Cutting it Fine - the challenge is on!

savingholmes

I didn't realise that was how H2B worked... scary

SandyShores

So a productive and busy weekend here.  I made the most of my M&S sparks app and picked up the freebies.  I also had an M&S voucher from taking out my S&S ISA so managed to pick up a very comfy bra top and a couple of treats.  I was looking for some shorts to wear under a dress, but I'm not stressing myself out about it as it will very soon be tights weather - and I'm not sure I'm going anywhere requiring dress-wearing soon.  I wanted to get a black strappy crop top bra, but couldn't find the right size/colour at the right price.  Those are two things on my list but I want to make sure they are right.

My 'To Do' list has definitely taken a hit this weekend, so I feel I've taken more steps towards feeling organised - with more planned over the rest of the month.  The CS stuff got dropped off and I thanked them despite the 'we don't normally take donations at the weekend'.  Its my favoured charity, so I'm not going to get annoyed about it, but surely they should welcome all donations whatever the day - it was a nice neat bag of carefully folded and clean clothes.  I can't help it if I work full-time during the week   It was quite a heavy bag, so it did feel like a load was lifted off my shoulders.

New beginnings in the garden with planting and things happening.  We seem to have spent a lot of time and money on it, but DH commented how much it was improved from the bare patch we moved into last year.  It is starting to feel like ours now.  Busy week at work this week, so I need to get up early and get on with things work-wise.  I am starting to feel like too much is happening at the moment, and normally I put off my personal things to cope.  This time I'm determined to put myself first.  There's something I've taken on connected with work which I am going to resign from for 6 months - its just too much - will need to stick to my guns though.  I also need to take charge of meal planning and do some batch cooking/freezing which will help out at home.  I need to concentrate on projects at work and myself at the moment, so some things need to be streamlined out.

LadyWithAPlan

SandyShores said:

It must be one of the benefits of getting older @Moneyfordreams

@LadyWithAPlan - oh crikey, at least her 25% must have also grown in value, so it should have been a better option to renting.  I believe with shared ownership you are 100% responsible for the upkeep as well so that has to be looked into before going into it, especially if you are never going to be able to staircase.  I'm glad we've used H2B as its let us move into a place that has everything we wanted, whereas what we could have bought without it, either needed loads of work or just wasn't right.  Another convert to the robot vacuum  

Yes the property prices in Hackney went wild but are now falling. Its empty around Shoreditch and Old street now in the day - all those tech businesses now working from home.. I believe they only used to allow staircasing in 10% in SO (along with valuation fees) but now you can do 1% which looks better.

I cant access the times thing but I will figure it out.  Yes SO you are responsible for the 100% of upkeep. I am really trying to go in the open mkt as cheaper and I think I can pull it off. If by Xmas the savings and income are not headed in the right direction I will have another look at SO resales - 

SandyShores

savingholmes said:

I didn't realise that was how H2B worked... scary

It can be.  Basically its like someone investing in a proportion of your house.  If prices shoot up, but your wage stays the same you might never be able to buy them out.  But I spent almost 10 years in rented - and the amount of rent we paid was even scarier   (Like Moneyfordreams I've forgiven myself, and I did live in a couple of beautiful places I could never have afforded - some good experiences had).  

SandyShores

LadyWithAPlan said: Yes the property prices in Hackney went wild but are now falling. Its empty around Shoreditch and Old street now in the day - all those tech businesses now working from home.. I believe they only used to allow staircasing in 10% in SO (along with valuation fees) but now you can do 1% which looks better.

I cant access the times thing but I will figure it out.  Yes SO you are responsible for the 100% of upkeep. I am really trying to go in the open mkt as cheaper and I think I can pull it off. If by Xmas the savings and income are not headed in the right direction I will have another look at SO resales - 

I just had a quick look and think the cheapest shared ownership 2 bed is £470,000 in Hackney - and there's not even any parking.  I just have to lie down to take that in.  Yes, I think it is usually 10% to staircase, plus Legal fees, mortgage fees and an admin fee from the housing association each time, so its best if you can do it in one e.g. remortgage and buy 100% - but £470k, that's a lot of mortgage.

You are definitely right to buy outright if you can do so, but SO is there as a back up.  Good luck, will be following and cheering

LadyWithAPlan

SandyShores said:

LadyWithAPlan said: Yes the property prices in Hackney went wild but are now falling. Its empty around Shoreditch and Old street now in the day - all those tech businesses now working from home.. I believe they only used to allow staircasing in 10% in SO (along with valuation fees) but now you can do 1% which looks better.

I cant access the times thing but I will figure it out.  Yes SO you are responsible for the 100% of upkeep. I am really trying to go in the open mkt as cheaper and I think I can pull it off. If by Xmas the savings and income are not headed in the right direction I will have another look at SO resales - 

I just had a quick look and think the cheapest shared ownership 2 bed is £470,000 in Hackney - and there's not even any parking.  I just have to lie down to take that in.  Yes, I think it is usually 10% to staircase, plus Legal fees, mortgage fees and an admin fee from the housing association each time, so its best if you can do it in one e.g. remortgage and buy 100% - but £470k, that's a lot of mortgage.

You are definitely right to buy outright if you can do so, but SO is there as a back up.  Good luck, will be following and cheering

Yep it is insane .. and probably no balcony either + service fees of £200 pm as well. .. I nearly bought 20 odd years ago in London but the flat I wanted the seller then decided to not sell. and my then partner bought elsewhere so we moved into his .. Despite me paying half the bills and mortgage when we split up I did not take any of it (legally I could have) but it is pointless me worrying about past actions. My focus is on what I can achieve now.

I played with the mortgage OP calculator (a MFW obsession I gather ) and I can see my goals including  13 years to pay it off  are completely doable, hard - I will need to work far more focused than I have been-  but they are possible, which is a relief and quite exciting - it will be hard but to do it by myself, get that focused, and actually pull it off  will be an amazing achievement.  I may not be buying in Hackney though

SO is a possibility though if I cant get my deposit up high enough or I want to get a bigger place. We will see.

SandyShores

Its good to have options @LadyWithAPlan and exciting to have a plan.

SandyShores

Big shop done yesterday, then batch cooked chicken curry, and lentil & tomato soup tonight.  So, with yesterdays leftovers, a few bits in the freezer, plus a quick pesto-tomato pasta sauce to make, we are all sorted for the week.  It will make such a difference as I've been shopping and cooking on demand for the past few weeks and I find it exhausting alongside a full-time job, and it means I struggle to find time to exercise.  (However did I find time to commute before? ).

Payday next week - Yayy!! as I've run out of housekeeping.  It means I'll dip into my personal money, which I don't mind and it encourages me to keep the costs down.  I must make an effort to stick to budget next month.

SandyShores

A couple of large expenses today for DH and DD, so the savings are now almost £1k lighter.  One considered spend and one necessary, so although it will knock us back a month from our OPs to the mortgage, its all worth it.  Batch cooking was a success in one way, but DD isn't 100% up for it.  She'll need to menu plan for herself a bit as none of us want to eat the same meals at the moment.  And I really need to reclaim some time for myself for exercising.

savingholmes

Perhaps freeze some of the batch cooking for variety. I sometimes make a spag bol type sauce - and turn some into chilli, some have with pasta and / or make some into cottage pie... I do like what I call 'nursery' food.