Moving forward and upwards

MovingForwards

Thank you SH, at times I feel I think too much and make too many plans, but if I didn't I wouldn't be where I am now.

Potted up the m0rr1s0ns mint yesterday and a few other things. Need to start plotting how everything will be grown next year.
I mentioned about us having a few chickens, but been directed towards ducks instead 🤭
Will look into allotments after work and get my name down on a few of the waiting lists, ideally I want the one just down from here as that would be easier to get to and almost be like an extension of our garden.

Finally discovered a shampoo that works! I had run out and the only thing left was some J0hn$0n'$ baby shampoo, which I picked up last year in case I ever had to clean my cat. First time I thought it was a fluke, but having used it three times now I know it isn't. Saving £10 pm not buying medicated shampoo.
As an experiment last night I also washed my face with it. Today my skin has moisture, it's not extremely dry or itchy; nothing prescribed over the years helped either.
All my life I've struggled, today I feel like a normal human being and later I will see how it works as a shower gel. 
Total saving = priceless

Money moved to savings and mortgage O/P made.
Same as before, the plan is to move my unspent commute costs each week.
-- what I have done is worked out commute costs for a 5 week month, buying a weekly travel pass. 

Irenadler

Hey Babs! (and Tombo, love the name!)
Never stop planning and thinking, it's helped you (and me, and the rest!)... Yeah, ducks I can see thriving more in your climate, rather than chickens, heh. Chickens might go on strike and demand wellies/mackintosh/high rise living accommodations!

Loving your good life expansion plans, and I can definitely confirm that paying off the mortgage, for me at least, is a huge relief... I know there are arguments against it i.e. save/invest, but me being a worrywart can't help feeling that I should have a secure roof over my head if nothing else.

It sounds like a small victory, finding something that works for you, but I know it's definitely no picnic when you are putting up with a long standing irritation like that. A family member has always had the frustration of skin problems, and although people think it's minor, it leads to all sorts of quality of life issues, lack of sleep cos they stuck to sheets and wake up in pain turning over, blood on sheets from itching and scratching, constant washing of bedding/clothing, etc, or ruining of same and constant replenishing, side-long looks from people when it flares up, cos they are wondering what the hell it is, but, don't ask. Then the endless doctor visits trying to find something that actually works, special baths, special shampoo/soap/gel/moisturisers, avoidance of a whole host of things that might trigger, like certain food, washing powder, perfume, etc and the feeling that they don't want to go out in public when it's really bad. Nightmare for them sometimes.

So getting a product that does resolve itching is like finding a little goldmine! And it's doing 2 things for you!! Double fist bump and elbow touch!   

P.S. Was thinking of alternative names for 'Tombo', Rambot, doesn't have the same ring to it, neither does boTom, Tomram, Ramtom, or anything else,,, he he...

MovingForwards

Thanks Ren. I've got so lucky not scaring my face considering how badly I've scratched it up all the time (I have very long nails). I no longer have my own snowdome either, nor do I feel like a snake shedding skin. Hopefully this is the new me!

The general consensus is pay everything into pensions, but the interest rate on my mortgage is high and I also need the flexibility of working a lot less hours due to my health. I will be a lot happier when the mortgage is cleared and that is my focus to enable reaching self-sufficiency.

Put my name down for an allotment, haven't been able to find out how long it will take before I get one. Hopefully around the same time as the mortgage is finished. I opted for the one a few minutes away as it's quite a big site.
Apparently a full-size plot can sustain a family of 4 for 6 months a year and allow surplus to be given to friends. By my logic that should mean it would be enough for the two of us.

Had a quick look at the price of land, there's just over 3 acres for grazing and growing only, about 10 miles away. A couple more years of savings and that may be a possibility. Added to my plotting list.

Tombo said there were wild rabbits running around the end neighbours garden today. Must remind him I don't eat rabbit!

Having roast lamb, veg and homegrown beetroot.

Skint_yet_Again

It’s great that you have found something that works for you. It’s awful to have dry itchy flaky painful skin. 

Just out of interest how much does 3 acres cost ? 

Lol Ren re boTom 😂

savingwannabe

OMG. Wow an allotment. How fantastic. My garden is big it has so much potential but i just dont have the time. Thank you so much for the paint idea. I will look at the PM. I do like a PM. Bless you.

MovingForwards

Thanks Skinty, at least I've finally found a solution 😊 
The land was listed as offers over £15k, due to no chance of building on it.
Others that do have building capabilities were offers over £100k per acre! There's a plot at the other end of my road which is OO £75k because it's suitable for a family house to be built.
I will keep looking as something viable may pop up in the future, that would be Tombo's full-time work to maintain; I've already worked out the cost of him not working but running a croft, me working and paying his NI so he gets a full pension on retirement etc.

I did think about renaming him to BomTom, but they would have been too much 😂

Thanks SW, just have to wait and see how long it takes to move up the list.
I will always help with ideas and suggestions where I can. 

savingholmes

Love the 3 acres idea. I have looked at the odd paddock locally but they seem to be strict on using only for grass rather than propagation which could count as gardening and therefore lead to a future house build request... Frustrating

MovingForwards

Keep a look out SH as you never know, one may pop up. It would also be worth seeing what overage agreement or restriction could be put in place to allow the change to happen without opening it up to being built on later. 

The 3 acres was 1a for our crop, 1a for animals and 1a food for animals. A proper little farm, but for self-sufficiency rather than making a living from it.

I'm trying to get as many plans worked out as I can, then when we do have more money and paid the mortgage off one can potentially be put into action. So far I've worked out
1 -- Flat, garden and allotment
2 -- Flat, garden and land
3 -- Old house and land
4 -- Croft on an Island (probably not viable due to needing to work to pay bills, it's what stopped me when I was saving to buy before) 

TomBo is happy to go all out self-sufficient, wood burning heating / water, solar / wind electric and natural waste breakdown, that would mean only CT to pay each year. I'm just not sure how viable it would be to raise the money for that on my income.

I guess these are like my savings steps again, the more money saved, the more viable each one is.

For now I'm aiming for step 1 while the mortgage is being paid down.

savingholmes

I think you also need to factor in access to medical care - as some of the cheapest places are very remote.

MovingForwards

I've factored things like farmers markets, Dr etc. It wouldn't be a remote place in the middle of nowhere, age will be against us by the time this can be put into place. It's more likely the best we can do is step 2, but if I don't have big dreams I can't make the smaller ones come true 🤗