Tightening the belts for unpaid leave

Blackcats

It's always so fiddly working out finances when moving.  It normally ends up with money from old house for utilities etc coming through a while after the move as a nice bonus but lots of costs in the run up to the move.  Sounds like you've got some short term options to make the money work and it will even itself out over the first couple of months.

very excited for you!  

[Deleted User]

Older surveyor came back at 2k!!!!!  Friend said would normally be 1500 but will do for 1k.  So we are going with friend.  We don't think we actually need one as it is in such top condition but better to be safe than sorry and whilst it's money we don't really have, better to spend that to check no major issues than go all in and find ourselves with a dud and no money to fix it!!  So that is being done 19th, subject to vendors agreeing.

Have had almighty row with DH this morning.  Won't go into details but he is driving me insane.

Car insurance bill has come through at £90 higher than expected - higher than our other car which is older and in DH's name even though DH 5 years younger than me and has less no claims years (I have 15), so I'm going to shop around as it's not due until 22nd and actually, we are not using that car at the moment (but will need it for the move so need to get it re-insured) and it is sat in my MIL's driveway with a dead battery!

Sarahwithlove

I think it's a good idea to get a survey done. Like you said you don't want to go in to new house and find issues you can't afford to fix 

[Deleted User]

Apparently the vendors we are buying from don't have a bank involved for their onward purchase and their survey is likely to be a walk around (I think he is a director of a big building co) so that lessens the risk of fall through which is good.  Apparently the people they are buying from are looking to onward buy but have somewhere to go if they haven't found anywhere.

We are out tonight for a friend's 40th - hoping it is going to be minimum spend - we are going to grab a street burger on the way rather than go out for dinner so that will save.  I know we could eat at home but we've not been out the two of us for ages.

Blackcats

I agree that survey is money well spent particularly when you look at it as a % of the value of the house.  

Hope you have a nice evening tonight.  I think being annoying occasionally is included in the job description for OH's.  Would be easier if their job descriptions included "adhering to management's reasonable instructions" 😉

[Deleted User]

Epic fail on the night out.  Decided we didn't want to stand in the street eating a burger and that, given we haven't been out together just us in a long time, we ought to make it a proper date night.  So we grabbed a thai at a restaurant which was an eyewatering £77 including tip, but it was good.  Think we spent around £20 on drinks at the do as well, possibly slightly more as we ended up having to buy a round.

We also had to spend £15 on 3 packs of nappies for DC2 today even though I had spent £10 on nappy pants last week because basically the nappy pants were leaking and he kept getting soaked.  So we've gone back to traditional ones but am going to try to sell the unopened pack of nappy pants (the ones we started using were a leftover pack we had saved from when DC1 was smaller) locally so hopeful of gaining the cash back or most of it.  But annoying.

Then DH spent around another £15 on top for cat litter (which they didn't have when I shopped thursday night - and this expense will go when we move and he can go outside again), milk (needed as always), burger buns and chocolate.  He also bought (which weren't needed, but which will be enjoyed now we have them), sticky toffee puddings and cream!  

DC1 also just had a haircut at £15 but he REALLY needed this as hair was in his eyes!!!

So, a blinking spendy weekend!!!

We're updating our figures tomorrow too and going through all our current expenses, to work out what they will need to be for the new house as it is much bigger so will cost more to run.  So we will make sure that we make allowances for this and up the s/o amount into the bills account.  DH is also going to cancel for the moment the AVC's to his pension so that we will have a little bit extra a month to build up a pot again before end of year and he will re-start in Jan.

Buffythedebtslayer

Not that it is much consolation but I have been quite rubbish this month with money and am fairly skint now. I am not sure I ever won't do this money thing in a haphazard bouncing in and out of debt type way... 

Hey ho! 

Hope the figures work out XXX

[Deleted User]

We didn't end up running figures yesterday as ran out of time.  Went to the park with the DC mid-morning and bumped into good friends of ours with their little one.  They suggested lunch at the park cafe - DH just said yes without recourse to me so that was £22!  That said, we hadn't seen them properly in ages so it was really nice to catch up and maintaining friendships is really important.  DC1 also ate ALL his cafe lunch - and he NEVER eats anything other than chips when we go out so that was worth it!

Then I had afternoon tea with my bestie (the WW not going well!!).  He had suggested it as he had vouchers and I found a voucher for £10 off which I had too.  So we went and it was rather decadent, wimbledon themed plus a bottle of champers.  But he paid the rest after the vouchers came off (he is super and I mean super loaded - probs earning anything from 600k-1million a year) - I did offer to split but I had got lunch last time we went out so he insisted which was helpful.  Then I had to shelter at his house with a glass of vino until the rain stopped before walking home.  DH asked me to get beers on way home for the footie so that was £5.80.  I also took him home the left over afternoon tea so he loved that.

Today we do need milk and potato waffles so will probs get those on way back from dropping DC1 at MIL.  Weather is grotty so not expecting to go out today.  Going to start watching series 3 of Virgin River and need to look at the surveyor's terms.  Bestie thinks we don't need a HB survey as was showing him pics of the house and he doesn't think it's needed.  So, am going to have a good look today at what is included and make a decision.  I suspect we will still end up getting one, just in case.

Looking like we might just be ok on spending front this month, but not sure we will save much.

[Deleted User]

Only milk and some (cheap) chocolate spend yesterday as DH got in the end.  We are on track to be ok this month so far.

Meeting a colleague for coffee today but expect he will pay as he's a boss.  Think he wants to catch up before I return to work in a few weeks.  Whilst in town need protein powder so will not be a NSD.  

Got to chase up re the works being signed off today so that will be this arvo.  If all is well we will book and pay bank valuation (1380) and sign and return the terms for the HB survey.  Site visit is also happening today I think.  

Still waiting on quote for the movers (they visited friday), but randomly, they are also moving the people we are buying from.

So things are moving, albeit it seems slowly.

[Deleted User]

Colleague paid for coffee and was good to catch up.  He's a good egg.

Bought 2 x protein powder as they were on offer at £14 each when they are normally £22 - I have every day for brekkie so is a good saving there.  Also needed some bits from b**ts as realised was out of cotton pads to take eye make up off with so got those on 3 for 2, then we needed antiseptic wipes and medical bits I forgot to get last week.

Works signed off!  We are just waiting for a copy of the document which we should get tomorrow as apparently some conditions were attached to their planning application which have been re-iterated for ease as new buyers so want to see what those are.

Movers have come in well under budget at £630 (we had budgeted £1,000) so a good saving there.

Site visit has happened today apparently so results of that early next week.  Will book in bank valuation and HB survey tomorrow once we see the document.