Phase 3

Octobergirl

I don’t know about the medical wishes form, Savingholmes, is it a formal document? I’ve got to put a pack together re. Daughter’s needs to go with will and was advised to get her assessed for capability at 18 before seeking power of attorney. I was very lucky to be allocated a fantastic solicitor specialising in special needs through the Mencap Will’s scheme.

Other than that, I’ve sarah beeney’d my house today. The downstairs bedroom/study had become a dumping room for equipment, and boy child has taken over the living room with his x-box. So I’ve cleared it all out, rearranged the sofas and made myself a snug. A trip to ike@ Needed tomorrow to buy rug, lights and bits. Desperately need to sort a new shed to store all the various wheelchairs and bits now.

savingholmes

Yeah - you can get power of attorney for health and well as finances. MSE have links to diy forms or you can do via solicitor. I read through them after I mentioned it to you - and may sit down and go through them at some point with DH. 

Octobergirl

My monthly round up and it's been a VERY spendy one, albeit Money saved up during lockdown. I've painted the snug, new soft furnishings for both rooms. Spent a huge amount of time looking at sofas. Got as far as sitting down to order a new three piece suite, until I found out the covers weren't washable. eek!.... .not a good idea in our house.

Reluctantly looked at leather sofas, and found an amazing nearly new M&S sofa on the bay still selling in the shops for £1700. Getting it was a catalogue of disasters, but it is gorgeous, and a serious bargain. Very happy. 

After a 4 month wait, I've finally got my new shed, which I'm ridiculously happy about. Managed to get numerous bits of equipment out of the house, less to fall over and bash ankles on.

Had a great half-term, done a fair few activities with the kids, first time this year really, and a great happiness injection before lockdown kicks in again. I've put a large dent in my lockdown savings, but feel as though I've lived a little.
So...next targets, order a second shed for February/March delivery. Lay some flagstones. Paint snug & living room skirting boards and ceiling.

savingholmes

Sounding very organised - well done. Sounds like you got a bargain too

Octobergirl

Hope you had a lovely Christmas, very quiet here, reminded me of childhood Christmas', which was perfect. The first year I've not ventured out to the sales. I've become a total hermit, although booked swimming tickets for next week, fingers crossed we're not back in Lockdown.

I am now 'mortgage free'. Paid bank off at the beginning of December. The journey started back in 2003, with lots of frugal and not so frugal periods, a house move, 2 children, stay at home,  career change and divorce later.

Sadly, I'm not really mortgage free, as I still have to pay ex equity from the property, so my mortgage payments are now settlement payments.

However, it gives me a little more flexibility and I'm saving £80pm on interest. I wouldn't have been able to keep the family home or be in this position if it hadn't been for all the overpayments and frugal living.

Guess I'm now in phase 4......I've got 7 years to pay off ex, so a further tightening of the belt is now required.

savingholmes

What fabulous news! Well done you. Hope the equity payments to ex aren't too onerous.

Octobergirl

Thank you SavingHolmes, but it's a bit of an anticlimax tbh. I've not had a shiny bright certificate from the bank yet, and the settlement payments are twice my old mortgage payments🤣😭 I feel like a hamster on a perpetual debt wheel. I need to remind myself how lucky I am compared to alot of people this year and that I am in the very fortunate position of keeping the family home and not having to sell it. When I started this journey, I had fantasies of paying the mortgage and having a celebratory blowout travelling to exciting places. In reality, I haven't even bothered to renew our passports this year🤣🤣
How is everything with you, are you managing to keep safe and sane? What are you doing to keep yourself entertained?

Jessy103

Well done! Fingers crossed you get to travel to your exciting places soon enough 🙂

Octobergirl

Thanks Jessy. I've spent the past year doing up the house with money that would have been spent on holiday/entertainment. I'm happy to hunker down until the world stops being crazy. Pompeii, Thailand and Canada are on the bucket list so far....

savingholmes

I think a lot of us are building bucket lists this year of places to go when this is done. I have been writing a book in my spare time and published yesterday - its a young adult fantasy story.