Prosperous & Creative Soul & MFW Year 3

WelshmansDaughter

Gardening counts as exercise

LadyWithAPlan

WelshmansDaughter said:

Gardening counts as exercise

Absolutely!! 

Blackcats

Well done on curating a new wardrobe that you are so happy with now and with some built in future proofing. 

savingholmes

Thanks Jwil, WD, Blackcats, LWAP

Not made it to do any more returns as ended up working late yesterday and today. I've cleared the 2.5 hours I owed and am back in credit by a few hours. I may have an opportunity to return stuff tomorrow. There's always the weekend. All on my 0% card so little rush.

I cancelled one cleaning appointment while I'm away and moved another. I've moved my counselling appointment from tomorrow to the end of next week - so into next pay day. It all helps. I requested a blood test today - and for help completing a meds form for my holiday. Awaiting a response. I'm off to see the dietician tomorrow. Will be interesting to hear what they say. Then I have to go into work.

While it's good £ wise the handyman hasn't been here for 6-8 weeks - I've paid for banister spindles he still has and have a list of other jobs. He had a bereavement but even so there's been a few weeks when he's said he'll be here next week but hasn't come. So perhaps I should explore alternatives but with recent spends the delay has been useful. I'd have preferred to have more plants in the ground before I went away rather than in pots and I was hoping he'd help with that - first by shifting the remaining bamboo and second by planting some of them. I was hoping he'd also create a new raised bed...

The builder still hasn't provided his quote breakdown. I am nervous about spending so much of my EF/Savings though so need to make sure I've fully considered alternatives - and avoid rushing into a decision because the builder has an opening. Someone suggested I start with opening the wall between the lounge and middle room - and potentially putting some kind of see through door in at the other end. If I did that first I could then get the floor screed - and new one laid - which would resolve one of my biggest frustrations (uneven/missing flooring).  That could be less noise and disruption - although screeding the floor would be a lot of upheaval. The builder said he might end up having to replaster both ceilings as well as the affected wall stubs if a new lintel was required etc. If I did that step first - followed by the floor - I'd have a clearer picture of whether I needed to convert the garage now or if I should delay. Because I'm potentially adding a bathroom to the garage conversion it's unclear how much space I'd gain for my art - or what stuff would end up being displaced and need other storage. I need to map out the space using masking tape or something so I have a better idea.

I also need to consider whether if I had different furniture I'd alleviate the need for structural changes - but I don't think it would resolve the light issue though. The alternative could be to keep the wall in the middle room but put in a window for light between the two rooms. That would still be a lot of work but may resolve my light and view issue while keeping the inner room as an art space without the garage conversion. 

Lots to think about still. 

KajiKita

I always find that having walls in spaces more useful than fully open plan (we have put one back in here as it suits the proportions of the house better) - you can add sockets to them, put furniture against them that doesn’t look good with exposed backs, hang pictures etc on them and so on. I also think it makes spaces easier to keep warmer in the winter if they are smaller. I like the idea of keeping the wall in the middle rooms but with a window. 

KK

WelshmansDaughter

If I could do mine over again I would wait until I had been living there at least a year before I changed anything. 

TallGirl

WelshmansDaughter said:

If I could do mine over again I would wait until I had been living there at least a year before I changed anything. 

Totally agree it’s so expansive to get it wrong hopefully you’ll find a solution. Can you not mark out the proportions on another space so get a feel for it?

savingholmes

Thanks KK, WD and TG

My net worth fell £2.9K in the last couple of months as at 13/6 but given I bought a patio door for £1.6K and had holiday / related spends of £1.3K for going abroad and £400+ for my birthday trip seeing DS etc and weekend stay and recent clothing spends it could be worse.

I've been paid. £450 went to AVCs. Sent £25 to savings. Another £225 should go to reg savers over the month. I should be able to clear the remaining part of the holiday cost after I get P1p in July and before next pay day. The unknown is how much I'll actually end up spending while away. I've ordered around 300 euro cash - and in theory I can exchange it without commission fees if I need to on my return.

I've done all but one of my returns. I should be able to do that tomorrow. I bought one new cap sleeve v-neck soft top for £12.50 - in size 16!! I was very excited... My recent clothes have been 18 mostly for tops and 20 for jeggings with my swim wear being a mix of the two.

I've had my £100 from Nwde which is very nice. 

I've measured a small suitcase I have upstairs and checked against the rules - and it is still in tolerance for a cabin bag so I'm pleased as it has wheels. I've also found luggage weighers so may be able to return a new one I bought. I've found a luggage strap, money belt and waterproof phone holders etc. I've bought some new earphones to take with me. I want to buy some more phone battery chargers too as I seem to have misplaced mine after my hospital trip. My phone battery is currently very poor - I think because I have so many apps - and it is about 4 years old. I'm very tempted (repeatedly even) to buy a new phone but I'm resisting on the basis that it would be better to do it after my holiday rather than risk something happening to a brand new one while away. Plus obvs the longer I leave it the better. 

Hope you are all doing well. 

LadyWithAPlan

Ah the eternal ‘when do I upgrade my phone’question 
they need to start making longer life batteries 

WelshmansDaughter

I have a power bank to charge my phone when I’m out. I just checked and the one I bought is £30. That may be an option