SLLM (Single Lady Large Mortgage)

Sistergold

Oh ladies how are you all? Just an update on the kitchen and any progress in that front. 

Anyway welding is “going well”. Well it’s going well in that on first day I felt very daunted with the task and thought what in the world am I thinking but I forced myself. Had tried on other occasions but they became false starts. The false starts were due to trying to start then I find I need a tool or more so I then wait to get that sorted. I must say after so many false starts I managed to cut up pieces for my first project. Which was a stand for telephone and router both items have been in my oldest son’s bedroom on the floor. Saturday and Sunday the 13th and 14th August we had no internet called sky on Monday and Tuesday engineer came in we sorted it out and moved it to a socket in the entrance hallway downstairs as he said it being upstairs was causing it to be slow as well. 

We had always had a connection by the entrance door aswell as in that bedroom. I had not connected it by the entrance door as previously there were no electric points/sockets there. Luckily when the electrician came that time I asked for sockets to be installed there. Anyway now internet is fast unlike all along . 

Back to welding (had sidetracked there) I managed to use the new circular saw I bought, learnt to use the angle grinder to cut and file down mild steel, Saturday that is. On Sunday managed to weld together the 3 shelves and filed down ready. Now all that needs doing is weld onto the support legs and that will be the first project done! Wanted to start with something small just to gain some confidence! So I can now officially weld and although there are many technicalities it can be done ladies! 

Not bad for a first attempt? 

So far I have been using the arc welder as I felt it was the most basic and light. I also bought a MIG welder which I will then move onto once I have perfected the art. 

Friday1989

That's awesome @Sistergold Far less awesome about being burgled 

I've not been on the forum in a while. I suspect because I know I'm not being very MSE! I don't know why but I've just been spending with no real thought. I'm not getting into debt, it's just unnecessary. The rest of the month there will be no unnecessary spending. 

I signed up to do a second masters. Arguably that's ridiculous given the cost of living, but it's something I want to do to gain new skills and to give me the option of doing a doctorate in the future. It's not going to get me a pay rise, but it opens up other careers if this one pushes me over the edge 

I'm having a bit of a freak out about the cost of energy. British Gas are offering me nothing so I'm considering Utility Warehouse. You can't just take energy but I'm considering their broadband and home cover (boiler, drains, electrics etc). Realistically, something's going to go wrong in the next year!

Already had water leaking in my house from the rain so had to get the gutters cleared. There's some repairs that need doing but the roofer replied he isn't quoting because they're not taking on small jobs. I'm glad it's small, but it's big enough to let water in! I'll have to ring someone tomorrow.

Friday1989

@lantanna I didn't take out critical illness or life insurance because there is no way they would ensure me in any meaningful way (pre-existing conditions, family history etc) but also because I don't see the point. If I get ill I've got decent sick pay for a while and if it's worse than that, I sell my flat and move North (family there) where my money would go much further until I'm well, or I get medical retirement if I'm not going to get better. 

If I had dependents I'd feel very different

lantanna

Thanks Friday your thoughts are very similar to my own.

Friday1989

I went with Utility Warehouse. The price increase is a lot (about 80%) but that's far better than I can get with current providers (stuck on variable). The mobile is more (£12), broadband is less (£21.60, I could get it for less using a cashback website etc but I haven't got round to it anyway), home cover is more because I currently don't have it (£18/month with £60 excess but free boiler service which I definitely need so takes down the cost). 

There's a £50 bonus for updating your smart metre and another £50 for something else so that cancels out the mobile increase. There's also a cashback prepaid card (£2/month) that gives you 1% cashback everywhere and up to 10% in some shops (e.g. Sainsbury's is 3/4%, can't remember which) so I plan to use the card for budgeting and transfer my monthly non bill (food and fun) money to the card to track my spending.

Sistergold

@Friday1989, leaks are not to be ignored and you are lucky cleaning the gutters did the trick. Hope the leak did not cause too much damage? Getting repairs done is a nightmare especially these days. That’s good that you managed to get a reasonable deal with your energy. I think I am also stuck on some variable rate tariff, such a nightmare? Oh a masters? That sounds exciting, don’t worry so much about the cost of that’s the direction you want to go. If it gives you a chance to do something you love/doctorate and it’s the path you want to follow then you will have to spend the money and the sooner you do it the better! Good luck with that. 

lantanna

I’m getting nervous now, nervously excited. I get the keys on the 7th. Solicitor has been hard to get hold of so hopefully he’s got his finger out. Nervous about 2 things, first off for some reason Nat west will pull out of the mortgage and 2 that I’m going to hate my main bathroom choices when I see them all together. 

Friday1989

Not long now @lantanna I'm sure the bathroom choices are great but worst case, they aren't and you can change them in time because it's your house! 

Today I've been a bit frivolous (coffee, cake, pint and a half) but yesterday I went round to my friend's with wine and she made dinner which was far cheaper than if we'd gone out. 

I messaged a couple of joiners/carpenters (not sure what the difference is?) about quoting for some cupboards under the stairs. I think when I'm saving for something it's easier to be sensible with money so maybe that's what I need to do. 

@Sistergold I'll need to paint part of the ceilings in a couple of rooms but it could have been much worse. If this happened after I'd first decorated I'd have been distraught but I've settled into "this is a home, not a show home" and that makes me less concerned about me touching things up less than perfectly. 

Merlin's_Beard

lantanna said:

I’m getting nervous now, nervously excited. I get the keys on the 7th. Solicitor has been hard to get hold of so hopefully he’s got his finger out. Nervous about 2 things, first off for some reason Nat west will pull out of the mortgage and 2 that I’m going to hate my main bathroom choices when I see them all together. 

As Friday says, the worst thing that could happen is that you have to live with something you wouldn't choose again for a few years and then you redecorate. The only things that are unfixable are covered by buildings insurance!

Hope your completion goes well, mine was Friday so now a homeowner!

lantanna

Congrats Merlins Beard, are you pleased with it ?