How much disposable income?

lynseyf

I don't know where about in Scotland you are looking to buy but when I was buying in Edinburgh I read that house prices there have never fallen since the ESPC has been open ( about 30 years if I remember correctly). I think there is a GSPC, ASPC and BSPC for Glasgow, Aberdeen and the Borders respectively so it might be worthwhile checking previous house prices with them or who ever is the local SPC. If house prices in Edinburgh didn't drop during the last recession I don't see why they would now. Every market is different as they all have different factors affecting them.

floss2

patchwork_cat wrote: »

OP must be in a minority if his public sector job has had it's pay review. Last year April payrise was finally paid in November for less than inflation, this year April pay rise offer has been 2.45%! not settled and strike action called.

I only asked as our council hasn't completed their's yet after about 18 months with at least another 12 months to go before its all through.....and with the likelihood of regrading and / or pay cuts, I certainly wouldn't like to take on a mortgage of £155k, and with a £65k deposit I would be looking to reduce my mortgage debt or increasing the household income.

And as Patchworkcat says, the offered 2.45% isn't being paid yet either.

floss2

Glen0000 wrote: »

Thanks for the tip. We don't have one in our small town, but they probabaly have one in our nearest city. We probably spend £125 a month on meat alone. Four nice pork chops are £6 from the supermarket. Have that once a week and that is £24 on it's own! My sunday joint costs me a tenner, so that is £64 for just 8 meals. Shocking when you think about it. Also started buying free range chickens so that has bumped the price up.

I would suggest cutting your meat consumption down by adding more veg to your meals....and stretching the rubber free-range chicken a bit further. WHy not look for a butcher & bulk buy a month's worth of meat?

Try eating fish, or vegetable or other protein based meals.....pulses like lentils or even oats can make good mince go a lot further.....look on the Old Style board for help with managing your food budget - I think £400 is a lot for 2 adults and 1 little one.

patchwork_cat

Floss2 I was referring to the pay rise rounds, but yes our councils job evaluation review has been going for 2 years now and no end in sight.

jimmyay

floss2 wrote: »

I would suggest cutting your meat consumption down by adding more veg to your meals....and stretching the rubber free-range chicken a bit further. WHy not look for a butcher & bulk buy a month's worth of meat?

Try eating fish, or vegetable or other protein based meals.....pulses like lentils or even oats can make good mince go a lot further.....look on the Old Style board for help with managing your food budget - I think £400 is a lot for 2 adults and 1 little one.

i can't believe how much people spend on food. me and other half spend no more than about £175 between us on food each month and we eat very well. we only really need to eat meat 2 or 3 times a week. just eat less of it.

Glen0000

floss2 wrote: »

I would suggest cutting your meat consumption down by adding more veg to your meals....and stretching the rubber free-range chicken a bit further. WHy not look for a butcher & bulk buy a month's worth of meat?

Try eating fish, or vegetable or other protein based meals.....pulses like lentils or even oats can make good mince go a lot further.....look on the Old Style board for help with managing your food budget - I think £400 is a lot for 2 adults and 1 little one.

I need my meat. Don't feel I have eaten unless I have had a good portion of meat. I don't work all the hours God sends to live on lentils! £400 is a lot, but I like a nice meal in the evening. It is one of my few pleasures in life. Plus the wife is on Slimming World, so she eats a lot of meat.

Lillibet_2

I spend about £50 a month in our local organic butcher (and we pay commuter-belt Surrey prices!) and this gives us 3-4 meat meals a week. Some of them are cheap cuts like shin & shank cooked in the slow cooker or similar but the meat is very good quality & I think value for money as there is no shrinkage & actaully tastes & smells like real meat! If I have to cut back we'll eat less meat, but still buy good quality meat from a reputable supplier, I'll never go back to supermarket meat. Some things are a total waste of money & supermarket meat is oneof them IMHO:p

truescot

floss2 wrote: »

I only asked as our council hasn't completed their's yet after about 18 months with at least another 12 months to go before its all through.....and with the likelihood of regrading and / or pay cuts, I certainly wouldn't like to take on a mortgage of £155k, and with a £65k deposit I would be looking to reduce my mortgage debt or increasing the household income.

And as Patchworkcat says, the offered 2.45% isn't being paid yet either.

I work in the NHS, and the unions have just accepted 2.75%, 2.4% and 2.25% for the next 3 years. So my take home pay will go up (albeit less than inflation) and if we fix our mortgage rate, then I'm thinking this gives us a bit of leeway for rising living costs. the figures for shopping and petrol were based on being very cautious and we would hope not to spend that, but hopefully this would take into account short term future increases. add to that the fact that our savings amount could be reduced and my wife will go back to work full time within the next 3 years, then you can see why its tempting to use our equity to take advantage of a "cooling" market, if we can afford it in the short term. Bearing in mind, we would see ourselves in this house for another 20 years plus. By then, whatever way the housing market has gone, what we pay today will seem like a pittance.

Or is my logic skewed??

floss2

truescot wrote: »

I work in the NHS.......

Have you been through Agenda For Change yet?

truescot

floss2 wrote: »

Have you been through Agenda For Change yet?

Yes I was assimilated last October...