The £1,000 emergency fund challenge.

[Deleted User] · 23 June 2017 at 5:03PM

Hope you get your RAC payment sorted, patman. I've not been around much this past few weeks and totally took my eye off the financial ball whilst being totally drowning in major family 'issues':o. Discovered my car insurance has automatically renewed because I 'forgot' to cancel at the end of the year and shop around. Hasn't happened to me for years, I'm pretty savvy with renewals and switching as a rule. Could be worse I suppose, the premium hadn't gone up as much as I'd been dreading but it means my EF has taken a bit of an unexpected hit:(

I know you're a really handy sort of guy, patman, so I wonder whether you can advise on a potential expense on my car please. I was driving along on Wednesday when I got a warning message on the display that I had an 'Antipollution Fault'. It's an old car, the display is pretty basic and to be honest I haven't a clue where I put the manual (for safe keeping;)). I was very many miles from anywhere so kept on driving as needed to get home. The message went off but came back after I restarted the engine after each stop. Happened a few times that day. It hasn't done it at all today though, the first time I've used the car since then, so I wonder whether the hot weather was playing havoc with the display/electrics. I haven't a clue about the workings of cars:o, I just know how to drive one. Do you think it might have been anything serious? I dread going to a garage as it always means forking out big-time:mad:

foxyloxy11 · 25 June 2017 at 7:41PM

Managed to send oddments to make total up to £400...then on 1st July my s/o will go in and make the total up to £450...nearly at my first goal of £650

XSpender · 27 June 2017 at 7:53AM

A bit late to the party but may I join in with this challenge?

My emergency fund stands at £350. After being stuck at £200-£300 for the last few months due to me dipping into it when things got tight I have managed to get it up to £350 this month with the help of a small bonus and insurance pay out.

I wont be feeding it much each month as I am also paying off debt but need some focus on my EF to keep my sticky mitts off it.

PlaysNicely · 27 June 2017 at 1:21PM

Hello there

I used to use MSE a lot but have recently needed to renew my focus on frugaldom as although we've made lots of positive and frugal-friendly changes to our life, it means that we don't have an actual emergency fund ready and waiting ... any emergency would mean dipping into the money we're living on, which is obviously less than ideal.

So, if I could join in with this challenge please, it would really help me to focus?

:T To get things started, a recent energy swap (via useful tools here in combination with TCB) has halved my direct debit for gas and leccy and bagged us £32 to get the emergency fund started! So £32 / 1000 and it's lovely to be back!

patman99 · 27 June 2017 at 8:05PM

XSpender, you are #235 ad PlaysNicely, you are #236.

CBC it could well be that the heat effected one of the sensors that monitor either the exhaust gas leaving the car, or the fresh air entering the engine.

If the issue appears to have cleared by itself, then just keep an eye on it to see if it happens again if we have any extremely hot days.

[Deleted User] · 28 June 2017 at 10:05AM

patman99 wrote: »

CBC it could well be that the heat effected one of the sensors that monitor either the exhaust gas leaving the car, or the fresh air entering the engine.

If the issue appears to have cleared by itself, then just keep an eye on it to see if it happens again if we have any extremely hot days.

Thanks, patman:T. I thought you'd be the man to ask.

It's never happened again, just that extremely hot day, but I'm keeping an eye on it just in case;)

My MOT is due in mid July so I'll have a pre-MOT service done at the same garage and will mention it to them then. They're a good long-established family garage and don't rip people off:j

patman99 · 29 June 2017 at 10:43PM

That reminds me, my car service is overdue.

Got contents insurance to pay next month but already budgeted for.

foxyloxy11 · 30 June 2017 at 7:32PM

£50 in to take me to £450

mossy · 1 July 2017 at 1:41PM

Overspent on my food budget (AGAIN!!) so will need to work out what the damage is and how much money I've got available for the EF.

EDIT: Just checked and that would be a big fat NO!! :eek: :wall:

Dobbibill · 1 July 2017 at 1:45PM

#45 checking in

SO ready to go over on the next working day - this will bring the total up to £700 aka 70%.

keep on keeping on

Dobbi

The £1,000 emergency fund challenge.

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