Prosperous & Creative Soul & MFW Year 3

savingholmes

Thanks Jwil and LWAP.

LWAP - it sounds like you gave the EA a good dressing down. I hate it when EAs ignore what you say and push their goals on you - presumably linked to the size of their commissions.

My goals this weekend

1. Get downstairs tidy enough that I can try out my robo vacuum and mop for the first time.
2. Clear the kitchen table and give things homes.
3. Make the rest of downstairs tidy i.e. give more things homes - before my friend comes at lunchtime tomorrow.
4. Tidy my bedroom.
5. Change my bedding.
6. Buy graph paper and do measurements.
7. Have a nice roast chicken dinner with friend - and make some art together.

I realised last night that I have been in panic mode over decisions on the house - and despite everyone's efforts on the board and outside it - it is only just sinking in that I can take my time. I have a unique opportunity to shape the house how I want - and hope all my ramblings haven't felt too insensitive to anyone struggling. I only have £ to do the works due to downsizing - and lucky property growth over the last couple of years.

My 0% spend card arrived last night. I need to sign it and memorise the pin and then use it strategically. I'm still debating whether to cancel the flooring order - or whether there's an opportunity to shift the debt on to this card so I can take my time  and delay delivery and still earn interest on my lump sum. I need to make that decision this coming week.

Hope you have a good day all - I think I'm currently in the cloud layer as it is misty out but doesn't feel cold.

KajiKita

LadyWithAPlan said:

I saw some flats yesterday and also popped into some EA
one was an absolute wide boy - I said 1-2 bed it’s just me 380-450 though I may be able to go a bit higher 
he then spent 20 mins pushing me to £500 plus homes with 3 bed 2 bath … I could always sell as an investment .. great space .  Blah blah 

in the end I very directly said to him that the size of my house does not reflect in any way me or my life - that I had had a Porsche at 22 and now didn’t have a car & I had had enough of big city  trading living to not have to make out to be anything other than I am. Me on my own is cool as it is ! 

It was a literal verbal smack down hopefully it will make him think - if he doesn’t learn that wisdom in life he will be v unhappy 

Oh that frustrates me so much when people do that. I have a recruiter that is always sending me people right at the top of the possible salary band, so when we get to the negotiation bit of the offer we have a fruitless circle …. 🙄 I have started telling her £5K less than my actual band now! 

Hope he listens to you 😊

KK

KajiKita

@savingholmes, it sounds like you have lots of lovely times planned for you and your friend. This makes me happy 😊

Your plans don’t sound insensitive. Everyone here is at a different stage of their financial journey with different start points, challenges and objectives. The main thing we can all aspire to is to be kind and offer useful life experience or advice and support whenever we can - which you do lots of 😊

KK

jwil

I don't think you've been insensitive.  It's great that you can slow down and take your time though.

savingholmes

Thanks Jwil and KK

I've spent the whole day off and on trying to clean and tidy and give things homes while listening to podcasts or music. 

It took me until beyond 7pm to get out the lounge. I've made a dent on the back Lol shape but more to do. Not touched upstairs.

skint_spice

As you previously stated there is no rush - slowly but surely you will get there.

LadyWithAPlan

Glad you are seeing the possibilities of waiting and dreaming on your home fir the next many decades 

@KajiKita recruitment agents do it as well - so annoying 

savingholmes

Thanks Skint and LWAP

Well I got most of my list done. My friend arrived late as she'd got lost - but we then had a lovely lunch followed by her making art. I think I'll buy an extra plate to use when I play alongside others as I had do just watch her rather than do my own too as I only had one - and while I'd bought some tiny ones earlier I'd misplaced them last night. I'd also been debating returning them as they were a lot smaller than expected. 

The house feels better now more stuff is away downstairs. I'm still not quite at the stage of being able to let the robo vacuum loose but hopefully soon. 

A neighbour from the road below mine popped around with some hyacinths and her number. Apparently I sometimes get her post. Now she's explained it in person I see what the problem is - an envelope I sent back last week had both road names on it - but some websites are treating the Welsh name of her road as a house name. I'll still be wary if any are bank or credit statements or similar though. I've given her an open invite to knock on for coffee out of working hours or to come around and do crafts as apparently she is into them too. Sounds like I may have the beginnings of another friendship.

I'm not due to start work until 11am today as I took a bit of time off this morning as I had 2 tradies due. The roofer has turned up but not the handyman who unfortunately has had a family emergency. He texted me at 7am this morning which I read when my alarm went off at 8. At least it meant I could doze a little longer before starting getting up properly. I'm a bit disappointed though as I have a long list of jobs for him to get through and I'd bought a load of items for him to fit. Trying to see it as part of the long game. I'll need to wear my ear defenders today other than when I'm on calls as the roofer is already really noisy. 

Today my old fascias are coming down and my new white ones are going up which is exciting. He hadn't yet ordered the guttering as he said he was unsure of what I wanted. He's going to order black square ones for me. He says he'll do the roof work tomorrow and then the guttering last. 

savingholmes

I meant to add - I made art for hours after she left - using my kitchen table with the glass tops on it. I might therefore leave my art table where it is for now. I need to have a better think about how I want that back L shape to function - as my art space currently feels over full so I need to think about what can come out / how I can arrange that differently so it has better 'flow.' Almost time for me to log on to work.

savingholmes

Roofer here - he has just suggested that my gable walls need repointing at the top and there are hand size gaps in places and the concrete is crumbling... Sent sis photos. Could be £1K each side. Reading the surveyors report - he does mention uneven repointing and that some is likely to be needed... 

I think I was right to pull back and wait on the driveway too - as the surveyor's report says what I thought which is that some of the external levels are higher than they ought to be from a damp proof course perspective - and he recommended lowering them... I need to get a price for that as a whole and not just the bit at the front - but need to ensure that if they are dug out - that I'm not putting my foundations at risk.

I can already feel the costs ratcheting up... Best get looking at my views again!!!