A Ditherer's Diary (again)

Naomim · 3 February 2017 at 2:09PM

So I didn't manage to get any thing listed on Ebay but I did get the kitchen cleaned :j

Yesterday was my book club meeting at work. This meant a £10 spend on lunch. I'm still tracking my pocket money spending. My wallet app says I have £9.50 left but my actual purse only has £7.30 in it. I thought I'd been really good at logging everything but I'm still £2.20 out. It could be worse! I don't get paid until the 15th so will need to log a few NSD's!

I have also don'e a forward forecast spreadsheet of our bank account. I've been checking the bank account every day and keep a spreadsheet of it all so I can see what's still to come out. We're still well into our overdraft although it is incrementally coming down. I thought if I do the spreadsheet forward to June, I can see how the account will look within a few months. It was actually quite pleasing as the account should hit a positive figure at the end of March when MrM gets paid. I know it's far away, but at least I can see a positive figure. However this is only including the bills, credit card debt etc and not anything else but I have tried to include "everything" like on a SOA but it's including £300 a month I am putting into my savings pot to cover things like car repairs & Christmas/birthdays etc and a bit put by for emergency fund. I used to save this before I started ignoring the account and it all got way out of hand.

I've also started logging my credit cards again. I only pay the minimums now but as the figures come down I want to be able to still pay the same amount I do now. This will mean some small over payments eventually. At the moment my minimums come to £370 a month so it will be lovely to get that out of the way and hopefully before the 8 years my snowball indicated!

So although I kind of feel like I've hit a bit of a slump, I can see positives and know it's only going to get better! :j

Naomi x

Nymphadora · 3 February 2017 at 2:25PM

Sounds like you are making progress. It is a pain when you track everything but still seem to be out by a few £.

I have been really good at taking pack lunches to work as well. I often couldn't be bothered and it was easier to just spend £3 for a sandwich and a drink but that all adds up.

Naomim · 3 February 2017 at 2:34PM

Nymphadora wrote: »

Sounds like you are making progress. It is a pain when you track everything but still seem to be out by a few £.

I have been really good at taking pack lunches to work as well. I often couldn't be bothered and it was easier to just spend £3 for a sandwich and a drink but that all adds up.

I've been really good with packed lunches. There's a Sainsburys at the train station and a Co-Op opposite work so popping in and spending £3-£4 a day on lunch is "easy" but I've been getting up every morning and making sandwiches for MrM and I. If I have a day where I can't be bothered then I bring in a tin of soup. Today I have spicy parsnip soup and a pannini from home. So today will be an NSD.

I've decided with NSD's that I'm only counting my wallet money and not any bills or direct debits that come out of my bank account as I don't have so much control over them. So it will only be money I am not ACTIVELY spending.

Naomi x

EssexHebridean · 3 February 2017 at 3:08PM

Ha - my default lunch for days I've not got my usual filled roll and fruit is also a tin of soup. Tesco Lentil & Bacon at 45p a can is my guilty pleasure! :rotfl:

That's a pain about the builder. Makes you wonder whether you're not the only one chasing him for money and essentially he's done a flit, doesn't it.

GeorgianaCavendish · 6 February 2017 at 12:04PM

Well done on your NSDs! I've picked Weds & Thurs as my target NSDs this week, I think the only thing that will scupper my plans are direct debits but I'm going to try.

After Friday's cancelled-lunch debacle, I'm feeling SO happy at the thought of my packed lunch sitting in the office kitchen today. I've also brought in a packet of emergency couscous for future disasters

Naomim · 6 February 2017 at 3:20PM

GeorgianaCavendish wrote: »

Well done on your NSDs! I've picked Weds & Thurs as my target NSDs this week, I think the only thing that will scupper my plans are direct debits but I'm going to try.

After Friday's cancelled-lunch debacle, I'm feeling SO happy at the thought of my packed lunch sitting in the office kitchen today. I've also brought in a packet of emergency couscous for future disasters

well today not an NSD. I brought in sandwiches but forgot crisps

Last Friday I tried calling Barclaycard as I think my 0% deal has ended. They were having "technical" problems so I couldn't speak with them. However, I'm not sure I have a credit card I can transfer it to and really can't/don't want to apply for another. We've just re-mortgaged to cover the costs the cowboy builders left us with, so I want to leave the credit checks for at least 6 months.

We've not heard anything from the builders although I don't think he received our last letter offering mediation. I'm not sure what to do from here. I can't find his address. He only moved 3 weeks ago and on checking it doesn't look like he was even on the electoral roll for his last address. I know we have up to 6 years to make a claim but want it all sorted.

It's half term next week. I'm off for two days and MrM for one. I've been researching what we can do that's cheap/free or using my clubcard vouchers. Hopefully they'll get a couple of days out.

I've forgotten my mobile today so I remembered to get a receipt from the shop to enter my spend into my wallet app.

Naomi x

Naomim · 7 February 2017 at 3:19PM

The mortgage money hit our bank account today. For about 5 minutes it looked fantastic! No overdraft etc, then I transferred it all into the savings account ready to be spent where it's needed for roofers, plumbers & electrician. I think even the banking app was disappointed as it asked if I knew I was going overdrawn.

Today I used some Tesco clubcard vouchers and ordered cinema tickets and tenpin bowling tickets for MrM and the kids to use on his day off at half term. He's only got to get lunch then and can treat them a little.

I'm a little confused by my British Gas account though. I'm on a low tarrif which is due to end at the end of February. This was with the cheap energy club, A few weeks ago I put my meter readings in and I was in credit. They credited my bank account with £118. I didn't ask or want them to do this. Today I looked on my account and I'm £266 in debit and they want me to up my direct debit from £43 per month to £60. I don't understand why they credited the money back to me and how I can be in debit already? Also I'm looking to change tarrif and supplier if it's the cheapest deal for me but won't be able to afford to pay back £266.

On a positive note, I enrolled MrM for a market research tomorrow. It's £50 and as he's already spent his monthly "pocket money" this will at least see him through.

I'm still clinging on and have my last £5 in my purse. I have to spend wisely

Brie and caramelised onion chutney pannini for lunch today. Made by my own fair hand. I need to start thinking about when I can squeeze in more NSD's.

Naomi x

Naomim · 9 February 2017 at 3:20PM

So yesterday was a bit of a bad day spending wise. I booked myself into the hairdressers for a conditioning treatment. I have very curly hair so luckily I can go for absolute ages without cutting it but it gets dry. I am terrible and do the bare minimum with my hair. So anyway; I booked into the salon had it treated and blow-dried. It looks lovely but I came out a little shell shocked after I paid £35!

I then went into the charity shop next door and spent £2.50 on a couple of old CD's. One of them has been on my Amazon watch list for a while so I'm pleased I got it a lot cheaper.

I did managed a budget busting meal for dinner last night though. I was going to cook gammon, egg & chips. At Aldi, instead of buying gammon steaks, I bought a gammon joint for £2.50 and cooked it at home yesterday afternoon. I'd also run out of potatoes, popped into the Co-op at the end of my road and they had a bag of white potatoes reduced to 0.29p. So homemade chips, sliced gammon with some left over and a couple of eggs. Family of four fed for about £3.00 total.

Unfortunately I have gone over my "pocket money". DS lost a tooth and whilst he doesn't believe in the tooth fairy anymore, he still expects some money under his pillow. I know I'd like to find some under mine one day too! Anyway, I forgot so in the morning he's doing his puppy eyes and asking if the tooth fairy forgotten him. - cheeky devil he's 11 but knows I can't deny the existence of the tooth fairy in the hearing of the 7yo. So I gave him my last £5. I had £20 in my purse from a market research I did a couple weeks ago so I've dipped into that to see me through.

On a better note, I have been looking at my credit cards as I know I had balances with part being on 0% and part not.

Credit Card 1
MBNA £3969.86 - 0%
MBNA £708.38 - 20.9%

Credit Card 2
MBNA £2181.44 - 22.9%

Credit Card 3
NUBA £3098.70 - 0%

Credit Card 4
Barclaycard - £4322.37 - 20.54% - this was on 0% but expired end of Jan

Credit Card 5
M&S £4095.42 - 0%

The interest charging part of credit card 1 & 2 I have transferred onto my Barclaycard at 0% for 1 year.
£2778.19 part of credit card 4 has been transferred to credit card 2. 0% until May 2018. There wasn't enough credit limit to transfer the whole balance. This leaves £1544.18 on credit card 4 @ 20.54%. I know there's no credit limit left on credit cards 2, 3 & 5 so will have to hope I can put it on credit card 1 or some of it at least.

At least I will be cutting down the interest and paying more off the actual debts. It's all very confusing!

Naomi x

Naomim · 9 February 2017 at 3:21PM

oh Aldi - Broccolli & stilton soup for lunch today. Not sure I'd repeat it but at least I remembered to bring something in from home and as it's so bitterly cold I'm happy it was soup!

Naomim · 10 February 2017 at 1:42PM

This morning I was still looking at the credit cards when I spotted something I didn't yesterday. I thought credit card 3 (NUBA) was upto it's credit limit but it's not so I could transfer the £1500 left on my Barclaycard to there so now all of my credit cards are on 0% :T:money:

I'm so happy as that's going to save a fair bit hopefully.

Last night I finished part 2 of a two part focus group so got another £80. I got £20 for the first part but have had to dip into that. So I will pay the £80 into the bank account to chip at the overdraft.

Lunch is egg mayonnaise sandwich from home today although I need to go down the road at lunchtime and buy a birthday present for my 8year old Goddaughter. She's just started gymnastics lessons after being absolutely desperate to start them so I'm going to get her a leotard from Decathlon. £7.99 bargain.

Sunday should be an NSD for me as DD and I are off to Goddaughters birthday party but they're 70 miles away so drive down, spend day and drive home. no money spent. :j

A Ditherer's Diary (again)

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free