Midlife Musings and Measurable Goals

doingitanyway

I got the legal package all completed and posted. Thanks @another_casualty I used signed for. The same thing maybe?

Thanks @enthusiasticsaver I love Cornwall. How lovely you live there now after Greater London. If I can live happily in the new area for longer than I have lived in this area it will be an achievement!  

I seem to be popping to the shops to buy what I fancy when I fancy. Apart from increasing my exposure to Covid I am overspending. I even spent £10 on bad takeout. It stops now. Back to menu planning.

This week I have all the ingredients for:

Quinoa fishcakes and salads (carrot and sour cherries and leaf salad)

Kale seeded tabbouleh and chicken

Spanish chicken and roasted veggies

Halloumi and roasted veggies

Greek salad and lentil and veg soup

Mackerel and avocado salad and sweet potato and veg soup

Mushroom and herb frittata

Dressing of the week?

Orange, poppyseed, white miso dressing

Relish of the week?

Pineapple salsa

Back to budgeting too as I am frittering from not being organised. I  have started spending on travel without thinking too. I am also buying lots of things for my relative as I feel guilty for not being with her more. She values my support and time more than presents so I will be cutting this down too. 

I should be home-based for most of the week. I spent over £100 last week (too scared to properly add it up) So, my budget is £25 for all spending between this Saturday and next Saturday. This includes a day trip to look at a house. I have the train ticket and will take my flask and lunchbox. Let battle commence...

mark55man

well done DIA - so much to balance, but so much achieved

another_casualty

Yes, signed for is fine DIA 😼. It's what most solicitors use . I was over doing it there. 

Don't be too restrictive on yourself . You seem to be handling everything really well .
I'll leave it there ..

doingitanyway

mark55man said:

well done DIA - so much to balance, but so much achieved

another_casualty said:

Yes, signed for is fine DIA 😼. It's what most solicitors use . I was over doing it there. 

Don't be too restrictive on yourself . You seem to be handling everything really well .
I'll leave it there ..

 Thanks @mark55man I appreciate the vote of confidence

Thanks @another_casualty I know what you mean about not being too restrictive, but it is only a week and my bank balance needs it!  I am in danger of not getting through the month in the black...

doingitanyway

The weather is yuk. Not going out at all today if I can help it. I am having a NSD and hopefully a NSD weekend, so my £25 budget can stretch a bit further.

There is another house on the same road as the one I am going to look at. It costs more than the one I am due to see but it has 2 bathrooms. I can’t afford it but it doesn’t hurt to look, so I called the EA and added it to the list for next week. 

I did all the legal bumph yesterday but not the soup. The veg box came last night so I made soup. It came out well. I used the tops of some beetroot so it is a lovely rich colour. 

The house is messy and washing is piling up (wet weather so can’t dry outside). So I will clean, sort washing, and do some ironing too. 

The excitement of my weekend!

Edited to say, just packed my first box of books. Need to buy some tape and labels now...

mark55man

I think for lodging you can get up to £7000 a year tax free - I seem to recall you are not on any benefits so that won't impact on that - now not quite sure of your location, but that's about £150 a week so maybe that's not achievable but £100 a week would give you £5K a year or payback of the extra money in about 10 years

so expensive if its just an option for later (£50K is £500 a year in interest per 1% of your mortgage), but very sensible if its a plan from the outset.  especially if you find someone super handy and willing to share their skills.  Although I sense you like your privacy so I'm thinking you probably might get the extra space and then never fill it with a lodger which would be costly,but not too much so.   Might be cheaper to make sure the bedrooms you do buy are big enough to fit a small loo/shower and do the conversion when needed.

savingholmes

Hope you find the house of your dreams soon.

RosaBernicia

No harm looking, and will give you an idea of what you get for your money in that area.  Plus who knows what's going on with prices atm, so it might fall within your reach after all. 

doingitanyway

Thanks for the helpful posts everyone

Today is wet, cold and windy. On the bright side it helped me nab a NSD weekend so my weekly budget will go further

The heating is on, partly because it feels wet and miserable. Fairy lights on too as it is so gloomy...

Another box packed.

I had a think about my sofa. I had toyed with donating it to the BHF. Nothing wrong with it but it is very big and I have a second leather 2 seater and a lovely day-bed. No point keeping the sofa (and paying to store it) if I don't love it and if it can be better used by someone else. Decision made. This week I will arrange collection. 

I hope you are all having a relaxing day.

Seasidegal58

Hi DIA - just read a whole month's worth of your diary and so much has gone on and also look how much you accomplished in getting your place ready for sale. And congrats on THE sale - I hope all goes well with completion. 

You've had some fantastic advice from posters too!

Good luck with your move and the next exciting phase of your life! X