Ding! Ding! All change, please... (now replaced with new diary on MFW)

EssexHebridean

The offer is made...now we wait...and see....and tidy frantically...  

Makingabobor2

Just found your new diary and subscribed so I will be cheering you on.  I also think mortgage is a debt and that is why I started my diary on DFW and not on MFW, as we have both a mortgage and debts, but trying to save for various things as well.

 I totally understand how you don't want to move further away from you mum. We are 155 miles from my dad, who is 90 now. My sister does live within 10 minutes drive of him, but I always feel bad that we are so far away, even though I have lived here since 1991.  We have been talking of downsizing for a few years now and DH wants to move further north, which would put us another 200 miles from my dad. I can't think about that right now, much as I would love to live in the area DH has his eye on, so we will leave that idea on the back burner for while.  

How exciting to be thinking of moving though. Hope you get all your plans sorted out. 

redofromstart

Wow - excited for you!  We always tell ourselves that if it is meant to be it will happen on the house buying front.  Hope it all comes good for you.

lucielle

I have everything crossed for you. Very exciting times ahead!  

L

beanielou

Wow.
Just wow.
Positive vibes for everything.

EssexHebridean

Morning all - thank you all for the positive vibes and lovely comments - much appreciated!

Not heard anything yet - which we're taking as a positive as at least they haven't laughed their heads off we assume!  Fingers still crossed, and we'll continue to work away at ours. I reckon there is one more go with the caulk still to do, then that job is put to bed. Need to get masking tape but I'm looking at skirting board painting probably Thursday - I *might* be able to get round the lot on Thursday afternoon as I have a half day that day. 

Right then - time to focus back on the small stuff. Banks checked and all good. Just a couple more days until the mid month DDs go, then we can start getting a picture of the surplus this month that might be free to go back to that 0% card. We will still have travel costs to pay though - diesel for MrEH's car plus another top-up for his Oyster card too. 
Household spends this month are going to be higher - there are a few bits we need to buy to do the odds and ends on the flat - it's all stuff that will make it nicer while we're still there, though. We are hoping the dregs of the paint that was used in the kitchen will be OK for a bit of touching in - if not we'll just have to leave those bits to be honest as we're not up for painting the whole room! A few small free wins though - a lampshade we had stored away will spruce up a table lamp, someone else in the block was getting rid of a plain black metal curtain rail with all its fixings so we nabbed that and it will be the perfect size for the bedroom window and far nicer than what we have up there currently. We were going to buy a new roller handle for applying some adhesive for the thermal lining paper we've got ordered - but have realised it can also be applied with an emulsion brush so as we have two of those we'll use that instead. And we still have paint for the skirtings from when the hallway was done, too. We WILL need a tub of paint for one wall - but we'll use the darker colour that we vetoed for the hallway as we know that will tone in with everything else and not look out of place. We do still need to buy a tube of white flexible sealant for round the bathroom window and probably round the bath. 

Tasty chilli last night, and MrEH will be out at the rugby club tonight - the pitches are too frozen and snow-covered for training but they're doing the club's regular tuesday night quiz instead - so I'll do our fairly standard Tuesday night couscous meal - I'll get the two remaining sweet potatoes chunked and in to roast as soon as I get home to go with that, and it will also get mushrooms and chick peas, plus some halloumi. 

I've got some Christmas presents ordered now (finally - thank goodness!) but need to knuckle down and sort a few more in the next few days. I actually have a list from MrEH which counts as a bit of a rarity in our world - and almost without any nagging too - perhaps he's learning?! Thankfully most of the bits I'll need will be ordered online for delivery - I might need to dive into town over the weekend at some stage but it'll only be for a few bits. We buy for so few people these days - niece and nephews get vouchers now, MrEH's parents are always tricky but that's his department. I've got to get the rest of Claire's present but no idea what at the moment. Most other friends we've agreed just not to buy any more. I need to sort the Christmas Card donation - we've agreed on the local hospice this year. 

RelievedSheff

Oh. Only just found your new diary. Duly subscribed.

How exciting. Good luck with the offer on the house.

MrsPorridge

Oh exciting news indeed - all the best for your future plans

enthusiasticsaver

Fingers crossed for the offer being accepted on the house you want.  I can understand you not wanting to make the move up to the Hebrides in the foreseeable future so you can support your mum. 

EssexHebridean

Morning all - and thanks RS, Mrs P & ES for popping by and keeping the place warm! 

Unsurprisingly, first offer rejected, although not all that brutally. In fairness, we were offering a chunk below asking, and we're in an incredibly poor position right now - we knew all that, so were absolutely expecting a rejection. MrEH is speaking with the agent today to try to sound him out a little and see if we can work out what the next move should be, but our powder is staying dry at the moment! We do know they have more viewings this week - good in one way as it will feel incredibly cold in there, but it will also look at it's most picturesque with snow on the ground, so it depends on the romance -v- practicality balance of any buyers! That could well mean the situation is resolved though as if one of those viewers already has buyers, or is chain free, and offers above where we have, they'll go straight with them, understandably.

Lots of mortgage discussion going on - tracker -v- fixed being the main topic. It's incredibly difficult to work out where to pitch things right now - w don't want to risk getting stuck on a higher rate than needed again - we've been there, done that, and it was frustrating! On the other hand though, a 2 year fix might give us a bit of a chance to consolidate our position, and there is a possibility we could get a 2 year fix as a rate which might end up lower than the tracker options would if rates do go to 4.5% or thereabouts. Last night I was leaning towards the tracker, MrEH was more in favour of a fix - this morning I think we have switched places!  

Right - other MSE stuff then:
Banks checked and all good. 
I've sorted some more Christmas presents this morning - and will need to shuffle funds around to cover those from the joint presents fund and my own one. 
Broadband DD came out this morning, and the C Tax, garage rent & Service Charge will leave tomorrow - at the moment the surplus is looking comfy.
MrEH will transfer his CC purchases money to  me, and I'll then sweep the remaining £40 plus pennies from the joint account to cover the incidentals.  That will then see last month's stuff sorted. I'm trying to do this month's stuff mostly as we go along - aside from the grocery spend.

Groceries - I have increased the budget to £250 for December, and will probably put it to £225 per month from January onwards. I'll need to either make a manual adjustment to what goes into the food account, or change the regular payment. We've a decent cushion in the account at the moment which will account for some bulk-buy stuff we want to order - including the order I've just placed for plain and flavoured rapeseed oil, and flavoured mayonnaise - deliberately bulked up with stuff we'll use to get to the free postage threshold. I also need to place an order for herbs and spices but need MrEH to note anything more he wants to add to that.
Tonight we will be eating chicken satay noodles - and tomorrow will be the free (posh!) pasta and (cheapy) sauce. More cabbage will be being consumed tonight - it's still being the gift that keeps on giving though. Might do a side dish of the spring greens recipe I was given last week to at least use that particular form of brassica up. I also forgot that the cut off time for altering veg box opt-outs had changed so missed that - it was due to have celeriac which is a standard opt-out for us - if anyone wants to run a sweepstake on the likelihood of us getting a cabbage as a replacement I won't be offended! 
A decision needs to be made on whether we are going to the farmers market on Saturday, or not. As it's the christmas market we probably will though. 

Tonight we need to do out weekly check-in and work session on our voluntary role stuff, and I'd really like to get at least something more done on the stuff needing sorting indoors,, too. Last night MrEH was out but I made a good bit of headway into the backed up shredding - still probably two more sessions of that to go though.