Frugal, thrifty, make do, mend! Let this debt come to an end!

angela110660

Sending best wishes and fingers crossed for one of the properties you viewed coming good. Re your future purchase list - I would not worry about garden things at this time of year as not needed till Spring time. Also the white goods - people often offer decent items on Freecycle or on Ebay which you might consider to get you started? Otherwise you will be spend, spend, spend just when you don't really need it - thinking festive season. Really hope it all works out for you. 

beanielou

Positive vibes your way. 

Purplebonnie

Hi Elisheba, I live on a barge and absolutely love it.  A couple of tips - find a permanent mooring before you buy a canal boat.  Look at local marinas.  Moorings are like gold dust, but continuous cruising where you have to move every couple of weeks can be a pain.  In a Marina you would have electric hook up and water, which makes life a lot easier.  If you decide to look at boats, go to the hire companies.  They sell off their boats but they are usually well maintained and you can often get a really good deal on them.

Cheery_Daff

All fingers crossed for you, quite understand wanting to not stay past the notice period xxx

I used to live on a canal boat 😊 Second the suggestion to find moorings first though. We lived at the end of someone's garden on a very quiet branch arm of the canal - not legal to do that though so I wouldn't recommend! I certainly wouldn't have done that if it was up to me 😂 Did love the boating life though, but it was a bit like putting all your furniture in your hallway and living in there 😂 And because we weren't in a marina, it was a 2 mile cycle to the service station where we could empty the loo, do some washing, have a shower. 

Sending you best wishes though, whatever you end up doing. Xx

[Deleted User]

It’s easy to give up Amazon. I closed my account two years again and haven’t missed them one bit! Plenty of other online sites around. I also have s nothing to do with PayPal! 

Slowdown

What a shock for you Elisheba. 😔 I’m so sorry you’re having to go through this. 

The regulations around renting in this country are shocking. No fault evictions need to be sorted out asap.
Your positive attitude speaks volumes about who you are and what you’ll get done. I have nothing but admiration for your get on with it approach. Hopefully a suitable place will be secured soon and you can look to the future with a little bit of excitement mixed in. 

I do think asking someone to leave their long term home with so little notice and at this time of year is unreasonable and probably very unnecessary. If you have enough money to own rental properties and refurbish them then you can probably afford to wait an extra couple of months! 

Good luck with everything. 🤞🍀

Elisheba

Evening, my thrifty friends,

I am absolutely exhausted but I have good news. The property I went to visit last week and loved is going to be mine (subject to references etc, but they should be fine and I've already paid the holding deposit)!!!!

It's been an emotional rollercoaster over the last week, and I was genuinely imaging myself living out my car come 10th January. I can't even begin to express how lucky I am to get this house - not only do I love it but it is only £725 pcm rent, which is £175 pcm less than I thought I'd have to pay and £300 a month less than I was worried I might have to pay.

They've also offered me a 3 year contract with a 6 month break clause on their part and a 2 month notice period on mine. I've never even heard of a contract like that before. It's just over the border in Wales so maybe it's a Welsh thing? But it means some security and I won't be faced with 2 months notice before Xmas again.

It's a 2 bed in a small cul de sac next to a church in a tiny pretty village. It has oil central heating and a newly fitted wood burning stove (it might be a multifuel stove - I don't actually know, it's on my list to ask) with a woodstore out the back. It's got a fairly small, secure back garden facing south west which borders on a stream, and looks onto a very pretty old ruin. The floors downstairs are laminate which will be great with the animals. The kitchen is small but has enough room for a fridge freezer, washing machine and slimline dishwasher. There isn't a separate dining room but the living room is quite spacious and will have enough room for a dining table and chairs, and it has patio doors out onto the garden. The nearest town is a 10 minute drive away so I won't be too isolated either.

I mean obviously there are draw backs - it a 3 hour commute to work, I'm moving away from my friends, there is no train station nearby, it's more than I'm paying now, it costs a fortune to get to London. But in the circumstances I honestly can't see how it could have worked out better. I must have sent over 50 enquiries on Rightmove asking if they accepted pets and most of them didn't even get back to me. The other one I viewed and applied for last week and didn't even like have never even acknowledged receipt of my application form. I heard from my current estate agent that they could rent out every property they got 40 times over.

So it been a hellish week, and by last night I was honestly in despair. I've not been sleeping well with the worry, and have been living off toast and porridge as I couldn't face cooking. But it was only a week, and I can plan now and I'll be moved in before Xmas.

Oh and another plus, as it's in Wales I'll get free prescriptions. So that'll save me £120 odd a year on a prepayment certificate - every little helps.

I'm going off to bed now, hopefully for a much better night sleep than I've had lately. 😁. Hope everyone is snuggled up tight and has sweet dreams .

fionaandphil

Congratulations, so pleased for you. It will be a big relief.

One thing to  check with the owners or your neighbours is if there is a local oil buying group. If you can join it can save you quite a bit. We always get a baseline quote from B0ilerjuice and then phone around all the local suppliers to get the best price. Prices will vary by about 20 pence per litre so it does add up.

lucielle

Oh I’m so pleased for you. 

L

Four_Seasons

How lovely christmas in your new home, so pleased for you. xx