Mortgage Free now aiming for FIRE

TallGirl

Morning wet and rainy here so not been for my run today but still planning on going. Did end up at McD for breakfast so bad but it will mean we will eat less for the rest of the day. I keep saying no more and it really has to stop.

Today DG is going to work on a case she is meeting next week and I aim to do some emergency washing needed for tomorrow which sadly has to dry on the airer plus sort  out DGs premium bonds. Been so long that has been needed to be done. She got a paper one as a child and her mum has one too. I think I need to post them off but definitely doing that today. 

Also planning on looking into transferring the business premises and get the paperwork together for DG to look at. No more spends from yesterday so we are still on the same total. We have just been to Lidls to get the free cakes (really helping the diet) and some bits needed so food all sorted for the weekend. Hope you all have a lovely bank holiday and the weather gets better soon. 

Update 
Done premium bonds for DG and her mum and ready to post (when I go for a run).

Also done the forms to swap £15 worth of stamps for me so that is quite cool.

TO DO
- Sort will out to include civil partnership
- Work out fee and submit forms to land registry - forms sent to legal friend who will check them just need to sign and post otherwise. 
- Look into international pensions - started but it is so complicated
- Do CP invites incl asking friends to do bits on the day (photo's music etc) 

House stuff
- Paint the 2 back fence panels 
- Repoint worst bits of patio - materials and tools READY to do needs to get done asap

savingholmes

Sounds like you are making progress on lots of fronts. Hope you are also getting time to chillax.

TallGirl

Thanks Savingsholmes I did but we did play golf both Sunday and Monday. Both of us played quite rubbish so now DG is all down again with that which is a shame. Hopefully she will come around but we have had to pull out of our next joint competition so that is quite good as we had double booked with some volunteering for the club so will do that instead.

My feet are so sore I am not sure I could play anymore and I have got 2 gym classes tonight but hopefully be ok by then. DG is off to stay with a friend and see some clients she will be back Wednesday evening. 

Joint account is in a bad state and we have had to raid the holiday fund as well but we are almost at the end of the month so hopefully we will make it even if we have to top it up by our own money. 

My main priority is for DG so feel better after her September break I do not want her to have a break down because she is working all hours. She worked a full day Saturday so have only had a normal weekend in effect. It might affect her ability to pay into our joint account in September but I think it will be worth it to have her feeling better. 

This house had a price reduction yesterday. It is on the same development with the private beach just a bit further up the hill. I have looked at the listing before but I cannot decide if I like it or not. I think the back is quite ugly with the two sets of windows and I am not sure I really love the split levels. Probable one you need to see but it is £282K and look like there is not a lot that needs doing. Thought I would share it this is still the favorite and it is £60K cheaper but does need a lot of work.

Today I have quite a lot of meetings and I am busy with work. I will need to do some washing to catch up after all the rain. 

daisy_1571

I see what you mean about the back of the first house.  Somehow it does look a bit odd however you don't normally sit in your back garden looking at the house, you'd be looking at the garden so it might be OK to actually live in.  I think the inside does benefit from the windows so I see why they did it.  Agree probably best to view in person and see how it feels.

Dxx

TallGirl

Thanks Daisy my sister did point out that we did actually drive past that house when we went to view the other one. I am not 100% sure we did if so we only saw it briefly. The estate agent for the older non modernised house has been in touch asking if there is any progress on our sale. Sadly the Saturday viewing has cancelled it was too far to take her two kids on the school run. Good she checked it out first but it could also be because of the awful roadworks we have around here but they should be finished next month fingers crossed. 

Struggling to get into work mode today I was all so excited about one project where I am going a site visit but the other one I am just not able to make sense off. 

I did go to Lidl and spent £20 of joint funds. Go my free popcorn and a bakery item I could eat for lunch. I did win another item but did not claim it as I had already gone in once to get the popcorn as I forgot them and they expire tomorrow. 

TallGirl

Morning back still not right so no gym or running I think I will start next week again with the couch to 5K. DG is Doing it again next week anyway. 

Had to cancel the main game we were doing Sunday because we have volunteered for something and now that has been moved so we could have done both things. Never mind after a day in London I think we will be shattered so just paying 9 now which is better I think. 

I have had a couple of quote for  the move back to Denmark. To fly the two cats is either £1571 if we do all the vet checks ourselves or £2345 for their gold service.

Also to move furniture by lorry it is £12K for a 12 meter truck with full packing and unpacking which I think should be enough. More than I thought honestly but it is also expensive to replace things so I think we would take things like garden furniture and maybe even the beds as they are not that old. 

Feels like a super long week but of course it is not. Diet is not going that well but I keep trying. It did feel good to get back into exercise and then of course my back went which is not funny. It is better so fingers crossed it is gone tomorrow. 

Today is busy with meetings and some work that I have to catch up on. 

LadyWithAPlan

I actually really like the split level ! Sounds perfect being near  a beach - have you visited this town in the winter to see roads access etc? 

Will you be needing a truck to get around ? 

@savingholmes point on the money made before the marriage- I don’t get married and thus ended up leaving with nothing after 8 years - I didn’t  fight it - so making a plan for worse case scenario is important. Especially as the mentioned OH up down mood swings could in later life shift into something more serious. 

On the slimfast … powders 

I love Applied Nutrition Vegan Pro - super low in carb - the strawberry is great and chocolate pretty decent too and cooks well in a protein muffin as well as blended 

so far 6 days in on my slow carb thing (I am allowed red wine not white,  rose or champagne  so this has slowed my drinking down as it’s harder to just swig it !) and I am feeling leaner - scale showing me a 1 kg dip but let’s see where my results are in 4 - 6 weeks before you also start eating pulses daily ! Well done on making the sustained effort  to get rid of this menopausal weight gain - so annoying - why don’t they warn us ! 

QueenJess

I really like the split level house too, although I agree I don't love the view from the back to the house.  You could improve it with some plants or something though to draw the eye.  Makes my house look rubbish by comparison!

I do hope I can visit when you move... Denmark is top on the list of places I want to visit (along with Iceland and the Nordic fjords).  You can tell I'm not one for hanging around in the heat

TallGirl

Ladywithaplan and QueenJess thanks for popping in. 

I met Dg at the club last night and we shared a sandwich for dinner while sitting outside enjoying the view. It was so nice just to do something like that and we talked about the split level house. We couldn't really see it properly but looked this morning and actually you know what you would not have to do a lot to it to make it perfect just some more sockets to make one of the bedrooms into an office. 

DG is very excited about the cellar which has the room with the french doors out to a sunken patio. That is the perfect party room for cinema and speakeasy bar she would love to have. I love the utility room and the storage room next door just perfect. Yes the house is huge and it does have stairs but they are not that many I think it could really work. The money certainly works as it is £281K and as I said you would not need to spend a lot. The older one with the pretty garden is £213 but that one you would need to spend the different £68K and you still would not have as much house as the split level one. You might but what if you found something wrong with the house the other one has brand new kitchens and bathrooms etc etc which are the expensive parts and I love the look of them so no need to change anything. 

LWAP agree need to see the town in Winter which we will do when we go over at Christmas. It is a holiday town yes in as much as people go there as it is pretty and have ferries to the islands but it is not full of hotels and holiday lets it is normal people who live there so all the normal shops etc will still be open at least. 

QueenJess you would be welcome to come and visit I think you and I could talks gardens and cooking for hours lol. It is a lovely country but most people just see Copenhagen and nothing else.

The estate agent for that split level house did message me about the house that had not yet come on the market in another area so I replied I was not interested but I did like the look of split level house. It has been on the market for 2 years but they did drop the price by £25K a few days ago so not sure if it now will get sold we shall see. Lets hope not as it is just too soon.

LWAP interesting about the protein powder I have never really used them only started the latte slimfast one as an alternative to breakfast and I find it fills me up. Your diet sounds very interesting I hope it works for you I would love to shift about 8 or 9 kilo's but 5 would be great too.

I am going to be so busy with work I have got two work trips booked now one is a hotel one and the other will be staying with friends and going by car. I got paid my expenses yesterday so that is a nice little sum into my current account. 

Right I need to stop daydreaming of Danish houses and get on with work. 

 

TallGirl

Happy Monday morning what a fantastic weekend that was I really did enjoy myself but now I am just so so tired. 

Friday we had our meal of steak and jacket potatoes in the pool bar it was really nice and we have not used it like that since Christmas which is crazy. The jackets were old potatoes hanging around the fridge and I had to cut them in half to make them cook in the airfryer quicker but they ended up like potato skins really nice. Steaks were Irish ones from Lidl very nice. 

Saturday we met out neighbours at the golf club so they could use our 2 free passes we got for doing all those classes in July. They really enjoyed themselves so it was nice to do something nice for them as they look after our cats too. We got the train to London (delayed so must do the reclaim thing). We went to Lower Marsh Street near Waterloo and I got my free coffee from Octo which was great and much needed but we also got a sausage roll and a donut. Why or Why when we were going to have afternoon tea hours later. We made our way over to South Kensington by bus and tube and it was in some domes in a hotel garden. I was really nice the food was plentiful and of course we could not eat everything. (We did take a doggy bag). They also brought me a cheese cake for my birthday so even more to eat. IT was my birthday present but I saw the value and it was really reasonable as we also got a cocktail. Dg bought me another cocktail which was lovely too. We left there after a couple of hours and as our train wasn't until 8pm we went back to Lower Marsh. Found a Cuban bar and had 2 for 1 cocktails for a couple of hours. £5 or £6 for a cocktail is unheard off so they bill of £33 was really really good. It was also easy to order and they were proper strong ones. Place is called Cubana it is right at the front across from the park. I am sure our fab and money savvy LWAP knows it well. 

Sunday my partner pulled out so I had to mark the other peoples card which was fine as I did not mind not playing and DG just wanted to sleep so she stayed at home while I was up there for 10am. I did 18 holes (played well until it got too slow and hot on the back nine). DG played on the other course with another member (they only did 4 as it was so hot). We had a hours break then off to do the volunteering with the new ladies. It was fun but a lot of walking and I was already tired. It was fun as we got to meet some of the gym members and look like we knew what we are doing as they had never played golf before. Then afterwards there was free food and drink but we did not get in until 7pm. Quiet evening and could not get up this morning. 

So I am sat at my desk and have not started work at least I caught up Friday so all under control. 

We have also over the weekend had lots of chats about the split level house and how we really think it can work for us. I had not spotted that it was reduced by £25K on the 26/8 so that might generate some interest but it has been for sale for nearly 2 years before that. We actually have 4 viewings this week so who know. I have emailed the estate agent and asked if we can send my sister to view it (she does not know yet). She is quite good at seeing if something is right or not. I could then fly over and see it myself Ryanair is cheap if we go from Stansted but I also have a lot of work on this month however some of it is actually around that area. Obviously it is way to early to fall in love with a house and I think the estate agent is the same one I cancelled on when I was over in July and my mum needed her car back. I am not going to chase him until later on today as I only sent the message Friday afternoon and he may not have been at work this weekend. 

Right need to do work as I a have Wednesday and Friday off this week to play golf.