Escape to the country & living off savings

Skint_yet_Again

Copied over from my old diary

Hello again from Yorkshire 😁 The move from the south coast went well but it has been hectic since I got here. Spending has been budgeted for 

van hire £250
diesel £90
train fare for DS to get home £30
new boiler £3600
living room light £32
kettle & toaster £40
New bath towels (sale) £6
Living room paint 2 for £22
white paint ceilings & skirtings & sandpaper/ brushes £53.93
Misc tool station & bnq 116.65 includes new loo seat
emergency eye exam £30 (gel detachment) - all ok 

Roofer is booked to come mid March £2750 including scaffolding. I’m just pricing up & choosing a new bathroom & wallpaper for the bedroom. 

I got refunds from council tax, car insurance and breakdown cover after changing my address. I also told the car insurance I have retired as I am not working or claiming benefits and I am living off my savings until my pension starts. I may look for a little part time job when things settle down after 6 months or so. I am not going to have another pet as I don’t want the tie. I do miss puppy dog though 🐶 

Im not sure what to do about this diary as I’m not going to be saving any more. I will always try to save on items bought using deals and vouchers. The majority of my remaining equity is now invested in 1 and 2 year bonds. I’m not sure how much I will be paid for February as I had to pay back some annual leave. New household bills are coming in for the new house. I have just paid car tax which was budgeted for. I have kept £10000 for next 12 months living expenses & £10000 for 12 months after and £12000 for house (boiler/repairs/ new bathroom) in an instant access account. 

Skint_yet_Again

I handed in the completed application form to village doctor to register & posted my driving licence form recorded delivery with photo & ID for change of address as I have never had a card. I then wasted an hour of my life in the bank paying the gas boiler man. They wanted photo ID which I don’t currently have and the app wouldn’t work to capture my photo so after a million questions they finally paid the bill. Afterwards they gave me a free box of biscuits as an apology!

Have also had problems with the building society. I won’t bore you with the details, however they are sending me £100 compensation. Better than a box of biscuits any day! 

Ive finished decorating the living room. Just need to buy a tv & some storage. 

Yesterday DF drove me to some bathroom showrooms and I know what I would like now, just need to get a price from my plumber. 

Also bought wallpaper for my bedroom £83.94 plus paste/plumb line & chalk £8.97. Treated us to lunch in morresons cafe 2 meals & 2 pots of tea £15.56

Plans for today - stripping off the old wallpaper in my new bedroom. I brought my wallpaper stripper with me. DF & my niece are helping 😁

Its been freezing cold the last few days. I think I have turned into a southern softy 😆 but everything is lush and green, snowdrops and crocuses and daffs are flowering and there is blossom on the trees. I feel so much happier like a weight has been lifted 😊

Skint_yet_Again

Final wage £511.83. Remaining balance in current account £785.92 total £1297.75 so I shouldn’t need to draw down any savings for March. 

Bills to pay 
council tax £150.40 (up to March then new bill will be over 10 months) 
tv license £13.37
Still waiting for the new water bill. 
Credit card = £353.82 for car tax & van hire 

Gas & Electric £33.47 remaining credit £239.79

Chrystal

It sounds as though everything is falling into place beautifully.  So happy for you.   XXXX

MovingForwards

Happy new diary!

Perhaps pay the TVL in full, so it's not a niggling little bill each month. 

How's it feel to be MF and not having to pay that 😁

Hope you're slotting in rest and not just doing your new home up. Can't wait for the next update, it's so exciting 🍷

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks Chrystal & MF 😊

Its great to be mortgage free. I am very lucky. DS & his gf completed on my house back in October and I stayed with them until my purchase completed. It meant I could save the mortgage money and I just continued to pay them a third of the utility/ council tax bills, the same as they did when I owned the house. 

This week we have stripped 4 layers of wallpaper off my bedroom & sanded and painted the skirtings. Next week will be putting up new wallpaper & cleaning the carpets with the machine borrowed from my niece. I just had to buy the carpet shampoo £10. 

The additional savings have been spent this week (as planned)

new divan bed & mattress £240
new headboard £79
new tv £199 reduced from £229
new oak tv stand £188.30 reduced from £269
Freeview recorder £120

My school friend is taking me to done elm so I can get curtains for my bedroom and the living room. 

Virgin media has been cancelled saving £62 a month. I will watch / record things on the freeview box which allows you to rewind/ pause & record 2 programmes at once up to 300 hours. 

My P45 has appeared online on my tax account so I have applied for a tax refund for the rest of this years tax allowance up to April. 

Once my bedroom is finished I will move in. I have still been sleeping at DF’s. Everything still feels a bit unreal as if I am here on holiday and I will be going back soon. I think once I move in it will feel real. 

MovingForwards

You're making headway and turning it into your home.  Tell us about colours, patterns and things so we can visualise everything.

The holiday feeling will last quite a while yet as there's no alarm in the mornings, traipsing off and sitting at a desk, heck you even pay yourself. It's a wonderful position you've achieved 🍾

MoneyWorry

You’ve a while yet. I still feel a bit as though I’m on holiday and it’s been 3 months. 

Skint_yet_Again

There has been lots of snow over the last week but thankfully I am a bit further away from the Pennines so it did not settle for long. Heating has been on though. I am feeling the cold so I expect a bigger gas bill for March despite wearing 2 jumpers and wearing my padded jacket 🥶

It has turned milder since yesterday & I haven’t needed the heating on much yesterday or so far today. 

Recent spends / savings 

Shower - £109.99 reduced from £149.99
Mirror bedroom - pretty etched glass £8.99
Fridge - £124.99 used email code & got £5 off was £129.99
Sim package monthly £10

Didn’t get to done elm due to the snow but instead managed to repurpose curtains from the spare room into my bedroom. They look ok but are too long. The ones that were in my room were filthy & mouldy and have gone to the tip. Another tip run tomorrow should clear most of the rubbish. 

DF took down one unwanted fitted wardrobe and is repurposing the wood to make shelves in one of the other fitted wardrobes & in the deep cupboard under the stairs. 

I washed my new fridge out with a bicarb solution and turned it on
last night after giving it the recommended time to settle. Today I am going food shopping 😁

Chrystal

It sounds as though you've been busy, and got yourself some bargains. Remember you've now got all the time in the world (retired!) so don't feel the need to rush things. 
Your Dad sounds like a real gem bless him 
The weather hasn't been nice near me either.  I'm hoping it's now gone on it's way and doesn't come back till next year! XX

MovingForwards

Do you know anyone with a sewing machine who could shorten the curtains?

Sounds like you'll have proper seasons in your new location. For now set your heating to come on an hour before getting up as it's all about figuring out how long it needs to be on, how many times a day and you'll have a better idea for next winter; don't forget you've been spoilt in the south and will adjust. Perhaps look at your wardrobe and add a few items to account for the northern temperatures.

Spends are fantastic and you're coming across as a lot happier, although very busy.