RE: First Financial Advice Now Cake
recklessly waste money during our trips abroad
I'm not sure I would call that reckless @seanreilly and certainly not a reason for regret. When you're young is the time to do such things and enjoy it while you can, knowing that you have years ahead to make it up.
John and I just enjoyed ourselves before we had our son and then took a long hard look at the credit card debt we'd created. At that point, a long time ago, it was £11,000.
We saw that we were spending way too much on ready make meals, take aways and DIY. We cut those out or back and were able to pay off the date within 18 months.
Then we lived "sensibly" until the investment that went horribly wrong, through no fault of our own.
It was supposed to be our retirement fund but since then we have been working to pay off the debt to get back to a level paying field. I couldn't bare to look at the figures all in one go and put off getting professional advice.
However, the years are running out and we needed to get a reality check and now I'm glad we did. At least we can make future plans from here knowing what the really situation is instead of covering away from it.
It looks like we were fortunate in that the loss was early enough in our lives so as to be paid off while we are still working.
It's quite a challenge though, not going to the place, of "if only". For example, without that crash in the 80s we would probably have retired early by now. But it is as it is and I try not to visit that place in my mind.
it sounds to me like you're managing your finances optimally - having fun while your young and free and reigning it in as you get older.
Are you buying your house in Russia or the UK?
There's a big misconception that instant meals and microwave dishes are for eating on a budget. It's actually amazing how much money I save when cutting those out.
A pot noodle with fattening calories costs £1 and takes minutes to eat, but a packet of 6 healthy bananas for the same price might last 3/4 days! For so long I was buying 'ready to eat' chicken chunks for £3, but then discovered I could buy a kilogram of fresh chicken breast from Asda for £5 which lasts 3/4 meals - I just had to cook it!
Likewise, a £1 packet of pasta lasts a week and beats the plastic tasting microwave dish at £3. The best example has to be spending £2/3 every day on a poor quality sandwich for lunch! When I'm not going through a lazy period I save so much money avoiding these items.
I did my fair share of partying, but I was never a huge fan of frequently hitting the clubs. I'd much rather save for my travels than waste £60 on a hangover and sore ears! Gadgets are another problem for some people. I don't have the newest iPhone, but at least I own my phone and don't have to worry about paying a contract off. These things are not so important to me, and it means I have extra money in my pocket for the family.
We want to have a home in both countries, but we will buy an apartment near Victoria's family first. We're trying to put down as big a deposit as possible so that we can pay off the mortgage quickly. That way we can comfortably settle in the UK when the little one is of school age. We like the idea of the Scottish borders - affordable, green and reasonable commute distance to Edinburgh.
The only other parts of the UK I like are the Highlands, Northumbria and the South of England, but the first two don't offer much in the way of work. I have a friend working with a very nice job in Surrey, but even she struggles to make ends meet down there.
We found the same. Making a weekly meal plan and doing a main shop once a week (rather than dropping in for stuff every day) saved us loads. We've slipped a bit with this lately and are just trying o get back into making a weekly plans.
I was having a conversation with my son recently who said that he spends about £60 on a night out. I was gob smacked!!!! I had no idea.
Same for me on this one too. I have a Samsung A5 and my pay as you go is so old I actually get it for nothing because I get a free coffee from O2 every week (which I would normally pay for). 😂
Sounds like a good plan regarding property.
Prices in the South of England (at least where there are jobs) are nuts. My daughter can't even afford to rent in Brighton and Hove and has had to move further an further out of town.
I think Northumbria is probably the cheapest of the places you mention but a friend of mine moved back there from here some years ago and has really struggled with local attitudes etc., even though she is from there originally.
She's hoping to move closer to Edinburgh next year and it can't come fast enough as far as she's concerned.
Where are you're wife's family Nearer Moscow or St Petersburg or neither? 😊