Living Large, on a Small Income, by the Sea.

doingitanyway

BalanceBy50 said:

Great to see you back. I have followed you on previous diaries and have wondered how you were getting on. So very pleased, apart from the small debt & no savings that all is going well for you in your new home xx

Sunshine_girl2 said:

I have found you and subscribed, welcome back. 

PollyWollyDoodle said:

So pleased to see that the move went ahead and that you love your house, it took a long time for you to get here. No Internet for all these months, that must’ve been hard!  I’m looking forward to hearing more about it all.  Congratulations on having your own front door again.  

PennysIntoPounds said:

I am so happy for you, and so pleased to see you back!
Your own home! By the sea! 🥂

You'll sort that 1k debt and get some savings up in no time. What's the plan? 

I am VERY excited for you 😊

Moneywhizz said:

Missed your diary. Great to have you back and hear about your lovely home by he sea. Glad it all worked out in the end. 

mark55man said:

Hi DIA - glad to see you back - I am sure you will thrive, and that feeling of being in control of your destiny is so good 

jwil said:

Welcome back!  It's lovely to hear from you, and so nice to hear you are in your lovely place by the sea

vampirotoothus said:

Glad to hear all is well and I love the new title. I look forward to following some more V x

redofromstart said:

Lovely to have you back, I will be cheering you on as well.

beanielou said:

Happy shiny new diary & happy new house by the sea.  

Thank you all for the welcome-back, positivity, and motivation to get the debt gone!

doingitanyway

in_need_of_direction said:

so good to see you back.  that debt will be gone in no time

southern_chick said:

So glad you got your dream home by the sea. Really glad to see you back on here and looking forward to sharing your journey with you xx

Skint_yet_Again said:

Great to see you back DIA your new place sounds lovely so pleased you are settled and your plans for rent a room sound like a good way to get an income. I’m sure you will soon have paid off the debt and rebuild your savings. I’ve subscribed to follow your journey 

liselle said:

Ah fantastic! So pleased it’s all worked out for you.Would a temporary paying guest mean that you’d lose your Single Adult Discount?

I’m in the South West and just saw an ad.for a furnished bedroom with en-suite, use of garage and garden, for £1000 per month……

24ta said:

Good to have you back, great news that you have your own front door. You are always good with a plan, that debt will be gone soon enough. Subscribed 

savingholmes said:

Glad you love your new home. Lovely to see you back.

OpalGirl said:

Great to see you back. I followed your last diary but didn't post, and I have been wondering how your move went. There is nothing like having your own space - the freedom to do what you want, when you want. I've subscribed and look forward to following your journey in your new home.

Cara_ said:

I followed your old diary but I did not post.

I'm really pleased that you are bcak in a home of your own. Good luck with paying off your debt and then starting to save.

I'll be following your diary.

Humdinger1 said:

Subscribed and so happy for you @doingitanyway! Happy ever after love Humdinger xx 

Chrystal said:

So pleased, and relieved, to see you posting again.  It must feel like a dream come true to have your own place again.  ((((hugs))))

Thrilled that you got the house and area you wanted, and I'm sure that you will sort things out regarding finances.

Looking forward to following you on your journey, and wishing you all the luck you wish for.  XXXX

Thank you everyone! Much appreciated. So nice to see old and new posters here

@liselle I will be fine with CT as long as no-one else lives here as their main residence

doingitanyway

So, to quote @PennysIntoPounds What's the plan?

I completed the last stage of getting a tiny pension of a few hundred pounds back. That will go to repay debt.

I can spare £100 a month towards debt repayment. I will do that as given, and try to PAD extra bits and pieces until it has gone.

I will be buying a new washing machine. This will go on the CC. This is essential. I was using a secondhand one that is dirty despite cleaning. Bits of sludge and god knows what are staining my clothes! I need something so the clothes are cleaner coming out, not dirtier. I have found one that is £100 more than the cheaper one but with a 3 year warranty instead of 1 year so going for that. Tomorrow's task is to sort this out!

Tonight I go to an art/cultural organisation. I am a trustee as of last week! There are nine of us and we are being taken to a working supper. I'm really pleased they are having me. It is a great way to meet new people. It also positions me as I want to create some opportunities for myself!

Now I am online I can do an online shop and start to meal plan. This has been my other area of ridiculous spending. I have had lots of visitors and we are going out for breakfast, lunch and supper, plus coffees!!!! Madness. I need a plan around this...

Last night I completed a form to see if I can be an advisory member for a museum.

I cycled to yoga today along the seafront. It was a good class. I am prioritising yoga twice a week.

I have a sea walk every day. It was a hard journey to have my home by the sea. I promised myself I will see the sea every day. So far, so good 

Skint_yet_Again

Sounds like you have really settled in to local life. I have done chair yoga in the past when I lived down south and really enjoyed it. A daily walk by the sea sounds wonderful 

satchmo1

Oh how happy I am to "see" you again! Welcome back, and well done on achieving your sea-side home. 

I live within a ten minute drive from a vast beach, and belong to a monthly beach-litter-picking group, which is another great way to meet people.

Independently, I litter-pick around my immediate vicinity, which my dog loves 'cos she gets a sniffing walk rather than a yomp. Plus my dog loves to meet people, and has the waggiest tail.

savingholmes

I love your ways of finding community in your new home.

jaybee

You should do well with taking in temporary guests from the many festivals etc. I live near Swanage in Dorset and they have a lot of events and I know a couple of people who are doing just what you have considered. Good luck and enjoy your new life.

doingitanyway

Skint_yet_Again said:

Sounds like you have really settled in to local life. I have done chair yoga in the past when I lived down south and really enjoyed it. A daily walk by the sea sounds wonderful 

Thanks SYA. I am actually doing chair yoga not the other one as I need to build my back up again. The sea walk is wonderful. If I don't manage during the day (which I prefer) I leave it until the afternoon and watch the sunset 

satchmo1 said:

Oh how happy I am to "see" you again! Welcome back, and well done on achieving your sea-side home. 

I live within a ten minute drive from a vast beach, and belong to a monthly beach-litter-picking group, which is another great way to meet people.

Independently, I litter-pick around my immediate vicinity, which my dog loves 'cos she gets a sniffing walk rather than a yomp. Plus my dog loves to meet people, and has the waggiest tail.

Thank you. There is indeed a litter-picking group here! Although like you I informally litter pick within my immediate vicinity too. I have plants at the front so like to keep it tidy/free of litter. A man with a dog stopped me on Sunday to say he enjoys my plants and they make him smile whenever he passes. I was so pleased!

savingholmes said:

I love your ways of finding community in your new home.

I've just been doing what I love and the community aspect seems to follow naturally

jaybee said:

You should do well with taking in temporary guests from the many festivals etc. I live near Swanage in Dorset and they have a lot of events and I know a couple of people who are doing just what you have considered. Good luck and enjoy your new life.

Thank you! I hope the plan works. I need to start setting some goals around it.

doingitanyway

The meeting last night went well. I recognised a few of the others from elsewhere.

Today's big deal for me is I bought a washing machine. It will be here in the morning. Prior to this it was a used washing machine full of black mould and random 'bits' that deposited on my clothes

The choices were

£289 (not a great model) 1 year warranty
£389 (good German make) 3 year warranty
£419 (good German make) 5 year warranty (more eco)

I chose the £419 as it seems the most expensive, which should put me off as I am in debt, but is better value.

The wm  arrives tomorrow morning. I am so excited AND the weather is good so I will be able to dry outside. I have a small bedroom full off washing that needs rewashing due to the rubbish old wm! So, I can begin to turn a dumping ground into a bedroom. 

 I paid an extra £40 for them to disconnect the old wm, connect the new and take away the old machine

Tomorrow I will calculate exactly how much I owe, but estimate it is about £1000

I wanted to do a 'big shop' but will wait until next week when funds are replenished. Until then I will eat what is in the house. I have a £10 so can use that too

I cooked today as trying to get back on the healthy eating track after eating out so much. I made quinoa, mushroom dhal and garlicky greens. TBH I fancy chocolate but I've been eating dates, removing the stone and stuffing with almond butter instead. It seems to take the edge off and is much cheaper.

Tomorrow, I'm going to try a very early morning walk by the sea with a flask of coffee @mark55man reminded me it feels good to get steps in early!

liselle

Well done on everything! You’re so positive, a real inspiration.
Good news re.the Council Tax situation too.