Mortgage Free now aiming for FIRE

TallGirl

Morning I am at my desk nice and early today, one load of washing out and the dishwasher emptied. Financial meeting was good on Friday it makes more sense for me to cash in the S&S ISA it wont be tax free in Denmark anyway and then borrow off my mum. I spoke to my mum she is happy to lend me the money or give it to me pre inheritance. This is where Denmark is so different on tax. You can gift your children £8K each a year but anything over that you pay 15% "pre" inheritance tax. If I was to inherit the money later on it is also 15% although there is a free amount but it is not as much as UK. Also there is no rules about 7 years so those are your choices. My sister has already had some pre inheritance money so I could do that but then again do I really need it. Anyway it means we can buy the house we really like but ideally I would like our buyers to have buyers.

After that we had a meeting with the webdesigned and it was all going well until they started selling us a service to do marketing and media for us. It was a 6 months contract but as the site is not even finished it was quite irritating. It took ages and afterwards we just did not feel we could carry on working on the site so messed about with planning our new house (which obviously isn't even ours) and then we went to hit some golf balls plus had a beer at the club house. It was a nice way to round off the day off on Friday and we both felt we had moved forward. 

Saturday DG woke up feeling really nauseous so could not play golf (mounjaro side effect) so I played and did so well on the front nine and then it all fell apart on the back sadly. Still nice and then sat and chatted afterwards. Sunday we had breakfast at the club and then DG hit golf balls and I had a swim and spa. It was actually really nice I even sat in the posh glass house off the pool we never use. 

I also got some gardening done planted up the plants that I received in the week but forgot to soak them first so I really hope they are ok. I have put them in the raised beds so I can dig them out if I decide to take them with us. DG has some issue at work (not her fault) so she is quite stressed. I wish we had got further with the website but we didn't so it is what it is. We might work on it on Friday. 

I do need to work out when we can get over to see the house but as our buyers have not sold yet it is not a priority but there is a lot going on. Maybe end of May I might look at some flight prices only have to be for a few days. 

Loanranger21

You may need to check if you are allowed to take plant material into Denmark from the uk, which is not an EU country, and whether you will need a phytosanitary certificate for each plant or bulb. It may be wise to check first before you arrive to avoid problems on arrival either for yourself or for your removal company. 

Hope this helps. 

TallGirl

Morning and thanks Loanranger21 (love the name) that is a very good point my buyers may as well have all of them that way no issues. 

I did go to the gym last night new class was really good and a friend of mine also goes so that was nice. It was actually good to get out of the house as DG has total meltdown over her work. It is a big mistake but it is not her that has made it it is actually the courts. It took all day to do the next step now which she will not get paid for so it seems so unfair. It did all go off but she was in such a state our printer isnt really big enough to deal with that kind of thing. Unfortunately it means many months of delays now for this case to go to trial so that could impact on her getting paid and obviously tax and our move to Denmark.One thing I will say about her meltdown although this was a bad one we have not had any for ages and she did go and hit some golf balls afterwards (she had cancelled gym). 

Today she has been up since 6am and now she is doing a speed awareness course online. I am not allowed in the room so having to work from the space room. A bit annoying but at least she gets it done. It is only until 11am and I have a meeting now so not too bad. 

We now have the bill to pay the Danish lawyers but I cannot pay the way they suggest as its only for Danes so hopefully one of them will be in touch today anyway (she said she would). 

In money news I have moved £5K into my cash ISA from savings although that is likely to be used for the move I thought I might as well as the rates are better than where it was. it is the same company so instant pretty much. Hopefully a nice win tomorrow on PB but this is going to be a bit of a tight month but the joint account has survived all its expenses and it owes me £300 which is quite nice so that will help. 

I better get ready for my call have a lovely Tuesday. 

TallGirl

Morning I have had a meeting with the IFA compompany which was rather underwhelming. The person I was due to speak with was not available to so someone else picked up the meeting and knew very little. He did try and say I lose my ISA status by cashing it in and I agreed. He is now going and away and will get back to me with his suggestions. 
He did agreed it was worth moving it to a less aggressive fund. 

I also looked at flights last night and for £120 I can go over to Denmark and the end of this month. DG does not think she has time to come due to the trial situation with her work so it might just be me. That includes taking a suitcase one way so the family can get their bits and pieces such as perinaise sauce and Dulce Gusto coffee pods as they are so much cheaper here. We also heard from the Danish lawyer firm and they suggest we concentrate on going to see the house and they will move forward with the surveys etc (we have not seen them yet.) We have to buy time suggested they see them first before we come and view as of course our buyers have not sold yet. I am nervous of offering before we have sold but I know it will sell as it is a bog standard 2 bed that is in lovely move in condition. Am I being reckless buying before I sell? I do ask myself that but then our life could be on hold for what feels a while. 

Need to book some tickets email various people oh and need to catch up with work but almost getting there now. 

TallGirl

Had to come on again and update as I forgot to check my PB and it was two prices this month £125 so that pays for my flight lol which I have just booked. Also got my train £32 return which is a bargain and much much cheaper than being dropped off my DG.

Looked more into taking the car you can only drive it for 1 month but might be worth the risk just leaving it parked up on the drive after that and then drive the 2 hours to the border and hope not to get stopped when we are to take it back to the UK to sell. 

Our adviser is now going to contact the Danish estate agent and start negotiations on the house we love (nothing has come up since) and I can then view at the end of this month. I best get the leave booked I am not going to be at work a lot that week lol. 

earthgirl2

So exciting Tallgirl I know what it's like to want to buy before your buyer have a buyer organised, but hopefully it will fall into place for you. 

TallGirl

Thanks Earthgirl2 really lovely to have you back yes it is a game of cat and mouse and we should wait but then we would be homeless for a while and that is not ideal with having to rent and the storage of all our stuff in between. 

We are meeting the Danish lawyers today she has spoken to the estate agent and they are ok about us making an offer after I have seen it at the beginning of May. That buys us a little bit more time before we have to make the offer and in effect exchange which is scary without having sold. We had a text from our buyers yesterday it is really slow with viewings (not surprising with the crap stuff going on in the world) but they do have one on Saturday so that is promising. We can also make a decision if we want to list at the end of the month if there is no news but fingers crossed there is. Hopefully our buyers have a bit of wiggle room and can lower the price if needed. I know they are super keen and it is easier to sell theirs and ours. Also if we do list and someone buys ours they might be selling to someone who is not a first time buyer and the whole chain thing starts. 

We have also go another social thing booked in April meeting my colleague who has the puppy. It is quite local to here and we will go to the beach meeting them in their campervan Easter Monday. We also have a trip to Brighton to meet our other friend with her dog and my trip to Denmark plus golf with friends over Easter plus playing golf. Then there is also the trip to try and find DGs aunt. Full on but cannot be helped I need to go and see the house you do not spend £290K on something you have not even seen. 

I moved £2K out of my savings so I can pay the Danish Lawyers and make sure I do not go short this month. The locks on the car is playing up it might just be the battery in the keys lets hope that is all it is. It is due for an MOT but not just yet. 

Right back to work as per usual. 

TallGirl

Quick update we have agreed the Danish lawyers can go ahead and negotiate with the estate agent. We are suggesting a completion date of 1st October (exchange happens much much sooner) on the condition that the survey and other reports are ok plus that we still want the house after the viewing otherwise we can pull out at that point. After that we are then locked in to buying but should our sale move quicker we can then ask if they want to move out sooner than 1st October as that is allowed in Denmark. We have also indicated that we would like the blinds so we do not have to rush out and get new ones when we move plus the lawn mover. This stage can take a while so now it is just hope and wait and obviously fingers crossed we get a buyer for our buyers house. 

TallGirl

Morning DG is off to a pointless court hearing that will take 10min but could not be cancelled so that is 5 hours on the train and back but that's life I guess. The sooner she gets out of this work the better. 

Did not make gym last night but I have been to 3 session this week so do not feel too bad. We need to move on the Danish bank accounts hopefully while I am in Denmark if they need to see me in person. I should make quite a nice customer once I have sold my house. I am going to miss all the bank bonuses for opening a new account and all the perks we get as there are so many charges for everything in Denmark. Still not a lot I can do about it. 

I do need to sort my S&S ISA out as I need to lodge the money for the house in a bank account 10 days after we signed the exchange documents. This could be as early as mid May. My mum needs to do the same it is starting to feel really real and a bit reckless but I know our buyers house will sell much easier than ours and hopefully once all this Trump crap dies down the housing market will move especially if we get interest rate cuts. My S&S ISA has dropped £10k in a month would be great if it does not drop and further please. 

Right back to put another load on and then some work as per usual. 

Obviously I would much rather dream about my new house and spend time planning the pantry this is it in its current form it is 1.44m wide and 3.06m long so lots of potential we will need a freezer in there 

savingholmes

I feel you on the ISA situation - and the difficulties with your DG and meltdowns.

Hopefully things will settle soon. Exciting to be moving forward on your Danish plans. There are always pros and cons when buying a new home. Only you know what will work for you. There are days when I wished I moved closer to another nearby town - but I couldn't have afforded it - and would have lost out on these views. There are always trade offs... No single right decision. Decide which option makes you feel the most at peace.