Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Home improvements or a trip to India

62 replies

GiraffeInABath · 21/12/2022 17:49

Struggling to decide between paying for further improvements on my flat or a trip to India.
i’m 27, own my own flat and work as a healthcare professional. I am single so bills are solely down to me. I have managed to save a £5K emergency fund this year- this isn’t a huge amount but it’s around 4 months living expenses for me. My flat is ok- living room and bathroom are decorated. My bedroom is being decorated this January but I still need to buy new furniture (chest of drawers and a mirror) and the kitchen needs painting/new flooring. In total I need to spend around £2.5K more on the flat.
however, I have itchy feet currently and dreaming of a trip to India. I desperately want to do the golden triangle and to have a break (I get bored on the typical beach sunbathing holiday).
I expect my trip would cost around 2.5K including vaccines and visas etc. My heart wants to do the trip to India- but my head says spend on the flat and enjoy your home everyday, not just for 14 days away. I am planning to save by doing lots of extra bank shifts and could save this in around 2 months. From April I will have a new monthly expense of a car so saving will be slower. Any advice would be appreciated!

OP posts:

Choconut · 22/12/2022 14:12

Why don't you decorate the flat yourself? Save a lot of money, I'd never pay someone to decorate, not that I can do it as well but it's not that hard to do a half decent job (frog tape is your friend). Then get some secondhand furniture and paint it too - just prime it first. I have redecorated my who house in the last year, plus most of the furniture (gone from cheap pine to white) and also all my kitchen units. I even wrapped the worksurfaces in the kitchen which were awful and didn't even match and now look like new.

The one thing I would say about India is that I have heard even just arriving at the airport in Delhi can be extremely overwhelming, a friend who often travelled alone was totally overwhelmed by it and left soon after - I met her in Nepal.

I would recommend Nepal as an alternative, it's still full on but feels safer, it's often called India lite (I went with a friend), there's lot to see in Kathmandu and then you could go up to Nagarkot which has views of Everest and some nice hiking or Chitwan for wildlife. You wouldn't need a tour which could save you a lot of money.

DelphiniumBlue · 22/12/2022 14:17

Go for travel, maybe not India but somewhere.
You don't NEED to spend 2.5k on home improvements, you can get furniture for free from Freecycle, or cheap from a secondhand shop, and you could paint the kitchen yourself. Or leave it with it's current paint. Flooring is harder to DIY but you don't have to live with showhome standards.
Go for experiences rather than appearances!

Thoughtful2355 · 22/12/2022 14:21

Personally i hated india BUT i would choose a holiday over home improvements anyday

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General money

CloudPop · 22/12/2022 14:22

Holiday every time

TellMeWhere · 22/12/2022 14:23

I'm always team travel (although I didn't enjoy India).

SommerTen · 22/12/2022 15:40

One of my friends is currently in India for 3 months. She's on her own & hasn't felt safe in one of the cities (it may be Delhi or Mumbai im sorry I can't remember) but has enjoyed Kerala & Goa especially.

ThePalace · 22/12/2022 16:12

GiraffeInABath · 22/12/2022 09:40

Thank you all for the tips!! I’m very excited and just booked my travel vaccines for next week. Does anybody know of any hotels in Delhi which would be good for a lone female for two nights? Does £600 spending money sound ok for two weeks?Very true regarding nostalgically looking at a floor 😂

@GiraffeInABath, we stayed at The Lalit in Delhi. Lovely 5 star hotel, great location, walking distance to a great shopping area and a huge park (can't remember the name). They picked us up from the airport. Never felt unsafe in India, in fact I was treated as a celebrity since I have blonde hair!

quietnightmare · 22/12/2022 16:17

India

27 and you have a flat well done you. You can get cheap furniture and do it up in charity shops or marketplace etc. the second hand market is very now.

You don't know what's around the corner, go to India while you are fit and well and have the money home improvements will still be able to be done throughout next year. I really hope you choose India, what an adventure

quietnightmare · 22/12/2022 16:18

Just seen you booked vaccines. Brilliant

professionalnomad · 22/12/2022 17:20

India

caroleanboneparte · 22/12/2022 17:23

India. Buy furniture from a charity shop.

But I'd say if you are looking to take out a car loan/ finance plan then you'd be so much better using the £2.5k on buying a car outright then going to India later.

Fluffygreenslippers · 22/12/2022 18:14

Go to India. You can buy lovely homeware there for a fraction of the price.

Flip

1 2 3