50 something man seeking to save to retire before 60!

August Pay Update-

Spending I've managed so far to stick to my budget, in fact as I go through the process of is this a need or a want when spending I've found all I am really spending on is the essentials and presents for others. Currently I've not spent my first weeks budget amount and this weeks is still sat in my current account.

Bills all paid, overpaid on a credit card as I paid for an autumn break, trying to clear this before Christmas.

Sorting Some small progress and items taken to the charity shops, but spare bedroom and loft to sort still! At least only the conservatory and spare bedroom a mess everywhere else looks tidy!

Helped Mum sort her spare room out- lots to the charity shops and to friends, taking her to sort her POA later today. Had to make her a gate to try to keep her dog and new puppy in the hard standing/ patio area ready for the winter, post snapped when I tried to hang it so... new gate posts cut but not yet put in- ran out of time.

Other News


Shed Still waiting to put the roofing felt on so progress slow, have got someone to help with the gable and dormer window I've made, looks great but makes roofing complicated, maybe I should have stuck to an apex roof.

Got to finish it next week, put the floor in and tongue and groove the walls ready for the electrics.

House Building Works Finally approved the Architect plans, large loft conversion, with access to two parts of the loft that aren't being converted but boarded out as storage areas- one for Christmas stuff the other for everything else. Going to put shelving into those areas and then use boxes with it all clearly labelled so we know what is where and have some order up there.

Extension to replace Conservatory- to make the space useable, cosy and comfortable. Plans label it as a Sun Room, but in effect it is simply a room for the cat, not very MSE!

Garden Works Due to start the work felling overgrown and wrongly planted trees, fencing and hedging to be brought into order. Garden Services people tell me that the Beech Trees and Conifers we have are far too close to the house, replacing them with something that doesn't grow to over 100 ft high, but what they will be I'm not sure yet.


Excuse my rambling on and have a great day.

Smile rather than frown- it uses less muscles and makes people much happier!

September Pay Update-

Spending I've overspent on the garden! As usual with any work we do here unexpected items pop up. Gone from clearing old brick built raised beds that no matter what just filled with hard to kill weeds to a professionally laid stone patio and pergola!

New greenhouse can't be found the size of the old greenhouse base so a new base laid- 3 days labour! But fortunately being invoiced weekly for the labour and materials so keeping track of the overspend is easy- means I may need to work a few extra shifts and possibly a little longer than planned.

Bills all paid!

Sorting Some real progress and items taken to the charity shops, but spare bedroom and loft to sort still! Conservatory to be cleared today.

Other News


Shed Completed and fitted out, just awaiting the electrician doing his bit, has taken much longer than I thought but, clean, dry and fitted out now so we can use it for storage while we have the building works done and then it can be converted to my man cave!

House Building Works Re-pointing booked for end of October, Council have approved the plans for the extension and loft conversion, builder is due to start the works early December- 6-8 weeks of chaos at the coldest time of the year!

Replacement windows fitted and already the house feels warmer.

Garden Works Massive changes. Trees felled as planned, quite fluid with the changes needing adjusting as extra work needed doing and being on a hill all materials need bringing up from street level.

So that has meant extra days of work- now on week 3 with work planned for next week to finish the job.

We now have a new greenhouse base replacing the old and greenhouse ordered to arrive towards the end of October- having an 8x10 with an electric heater.

New patio and a pergola to replace my old dumping ground of the brick beds, going to grow a Wisteria over the pergola we're using fencing materials for this as they are 50-60% cheaper and stronger than using a one made from normal timber.

New gates and fencing in place to secure the Border Collie who is a real escape artist!

Mrs CRV has decided that our next project is sorting the drive and broken steps up to the house- the landscaper is going to give us a quote next week and we estimate we'll need to save to end April '20, so have told him work likely to be booked for May next year!

I'm back to work tonight after 19 days leave and have worked 12-15 hours a day, I'm in for 5 nightshifts but two are overtime- to try to replace monies used for my overspending on the garden. Hence my absence from the forums lately!

Have a great day!

October Pay Update-

Spending I've been disciplined, but garden work costs have over-run as Mrs CRV adds bits and pieces! In bringing the overgrown hedging to order we were left feeling exposed so a new fence went up, the new patio needed "finishing off" so some trellis needed but not a standard size so made to measure- greenhouse has arrived two days labour booked to put it up, grrr!

I think I'll have to ban Mrs CRV from talking to the landscapers, as she now thinks we'll need CCTV for security which I don't mind but the quote was £1500 for 4 cameras. I had to remind her every extra day costs £400 labour plus materials.

Bills all paid!

Sorting Been busy, have cleared the garden of all the left over rubbish, garage full of lengths of wood that I'll find a use for. Lots of household items given to a colleague who is in the process of buying her first house, so we made someone happy. Lots of trips to the charity shops with more items.

Saving Managed to put a few pounds into my savings from my left over petrol money, also managed to put a few £2 coins into my jar, not sure what I'll use them for but the jar is sealed and can have up to 500 coins put into it, so I'll decide when it is full.

Other News


Shed Let down twice by the electrician so I'll have to look elsewhere I think, filling up with stored things as we de-clutter the house.

House Building Works Loft conversion going ahead in December but we're going to put replacing the conservatory on hold due to the overspend on the garden.

Garden Works Have now got an identified space for a veg patch, just have to get pest control in to remove a very large wasp nest- it fills one of our three plastic compost bins!

Greenhouse delivered and looking forward to it going up, although I had to have the crown lifted on a tree to prevent it getting damaged so another days labour............

2500 spring bulbs arrived to plant on the sloping garden, 500 in already just the other 2000 to go.

Us time We went to the lakes on a weekend break, took the dogs and had a friend come up and feed/ medicate the cat, really enjoyed a couple of days walking and planning a February break now.

Christmas Off duty out and I'm off! Having Mum and youngest son up for dinner- got too much on at home with all the works preparing for retirement to do much else, I'm working New Years Day so have offered a colleague to work her New Years Eve as I'll need to be up and away by 5am to get to work so won't be drinking, I thought I might as well work it and let the younger ones enjoy the parties!

Have a great day!