hopefully be 1k which will make up for some of my moving expense. To do: Look up when to claim back tax.

Vouchers and points:
I have signed up for Irelands shop and scan having seen how many vouchers customers had from it. I have been approved and am waiting for the scanner.
Signed up for all points cards and prompting my partner to use them. As said above, one shop does 10 off per weekly 50 shop if you go each week and I have caluclated this to be worth regular use as long as we get the shops more expensive items elsewhere as a top up shop.
We have two vouchers, one for a food place and one for dublin zoo. I was going to use these for dates, but am going to use these for socialising to cut down on costs.

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That was a massive post. I'm going to aim to update weekly where possible, as my very tight budget will be tricky if I want to keep saving to rebuy.

Savings:

£101,100 in UK saver from flat sale.
£500 in saver UK.
£1380 in UK bank account.
£102,980 savings UK

E1000 Ireland monthly saver.

Extra available:
£75+ cash for if I visit UK.
30 meal voucher.
39 zoo voucher.
35 voucher towards game release next year.
£1000? Tax refund due.
E150? Pay due from previous job.

Bank account E1127 (with rent due 1st of next month and travel this month, aiming to stick to E180 budget for food etc)

a_silver_lining

Having a good week so far. Loving the new job!! I think this will be a really good place for me


Spends this week:
Hair:
My big spend! 80E on a cut and dye. This was a planned spend to start the job feeling good. Massive dent in new budget though!

Food:
Edit to say: 2nd big spend of the week as I went to buy catfood and realised that if I bulk bought 10kg rather then 2kg I could save 35E! So I invested 49.99, and saved 35!

Partners turn to buy food shopping. It cost 40E for the week using 10E off voucher and getting a new one for next week. She did buy some additional food for a party on Saturday, but cheaper than drinks out. I've munched my way through all the bad for me junk food left in the house...

Low spends as free breakfast, lunch, hot and cold drinks and fruit at work! I did try some of their other food options and spent 1.40 on these, so plan is to stick with freebies only to make the most of their generosity.

Entertainment Savings
If we were still in England we would have had to book flights for the hen party and wedding this month. So you could argue we have saved around £150 each. I also would have paid for a cat sitter, saving £60. We have my partners brother cat sitting instead and left over party food from last weekend is his payment. Also saving me from eating it...

Also have a bottle of processo and chocolates brought for me to celebrate new job. We had so much food we didn't use them. So! These are coming to the hen party as our contribution. Trying to keep the socialising cheap!

Travel Savings:
Realised I had calculated for 5 returns on the toll not 4.20. New boss has also put my hours into 4 days a week rather than 5.
Rough maths is 72.80pm toll not 100pm toll - Saving 27.20pm
Less driving should reduce my fuel to 200pm - Saving 50pm

Redone budget
1225pm Income (Should be slightly more than this, but I have opted into a 4% pension, matched 6.5% by employer, so rounding it down until I know for sure.)
- 425 rent and bills inclusive
- 20 mobile pay as you go
- 72.80 toll road
- 200 petrol (70mile return journey, at a rough calculations using very low MPG, cost is 11.62 pr journey)
- 250pm savings
= 257pm for food, entertainment etc More reasonable for sure!

Task progress
*To do: Apply for monthly Toll Saver Done
*To do: Research if there are any reward cards for petrol stations Done. Mr T is near work and I can build club card points. I can possibly apply for a K card also so need to look into this Apply for K card?
*Not done as right now I am focussed on learning the trickier drive: To do: Find a good audio book/ pod cast for commute.
* Decided to buy my own trainers in a few monthsTo do: Message and ask for trainers.
* Still need to research into salad growing.


Making Money
Work:
For now as the commute is so long I am going to hold off a second job. My new Manager has said more hours are available, so in a week or so I will put my name down for some.

Craft:
I haven't made much movement on this in the past few days.

Selling:
Nothing sold this year.

Tax:
To do: Look up when to claim back tax.

Misc:
I got an email that the council are refunding me £29 for overpayment, I think this is going into an old UK account which I can't access on the app any more. Work out how to get into the account!

Vouchers and points:
Still waiting for shop and scann scanner.

I checked a survey site I used in England and I'm half way to payout so will keep doing these.

I have joined a 2 week research group so will earn a £15 voucher for this Do 30minute starting survey.

I realised I had outstanding Mr T points £19.50. See if partner has old UK clubcard so I can use them.

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Savings:
£101,100 in UK saver from flat sale.
£500 in saver UK.
£1380 in UK bank account.
TOTAL £102,980 savings UK
+ E1000 Ireland monthly saver.

Extra available:
30 meal voucher.
39 zoo voucher.
40 NS voucher to use for gift buying.
35 voucher towards game release next year.
144 total.

£75+ cash for if I visit UK.
£1000? Tax refund due.
E150? Pay due from previous job.
£19.50 uk Mr T vouchers I need to access. :T

Bargainhunter30

Hope you're enjoying the move and Irish lifestyle a_silver, it's taken us a good six months to settle, but the work life balance is so much nicer than back in England. It sounds like you've made an amazing start!

savingholmes

Good to see your update. Keep posting

a_silver_lining

Bargainhunter30 wrote: »

Hope you're enjoying the move and Irish lifestyle a_silver, it's taken us a good six months to settle, but the work life balance is so much nicer than back in England. It sounds like you've made an amazing start!

Thanks Bargainhunter30, yes I am slowly settling in here I think it will take me a good year, but having work now seems to be helping a bit with feeling settled.

Thank you also saving holemes I really want to be present but also look forward to buying next year

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Have done well the past three days.

I've been eating free work food and it is yum! Salmon fish cakes and salad yesterday. And money saving.

Petrol spends seem to be lower then I had budgetted as I don't need to fill up yet. A tank is about 30E, and I thiiink will last four journeys. Which is only 130pm which would be fantastic, and a big relief. To go from 350pm to 200 ispm is a big saving. Will update when I know for sure how many work journeys it lasts.

Also spoke to my manager and officiall asked for overtime, so I will be hopefully offered it in my department, but also he is putting the request out to other departments.

No other spends in the past three days, hen party this weekend so crossing my fingers for a not too spendy one We paid for the weekend and I think food and some drinks are included, so we will try to stick to that

£29.95 refund from the council into the UK account, so now at £1411.97 in there.

a_silver_lining

Great hen party, and lucky we both spent minimal amounts as most things were included.

Work has been great. I've kept to eating free at work petrol seems to be on track, I filled up after four days (and a day out) so trying to see if it lasts me four or five days without additional journeys.

I have two games to trade in tomorrow which should net me 60E I can pay my partner back for paying for my haircut last week.

Annnnd in very positive news my pay for my old job came through and was not 150E ish like I expected, but 823.24! I have double checked and I had miscalculated, so very happy! I think this will all be able to be savings. I'll have to do the maths as I won't get paid in the new job until even end of Feb. Come on house deposit!

a_silver_lining

Doing well over here. Had a sit down with my partner and a look at our budgeting and possible mortgage amount in the future.

We have decided to get a joint account for food/ bills to make it easier to budget. We have also decided to get overdrafts (not to dip into) and credit cards (to pay off as we use) to boost our credit score here over the next year. I have no real credit score here as a new citizen so will see if they will even give me them!!

We worked out that even if I stayed in my part time job, and her parents didn't gift her the 10k they are saying they will we should still be able to afford a 350k property, which should buy us what we want every penny counts so I am going to try and get a full time roll after my 6 month probation.

Finally managed to get overtime agreed! Doing my first two hours today which is a whole 20E after tax I think he's going to give me more though so I will keep on at it. All overtime is going into deposit savings!!

Budgeting seems to be going well so I should be on track to save 250pm without overtime

a_silver_lining

Mini update, doing well here still

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500E moved into savings so: 1.5k / 6k saved.
I have 728 left in the account, 425 is last months rent (as landlady has been away and not collected it), so 50 for food next week as my turn to shop and 50 for petrol and toll should leave me with a 200E buffer in my account - which I will leave permanently each month as I have no overdraft facility.

Payday is next Friday. I have done 10 hours over time and 6 hours sunday working overtime, so if I am taxed then I think it should be an additional 150E to put into savings on top of my 250E savings I have 12 hours ovettime booked so far for the upcoming month, it will be amazing if I can keep putting extra in. 

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Budget wise it was a spendy month with the wedding, but I've let myself off a bit with that. It's been interesting looking at food and travel costs and my budget seems about right there. 

Redone budget - AGAIN!
1225pm Income (Should be slightly more than this, but I have opted into a 4% pension, matched 6.5% by employer, so rounding it down until I know for sure.) Also will vary pm due to some months being 5 week and some being 4. 
- 425 rent and bills inclusive
- 20 mobile pay as you go
- 72.80 toll road
- 100 petrol for four weeks. I am amazed by this as my origional calculation was 300! Will keep an eye on it, but have scritinised my bank account and this seems to be true!
- 250pm savings
= 357pm for food, entertainment etc

a_silver_lining

Late payday update Payday yesterday  
E250 moved into my saver as per my monthly plan.
E221.4 paid in overtime before tax, so moved this amount over too.

1971.40 / 6K = 32% of saving goal

Keep picking up over time though, 29 hours booked this month and keep saying yes to more.

Also realised that I needed to budget for car insurance, tax etc here so I'm going to need to start a second saving pot which will mean that this saving will drop down. I had around 150ish left in my current account before payday, so going to try and build it up in my current account through spending less each month then budgeted. Aiming for 200 in there by next payday. 

The saving buffer may not be possible though as I need to book a car service... also have agreed to do tough mudder this year and so need E100 for that. I'm already at the edge of my monthly budget and have almost 4 weeks left and just travel and food money left really! This is due to getting a bit excited and buying some garden plants, and also booking flights to visit my dad in England for two days as he is unwell. I have £75 cash left from when I moved over so will aim to spend that when there.... hmm...

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On a positive house buying update, my partner has finally been moved off emergency tax and put on the right payscale for work. It's higher then we thought. With the rebate her savings are now at 15K and she should be able to save 1-1.5k a month (way more then me!), so we are looking set to have a good deposit this time next year. May/ June should see us getting England 's tax rebates hopefully, which will boost both of our savings. 

The next hurdle is her reinterviewing to be made permanent at the end of her probation this May, and then me securing fulltime hours at work (with hopefully a promotion). We have looked at mortgages even without me getting a promotion though and it still looks good.