The last few days I have been serious thinking about investing in my own accommodation, the trouble for me, like most first time buyers is that everywhere is so fucking expensive!

During a discussion on this topic with a friend the idea was brought up about actually living on a house boat like the one I will be spending a holiday on in August.

These boats range from £10,000 to £30,000 for which you would expect one of high quality. This should be easy enough to obtain in a form of a bank loan with a manageable repayment process.

You then need to pay a mooring fee if you wish to leave the boat on a site indefinitely and make use of the facilities – water, electricity, etc. This can range from around £1,000 to £3,000 a year. Still very reasonable considering this will account for most utility bills and there’s no council tax.

I do want to get my own accommodation and refuse to pay rent to some landlord to line his pockets. A boat is an investment; the loan repayment is effectively a mortgage. When I am in a position where I can buy a house (and want to!) I will have an asset in the boat which I can sell. If I was renting a house or flat from a landlord I would have nothing.

I am also in a lucky position geographically, there is a marina not too far from my current house where I can stay (providing they’ll have me and there’s enough space!). That means I’ll still be close to family, friends and work.

I’ll be looking into it more next week, maybe even check out the marina. Who knows, by this time next year I could be blogging from a house boat and yes you can get ADSL (and Sky Digital)!

It’ll effectivly be a house on water

Moving on, tomorrow is the last day in The Premiership and a very important one for West Brom, Crystal Palace, Norwich and Southampton all of whom are in a relegation fight. Three of the four teams will be playing in The Coca Cola Championship with Leeds next season.

The current Premiership table

West Brom, Crystal Palace and Norwich were all promoted to The Premiership next season. I have a soft spot for all these teams and if I had my way they would all stay up. Unfortunately only two can and if Southampton (who I want to see relegated) get their way all three will go down.

Norwich are the only team who know that a win will guarantee their Premiership safety, they travel to Fulham. Fulham are a below average team with nothing to play for. Problem for Norwich is they haven’t won away from home all season! Saying this I’m going for a 3-2 win to Norwich securing the Premiership status.

C’mon Norwich – “Let’s be ‘aving you!”

Southampton are at home to Manchester United. This must be one of very few occasions when I actually want to see Man Utd win. This is obviously the hardest of all the games. Man Utd have a cup final coming up, previous bad results and all their off the field problems. This will either produce a very strong and dangerous Man Utd team or one who doesn’t give a shit. I can see a strong side turning up. I predicted Manchester United will win this one 3-1 sending Southampton crashing out of The Premiership. Get the hankies out lads.

Going down, going down, going down…

Crystal Palace are away to Charlton. Charlton have nothing to play for and are generally very bad at the end of the season. I fancy Palace to win this 2-1 and if I am wrong about the Norwich game this could keep them up.

Good luck Palace

West Brom host Portsmouth. This is very, very interesting. Portsmouth HATE Southampton, I’m talking a major rivalry. I bet most Portsmouth fans would like to see their team lose if it meant Southampton would be relegated. The players will be professional, still with nothing left to play for I predict West Brom to win a nervous 1-0. I still don’t see them staying up, but you never know…

Have a good un’ Baggies

If I could chose who I would like to stay up it’ll be a close call between Norwich and Crystal Palace… probably Norwich. So, for the last time this season, Delia Smith, Norwich chairman, get the sherry out and “LET’S BE ‘AVING YOU!”