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Location, location, location or impractical, unrealistic and impetuous?
I’m sure you’ve heard about Kirsty Allsopp’s recent comments on young people buying a property. If you’re not inclined to read the article, lemme break it down for you:
- Kirsty stated that young people could easily afford to buy a property if they cut out luxury expenses such as Netflix, gym membership, coffee and going on holiday
- Kirsty believes that we’ve fallen into a trap of saying buying a property is impossible for everybody, when it’s more a case of ‘where’ you can buy, not ‘if’ you can buy
- Kirsty herself bought a property at age 21 with family help whilst living in an era of 15% interest rates, low salaries and modest expectations of lifestyle
So is she right?
I have many, many opinions on this that are all very differing! But first, a bit of context – I spent a large portion of my career working in financial services (some of which was as a mortgage adviser) and am pretty cautious about budgeting/spending most of the time. However, like Kirsty, I bought my first home at age 22 with help from my family whilst earning a fairly low salary. I also live in the Hull/East Yorkshire area, which is widely touted as one of the most affordable places to live in the UK.
There’s a lot to unpack within Kirsty’s comments, so I’m going to take them point by point. A reminder that these are my personal opinions; based on research I’ve done on this case, my industry knowledge and the experiences of myself and those around me.
1. People could afford to buy a property if they cut out luxury expenses
So, to read that as a standalone statement is arguably 100% correct. If we’re trying to buy something expensive and we’re not the secret millionaire, we need to budget and save to do so. We know this. But, if we taking a deeper dive, the examples and generalisation of the comments are where some of the argument starts to unravel.
I think that Kirsty could’ve been trying (not very successfully you might argue) to levy her comments at a group I’d refer to as “champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget”. These are the folks who curate an image of an outwardly ostentatious existence – head to toe designer attire, VIP table at the hottest nightspots, driving a top of the range car and jetting off to the latest trendy destination. All of which, is documented on social media. Potentially spending all of their disposable income in a manner that in no way contributes towards being a future homeowner. And that’s their choice to make. Everybody has their own set of priorities, and for some this doesn’t include owning their own home from a young age (or maybe at all). There are many places around the world where renting for the long term is a standard practice and view the innate desire to buy a home as quite unusual. Maybe some young people just want to have a few years of being young; going out, making memories and learning a bit about the world, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
The main misfire what Kirsty’s saying is the examples she’s used when describing luxury items – streaming services, coffe-shop coffee, gym memberships and holidays. These are things many of us have and do, but not always to excess, and are things most people would re-assess or reduce if they were saving to buy a property already. However, I geuinely believe that completely cutting everything “non-essential” is not only unrealistic but unhealthy. Going to work day in, day out and not having ANY kind of release to relax and enjoy your downtime a little? Because that’s all it is in a lot of circumstances, a little bit. As I said earlier, everyone has priorities – for some this means hitting the gym a few times a week, a weekly coffee date with pals or having an hour with your family each evening to watch your favourite Netflix series. All experiences that contribute towards having a happier and more fulfilling life. A house should be the icing on the cake to your life, if it’s what you want, not your whole reason for being.
My personal opinion has always been this – what’s the point in buying a house if all you can afford to do is sit in it?
2. It’s not a case of “if” you can afford to buy, but “where”
Again, the statement said by itself does hold a ring of truth. I know lots of people who have bought their first property in an area they can afford rather than the one they would prefer to live in. Their priority was to get on the property ladder as soon as possible, so to them it was a sacrifice they were happy to make. But, being from a very affordable area of the UK, the difference in location was very short. In other areas of the UK, it be not be quite so simple. There are other things to consider in when you’ve move – the location of your support network, your place of employment and how you can get to and from the places you need to. If you rely on family for childcare and they live 50 miles away, is a change of area likely to be feasible? I have an example of this in my own family. 3 years ago, my mother decided to move to the next county. There, she was able to buy a large property for much less than it would’ve cost where she lived before. The new property is 20 miles away, across a large bridge and hidden in the depths of the countryside, vs the 5 miles away she was before. She’s the primary carer for a family member who, in the event of an emergency (and there have been a few since she upped sticks) is now a 45 minute drive away with the risk that the bridge could close in the event of damage ir bad weather. That move, although it seems minor on paper, has caused difficulty within the family support network that she’s part of.
3. Buying a property with family help
Simply put, It’s just not that easy. I’m know that I was fortunate to have had help to buy my first home, and I’m very aware that it’s not something everybody is afforded. Some families can’t afford to help, some may not want to help.
And it’s not just getting on the property ladder; its making sure you can afford to live there too. Once you’ve bought the house there’s monthly bills to pay, furniture to buy and the cost of fixing things that break, such as the boiler.
In conclusion – I think that Kirsty’s comments were a bit too general and lacking in any context to the present day experience of being a young person or buying a home. My understanding is that the people she helps on TV are presented to her and ready to go: deposit saved, know what they can afford and a set of criteria for her to work with. Perhaps it would be advisable for her to concentrate on the area that she’s the expert in and leave the financial and mortgage advice to those expert in that area.
My final thoughts are these: it’s not your age, it’s your stage. There’s no set age by which you need to have bought your first home, getting married, have kids or do anything life changing. Why rush into the most expensive purchase of your life just to keep up with an imaginary timeline of what your choices should look like by a certain point? Goals are great but make them to suit YOUR life and YOUR terms, then make the best decisions you can to help you achieve them.
Thanks for reading,
J xx
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What wardrobe staples do we need post-lockdown?
In January 2020 (I was about to type ‘last year…’ and then realised, nope) I wrote this post about which clothing items every gal should have in their wardrobe.
Life has changed a bit since then though hasn’t it!
As I re-read the post back, I thought “Have my clothing needs and wants changed since then?” And yeah, they probably have a little bit, and I imagine I’m not the only one who feels like that. So I’m doing a ’22 remix – the key pieces of clothing I feel I need to function and feel good in my life:
Blazer
I’m all about a piece that’s a good ‘throw on and go but looks like effort was made’ and a blazer is that for me. I usually prefer one that’s a proper fit (as in not oversized) and doesn’t have anything too fancy about it so it’ll go with a lot of other things in my wardrobe. This one is from Simply Be (it comes in quite a few colours- I also have it in pink and white) and I’ve gotten lots of wear out of it in the short time I’ve had it.
Stompy ankle boots
I mean, I think any kind d of black ankle boot is a must, but the past year or 2 something a bit tougher has been my go-to because they go with virtually everything in my wardrobe and I’m less likely to fall over. The ones I’ve been living in for the past few months are from New Look (sold out now but this pair from ASOS are very similar) I’ve also got some with faux pearl detail on similar to these.
A selection of belts
I’m not talking loads of belts! I have some with gold and silver hardware, some with more details and some that are simple. The idea is to use them to elevate or elongate a look or change the shape of an item. The styles I wear most are this one from River Island that I’ve worn to death for every occasion, and this one from ASOS which is a bit chunkier and more casual
Black jeans
Any shape that you prefer, any texture/magerial that feel most comfortable in. I’m still very much a basic stretchy skinny jeans gal on the daily because they work for the office, the weekend, evening, everything.
Cross body bag
Doesn’t require use of hands and can form part of the outfit. My current go to is this one from New Look.
A dress that can be dressed up or down
Before I specified certain kinds of dress, but I’d just say a style that YOU feel good in. For me that’s usually something tiered and midi length. I’ve bought a few really good ‘can do day or not’ frocks this year from Simply Be which is where this one is from.
Matching (and cosy) loungewear
Rather than just leggings and sweatshirts (of which I still have and wear often) I’ve found actual loungewear to be my preferred option at home. When it’s a little chillier I’m the morning or right before the heating is due back on, having something in a snugglier fabric has just made things feel that bit nicer. I’ve enjoyed wearing sets like this one from Boohoo because I like a bit of a matchy matchy situation.
Boujee PJs
The kind I’m referring too aren’t for sleeping , they’re for those days when you’re at home and just want to feel a bit extra! Some silky or satin feeling is always a winner – I love nothing more than to wear this silk robe from IDentity Lingerie (gifted for a previous collab) to do little more than a face mask and binge-watch a box set. I’m also a big fan of feather PJs which, if you get the right pair, you deffo can leave the house in.
I’m definitely not a capsule wardrobe kind of a gal, lord knows I’ve tried! But I do have some preferred methods of doing things, which are these:
– I tend to go by the mantra “if the shoe fits, buy it in every colour” – if I find a style of clothing I like, I’m highly likely to buy it in at least 1 or 2 other colours! – I try to shop more responsibly and only buy clothing I really love and believe I will get a decent amount of wear out of. – If there’s an item of clothing I see on social media that’s been gifted to somebody a similar size to me, I’ll see if they have a Depop/Vinted account and are selling it on. I’ve done that a few times in the past year and it’s saved me ££ for something practically brand new. – I don’t beat myself up if I impulse buy a couple of items here and there. If it turns out I don’t like it or haven’t worn as much as I though, I can return it, sell it on or donate to charity.
Thanks for reading,
J xx
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TRAVEL | Ranking the Greek Islands I’ve visited
This post has been a long time in the making!!
It’s been finished for a little while but I decided to publish it now as a lot of you will have a bit more time during the festive break to look at holidays for next year, so this may make a nice easy bit of reading.
Greece has definitely become ‘my place’and somewhere I enjoy and feel most comfortable going on holiday in recent years. I’ve been to a few more Greek islands and the mainland but I was pretty young and only have hazy memories to be honest! So this should probably be called ‘Ranking the Greek Islands I’ve visited as an adult’.
Islands are ranked from least to most favourite, although I will point out that enjoyed my time visiting every one of them!
I stayed in Agia Marina on the Northwest, which is the opposite side to the overly developed tourist areas. This trip was what I’d describe as an ‘mature girly holiday’ so our main priorities were to sunbathe and have some nice food and drink in the evenings, which we definitely did. The absolute highlight of the week was our visit to the old capital Chania, which is just gorgeous and vibrant. It was in Chania I ate at what I still regard as one of the prettiest restaurants I’ve ever been in, Ella Taverna (it doesn’t have a website or I’d link it).
I’ve talked about my travels to Myknonos quite extensively at the time. What I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned in any of my blog posts is this – we accidentally turned up for our flight 24hrs early so had to pay for another night in the airport hotel / parking. I also realised I’d forgotten to pack any bras so used the extra day to hotfoot it to Manchester and rectify the problem! Even though I saw exactly the same sights as those plastered across social media there were a few things that surprised me, including just how rough the sea was and how busy the tiny little streets were! Our hotel was called Paola’s Town, and lovely as it was it was in a kind of bad location – technically 900m to the centre of Mykonos Town but that was down a very steep road that had not pathway and no lights, which made the journey a bit stressful. That said, we enjoyed some amazing food and drink and a visit to Mykonos Vioma vineyard. Given that the main action and aesthetic is in Mykonos Town which we explored extensively, coupled with the fact that it’s hella expensive for food and drink, I probably won’t be making a repeat visit.
This is the most recent island I’ve travelled to on this list, which we picked because we’d been to Zakynthos the year before so thought we’d try out it’s neighbour. We stayed at White Rocks Hotel in Lassi which was a nice but set out in the most bizarre way. We had a room overlooking the sea and public beach which was lovely but inexplicably the room also had a massive window that looked through from the toilet to the bedroom that was not pleasant! There also weren’t any footpaths or lighting from the hotel to the resort which made going out after sunset a bit dicey (a la Mykonos). I’m not sure if it was because of COVID or whether it’s simply how Lassi is, but things felt a LOT quieter than I would’ve expected for August. We spent a couple of nights in the capital of Argostoli, and lemme tell you things were bouncing over there! I was surprised to find Kefalonia was quite extra and boujee – think flower arches, living walls/ceilings and pristine white interiors. It looked amazing! We made sure we got out and saw a bit of the island too, and everywhere we visited was just as pretty. Greek food is hands down my favourite, but we also had the chance to sample some traditional Kefalonian food too which was a nice change. And we got to see some turtles up close which was a highlight!
Kos has gained its ranking for purely sentimental reasons – it was mine and the Mr’s first proper holiday together when we were newly engaged. We stayed at the Cleopatra Superior in Kardamena which was fine, just your average kinda ‘this is our base’ hotel, although we did have a great view of the mountains, sea and pool from our room. We didn’t leave the resort once or even do much during the week we visited (we went on a boat trip where I got really sunburnt, rented a pedalo and did an afternoon of mini golf, which I lost at) so didn’t see any of the island or try any new foods etc (basically, all of the things we love to do now). We were just a couple of 20-somethings in love and that was all the entertainment we needed! I would be put off returning again splely because of flight times and the sizeof the airport – we had to queue outside to get in and then were basically in a constant queue all the way through check in and departures until we boarded in the early hours of the morning!
Zakynthos was very much a last minute decision – I’d been made redundant after a few months on Furlough andwe’d had another couple of holidays cancelled. We had time, money and Boris said we could so thought why not! It was hands down the most pleasant airport experience I’ve ever had in August – not a lot of people, socially distanced and everything running on time. I think because it was last minute and we just wanted to chill our expectations were low, but we were pleasantly surprised. We stayed in Tsilivi which was pretty buzzing with lots of places to eat and drink (although at the time there was a midnight curfew). We stayed at the Contessina Hotel which I had mixed feelings about – the aesthetic and staff were lovely but some of the rooms were badly laid out/inaccessible and they didn’t provide adequate sizing of things like robes (the Mr and I are distinctly average sized but even the XL didn’t come close to fitting either of us). We took a couple of trips to explore the island, spent the day at a beach club and enjoyed some of the best Greek food I’ve ever tasted. I remember feeling insanely relaxed about life and what was coming next with finding a new job etc, so I think this break put me in the right headspace that led me to where I am right now, so I’ll always have find memories of this trip. I’d be more than happy to go back again.
Santorini was absolutely, 100% everything I wanted and more, I’d love to go back! I wrote about it quite a lot at the time – a guide to the island hotspots, best things to do and a guide to Greek food so feel free to click any of these links if you’d like to know more. Literally everything you look at is beautiful and it’s dead easy to get everywhere. I was told before going that it was pretty expensive, but I didn’t find that at all – everywhere was reasonably priced for food, drink and activities. We stayed in Kamari and could literally see the resort from the airport, if I was going back I’d stay there again as its a nice place in its own right and super easy to travel to other places from.
If you’re interested in seeing more of some of these holidays, head to my Instagram and check out the highlights section or scroll back through the grid to take a look at some more pictures. Unfortunately Kos and Crete were pre-IG so there’s nothing about either of them, but feel free to get in touch with any questions and I can answer or do another post as desired.
Thanks for reading,
J xx
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Instagram best nine – 2021
It’s that time of year again….
I’m not sure if anyone even does these kinds of posts anymore, but since I’ve been largely absent from the internet this year I thought I’d still continue the mini tradition of posting my Instagram best nine. Pics count down from 9 to 1 and I’ve written a bit of context with each.
9 – Holiday style
In August I jetted off to Kefalonia (which I definitely intend to write about one of these days…) and wrote about how I’d lived in this tomato red skater dress (I know it looks more orange in this light) since buying it, as I’m sure I’ll continue to do when the weather is warm enough to wear it again!
8 – WFH life
I was home alone wearing a lot of loungewear for 3 months and trying to do something cute I spotted on New Look’s feed. Nothing more profound than that!
7 – The post-trolling bounce back
I wasn’t really feeling myself because I got trolled really badly on the photo I posted right before this one (feel free to check out my Instagram to go and see said photo, it was also a Reel), it ended with someone saying I looked like I was definitely going to die from diabetes. Lovely eh? However, this day I was going to get my hair done and to to lunch for the first time since restrictions eased so had made an effort and was feeling alroght about myself. I was kind of annoyed at letting the keyboard warriors affect me tbh, but hey I’m only human.
6 – London calling
My first time back in London for 3 long years! I took a bit of time to check out some old haunts and some I’d never been to before that I’d spotted on Tik Tok (feel free to give me a follow on TT if you happen to be on there) including Neal’s Yard where this pic was taken. It turned out to be about 30 seconds away from the area we usually stay in! We also checked out Ballie Ballerson which is one of the most fun nights out I’ve had this year- great music, great food and cocktails, lots of juvenile fun to be had.
5 – Boujee PJs for days (and days)
I bought this set from River Island to wear on Christmas day 2020, I love the Daily Sleeper ones but couldn’t justify the £300 price tag! The feathers on mine get EVERYWHERE though…this photo was a Saturday afternoon in lockdown where I simply thought “hey, I’ve adulted enough today, let’s dress up and have some fun”. There’s real gin in that cocktail glass and I drank it all! Apart from the bit I spilled over myself trying to take this pic…
4 – Where what the hell you want
If you’ve been with me since somewhere near the beginning of my blog, you’ll know that my body has changed over the years. Right now it’s on the bigger side of where I’ve been before, and I veer between being absolutely fine with how I look and feeling desperate to change. I’m trying to find a middle ground between feeling OK about myself as I am whilst taking steps to create a mind and body that I’m happier in more often than not (not 100% happy, because I don’t think that’s achievable). On this day I was in my back garden in the summer heat in a bikini and felt good, so I posted this pic.
3 – Go shorty it’s your bithday
I enjoy trying to do some kind of fun photo setup for my birthday each year (not sure whether I’ll still think its fun as the number goes up). I spotted a pic on Lucy Wood’s Instagram feed that gave me the inspo for this – I ordered some party bits from Amazon and hung them in my beloved Wisteria tree.
2 – More birthday shenanigans
As my birthday fell on a Monday, the Mr took me out the day before for a bottomless pizza lunch (aka pretty perfect afternoon out). I’d just bought this Floral dress from Simply Be and this was its first outing. I felt awesome in it and got some lovely compliments too. It became one of my most worn clothing items this year – I lived it so often that I bought the jumpsuit and skater dress in the same print, which I’m now equally obsessed with.
1 – Don’t let life pass you by!
It may have been the pina colada talking, but when I wrote this caption I wholeheartedly meant every single bloody word of it. Even though the alcohol buzz has long since worn off, I stand by it. You can’t wait until you feel “good enough” to go on holiday, go to a restaurant, basically live your life. If you do that you’ll miss out on so much.
And that’s it for another year! I’ll leave links below the past few I’ve done if you have a spare 5 minutes and you’re feeling nosey.
Thanks for reading,
J xx
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FASHION & TRAVEL | Outfits I wore in Kefalonia
How long has it been since you’ve just seen a good ol’ fashioned outfit post? An easy breezy “this is what I wore and this is where its from”? Well if its been a while, today you’re in luck!
Here’s some outfits from my recent trip to Kefalonia…
- T-shirt*, Rock on Ruby
- Shorts, Simply Be
- Sunglasses, Quay
- Dress, Stacey Soloman
- Shoes, Menorca Avarcas
- Sunglasses, ASOS
- T-shirt*, Rock on Ruby
- Shorts, Simply Be
- Sunglasses, Quay
- Silk robe*, IDentity Lingerie
- Sunglasses, ASOS
Items marked with * have been gifted
- Jumpsuit, Fashion World
- Shoes, Menorca Avarcas
- Sunglasses, Quay
Thanks for reading (well, looking at the pictures and scrolling to the end!)
J xx
About Me
I’m Jenny, nice to meet you. I’m a thirty-something who likes fashion, holidays and wondering about life. A lot.
Jenny Chat 