MF by Christmas 2024 - let's do this!

LadyWithAPlan

Happy new house and your new adventure ! 

Coxy11

Thank you @beanielou and @LadyWithAPlan

Will apply for the vet job later from home PC as currently using my boss's laptop and need to clear the history before returning it on Monday!

My list of spares/urgent things to buy currently consists of:

• New handle for single oven - Kenwood spares listing it as £58.17 - not sure if that includes free P&P, hope so.
• New door for freezer box - Indesit do a lot of models and I can't see the model number anywhere obvious. Will try again later
• New kettle - we came from an extremely hard water area but have a water softener here. Black kettle looking really ropey.
• Salt for aforementioned water softener as not had one before.
• Utensil pot - previous one broke so wooden spoons are currently standing in a plastic jug on the counter - not a good look.
• Brita filter cartridges as just used the last one, but wondering if we need them now we have a water softener....?

I'm sure I will add to this list over the coming days 

debtfreewannabe321

Happy new home 🏡 🎉 hope you'll all be very happy there 😁

Suffolk_lass

Happy new home! 🏡🏡 there are always "those things!" I do think keeping a small mortgage is a good move, just in case there is something major. I would be putting the max holding of PB initially, while you explore some income generating options for that cash, just to get it down and out of one place . Lots of advice that you go for less risky holdings as you approach retirement, or reduce your income from employment, so traditionally bonds and gilts are part of the approach, with fixed and predictable returns. Fixed income 2 years 4.00 from NSI but there are better ROI elsewhere (and those tie up your cash for 2 years).

Ooh, kettle... I might be teaching my grandma to suck eggs, as the saying goes, but maybe try a spoonful of citric acid in the bottom with some hot water after making a cuppa and give it a chance to revive it, tilt and turn it so it cleans down the sides too. Remarkable stuff! I prefer it to white vinegar, and with gloves, on a cloth, it cleans taps and other things with evidence of water stains. 

From memory, the model number for Indesit under the counter jobs are on the side wall down the bottom by the salad drawer. 

Coxy11

Thanks @Suffolk_lass for the savings info and kettle descaling advice. I have a couple of sachets of descaler so will give those a go. It's not so much the inside but spout area is also grim  DH would like a new kettle for the new house, so might have a look at BF offers. I also received an £80 One4All giftcard from work when I left which includes Argo$ so that could be a cash neutral purchase.

We have made an overpayment to the mortgage of £7,640.40 which brings it down to just above £30k. It was the max 20% we were allowed. Once December and January's payments have gone out, we'll be below £30k. We go onto a variable rate from May so will take a look at possible deals in the Spring.

DH has invested £50k into PB having previously had none. I have £10 plus £100 which I bought for younger son's first Christmas - did the same for DS1 and DD but those are in their names. Must have had postnatal brain fog with DS2's application as those numbers are in my name! I need NSandI to send me some info so I can purchase online. I will also buy the maximum and £100 for DS2 in his name.

We have both put £20k into our SandS ISA's so now have £30.6k each in those.

Current account balance now £97k but after the PB purchase it'll be less telephone number-like and DH is on the case to find other investments to pop the residual into. We want a holiday fund and a car fund so can afford to tie those up for a medium length of time.

Exciting new house purchases to date include a ladder stay (we bought ladders with us and inherited a further set from previous owners but neither have a stay). This will be useful to clear the gutters of leaves and avoid paying someone to do it. Also purchased a letterbox back flap/brush, door draught excluder seal for the front door, and a chimney pillow as Storm Bert meant a really draughty few days! DH is currently slamming the front door and apparently the draught excluder is too thick.......

We spent Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning clearing up after the storm. Filled two wheelie bins with leaves, twigs and have 6 further sacks. Garden waste wheelie bins are paid up until August and will be collected tomorrow. 
We went to the tip this morning with a carload of cardboard boxes. Garage looking better and have removed previous owners shelving and repositioned the racking we brought from previous house. Have swept up and it's a lot more usable now.

No boxes now in the kitchen, lounge or any bedrooms. Dining room still has a few boxes but mainly pictures and glasses (so many glasses) and I'm compiling a CS donation as there's only so many Christmas mugs one household needs.

Have applied for the Vet Receptionist role. Not sure I'll even get an interview but nothing ventured.....

beanielou

Positive vibes for the job. 

Suffolk_lass

Yes, I echo @beanielou, positive vibes for that job. I would be looking at the garden with a degree of scrutiny before discarding all that cardboard. I can't remember if you saw the house in the summer, I think you did, but you may not have noticed any troublesome weed areas. We are planning to cover all the veg beds except the asparagus and raspberies with cardboard and then put fresh compost on top again, to reduce the need to muck about with weeding. If you didn't make a mental note, I would suggest hanging fire and seeing what comes up next year 

Coxy11

mHi all,

That's a good point about the cardboard @Suffolk_lass. We still have around 50 boxes-worth though. Flower beds are currently covered with leaves and DH has ordered a leaf blower/sucker which arrives on Wednesday. We are going to photograph the garden as it is now then compare with the house particulars which show it in it's full summer glory to make sure we don't lose anything! Ladder stay arrived today. DH has cleared the lower gutters but needs to do the high ones. There are also a couple of gaps in the guttering which need reattaching.

I have been invited for a video interview for the Vet Receptionist job, to do at my leisure, probably with a bot. Need to gird my loins for that one and make sure DH is away doing some kind of DIY (of which there is plenty). I have been out for a run a couple of times, down to the main road and back which is just shy of 3k return trip. Downhill on the way there and a slow gradual climb on the way home (unfortunately). Has helped clear my head though.

The en-suite loo has a blockage might be further down the drains (covers are in the drive), so DH will be on the case with that at some point. Not a nice job, but needs must.

Still no log on details from NSandI so the bank balance is still telephone number long. I'm in the process of sending £20k to a notice account, for which I sent through ID checks this morning. Hopefully the money will go tomorrow.

Unfortunately my SIL is in hospital with pneumonia and Covid. She has an eating disorder too, so is very poorly, has been intubated and is receiving dialysis. DH has been with BIL at the hospital today. I'm waiting for him to return with an update. All very worrying, hence why the running was much needed especially earlier today.

beanielou

Sorry to hear about your SIL. Such a horrid disease. 

Good luck with the A1 thingy. Who knew. 

Coxy11

Morning all and thanks @beanielou!

I have done the AI interview. Not heard back yet but nothing ventured....

Leaf blower is definitely meant for a smaller plot. DH gave up with it after a few goes as it was filling up every few minutes. We took to raking out the leaves (1m cubed in places) and just bagging them up. We've done a quarter of the garden and have filled two wheelie garden waste bins and 18 sacks which DH took to the tip on Thursday. Glad we did that area and definitely the worst affected and now that Storm Darragh is here, it's meant less clearing up on the lawn. We will tackle the remainder of the garden over the next week or so, weather permitting.

Other exciting events this week: DH purchased some drain rods and gauntlet gloves and has sorted the drainage issue....for now... We have drain cover insurance from our water supplier which will kick in in 28 days, so will ask for someone to come with a drain camera. Just want to make sure there's nothing dodgy going on.

Bank balance now back to normal levels. We both have PBs now - DH has max £50k and I have just shy of £48k as we paid out for some holiday flights this week from our bank account rather than using savings. Swings and roundabouts. We also have £30k each in S&S ISAs and a further £20k each in notice accounts, plus some immediate savings to draw down as a 'salary' each month. Still feels like we are bunking off work but definitely think we can do this semi-retirement life. I'd like a part time job just for a little routine apart from anything else though.

All Christmas decs are in the house but we are not yet trimmed up. We were out last night for a curry/drinks with friends in our old town and got back late, and today we are out for lunch. I'm running a craft stall with Mum tomorrow, so DH and DD may have to get on with it themselves.

SIL is still 'under' and has variously this week had blood transfusions, dialysis and AB treatment for sepsis. All very worrying. We wait for BIL to update each day, and it almost feels wrong to be getting on with 'life' but not much else we can do right now.