Whether it’s location, career or lifestyle, the pandemic has shifted many people’s priorities over the past year. For Catherine Gladwyn, it’s meant a long-term plan to escape to the country is now close to reality, with the entrepreneur seeking a quieter lifestyle for her and her partner, Antony.
“We want to swap our terraced house in Swindon for a home with breathtaking views in the Hereford and Welsh borders,” she says. “I’d like somewhere peaceful and quiet – with no neighbours,” laughs Gladwyn, 44. High on her property checklist are two bathrooms – “as I’ve had just the one for far too long” – as well as a wood-burning stove, space to create an Airbnb annexe, and a generously-sized main bedroom. “I want a really light bedroom where I can open up balcony doors and look out at the amazing countryside,” she says.
Catherine Gladwyn
Being able to gaze at rolling hills while you’re propped up in bed might be a dreamy add-on to many people’s wishlists, but for Gladwyn it’s particularly pertinent as she has Addison’s disease, a disorder of the adrenal glands, which makes her extremely fatigued.
Gladwyn’s dream is edging closer to reality as she and Antony, a software developer, have significantly built up their savings pot over the past 12 months. Like many business owners, Gladwyn was initially concerned about how the pandemic might impact her, but her experience working with various revenue streams – from teaching to business books and private consulting – meant her business was resilient enough to weather the pandemic.
Although her business remained strong, Gladwyn took the opportunity at the outbreak of Covid-19 to assess the couple’s expenditure and scout out new ways to save.
“I became more conscious of what I was spending and I started being extra careful with money,” she says. “I didn’t need new clothes because I was rarely going out to socialise and I saved by not buying stupid things like an ornament of a sparrow. We also looked at our outgoings, got rid of satellite TV, checked our utility bills. It was a good opportunity to save. I was a single parent for 11 years and I’ve always loved saving money, even if it was just £10 a month.”
Jill Waters, NS&I’s retail director says: “The past year has enabled many of us to reflect on how we use our money, with some purchases that we’ve previously thought of as essential now superfluous to our needs. Many of us have reconsidered how to allocate our funds and have started building our nest eggs for much bigger dreams.”
Over the past 12 months Gladwyn and Antony have been able to grow their pot by a very handsome £4,000-5,000 a month. This meant that their dream of buying a charming rural bolthole edged much closer.
The couple, who have just sold their Swindon home, have saved a total of £50,000 over the past year. “We wanted a lower mortgage so saving has enabled this,” says Gladwyn. They also have plans to upgrade their car. “As we’re going to be isolated we ideally want to buy a four-wheel drive so we can get out when it snows. Our current one wouldn’t be able to cope with driving through snow in a country lane.”
“I just want somewhere where we can step outside the front door and walk into the countryside – somewhere you can hear the birds singing!”
She’s also hoping a countryside lifestyle will lead her to become green-fingered. “I tried to grow vegetables during the first lockdown and managed about 10 carrots, but something tells me I’ll be better at it in the country. However, Antony isn’t holding out much hope,” she laughs.
Having something joyful to save towards can make putting money aside easier. Start saving for a sunny day with the help of NS&I. Visit nsandi.com for more information
