Well the next build slot is Feb-April 2010. We’re sweating on holding on the deposit to secure it until we get confirmation of the loan from the bank – a few weeks off yet. OEC report that there is some customer competition too, with someone waiting for a property sale to go through to fund their deposit. It’s tempting to take the £2k non-refundable gamble as we run the real risk of paying for the loan but not having the vehicle for nearly a year . As the saying goes, ‘you pays yer money and you takes yer chance’ – or not as the case may be.
So this ‘cooling off’ period gives us some time to consider the maths….
We will be paying nearly £8k a year for the next 14 years just to obtain the vehicle. We are budgeting that we’ll need to raise up to £20k for the big trip itself (and we’re ignoring the loss of earnings during the sabbatical!) We are hoping to mitigate some of this financial pressure by overpaying as much as we can early on, and by tapping into any fundraising ventures that we can for the trip itself.
Easily this would be enough money for us both to go to Africa for months each year during the loan period. Sobering.
Cold feet? Not really as the sums add up still – and I still hold firm to the belief that one must underwrite projects such as this before looking to seek funding from other sources. It proves intent and realises the possibility of making the venture happen in the first place.
I’m sure that this will come back to haunt me when the wolf is at the door, and our holiday is a weekend in damp Cornish November. On the plus side a little austerity (we were there before the recession bound politicians) is actually quite a refreshing life change. Less takeaways, less beer equals less waist and a more active lifestyle – an unplanned benefit even at this early stage. It will be interesting to see whether my fortitude holds.
I’m hoping the next entry will be when we secure the slot by deposit.