Future Proofing my life: Deposit saving then MFW journey in under 13 years

savingholmes

Hi - first place sounds interesting. Definitely at that price you want somewhere you can see yourself long term. 

On the underlay - I thought that was for carpet rather than other flooring. In my bathrooms they had to cut plywood to size before laying vinyl to bring up to similar height to carpet.

Suffolk_lass

Last time we did the bathroom floor here we just stuck self-adhesive tiles to the floorboards. Had previously had white painted floorboards but when the new shower was installed the builder and plumber cut several more floorboards. It is just about coming to EoL and we have bought the replacements. Having installed another vinyl plank floor (in Moho) the advantage of a shin sheet under the tiles is obvious in terms of level, but if your bathroom door opens inwards be aware you may need to plane off the bottom too, so it does not damage the floor and not open properly. Plywood has shot up in price. Back in the day, my first bathroom floor was on hardboard sheets (cheaper and thinner). If it is only you and you don't shower all over the floor (like children do), this would be a cheaper option in your rental

Merlin's_Beard

savingholmes said:

Hi - first place sounds interesting. Definitely at that price you want somewhere you can see yourself long term. 

On the underlay - I thought that was for carpet rather than other flooring. In my bathrooms they had to cut plywood to size before laying vinyl to bring up to similar height to carpet.

I think floating floors have underlay under them (click tiles).

LadyWithAPlan

Thanks for all the feedback on the tiles. @savingholmes I think underlay is generally for carpets not sure why she bought it for tiles.

Merlin's_Beard said:

savingholmes said:

Hi - first place sounds interesting. Definitely at that price you want somewhere you can see yourself long term. 

On the underlay - I thought that was for carpet rather than other flooring. In my bathrooms they had to cut plywood to size before laying vinyl to bring up to similar height to carpet.

I think floating floors have underlay under them (click tiles).

Ah yes as it is concrete - I had to google floating tiles However I will be laying on top of current ones. Whole bath room needs at least a scrub first on the skirting boards I can see. I live pretty centrally and lots of building work going on so my flat does get dirty from the air.


@Suffolk_lass ah...... tx -  there is a small gap under the door  now i have checked so I will need skinny tiles I think maybe stick on floor tiles is a good idea and they look quite cheap online. There are some that are purely decorative (so nice patterns, waterproof etc, but at least they will be thin enough for me not to have to take the door off 
These look nice  https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZPG7ZWT/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2RXYMJG3KQSX8&th=1 - its not a big area and only me in there so ..

We havent done the tiling class yet so I am waiting although that is mainly wall tiles.

DIY class yesterday - I got the blow torch out
Yesterday we got to play with copper pipes and solder ends - both using solder corners (with the solder rings in it) and also  the plain ends, cutting the pipes, and extend them, add a compression value and our work was tested for water pressure
So much fun. I have never used a blow torch in my life (not even for creme brulee) and this was super fun, the colours of the gas and solder were beautiful and it was restful.
I even got to bring my 'art' home - my copper piping and its proudly displayed as a skill I now have. I may make it into a frame or hang plants of it...
 I am so planning to learn to weld some cool furniture. From being scared of power tools 4 weeks ago to having fun and dreaming ....
Also with it being women only we are all learning together in a fun relaxed, non competitive way.

House buying
I am still  thinking on that duplex I saw - it was definitely workable and I could be there for ever - and looked on right move at others.. but I can see I can get a 2 bed with a small garden in London (just not super central) -  If I can stretch to 500k (ridiculous I know)  so I will abide my time. You can see on right move prices coming down.
I just dont think contractually I can do it until I get a new  or another contract.
I luckily have an entire 2 bed flat worth of existing furniture and all white goods so that will help with buying costs.

TT £1

Grocery Oct  22 GC £47.28/145   +    0/£55.30 for bulk
NSD Oct 6/17

I bought some reduced baby pots in butter 72p along with some sweets £1.20 on way (from My treats pot) to class at Coop-  - again as I had not had dinner before I left - so not a NSD yesterday - It should be today so will declare Tues 6/17
i had some YS  chicken souvlaki with baby pots, leeks and peas for lunch today - I do like a proper lunch - so I am saving loads working from home.

Food wise I have realised I need to freeze more of what I batch cook as I do always make enough for 4 meals and after 2 portions - say evening one day and lunch the next I am bored even on soup ... So whilst I do freeze  some of my HM food I need to freeze more. I say this as I have not touched much more of my beetroot soup after 2 days so maybe have to throw it away despite it being in the fridge...
I have started portioning food out eg bacon slices  befire freezing as this helps.
I have some bananas I am deliberately letting ripen so a banana Cake will be happening GF 
I have about £17 left on a Sains gift card I won so need to dig that out.

I have seen  the  same breadmaker  with GF settings that I want for £100 - they normally £120-220 in the Panas**** range. I am so tempted ..as it will save me a fortune in GF bread (that retails at  £3+ a loaf) and its the same as my family's I tried but w/out the nut compartment  (£220!!) which didnt seem to work at all  on the GF settings .... the GF bread was fabulous and costs about £1.30 a loaf in ingredients.. plus it made great GF cake w/out needing the oven on.
I can see it also does jam and compote - the GF pizza dough wasnt great though when we tried but we didnt have all the right ingredients..

Hmmm - thoughts everyone - should i get it?
I do have my new savings pot for household items but as I am waiting for more cash I only have £1 in there
Mind you I guess if I used my £17 sains voucher for food I could port that cash over. Maybe I can cobble £100 that way. I can see there is a Lakel*** GF breadmaker but as I have used this other brand I know it makes the GF bread rise super well.

I do have £68 in Topcashb**k but not getting most of it til mid Dec looking at the lead time!

savingholmes

Cooking seems to make you happy. GF bread sounds extortionate - seems reasonably to me to buy the product.

How are you getting on chasing the missing invoices using the she who shouts loudest principle?

Have you started the 3 day a week contract yet? (otherwise known as do you have cashflow)?

Suffolk_lass

These are from B&Q (who deliver). Bit fussy but they don't show the dirt I found this for £18.20 while browsing the B&Q app https://www.diy.com/departments/goodhome-poprock-black-white-mosaic-effect-self-adhesive-vinyl-tile-pack-of-14/3663602563518_BQ.prd

LadyWithAPlan

Thanks for all the tile suggestions! They look great @Suffolk_lass


@savingholmes Today is the start of this new short PT contract  - been at least a good week for income earning. No gym though.
I had a chat and should be getting regular agreed funds in on some of my invoices plus some big payments when a sale goes through so I can move money again
The smaller company had a bit more in but the agreed commission element still not been paid and its £2k alone (should have been 1k more )  but at least this new short PT contract gets me an extra couple grand over a few weeks
Got a chat with a friend  later today who wants me to get involved in some way with their  business so I need to find out more and it needs to pay as well as being fun.

It's been Frieze week in London  - so lots of Art shows on, I have been busy working so only did a couple parties so £30 on that plus travel. I havent yet seen the Banks* burning his art yet
There were some free drinks  this week but It is so easy to spend £100s a week in London - I have learnt to skip the dinners out but realistically going out £30 is a cheap night... I chose to live here and go to the places I go to so £10-15 a drink but journalling here and watching my treats and entertainment pot going rapidly down is educational. Having said that it is important to go out and see friends as I live alone and wfh also at present,.Mental health and fun  is also important.

Some friends asked if I wanted to go to see a show pre Xmas - comedy - I googled and saw it said tix for £20 so I said yes, apparently where we are sitting means £38 as better seats and fee - for next months budget plus drinks.. 

Again my life has to be a balance and staying in all the time is depressing so.. I do try to drink just once a week so this weekend I have a kids birthday party to go to Saturday so I  plan to avoid a big Saturday night out as I have had the last 2 weeks. I drank a fair amount at Freize and I could have gone out every night largely for free but that doesnt work for my health either.

Fair few birthdays this month so I do have a gifts pot but I always find I spend it down in Oct/Nov then Xmas comes... I am going to suggest especially with COL we all cut it down., However lots of kids I buy for - quite large gifts so thats harder to cut down.

Had my covid 4th vaccine as well - so feeling a little tired but OK apart from that.


I want to set a gym challenge as otherwise I am not really going enough. I like to feel healthier than this but been early starts and 8pm finishes workwise.


Grocery
£16.63 Wed including £3.15 treats on grocery 
Grocery Oct  22 GC £53.91/145   +    0/£55.30 for bulk


NSD Oct 7/17 - Friday should be a NSD day  as well which would make it 8/17

TT £1

Food
I made a turkey casserole in the pressure cooker with YS casserole veg mix - had a portion and will freeze most the rest as I get bored otherwise
I also bought a YS soup mix so thats in pressure cooker with a can of lentils to make a lentil soup - again I will freeze most.
I do keep buying sweets and tortilla crisps but it comes out  treats budget but I can see that is mounting up.

LadyWithAPlan

savingholmes said:

Cooking seems to make you happy. GF bread sounds extortionate - seems reasonably to me to buy the product.

I love my food and my belly and done lots of cooking courses so.. even though I live alone I want to eat healthy, tasty and well.

I am still thinking on the breadmaker - i want it but do I need it ? Especially with outstanding invoices.
The £100 one is gone but there is an amazon warehouse one for £91 but got big cosmetic scratches... so I wont get that  one but I will at least save £35/month Oct/Nov/Dec for it or it could be my Xmas gift from family.

Mind you the quicker I buy it the quicker I get decent GF bread at a reasonable cost.. The YS GF bread I bought from Co*p is  like cardboard.. and doesnt freeze well.
Best GF bread I have found is the Schar brand - the vitality with seeds brown one - is fabulous but its £3+ for maybe 10 slices...

savingholmes

Glad you are going to get regular payments on invoices.

Good you have the new work and other irons in the fire. 

I think having a treats budget is important - I just think it needs to be targeted so that you get the maximum enjoyment from the spend rather than just spending on something that's adequate due to lack of planning where for the same money or less you could have got something that ticked more boxes.

If you read the £ or your life by V Robbins - she talks about life energy... is what you spend your £ on worth the life energy it took to make it?

On Kids (and others) - you just need to manage expectations. As an adult you don't need a justification - but given the current cost of living crisis and your huge outstanding invoices you could say to the parents - I need to scale back this year.

Viking_mfw

Just popping to say I have discovered M&S sausage meat is also gluten free.