SLLM (Single Lady Large Mortgage)

Sistergold

Good morning ladies
House maintenance is going well and last night I managed to fix DD’s wardrobe door which had fallen off as top hinge screws had become loose. Had removed door for safety but it’s all back on now. Stuffed wooden tooth picks plus wood glue into the old screws holes in the morning yesterday. I then let that set and in the evening screwed back hinge and hung the door. I also fitted some nice “glass” knob handles on the doors and my daughter was really happy. She had chosen the handles when went to B&Q for the bits I needed on Sunday. Fixing downstairs bathroom door has made me enthusiastic to fix other doors and I feel like I might have picked the decorating bug? Well let’s see how long it lasts? Onwards now I will need to fix my own wardrobe doors as builder did a shoddy job of those actually and one of the doors has been set on one side as it was always falling off the sliding track. 

Sistergold

Garden this morning 👆🏾🤩

Good morning ladies
Oh I am starting work late today so just had a nice cup of tea in my lounge on a very sunny spot. To be honest I don’t even need a conservatory as my back wall has 3x~1.5m sliding all glass doors which are from floor to ceiling letting in all the sun I can get. Lounge is about 7-8m wide and about 5m of that is the glass. This is also south’s facing garden so I am actually frying but look I don’t mind! I love sitting in the lounge in all weather to enjoy the sun. 

After the gardening I did last weekend the garden is looking beautiful if I can say so myself so it was time well spent. 

Money news
Well everything has been slow going on the building fund and feel like everything is snail 🐌 speed. This is considering that OPs are on the back burner at the moment so I just want it to get to a good figure so I get back to OPs as I miss that. Still will carry on with OP of £50 a month just to keep up with the spirit but 🤔 it will not move things much but hey it’s better than nothing. Managed to add £3k last night to the building fund bring the total now to £67100

I am hoping to be able to bring it to £70k next week if finances go according to plan. I had to pull all stops to get to £67k so let’s see how it goes! 

I hope all you lovely ladies are doing well and I hope you are taking a moment to appreciate your homes/gardens/family/life and just relax a bit? 💋 

LadyWithAPlan

Well done on hitting your £70k building fund and your garden looks fabulous! Your lounge space sounds perfect. At least £50/month OP has you saving some money and as you say helps the roll//

I am sitting in the sun in my sweet spot in my lounge, I have a table here I work on and a juliette balcony with the door normally open as the sun floods in all morning til about 2  .. I actually do have a big separate study but the sun does not hit it til the afternoon so I normally stay in my lounge and work..  One wonders thus why I need a second bedroom but it has a fair amount of stuff in it including my declutter stuff to sell... I could get away with a one bed if it was positioned right but a second bedroom is useful for junk/spare bedroom for visitors/study etc)

Sistergold

Thank you @LadyWithAPlan I just realised that I made a typing error on balance so far which is at £67100 and I am planning to add another £3k next week to bring it to £70k. Two bedrooms will probably be the best arrangement as a single mature lady you do want to be able to accommodate visitors and use as extra storage. Like you said though one bedroom could still work with a sofa-bed I guess. When the time comes you will choose what feels right! Xx

Sistergold

Dear dear ladies
Since Covid I have shelved the idea of starting the house extension as to be honest everything is madness at the moment. Getting a builder is very difficult and getting materials or fittings should be a nightmare. When I went to B&Q I looked at the lighting section and it was almost empty! 

Anyways with all this madness I also felt that the tradesmen can also play up and leave you in a right mess! Ladies if you have major works to do carefully plan and consider before you start especially if it’s too big a job. Please read this https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6301583/1-week-into-home-renovation-extension-should-we-pull-the-plug-already/p8
can you believe it? Builder left them with an open roof and still insists on charging? 

To be honest until life gets back to normal I will just not extend but will continue saving! Even if the planning permission has to expire! What a nightmare! 

JennyJukes

Hi ladies I have a question

Do you drive or use public transport?  My 12 year old car failed its MOT and I can't justify paying to get it fixed as I'm still working from home and don't really use the car.  I use it about 2 times per week to go grocery shopping but I could easily get it delivered or make smaller trips to the supermarket close by.  The cost to repair it is more than the car is worth and will need more significant repairs the next MOT.  My plan is to sell it and wait until my work contract ends/renews next March before buying a new car.  We may start going back to the office but it will only be 2-3 times a week and in locations that are more convenient by public transport.  Public transport here is cheap long distance (to the offices) and expensive within the towns but at least within the towns they are quick, reliable and frequent if I do need it. 

Has anyone gave up driving?  Have they found it more expensive to use public transport?  Right now my car is only £20 per month insurance and £20 per year tax so it's cheap when it works but no longer worth it, and I don't want to buy a new car now for it to sit on the road most of the time, especially as it gets darker and I CANNOT drive in the dark until my cataracts are removed (July next year earlier).  Cars seem really expensive now compared to when I bought this one 6 years ago for only 3.5k! What are your thoughts and experiences of transport?

Sistergold

Oh hello @JennyJukes, sorry to hear that your car now needs replacing. There was a TV snippet I saw some months back which was saying that for the first time used cars were appreciating? Apparently most people selling their second hand car found that they sold it for more than they bought it(not from new), I can not remember the reasons but supply and demand during covid I think? 

I have used public transport temporarily at times for one reason or another and found it inconvenient especially during winter, I just find I get too cold in between waiting for bus or train or whatever. In your case I think for now it makes sense to just not have a new car until you get your eyes sorted as during winter it’s gets dark and you will be working from home most days? Also if you get rid of the car and not replace if you get fed up and feel you actually need a car you can buy one but at least you would have tried being without one? If you then actually find you don’t need one then you leave it for some years? Tell us how you get on xx

Sistergold

Mortgage news
Hello ladies just an update. I went online to check mortgage balance and it has gone up from £417k to £418k due to interest being loaded. A little bit discouraging but am used to the up and down now, it’s still onwards and upwards. The bank has to make their money! 

Mortgage should come out around the 14th and I would have made a bit of progress then. 

Hope you are all doing well with your mortgage repayments! 💋

LadyWithAPlan

Sistergold said:

Dear dear ladies
Since Covid I have shelved the idea of starting the house extension as to be honest everything is madness at the moment. Getting a builder is very difficult and getting materials or fittings should be a nightmare. When I went to B&Q I looked at the lighting section and it was almost empty! 

Anyways with all this madness I also felt that the tradesmen can also play up and leave you in a right mess! Ladies if you have major works to do carefully plan and consider before you start especially if it’s too big a job. Please read this https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6301583/1-week-into-home-renovation-extension-should-we-pull-the-plug-already/p8
can you believe it? Builder left them with an open roof and still insists on charging? 

To be honest until life gets back to normal I will just not extend but will continue saving! Even if the planning permission has to expire! What a nightmare! 

That thread is scary especially as a single female.. I completely get why you have decided to learn a fair few DIY skills yourself. I guess you could always look again next year and use some savings to OP the house if the building trade had not settled down by then.
A house near my friend (outside London) was taken down (without planning permission as they wanted to go higher which was refused). The builders ended up collapsing next door's garage and bathroom on the adjoining wall. They also hit a culvert/stream underneath as they dug down to make a full height basement. The surveyor/builder had missed the stream in the plans... The council have closed it off as a dangerous site as someone could drown in the deep pool that is now formed as you cant get out! 

How annoying on that pesky interest pushing you back up. That 400k mark is not far away . maybe 9 months?

@JennyJukes yes I gave up my car 3 years ago and only miss it when I want to travel out of London. I had a car in Central London for 20+ years but when I moved into this postcode -  1 mile away - from the last place the insurance quadrupled - just for that change .. so I sold my car.
Transport is fine, it can take the same time or less if you using the metro or with bus lanes.. My mum had her car die this year and she also not replaced it yet especially as the shops are a quick walk away. If you live somewhere where shopping requires too many buses that may be a concern. What with petrol costs and insurance I save a fortune.

We have those car clubs in London which are great - where you pay an annual membership of £50  and then can hire a car for a few hours - the cost covers petrol, insurance, congestion charge etc - it is very useful. A friend uses it to go the airport as you can drop them off within certain defined areas  and then 'hires' one to come back home. I am not sure where you live but it might be worth looking.

JennyJukes

Thanks ladies, I've sold the car for a few hundred which I was surprised to even get since the last MOT expires tomorrow and will cost at least £600 to pass this year, and a bigger expense next year.  I sold to webuyanycar and they were really lovely, also get £42 cashback for doing it through topcashback.  I have also cancelled my insurance and because it was paid upfront I should get some money back too.  I'll put the money towards mortgage OP and a new car.  I would have paid to repair for another year if I need it on a daily basis but I only use it because I can and for freedom right now, it's not a necessity.  I live in a town so we don't have much options like paying to drive a car but I have seen liftshare where you can drive people and get money, or ride as a passenger and pay for lifts.  There is a good few people who travel to my work city daily that I could pay for the days I go to work which would cost the same as the bus but take less time.  Obviously I'm only looking at other women driver/passengers.  I'm thinking about it.

I have bus stops and shops at my door stop and with working from home I can arrange for bigger grocery shops to be delivered to the house for relatively cheap so that's what I plan to do.  I do have a car fund which is quite high if I change my mind, I just can't justify buying a car to sit outside the house barely moving until March but hey I might get there and realize I don't even want one.  Another reason I sold is because I bought the car 6 years ago with my ex who wasn't nice, he keyed my car and my car was also "broken into" (yet nothing stolen!) after I left him and I sometimes worry he sees the car and finds out where I live so it's a bit of a relief to get rid of it!