Moving forward and upwards

MovingForwards

Weekend update.

Seems the wheel bearing is going on my car, that's going to wipe out the money I had saved towards my insurance. First car ive had that actually has to have repairs more than once a year    I do love my little car and with each repair I hope that's the last one for quite a while; only had it 10 months! Looks like I need to carry a minimum budget of £1k for repairs, tax and insurance per year.

I only need just under £1350 for my AFs. Getting there slowly and still on track to be ready by April.

Will hopefully squeeze a few more pounds into savings before payday.

£52.15 in my account, 14 days til payday.

Skint_yet_Again

Cars are so expensive but I wouldn't be without mine. Insurance, service, MOT, tax, breakdown cover, plus future replacement tyres and any repairs it all adds up doesn't it. I save £50 a month and that is just for service, MOT & future repairs. The rest comes out of the £100 a month I put aside for annual bills.  

savingwannabe

I don't have a car I just cant believe how expensive they are. Everyone says they change your life though. Moving Forwards at least you have the money that is a blessing. 

MovingForwards

@Skint_yet_Again Technically, I don't need a car, but it's the instant freedom of being able to jump in and go, instead of waiting for a bus, especially as I'm not very mobile; although if I relied on the buses for work it would be 90 minutes to get home, compared to 17 minutes in the morning and 25 after work by driving.

If I was buying in the area I first moved to, more than likely I wouldn't bother with a car. There was enough within walking distance and so many buses to get me to various places.

I've also got full NCB and don't want to lose that.  My insurance is just over £200 a year, fully comp with business use, my tax is about £125 a year.

With the new repairs, I still wouldn't have spent what I paid, but it's getting close.

@savingwannabe  I nearly always buy 1L or under engined cars, parts are very cheap, I just need to find a cheaper garage for the labour costs (this tends to be £40-50ph). Miss my old garage as the guy would always heavily discount my repair bills

I had budgeted £50pm starting from April, after I've paid my insurance, but I may have to increase that a little. 

I do feel the poor condition of the roads are not helping, so many potholes and uneven patches. I end up battered around, so I dread to think how much my car goes through. Hopefully, when I move I will have better roads!

It's worth spending the money on, one day it won't be and that's when it will get taken away to scrappy heaven. I try and get 5 years out of my budget cars

I do like the garage I go to (will never return to the one I had my MOT done as the repairs they did mean I need to paint the sills, bit under the doors, as my car was ' too old and not worth spraying') writing this, I will look for a new garage when I move, it won't be viable using my current one.

I haven't planned to do an annual bill pot, just my various pots eg:
- car (repairs/MOT/Tax/insurance/replacement car),
- internal house (decoration, furniture, insurance, repairs, garden)
- external house (communal / external repairs)
- general savings (long-term with no specific aim, I guess emergency fund)

I also have a couple of retirement pots I'm adding to (PBs and S&S ISA).

But, I will revisit everything once I move and have done a few bills, see if my pots are working or not. I know things are different as a home owner compared to renting.

Skint_yet_Again

We sound very similar. Due to back pain I cannot stand for long so I would not be without my car. My tax is due this month £125 and my insurance with over 9 years NCD was £217 in December. I have found the most expensive thing for my home has been new fencing and boiler servicing / boiler repairs. 

MovingForwards

@Skint_yet_Again a simple car accident in the early 2000s was the start of my decline. Chronic pain, nerve damage and mobility issues is the quick description, if I stand for too long I can't walk, if I sit for an hour I can't walk.

I've accepted I need to use my walking stick, I don't like it, but I have a life. 

I take my meds as they make me feel like at least I'm doing something.

Can't always get out on the weekends as I push myself too much at work. 

My boss recently purchased his own place, so I've been asking him how much things have cost. He has already had to pay a few shared repair bills and has told me how much it's cost and is ready to pass me details of his repair people.

My best mate is slowly upgrading her home, telling me how much things have cost and is ready to hand over contacts.

I'm closely watching social media groups, seeing who advertises and looking into their work/reviews/proper website/how long established etc. I've found a roofing company who use ropes instead of scaffolding (very useful with tenement flats). My chimney sweep is also in my little book.

Only thing I need to find is a good insurance broker, it's the one thing I've not asked my home-owning friends about; will rectify that by the end of next month and get that ticked off my list.

Just thought for the first year it would be worth using a physical broker, then that way I can see what answers they put in; it's because I will require normal contents insurance but shared building insurance as it's a type of freehold with old flats up here.

Loads going on behind the scenes, one day all my little dots will make a picture!

Skint_yet_Again

Mine started with sciatica at age 20 and a stay in hospital on traction. Thankfully they don’t hospitalise you for it now but it has been on and off for years together with curvature of the spine and degenerative disks and nerve pain in neck and arms. Some days are better than others. Like you I can only stand and sit for so long. I can walk for about an hour on good days. I can only lie down for so long, so am up early most days (4.30 today). We make adjustments and adapt our days as you said to have a life. 

It’s great that you have local contacts and recommendations. When I was in a leasehold flat the buildings insurance was paid by the freeholder & we paid a share plus our own contents insurance but things may be different where you are. (Scotland?). 

I’m sure it will all come together and you will find the perfect home ☺️

MovingForwards

@Skint_yet_Again ouch, sciatica is horrible and I do fully appreciate how that in itself is bad enough, let alone everything else you have.

With me every day is a good day, until I have a run of days where I want to remove body parts just to make the pain go away.

I'm not sure I said, but I have had a slip / fall in the bath, that was a wake-up call for me; I've now swapped to having showers, but it's awkward as it's an over the bath shower.

I do get fed up when a simple injury doesn't repair itself quickly. 15 months ago I rubbed some skin off the back of my heel, my body reacts as if I've torn my Achilles! 4 months ago, while sitting down I had a pain shoot from my hip straight down my leg and straight up my back, my knee thinks it's tore a few tendons or dislocated!

I'm currently declining a lot of invites as I don't want to be in a pretty dress and shoes, with huge bracing just so I can walk.

I'm looking forward to the weather picking up a bit as this cold is making life difficult. I know Scotland was an odd choice to move to, I followed my heart. It still feels like I'm being paid to work, whilst on holiday, I have the 'foreign' money, loads of different accents and breathtaking views (my avatar is one of my photos).

Regarding the flat situation, things are different up here, unless it's a new build property then factors (management companies) are involved, so the equivalent of a monthly maintenance bill is payable and people probably face the same issues with them up here as they do in England (old new builds were out of my budget, new builds with the help2buy loan were way out my budget).

With the old properties it's a case of everyone has joint responsibility for communal repairs and usually manage it between themselves as and when required (some have employed factors). It was an eye opener reading how to deal with repairs, the processes to follow and how to deal with non-payers; I've printed a load of guides off.

I will have the perfect home, it's all about knowing;
- what is a definite requirement (water, beach, mountain views, shower room, close to public transport, close to shops),
- what would be nice, but can compromised (floor of flat, type of property I am prepared to buy, spare bedrooms, small garden for growing veg and herbs)
- what I can live without (parking, which probably seems odd as a car owner)

As a kid I used to watch the good life. I'm not physically able to be totally self-sufficient and work, I can and will do it on a small scale with some staple items eg onions, tomato, a row of spuds etc.

Long-term it would be great to have an allotment, drop a day at work to maintain it and be a bit more self-sufficient with veg. But I can use my OHs sisters one to see if I am able to help with planting, removing weeds and harvesting. If that does work out ok, then we could look into having a shared allotment with all of us looking after it and sharing the goodies.

It's just a case of sitting here, patiently, counting down the days, plotting / planning and focusing on packing

savingwannabe

You are so organised. It's lovely hearing you think. I hope you are ok with this storm. We all have so much in common. 

MovingForwards

Thank you @savingwannabe all I can do is think, and on here I have a group of friends to listen and chat with

I do everything with military precision, plot and plan every detail, best / worst case scenario, look at alternative options, work my way through everything before making a final decision. 

Worst thing anyone can do is give me options, as I obsessively weigh them up, before deciding. Even chippy night has me debating with myself, my OH learnt pretty quick to give me a days notice if we are having a take-away, or go out for a meal, allows me to check menu's and work out what I want......keeps me occupied, but at times I wish I could just do something without thinking. 

Be good when I have moved, then I can bin all my notes and workings out, leaving me free to plan decorating, eventually have everything organised and get on with living life.  

I've had all kinds of weather this week! Snow, sunshine and heat, cold, rain, plenty of storms, but I'm safe and secure at home for the weekend. Some good photo opportunities, which I've taken full advantage of, have been the icing on the cake, or the snow on the mountain