Unfortunately I an economically so not ready to move out! I do have savings but only 1/3 of the amount I will need to cover the bond and two weeks advance rent for an apartment or other rental, assuming I be paying the same rental. I am getting off cheaply at this house cos of going through a private landlord rather than a real estate company. Sally and I have been fortunate in this instance, our last two rentals being through private landlords who offered to us for dirt cheap rentals. But with Sally's death my luck seems destined to run out. It seems rather significant that this mail from the Real Estate company arrived in the month of Sally's death. It seems hard to believe but Sally died a year ago this month, 27 March to be exact. Today is 4 March.
During my previous search for apartments, 1 or 2 bedrooms, a few months ago, the cheapest of these rentals are comparable to the rent I am currently paying for this 3-bedroom bungalow on a 1/4 acre block, this gives an idea of how dirt cheap I am getting off on this!! However, anecdotal evidence seems to be that the housing crisis is easing and rents have been dropping. But even if the rents are significantly lower, I still do not have enough money in my savings to cover the bond, being the standard 4-weeks rent, and two weeks advance rent. Thus I need up front a total of six weeks worth of rent, that is even before I get the key in my hot little hands - though true enough this will give me the first two weeks in the apartment.
As explained previously, I am looking to eventually moving out into an apartment so to cut my utilities bills and will generally make general living expenses to be less. This will cut the water bill out altogether, as tenants in apartments does not receive water bills. However in order for me to get to this stage there is this significant hurdle - having to raise basically 6-weeks rent up front. I am likely to get most of my current bond back, indeed I have ALWAYS had received my full bond back in all of the rentals I have been in minus only the remaining water usage. So yes I SHOULD get all of my current bond back minus just a small amount for water. However there is this 2 to 4 weeks intervening period between having to raise 6-weeks rent for my new apartment and getting close to 4-weeks rent back on my old house - meanwhile I still have to eat and fill the car with petrol !!!
However I should be able to get my savings up to the level I need to cover moving expenses, I just need time. I wrote about the possibility of cutting my internet data allowance to help save my pennies, as we pay for the allowance each month regardless of how much of it we actually use. I have since checked my data usage over the year since Sally's death. My monthly allowance is 500000MB and that is what I actually pay for each month. However the most I ever used in a month is only 160000MB, less than 1/3 of the allowance. So I could conceivably cut my allowance down to 1/3 without affecting my internet usage habits thus saving significant moolah!! So this I will do over the next few days once this month's payment has been made. I seem destined for at least one more large water bill, as this long drought continues. We are now into the 4th month without rain, and there is no rain in sight for the forseeable future. The garden still needs to be watered, it is on my lease agreement, so can't get out of that one. So I am at the mercy of our very dry climate here!! But it hasn't been as hot lately so haven't needed the aircon, so the electricity bill is expected to be a little less. All other costs including groceries are under control. So TIME is very much the essence when it comes to saving enough to cover moving expenses, namely the 6-weeks rent. Everything else I can deal with from my fortnitely wages, it is the 6-weeks rent that is critical.
Anyway I am just being VIRGO here. Virgos are worry warts!! We like to keep in control of things, we do not like to give up control. Amazing today's horoscope did say that my finances will be unpredictable. Well one can't get any more unpredictable then seeing evidence from the landlord that he is moving forward with plans to sell this house!!
And the great unknown is.... WHEN will I get that dreaded eviction notice. I will have only three weeks from receipt of the notice, not nearly enough time to get everything organised, so trying to get as much organised as possible. We Virgos HATE unknowns!! Exactly WHEN the notice will come will depend on several factors. Such as, if the landlord will speak to several real estate companies, which will mean several more mail from different companies appearing in my letter box. Each I simply re-address and send onto the landlord's address. It also depends on just how much of a hurry he is to sell the house. Ironically the easing of the housing crisis could work against me. Lower rentals usually corresponds to lower house prices, so the landlord may want to sell ASAP to maximise returns before the price falls much further. So while I will enjoy cheaper rents and lower living expenses, it is this seemingly massive Mt Everest-size hump of raising 6-weeks rent that I have to overcome.
So what will happen if, for example, the eviction notice comes this week. This will give me until the end of March to find a new apartment. Not enough time to raise 6-weeks worth of rent. So need other alternatives. One thing in my favor is my dirt cheap self storage space, and if worse comes to worse and I have to do a bit of couch surfing at either Pasco's or another family member's abode, then I do have enough room to store my remaining possessions including the fridge, bed, washing machine, dryer, and this 50in TV. Ironically this worst case scenario will help me to raise the money for 6-weeks rent in the quickest possible time, perhaps 4 to 6 weeks, as I will have next to no expenses, probably just a small amount to contribute to my upkeep - basically back to where I was when my relationship with Barbara ended - boarding at Mothers, only that this time there is no Mother so things will be very different. Of course I should get my bond back within four weeks, so I could start looking for an apartment within four weeks, and it will be just a matter of how soon I can secure an apartment for rental. And if this housing crisis really is over, then it be two months maximum of family couch surfing before moving back out.
However I would like to avoid depending upon my family altogether. We Virgos are proud critters, we don't like to ask for help.
But there seems no viable alternative. A loan it out of the question, I extended my current loan only three months ago, ironically cos I thought I would need to move out by then, and the extra amount even then was not enough to cover 6-weeks rent. I do have a perfect repayment record, however, they will only extend the loan a minimum of every six months. This takes me to the month of May. I will not be able to extend this loan until May at the earliest. This is now just March. So another three months yet. The eviction notice is likely to come well before then. A payday loan is out of the question, for by its very nature I would have to pay it back by the next fortnite's pay which will likely leave me with next to nothing to live on - and settling into a new place is often draining on the finances. So no chance of credit here.
So my only chance for a relatively smooth transition into a new apartment is if I have a minimum of three more months at my current abode. This will help me to raise more moolah to add to my savings, and I will reach the point of being able to extend my loan which should be routine given my perfect repayment record.
Time very much an essence here..... and each week that passes without the dreaded eviction notice is another week closer to being able to raise the necessary funds - I just currently need at least perhaps 12 to 14 of these weeks!!
Hows this for an appropriate vid! LOL! At least the law says they have to give a wee bit more notice than "You're moving out today!!!!!"...... ENJOY!!! heheeh!!!!!
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