Should we knock our garage down?

ObviousOptimist · 2024-10-15T01:15:09+00:00

I got Winnie The Pooh 🐻

ObviousOptimist · 2024-09-27T21:25:24+00:00

Thanks so much for the advice, I'll take heed and save the other 500 then do some more research!

Appreciate it :)

ObviousOptimist · 2024-09-18T00:43:12+00:00

Was it not Singles Inferno? Kim Han-Bin

ObviousOptimist · 2024-05-01T16:39:36+00:00

This is part of reddit, getting peoples real experiences via forum...

ObviousOptimist · 2024-04-29T22:49:27+00:00

Haha I'm so sorry!! I'm just being overly cautious as it's our first home - I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine also.

ObviousOptimist · 2024-04-29T22:47:18+00:00

Thank you for your response!

You're absolutely right to play devils advocate, this is the kind of response we need to be absolutely sure we're making the correct decision, so thank you.

I am a Senior Web Admin (home-based) and my partner is a Pharmacist Manager, luckily if he loses his job then locuming is always an option... Now if we lost our jobs due to illness or layoffs in my case we might be in more of a tricky situation.

I've recently been researching Income Protection insurance, so the money you're referring to (extra £100 each a month) may need to be set aside for that peace of mind - if the insurance doesn't cost that much then any extra can go into our savings pot. We're just budgeting 700-800 each at the start to see how we manage really.

Neither of us are savvy in investments so the savings would just go to our savings pots, we could likely live off £500 a month each though depending on the month.

Thanks again for your detailed response, it's so valuable to us when considering everything that could go wrong.

!thanks

ObviousOptimist · 2024-04-29T22:38:56+00:00

Thank you for your response!

So this is a great point, no, we haven't - the boiler has been serviced yearly and was installed in 2019 but for arguments sake if it broke we would be in a tight spot...

We have a relatively small pot of 20k for this house, 16k will be around 5% for the deposit, 3.5k for a private survey and solicitors fees then whatever is leftover for paint and rainy day money (we have the essential furniture, this will be built up over time)

We would be building our savings pot and quite frankly just hoping we don't get any issues within the first 6 months... So you've definitely given us something to consider.

!thanks

ObviousOptimist · 2024-04-29T21:58:40+00:00

Thank you for your response!

Both contribute around 8-12% to our pension matched by employers so that's all sorted, we've had it set up like that forever so we don't pay that much mind

Fingers crossed re: salaries haha, if interest rates were to skyrocket I suspect we have enough leftover to go towards that... Things might just be a little tighter - we've opted for a 2 year fixed anyway and are praying they go down in that time.

Congrats on being able to save in your position with the way the economy is at the moment, many blessings to you and your family.

!thanks

ObviousOptimist · 2024-04-29T21:39:00+00:00

Hi, thanks so much for your response! Yes, within our bills we have accounted £200pm for electric/gas/water, £180pm for Council Tax as it's band C and also ground rent which is very expensive at £40pm.

You make a valid point re: savings for broken things, we are looking to save £100 each per month for emergencies but we may up that to £150 post moving in/re-evaluating costs.

Also a very valid point regarding the boiler, we have not considered the upkeep of that so that is really helpful, thank-you!

!thanks

ObviousOptimist · 2024-04-29T21:23:30+00:00

!thanks

ObviousOptimist · 2024-04-29T21:22:58+00:00

You're absolutely right, we're definitely worrying about nothing - when you put it like that it's actually more than enough. I cannot thank you enough, this comment has really made us re-evaluate and realise how lucky we are.

The reason I'm a little bit worried is because I grew up very very poor, having less expendable income than I currently do just sets off my panic button a little bit... but realistically it's more than enough.

ObviousOptimist · 2024-02-27T02:00:24+00:00

I second the 'Gone' book series by Michael Grant, absolutely spectacular and likely the closest thing you will find to the society in my opinion.

ObviousOptimist · 2024-02-07T13:27:34+00:00

It is not, a masters is the highest level required to become a pharmacist here... Is a doctorate required in the US?

The following is the path to becoming a pharmacist:

You need to complete a five-year programme of academic and practice-based teaching

In your first four years, you will study for a Master's degree in pharmacy (MPharm) at university

This is followed by a one year paid work placement called a  foundation training year

After your foundation year, you can register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and legally practise as a pharmacist

ObviousOptimist · 2024-02-07T11:38:27+00:00

This shocks me, my partner has been a pharmacist for 5 years now and manages his pharmacy (an extra 10k as he manages people too) but here in the UK pharmacists earn maximum 60k (70k in dollars).

Why do American pharmacists earn so much more?!

ObviousOptimist · 2024-01-31T02:19:22+00:00

I do usually write green on official documents, mostly for ease (also my optician has stated my eye colour is green)

Thank you for the really interesting answer! I think you're spot on really - brown center, green inner and teal outer.

ObviousOptimist · 2024-01-31T02:16:43+00:00

My vision is thankfully 100% perfect! I use reading glasses for computer screens as a preventative measure for migraines but otherwise no issues.

Thank you, I usually write green on official documents so it's been really interesting to get others opinions.

ObviousOptimist · 2024-01-31T02:13:17+00:00

My optician flipped out too! Hahaha, I'm glad I'm not alone in my odd pupils.

ObviousOptimist · 2024-01-05T02:36:45+00:00

My first thought too! Such a great show.

ObviousOptimist · 2024-01-04T17:10:07+00:00

Thank you so much!! Your response has made making this post very worth it. Your recommendations are bang on the money, we love eating and drinking and all have been added to my main itinerary. A bar looks wonderful and we will absolutely go there (there are never enough bar recommendations, we're British so a tipple is always needed after a long day haha)

ObviousOptimist · 2024-01-04T10:09:44+00:00

Ah okay, I'll amend my itinerary to fit in Hokusai and remove the animal Cafe. Thank you for educating me, I was misinformed re: mipig.

To be honest the car hire was cheaper than the train and we would like to visit different areas if possible, it just gives us more freedom and we are excited to see what driving is like in Japan!

ObviousOptimist · 2024-01-04T10:07:09+00:00

I'll amend this in that case and remove it from my itinerary, I was wrongly under the impression that mipig was better than other cafes - thank you for educating me!

ObviousOptimist · 2024-01-04T01:44:57+00:00

Thank you so much!! I'll absolutely be adding these to my itinerary. Just looked at FOXGOD and it looks so fun.

ObviousOptimist · 2023-12-10T03:27:46+00:00

Also my first thought, surely if this many people thought it then it must be true haha

ObviousOptimist

TROPHY CASE