It's time to begin.....

Chrystal

Hope things are going the way you want them to.  Which ever property you get I know you'll make it work, but I do agree with others that given a choice I'd choose the house.  (((hugs)))XXX

Kakiste

Been to see the house yesterday. It's been entirely painted magnolia 2 weeks ago so the walls are fresh (won't be repainted at work friend's expense but she's fine with me repainting them in colours as and when I want to/can afford to) 

The garden is massive- and I do agree with what a few people have said- I know that I was going to be able to share the garden but I'll feel so much more at ease sitting there whenever I want given it's mine. Driveway could quite happily fit 4 cars in and there is a shed and also a massive animal run/hutch thing that would do for either chickens (it's the dream) or rabbits or something for my daughter at some later point. Also 4 currently empty borders for plants/veg. 

The house is huge- very sprawling and genuinely massive bedrooms- My only initial concern is going to be the heating costs in the winter (but it has an open fire in the lounge so that would cut down on how often I'd have to use the heating) Kitchen is very dated (but work friend has said she's planning to put a new one in, in about 6 months) but the current one is functional which is the main thing. However there is a second room downstairs (the third bedroom) which I could turn into a library! (it's the dream people!) 

So upsides; 
massive garden
offroad parking
very big rooms
lots of space for daughter and for cats (cats can go outside which they wouldn't have been able to do in the cottage as the only door opened onto a main road)
potential library. 

downsides;
heating costs
£40 more in council tax a month 
(more in rent- not sure how much more- in negotiation currently)
it's so much space to fill! 
Nothing in kitchen except for cupboards and cooker so would need to buy fridge/freezer
No built in storage in either bedroom so would need to buy wardrobes

GeorgianaCavendish

How disappointing about the cottage but on the plus side the house sounds really nice. It does sound like there are more start up costs (fridge freezer especially) but you can build up those things slowly. I know that the bills are more than the cottage but do they compare to what you’d expect to pay in another rental? 

[Deleted User]

It will work out fine for you. When I left my husband I had more money going out than coming in and then I lost my job five months later. 
Send up some prayers and you'll be looked after. I think the smaller house would feel like a compromise and wouldn't make you as happy. You can get really cheap things at auctions. I got my John Lewis settee for £5 (£20 with delivery). There's always somebody selling what you need at a cheap price. You just have to hunt around. 
Heating- weather is getting warmer and so not an immediate worry. 
Worse case- put a heater in DD's bedroom or heated blacket, fire on and close the rest of the rooms off.
Could you do some online tuition for an hour in the evening when you are settled? 
I'm genuinely excited for you and see this as a small price to pay for your sanity and peace. 
Would your ex be making any payments to your daughter? x

bellevie

Marketplace on fb is a great place to buy things too, some people give things away for free when they have pending deliveries.

If theres a British heart foundation furniture shop near you they can have some great deals too.
 
I remember borrowing those stand alone clothing rails from a friend when I first moved from a house with built in wardrobes to none at all. Took me a while to save do they were a means to an end. Do you know anyone that has any?


Short term inconvenience but as long as it doesn't throw you into financial hardship it sounds like it could be a good long term move for you, especially if your friend still offers below market rent.

I can't remember if you already done this, but when you do have the updated rent  worth checking if you'd get any help from universal credit towards rent or council towards council tax. Turn2us has a good calculator 

Kakiste

I'm going to take it. 

We've agreed £550 for rent. 

Found a sofa bed and a fridge freezer on marketplace £40 for both, both in the local town. My lovely headteacher is lending me one of the work vans after assembly tonight so work friend and I will be going to pick them up and drop them into the house later this afternoon. 

Work friend has ordered paint for my daughter's room as she is lovely and wanted it to be really nice for her- will be painted in the next few days- also needs all internal doors replacing. These have been ordered and are being delivered and hung next week. 

Humdinger1

Wonderful! Congratulations on your lovely new life.  When do you move in? Xx

enthusiasticsaver

I am so pleased you are going to try and make it work and so incredibly envious of you having a library just for books.  When my DD2 got married and moved into her own place that was my dream to turn her bedroom into a library as she was local so did not need somewhere to stay when visiting.  Then the grandchildren came along and scuppered that so it is now full of toys

joedenise

So glad that you've managed to agree an affordable rent for the house.  Your work colleague sounds a star!

Good luck for your new life.

Kakiste

I've had an ongoing joke with a friend for the past 10 years that the first of us to have a cat, a garden and a library wins. (Looks like it might be me!) 

Managed to acquire a double futon for a bed off a colleague- just need to go pick it up. This will last me until April when another colleague is replacing her double bed and has said that she'll give me her current one. 

That should mean that by the end of this week I will have in the house; 
a sofa bed for the lounge
futon bed for my bedroom (with a double bed coming- then the futon bed can move into the library
daughter's bed and mattress 
fridge freezer
dining table and chairs
basic kitchen stuff cooking and eating stuff
cushions and a throw
two sets of bath towels
favourite books

So between now and the end of the week I need to move some clothes/PJs and shoes for myself and my daughter

The only things I still need in order to move in there is a drying rack for clothes and duvet/pillows for both beds. Everything else is a want. (Plus I've hatched a hair brained scheme to ask my family members who buy me presents to all buy me matching Ikea bookcases for the library for my birthday in August)- then I'll have a wall of bookcases. 

Then after the duvets/drying rack I urgently need to acquire wardrobes for both rooms- so I'll be scouting FB marketplace for 2nd hand ones