............. the other day when I said downsizing meant I could now afford the dentist bill, an "Anonymous" commented telling me how wrong it was to boast about the size of the house I sold and to mention finances......... at least I think it was what they said. I deleted it so quickly that I can't really remember the gist! As Sue said Anonymous snarky comments get short shrift here and are a real waste of Anon's time.
It dates from the late 90's and The Stepping Stones feature was in one of the Sunday papers that our neighbour used to pass to us for fire lighting. I noticed it as it said they awarded £100 for the "best" one. Someone came out to take the photo - of me with two goats and it appeared in the paper a few weeks later. We never did get any money for it being featured!
There you go Mr/Mrs or Ms Anonymous - how's that for boasting!! Or as my Mum would have said "put that in your pipe and smoke it!!"
(but thank you for giving me an idea for a blog post 😛)
Having done up our old farmhouse, I know exactly how much hard work (and money!) goes into such a project. You achieved so much by your hard work and sensible moves. Mind you, when I see these people on Escape to the Chateau DIY buying enormous houses with what I can see (from our experiences) are really daunting problems, I do wince. I wonder how many have made it through the Pandemic as they totally relied on their income from B&B or weddings or Foodie weekends and many admitted they were up to their hunkers in debt . . .
ReplyDeleteAs to Mr/Mrs Anonymous - jealousy gets you nowhere . . .
Luckily we never got into debt with any of our house moves - wouldn't want to have started a business through the pandemic
DeleteI really wonder about people who have nothing better to do than leave spiteful comments on blogs. I assume it jealousy. My ex and I bought our first place, a maisonette, in 1976 for £5000.
ReplyDeleteThey never give a name do they, so I never give them space.
DeleteYou've worked hard to get where you are, and deserve to be able to spend, even if it's only on your teeth! What an achievement to reach your dream. As for anonymous, they must be so lonely, if the only pleasure they get is writing snide, nasty comments. Got to pity them! xx
ReplyDeleteTeeth wasn't my first choice for a big spend that's for sure!
DeleteI have never thought there was any element of boasting in you very interesting posts. As the saying goes "the harder you work, the luckier you get".
ReplyDeleteThat's the question - when does stating facts become boasting? I have no idea.
DeleteWe were impressed to purchase up and our family grew, and then downsize as they left. It was the Thatcher master plan, and we embraced it. Sadly not everyone were able to follow this plan, but those who did, worked hard and paid our taxes to help those who needed help. So anonymous we were not lucky, we did what we were able for our families, and if downsizing gives us some spare cash, well its our reward for the hard work in years past!!!
ReplyDeleteWe certainly had many years of hard work and so many house moves but it all turned out for the best - until the illness called a halt
DeleteAs has already been said, jealousy gets you nowhere. All jealousy of others homes/lifestyles achieves is making you a bitter and miserable person. So Mr/Mrs/Ms Anon get over it, live your own life (stop wasting time griping on the internet!), there will always be someone with more than you.
ReplyDeleteIn this case absolutely no jealousy warranted. A long hard slog, a lot of making do, diy and going without to achieve what you both wanted.
Downsizing now made absolute sense. We all know there would have been an anonymous out there somewhere ready to grouse that you were hogging a family-sized home if you hadn't moved.
Downsizing into a smaller place and in a village seemed the ideal thing to do after being out in the middle of nowhere and saving money to use for the future seemed like a good plan too
DeleteSome people, eh!!!! You were right to delete it pronto. You've worked hard and truly earned any 'windfall' you may have and deserve the comfort your efforts have brought.
ReplyDeletexx
I can never be bothered to get into a discussion with anon snide comments - very easy to delete.
DeleteI bet Anon is choking on her pipe now after putting that in it to smoke ;-)
ReplyDeleteUnless you are born into money or inherit property it usually is sheer hard work and determination that gets you moving up the property ladder. Family members of ours are saying how 'lucky' we are that we sold our Welsh property for almost twice what we paid for it, totally forgetting that during the years we were there we invested almost exactly that amount of cash into it along with so much dogged hard work and living through so much upheaval. All some folk see are the 'Instagram worthy' photos and sunny days ... which is one reason I like to document changes and crappy days on my blog to remind me even if no-one else.
Yes, it's lovely to get that final 'nest egg' that comes from selling what might be your last property and bank the money, but you must always keep in your mind the hard work that went into building that nest egg. Exactly as both of us have done.
Lots of house moves and lots of work but worth it in so many ways
DeleteHahahaha. Well said Sue.
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteIsn't that the cycle? - that we get married/choose a partner and start off in a starter home, have a family and move to bigger home(s) to accommodate said family. Then the cycle begins for our children, so they move out and we are left with a bigger house than we need. We age and due to circumstances/health need a smaller more manageable home so we downsize leaving the family homes for families. Obviously moving from a family home to a smaller one will result in a profit which is very welcome as we are of an age when we don't work. Logic, Anonymous, logic.
ReplyDeleteI would also like to add that house prices have risen dramatically so there isn't an alternative. Our first three-bedroomed semi house in 1970 was £3,810, which I believe is two months pay for a lot of people now.
DeleteInteresting post Sue and you have worked hard to get what you have, In 1962 we lived with my inlaws (we had 2children) and brought a 2 bedroom house for £2900 in 2017 (£900 deposit a lot of money) I moved and brought by house for £260,000. It was hard work and my husband worked and when the children were old enough I work as a temp so I could have the school holidays of we never went abroad but always had a holiday camping or caravan. I never envy anyone and try to be happy with all I do.
ReplyDeleteHazel 🌈🌈
We always camped too all through the 80s and 90s and never went abroad for holidays and were very careful with our money - we had to be as there was none to spare
DeleteI remember a column in the back of the Independent on Saturday magazine about climbing the housing ladder. I seem to recall that you mentioned this once. I always used to read it with great interest. I felt sorry for those caught in the negative equity years of the late '80s and '90s but in the end with patience they came out the other end, if they didn't have to move, that is. I think it is all about hard work, patience and some luck thrown in and, importantly, taking each day as it comes.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been the newspaper it was in, so long ago I'd no idea.
DeleteWe had quite a bit of luck with selling at just the right time
You and Col worked incredibly hard - and I'm really glad this last move has left you with money in the bank. Whilst it is frustrating that dental work costs so much, it's good you can pay for it without going into debt. And if anyone deserves a crown, you do!
ReplyDeleteI was really writing tongue-in-cheek (or tongue in missing filling!) when I said I could afford the dentist after selling but it's true in a way as it was quite a big bit of downsizing
DeleteI don't think that's especially high for Suffolk. Most who own a house have seen proportionate rises. If anything, it's because of deliberate government policies which have been terrible for the young and others without properties.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of properties over a million pounds in Suffolk now and they all sell to someone!
DeleteBe proud of what you have achieved. I think most of us of a certain age have struggled to climb the ladder. I remember being skint for years.
ReplyDeleteYes there wasn't much spare cash through the early days
DeleteIf you have comment moderation, as I do, you get to read the comments before they are published, and can choose to publish or not. Well done for your property ladder climb, and I hope you'll be very happy in your final(?) home x x x
ReplyDeleteI hope it is the final home - not sure I could be bothered with all that hassle again!
DeleteComment moderation is OK but I prefer to see comments just by looking at the blog and it's easy to delete anything odd
You and Col behaved responsibly and now you can look after yourself moving forward - it is hardly boasting.
ReplyDeleteThere is an anonymous who pop's up on a few blogs (Devon Dreaming) making the same type of comment - I can only assume jealousy.
Yes I thought I was just stating facts anyway.
DeletePlenty of anons in blogland - they like to hide - I just delete
Well done! Something to be very proud of and most others aspire to doing the same thing. I would hope that the money we have spent to upgrade this house and barn will show one day when we or our heirs sell it.
ReplyDeleteI've been grateful to have been able to help my children now too as well as later - with luck
DeleteLots of hard work, some money, and good timing all paid off for you and Colin. Sounds like you were a good team!
ReplyDeleteLots of good luck for us as house prices went silly. Not so good nowadays though
DeleteWe came to see you when Col was first ill Sue - and we marvelled at all your hard work. I am sure you look back on that time with a lot of love and pleasure. Don't let anyone spoil trhat with anything they say.
ReplyDeleteI just delete any snide comments but the one the other day made me remember this newspaper cutting. Shows how house prices have risen over the years
DeleteI am not sure that it can always be deemed a "profit". We bought our house 30 years ago for the amount that would now barely buy a small flat. We are in the process of selling that house now (exchange due today!) for a figure four times what we paid for it, however, we still have to pay a proportionately higher amount now for another house so we have not made a profit!
ReplyDeleteI guess it only leaves spare cash when downsizing.
DeleteAnonymous needs an attitude adjustment. How interesting this is! I never knew about smallholdings until I started reading British Country Living recently (if we have them here in the states, they don't call them that). I love that you were featured in this article. It had to be a lot of very tough work but rewarding in so many ways.
ReplyDeleteI think they are often called Homesteads over there. A smallholding is just a smaller bit of land than a farm and often worked on a part-time basis
DeleteSue, you have so much to be proud of here! You and Col were smart in your decisions and you worked hard to advance in your homes. You have every reason to be proud but also you have so much you can teach others here. If only more young people could see this when they were just starting out in life!
ReplyDeleteIt's probably not so easy now with house prices much higher in comparison to wages. Plus there are more demands on young peoples money than we had back then.
DeleteWhy would people bother to be nasty on a nice blog like this? Why?
ReplyDeleteYikes. Some people. Sigh. Why shouldn't you be proud of what you've done? You've worked hard for what you've got and you're frugal with what you have.
ReplyDeleteWell done on the real estate transactions! Delete is the best action for off- the-wall comments.
ReplyDeletetest
ReplyDeleteThose snarky comments are awful, Sue! I've been on the receiving end of some in the past, too, but I've allowed them to be published as most nasty people are hoist by their own petard and those who know you through your lovely blog know full well you don't boast. You are truly amazing, how you looked after Colin and now have moved on your own. You are an example to us all, dear lady.
ReplyDeleteMargaret P
www.margaretpowling.com
Delete! Delete! Not worth the emotional energy to reply. You worked hard, and we have enjoyed following your journey. Certainly things have changed quite dramatically in New Zealand since we bought our first house. Newly married, 1976, it cost us $25K - about 18months of my husband's gross salary, and with no student loans racking up our debt. We sold (pregnant) 4 years later, for $29, and stretched ourselves to the limit to buy again at $49. 14 years later, having spent about $100 on alterations, we sold for $350, and bought $420. That sold 14 years later - we'd done about $50 to it, for a tad over a million!! We downsized to $720, and having put a new garage, kitchen and bathroom in, probably about $250 worth, it's now supposedly worth over $1.8 ... which is ridiculous. We won't be moving anytime soon. I feel so sorry for young people trying to get onto the housing ladder. Many of them have student debts, and unless they've got wealthy family to help, getting a deposit together is really hard. Incomes are nowhere near levels that can sustain big mortgages - often of 7-8+ years gross salary. It's a tough world for them.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be helpful if people went and saw the film "Nomadland". People bought houses when they were affordable for people on modest incomes, jobs were secure in a way they are no longer and though people say 'they paid their taxes' there was tax relief on mortgages. Described as a 'middle class perk' by Gordon Brown when he abolished it. The house buying generation of the 1970's and 1980's would be wise to remember this.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be helpful if people went and saw the film "Nomadland". People bought houses when they were affordable for people on modest incomes, jobs were secure in a way they are no longer and though people say 'they paid their taxes' there was tax relief on mortgages. Described as a 'middle class perk' by Gordon Brown when he abolished it. The house buying generation of the 1970's and 1980's would be wise to remember this.
ReplyDelete