Spend or save?

Spend it

Spend it. You can't take it with you. We have spent money in future proofing our home and are spending the rest on holidays whilst we can.
Our friends have taken a drawdown from their house. Their d in l has been telling them to get rid of all their rubbish so there isn't too much to get rid of when they inherit the house. She's in for a shock when she finds out the house belongs to the mortgage company. 🤣

Thanks for all your messages. Fitter came, very good. On balance I've decided to have a new floor and maybe appliances.
The new matte doors I didn't like as much as the gloss I have, and the colours I was looking at were very similar to what I have xx

I went to my uncle's funeral and wake yesterday. He was 100 years old. Always very frugal, but he did have a buggy and played bowls from retirement until he couldn't anymore. I think that you should try to enjoy ypur money, strategically, spending it on things that give you only pleasure or make life easier.

mokryna

Plevey08

My friend has never spent any money to a point of meaness. She has dementia now and me and a friend did as much as we could for her. We finally found a good care home £9000 a month! It is sustainable for a few years. However her money will run out and thereafter the state will pay as soon as she gets down to a certain amount of savings left. So personally I'd go for a new kitchen and enjoy it.

But when the money runs out the state will move her to a cheaper home, won’t they?

So it would seem.

Perhaps her money won't run out before she passes.

Choices, people make choices.

Plevey08

My friend has never spent any money to a point of meaness. She has dementia now and me and a friend did as much as we could for her. We finally found a good care home £9000 a month! It is sustainable for a few years. However her money will run out and thereafter the state will pay as soon as she gets down to a certain amount of savings left. So personally I'd go for a new kitchen and enjoy it.

But when the money runs out the state will move her to a cheaper home, won’t they?

At 70 you should do what makes you happy. Tomorrow isn’t promised at any point in life. Less so when we get older. It’s your right to treat yourself. A new kitchen will bring joy to you and value to the property. Win-win.

My friend has never spent any money to a point of meaness. She has dementia now and me and a friend did as much as we could for her. We finally found a good care home £9000 a month! It is sustainable for a few years. However her money will run out and thereafter the state will pay as soon as she gets down to a certain amount of savings left. So personally I'd go for a new kitchen and enjoy it.

If you don’t spend it on you… someone will spend it for you once you’re no longer here. Enjoy having your new kitchen to cook in. 🌷

I'd also shop around for quotes, as any kitchen company and a good many kitchen fitters will be able to supply and fit out a new kitchen using an existing layout/cupboards.
They will also be able to 'convert' base units with full height doors into pullout drawers so everything can feel easier
You may well find this service works out less expensive than a
'We Change Doors' company.
I'd also add be a little bit brave with your colours

We too future proofed our kitchen. All large drawers, even enough room to ask for smaller drawers inside for cutlery.
I also invested in Le manns pullout for hard to reach corner cupboards for large items I don’t use every day.
I hate to see kitchen bins, so asked our independent kitchen fitter to design me a pull out drawer but looks like a cupboard for various bins, (just bought large black plastic bins with coloured lids, £8 at the time for my recycle.
Also pull out larger drawers in the larder units instead of just shelves.
Because we went with an independent kitchen firm, they didn’t charge the crazy prices like bigger kitchen places do,so was able to get granite work tops, even in the utility so that should see us out.
A bit put by for a roof if needed & stair lift for me in the future, anything extra will be a bonus.

MT62

I bought a salter, two tier air fryer, £70ish
Lidl, 3 yr guarantee.
Best thing I have ever bought.
I don’t need to put on my big oven now.
I do all sorts of food.

To Allira

I bought a salter, two tier air fryer, £70ish
Lidl, 3 yr guarantee.
Best thing I have ever bought.
I don’t need to put on my big oven now.
I do all sorts of food.

Allira

Absolutely spot on.
NO LOWER CUPBOARDS.
We had a new kitchen fitted a decade ago (Sheraton Kitchens) and absolutely love it and there isn't anything I'd change.
Deep soft closing drawers.
Any lower units that are cupboards have metal pull out drawers on top of the static shelf. I pull out the bottom ones with my toes as I cannot lean over - but that happens seldom as those drawers have items that I do use and want, but only occasionally!!
.

OP - do what makes you happy.

As the Irish say “There’s no pockets in a shroud!” & “There’s no tow bar on a hearse”. Treat yourself. Sadly I lost my husband recently and having to do Probate I’ve realised we had more money than we thought and I only wish we had spent it more on things we could enjoy together. We did have a good lifestyle, travelled and thoroughly enjoyed our retirement but I wish we’d done more.

Go for it. As my long deceased Mum used to say when in a quandary about spending "You're a long time dead, enjoy it all now".

Do think about does your kitchen design still work for you? Is there anything you would change? Perhaps a refresh is not the right thing ?

We invested in a new one, but the quality has been disappointing and new doors are peeling. If you have a proper wooden one, then look at options to dip and repaint/revarnish too perhaps?
On the plus side, I love the deeper work surfaces, the pan drawers, the corner door that pulls out, and the pull out pantry unit that holds masses. My neighbour has a pull out step and pull down upper units. So if you can afford to fully replace, I recommend going to several designer showrooms and see what might make thinks better ( you do have to be strong minded enough not to buy from them until you have priced everywhere)
Even if you decide not to in the end, it is fun looking

Aveline

That's a suspiciously cheap quote. Get others

She is looking at a refresh, not a total replace

mokryna - that’s super - thankyou x

If you can get it for that price go for it. We're in the same boat, a brand new kitchen, nothing particularly fancy was quoted at £24, 000 plus the cost tiling, plus electrics, plus floor covering, etc. Weren't having it done.

Perfect 🌷

Cabbie21

Go for it, but incorporate things that will make your lives easier: better storage, less bending, easy taps, smooth running drawers, pull out shelves etc.

Electric plugs in the right place, eye level ovens not bending down...all those things that will make life easier and when one is at home more.....go for it.

crazyH

mokryna - if you don’t me asking, where are you ?

Versailles

YES, DO IT!!
I’m 66 and had my first new kitchen 18 months ago. We’ve lived in 8 houses and I’ve endured other peoples ‘dreams’. Also had many holiday houses so I had developed very clear ideas of my Dream Kitchen. I love it. 6 months disruption was worth it. Every day I relish everything about it. Please go for it and enjoy!