Buying a little piece of Middle England; Manifesting my way to mortgage free.

debtfreewannabe321

Thanks @beanielou I'm going to sit down and do that this weekend. Whilst I'm still annoyed! 🤣

pennywisepoundstupid

HI DFW, just finished reading your diary (taken me quite a few days), oh my goodness i'm exhausted for you but so pleased you are moved into your new home. Hope everything settles down and rights itself (moneywise)and you can enjoy your happy new home. xx

debtfreewannabe321

pennywisepoundstupid said:

HI DFW, just finished reading your diary (taken me quite a few days), oh my goodness i'm exhausted for you but so pleased you are moved into your new home. Hope everything settles down and rights itself (moneywise)and you can enjoy your happy new home. xx

Ah thank you I'm glad to be in too it feels like the process has taken forever!

debtfreewannabe321

Morning all, 
I seem to, at the moment, have one day full of energy, and the next absolutely none left and can't get motivated to do anything really worthwhile. I know the answer is to pace myself on the days with energy but, well, I just don't today is a day without energy so thought I would come on here. 
So I will try to update in an easy way as I feel a lot has happened this week and I am not sure what I've updated here already so will just recap.

STORAGE
We tried to get down there yesterday and empty another car load to home so that we could work on having it empty by next Saturday so we get our refund of 2 weeks. Wasn't meant to be, we couldn't get through to them. We finally got through at 1.45 pm to be told they shut at 2pm. So we have instead booked to go tomorrow at 10.30am. I want one car load and then I can work my way through the boxes/ paintings and find homes for them. We should only have maybe 1 or 2 more trips to empty it then by Saturday.

BUDGET
Well we have no budget to speak of really, we have sadly been living out of the overdraft for 2 days now. Today I got my maintenance though so sent that straight to clearing the overdraft. I have around £300 left of the maintenance. I have 'funded' many categories on YNAB to see how much we realistically need to get through the next month. It is telling me I need around another £1000 so I can take that from the refund when it comes, that is around how much we took from DP wages to pay for the solicitors bill so that works out fine. Bearing in mind it is the first day of the new month and therefore the first day of the budget 🙄☹️ this is where these categories stand:

Back to school budget: I put £50 into that category for spending we have spent £92 which is over because this actually includes printer ink and paper for DP as he needs to do a presentation for his interview on Tuesday. The actual back to school stuff came in on budget. I didn't want to make another category for ink because we hardly ever buy it. I could rename this category Stationary but it included uniform (unless I move this to the clothing 🤨 hmm I will think on this one). I still need to buy a few bits which I will do today now I have some money.

Groceries: £83 ish since we moved here. We had bare cupboards, fridge, freezer though. Literally- so we have done okay.

Take away fund: I put £100 into this, have spent £115. Not too bad as I did treat 7 of us on our first evening here to a subway, if you can call sandwiches and cookies a treat

Household budget: which is  a new category made just the other day, made from entirely cleaning items, radiator cleaners, new mop after last one broke, more cleaning supplies so I didn't actually budget anything to this- I have spent around £80 🙄 the house was dirtier than I thought initially.

Monthly bills I have moved over:
Final water bill & new one is £91 as it's the same supplier and that won't come out until October 1st.
Final Elec & Gas bill was £93.50 due soon so I might have to pay them from maintenance rather than wait for the refund.
Final council tax bill I am still waiting on.
New council tax bill I have and I wasn't far off my predicted spends, I think the bill is a few quid more because we moved in part way through a month.

NEW HOUSE
We really love the new house. All of us, it feels a far more sociable house, and although I thought there was more space in the other house downstairs when we first moved in I think the space here feels almost as big now we have shuffled the furniture around. The new neighbours told us about a flood issue in the conservatory though so we had a panic and tried to move in some more furniture to safe areas....we cannot possibly fit all the furniture into the house though without tripping over ourselves so some has had to stay out there. This eventually will be our proper brick extension for a kitchen diner so the space where the current kitchen is will house the remaining furniture as a secondary living area. But for now we have to put the furniture somewhere. DP went out to have a look at the roof of the lean to (it's not really even a conservatory) and he thinks it's just a drainage issue which can be fixed - so this is our first prioritised job we have to fund. So we can stop the floods that come with heavy rain. The old owners left us SO much wood I have renamed him wood hoarder. We have TWO log burners. One looks good to use. The other has a cracked back plate whatever the technical name is for that? So that needs some attention asap too. We have free wood to burn so it makes sense to me to get that fixed to make good use of free fuel. We have already given away 2 whole car loads of wood (wet rotten stuff and I am not sure why they wanted it really but I am glad it has gone.) We have about 8 pallets left which I first of all listed to give away then thought no, I will use this to make some compost heaps, so I need to have a search how to do this easily. 
I paid for a garden collection, it collects all year not just 3 seasons like the old house. And we have filled the green bin and have 2 more loads to refill it after that. It was £40 I think for that but seemed worth it to me as the garden is well established with trees, bushes, grass, plants and around 80ft long I think? Maybe more? So I didn't fancy tip runs across the city once a week to get rid of it. First collection is next week I think.
DP built me the wardrobe out of the old bed, and also from some wood left from the last house. So we have a functioning wardrobe free of charge. DS has put his bits in there too as he doesn't have one. We need to buy a divan for the mattress, we're currently on the floor, it's not bothering either of us though to be honest so not a priority.
DD wants all the fitted wardrobes ripped out in her room, they are 80s style and take up half the room and have louvre doors which she seems to hate. I thought they could make good storage for her but she wants our old wardrobe (doesn't fit in our loft room not enough height) so we will take that out for her and put up the wardrobe which is currently in pieces in DP office and the conservatory. 
DS has a cute little nook where space was taken from his room to build stairs into the loft, so like an understairs cupboard, we have said eventually we will rip out the cupboard and just make built in shelves for him to make good use of the space, however he's made himself a make shift wardrobe for a few items to hang, put lighting in there, shelves that were in there he has put his stuff on and he's made a bed for the dog- it's like his little den. At 15 I knew there was a little boy in him somewhere and we found it with this den he also likes the fact there is laminate on his bedroom floor as his computer chair slides easier. 
My house smells clean today after I have spent days cleaning and scrubbing it. There is years of grime in some areas, other areas it seems he cleaned more. The bathroom was the dirtiest, none of us have dared use it up until yesterday when I decided to scrub it. We have all been using the ensuite in our room which he never used as it was the loft room- it's basically been closed off since he bought the house. It took an entire hour to clean the bath alone it was filthy. I had to use a scourer on it it was that bad. That will be one of our first BIG jobs....the room is around 5'3"x5'7" and fits a bath and a sink. Yesterday there was a shower screen, shower curtain, 3 places to hang towels, cup holder minus the cup for brushing teeth, and a shower that is a relic. I condemned the shower. Not to be used AT ALL. Told all to use the one in our room. The shower is a jet spa type one in the main bathroom and spurts EVERYWHERE and is right next to the bathroom window! There was mold everywhere. I used mold spray on it and got the majority off but the sealant around the window is badly discoloured. However the bathroom is clean and open for use again now I told the kids, bath only in there though. It really lends itself to being just a shower room as it's so small, but then the house would be without a bath and we all love a bath....so it stays for now.
One of the smaller jobs that I think we can do relatively easily and for not too much expense is the snug (previous house we called it the front room, but this is so small 11ftx12ft we renamed it a snug ). So this might be one of our first smaller jobs. The fireplace needs some attention though so that could be costly.
Basically there is a lot of jobs. We are having to prioritise expenses and urgency. DP & I are very handy ourselves and can do a lot of DIY but there are things we will always get professionals in for and that's where costs add up......
First things first we will find out today or tomorrow I guess if DP daughter has definitely finished college. If she has we have money back in the budget for a loan to do some urgent jobs OR saving the money over a few months to do the work little by little.

Today I have piles of washing to sort through, it's been piling up since I moved in so I must sort this. I also want to give our bedroom a little spring clean, we did it quickly when we first moved in but I would like to go clean the ensuite properly and also dust and hoover again now DP has finished building works up there with the wardrobe. I am super tired though so I won't be too bothered if I don't do it. It can wait, it is clean enough.

NEXT WEEK DP has his interview on Tuesday so he will be out all day. The presentation he has to prepare seems super in-depth to me, but he seems to think it's doable. He only got the info on it Friday and it doesn't seem very long to prepare, especially as he only built his office yesterday - oh he needs new glass in his office window, that might need to be the first one we replace. The glass is totally blown. Whereas in most other rooms you can still see out of them if they have blown slightly. I want to replace frames as well, most aren't in good order. We will get our glazier round though and see what he thinks, he may be able to recondition them with new glass, seals, hinges, handles etc. which works out cheaper. The kids start school on Wednesday, I have to sit with DD and do some homework for her Eng Lit course, she was tasking a friend with doing it for her (a BOY friend keen on getting friendly with her I think). I pointed out that he could just google it or use AI and then there is risk of plagiarism and she saw sense. I still need for school- a new bag for DS, some more kit for the engineering part of his course, and then I think I am done.

Money is leaking at the moment...............and the purse is already empty. So the long and short of this message folks, is, moving house is more expensive then you ever think it might be. If you think it will cost you £7k you better save £10k. If you think the renovations will cost £15k you better save £30k for hidden stuff you don't see on viewings....

Right I need another cuppa and to get on with ironing and sorting clothes out because they've taken over my dining room. I also have 4 big boxes to open up- the last of what came to this house in the vans (we filled THREE vans!! Thank goodness I did send some to storage as there was no more room on any of them!) we have lost DD contact lenses somewhere so I need to sort that out, I will re-look again as I cancelled the subscription for a month as I was trying to find money for paying the solicitors bill so she's not due any more until October now! We have got at least 2 months worth.........somewhere.......... but we haven't found them yet! Okay, am really off now........might be back later as I have promised myself a lazy ish day.

EDITED TO ADD:
MORTGAGE:
My mortgage app has updated with the new figures!!
Mortgage one (ported): £97, 283 (2.49% for another 3 years or just under)
Mortgage two (top up) :£23,000   (4.XX% I forgot the exact % for 5 years).

LadyWithAPlan

This is all very exciting !! 

Lovely to work out what projects you need/want to do and start budgeting for them. Lucky you are both handy with DIY 

I note you’re saving more money than you think you need in home buying 

HotDog2020

I'm with lady with a pl...You are doing excellently all considering what you have managed to achieve and what you have planned to do. It must be very daunting at this stage, is it worth you staying out of work until all the jobs that you can do are done and in time don't pressure yourself. You will feel better coming from work knowing you are going to a clean and organised home. What I think you have is time, (correct me if I am wrong), so do have a rest day if you need it, let the kids and dp help, enjoy the family spirit of your new home. Will you have a house warming party? Only when you are ready, I wouldn't rush into it, but it might be a nice way to warm the home for yourselves and celebrate this new chapter. HotdogX

KeepOnKnitting

I've just read your whole diary over about the last week, and it's so satisfying to come up to date just as you have moved into your new home. 

I definitely feel inspired by your vision boards and the sheer determination you have shown to reach your targets. You have done amazingly!

Can't wait to hear that you have the refund through from the extra charges. What a nightmare!

pennywisepoundstupid

WOW Mrs you are super busy, hope you manage to find the contacts xx

debtfreewannabe321

Ah thanks all, and welcome @KeepOnKnitting (love these thoughtful names everyone has -aside from me ) @HotDog2020 inviting my sister and her family round was kind of our house warming. We might have another one later in the year perhaps, possibly if my DS1 comes over, we were pretty exhausted on that first night here so it wrapped up around 10pm.

Keep on knitting- We achieved everything on that last vision board, my job is to do another one with the essential works that need doing and the first room I want to decorate which I think will be definitely be the snug. So I will get pictures or draw a picture / plan of what I envisage it to look like, including things like shelving, and be open to the right materials/ solution coming our way cheaply. 

I am finished with jobs for the day- well unpacking ones. I have washing up to do, ironing and dinner yet. I've unpacked all the clothes and WOW do we have a lot even after a clear out! I was actually still sorting through clothes as I was unpacking and found more for the bin or CS. These were things that had been in storage in the last house so weren't sorted through before moving; they just went in the bags they were already in. What we have noticed is we both have all our clothes, so winter and summer, and coats up there, and although it is a little packed, there is still some space and we don't have anything in storage here. So all clothes are on display which I think is much better. It allows us to see what we are and aren't using going forwards. I will continue to declutter from there, whatever isn't worn over the next year (aside from the odd dress kept for things like funerals or interviews) I will get rid of. I am done storing things that will never see the light of day for whatever reason, I will release them so they can find new homes! 
Today I decluttered about 20 items so I am happy with that.

I also unpacked all boxes that were left (aside from xmas bits and other loft bits). So tomorrow I can get another car load from the lock up, DP will have the car all day Tuesday for his interview, so I best go food shopping tomorrow. I am really excited by this and can't decide where to go I am that sad, yes. I have an Ald1, L1dl, 1celand, A5da, T3sco, C0-0p, B & M, Wa1tros3 all within a couple of minutes drive each direction. So that is exciting to me after only having had a small Mr T in the last house which was always half stocked and never had much of what was on our list. 
I will do a meal plan or I fear I might get carried away

I have given the house a bit of kerb appeal over the last few days, when we came to view it the drive was filled with cars, vans, rubbish, looked downright neglected and tatty. I have scrubbed the windows I can reach (so all downstairs), we tidied the drive up and found the flower beds I spoke about before (we intend on putting in laurel or privet to encourage wildlife and have a screen from the road), I have scrubbed the front room blinds clean on our bay window (I always wanted a bay window ) and they look fab now and I am happy to keep them. I thought that might be a rip it out and start again job, but DP & I cleaned them up lovely. The small porch we have I have scrubbed and put some plants in there and some nice mats as well as the shoe cupboard- it is starting to look homely rather than neglected now. I need to hire a window cleaner to do the rest of the windows, I can't reach them and am not getting on a ladder, they are so dirty each one downstairs took me about twenty minutes to scrub clean! Yet another cost I need to add to the growing list of things to do.

I have a mini project to keep myself busy and also get some pictures up on the wall...I need to find some paint to touch up a wall that has marks on from where we've filled holes from old pictures, then put up our picture wall. I have a picture of it so I can just replicate it here. That will get rid of one entire box of pictures but also make it feel like our home with these personal touches. I have placed random pictures around the house where I have found a nail still in the wall some look a little odd...like I have a Mona Lisa print going up the stairs, next to an oil painting of an old cottage but still I prefer them to be up somewhere just for now as they're less likely to get damaged.

No contact lenses yet....DD has found enough pairs to last her until next weekend. So I told her to keep them for school days and wear glasses until then so they last a little longer. I will be so annoyed if I need to buy more when I know there is some about somewhere......the weather has cleared so I am going out to get some fresh air in the garden and carry on with the clearing there. I will try to get a good picture of the bench I found, we hadn't even spotted it on viewing the tree had become so over grown...it is one of those benches that go round the tree trunk. I have made good progress on clearing it over the last few days

HotDog2020

Wowser, you are an inspiration. and what happened to resting? It sounds like you in love with your new home albeit a project in the making? EnjoyX