greent's mfw journey

greent

Thanks, all

Well I decided to lose the £70 holding fee for the BA flights - I couldn't amend that booking in any way, so I chose the same outgoing flight and a slightly later homeward flight (meaning that we should get a little bit more sleep on the plane) and also booked a car with the flight. Booking the car with the flight meant I got a saving of £550+ than doing it separately (I had lots of tabs open checking various hire companies) - we now have a huuuuge car (7 seats + luggage room) for 3 weeks in the US including collision damage waiver etc and an extra driver for just over £900 - and I've signed up to BA's reward club and the hire car company's reward club - so the saving on the car was worth losing the £70. AND because I booked a car with my flights it becomes a package.... so this one is ATOL protected (something I'll remember for the future!) - and I only had to pay a deposit of £425 - the balance isn't due until mid June next year - by which time the refund should be well and truly through so our cashflow problem is hopefully now non-existent and I don't need to borrow anything from my mum :T :T :T It took me 3.5 hours to get it all sorted and confirmed and price compared, though :eek:

I've done no prep (present ideas/ buying) as yet for Xmas.... with October just a few days away it'll be here in no time - I really should make a little bit of a start, I guess. Although it's OH's 50th in the 1st half of Oct, and I've done nothing for that as yet either! :eek: :eek:

Karmacat

That's very impressive, greent, I love the "package" that you made for yourself, the timings and the protections are wonderful

usa1

well done with the florida trip - very organised

greent

So - October is almost upon us - the last quarter of the year..... There are things I'd like to get done - more stuff on flebay/ fb00k/ to CS (binliner and large box of various items delivered to CS today) Filing totally up straight (I always leave a little bit - which just hangs around each time...), some Xmas/ Winter bday prep, some small house/ garden diy jobs. I'm hardly working in Oct (1 x training session + 1 x a morning) so that should leave me lots of available time...…

It's OH's first pay-day from his new job today - almost a full month (3 days short) - so we can see how we can do this new budget. Sept was very, very spendy, though, so I think we're not going to feel any benefit for a couple of months, whilst we catch back up with ourselves. It's my intention to put the extra (once caught up) to the Florida Fund - and then it will go to the BTL after the holiday is all taken care of Both Florida Fund and BTL are on target for where I wanted them to be this year, so I'm pleased with that. In Sept I've also repaid most (£1100 of a £1400 total) of an overpayment by Student Finance to DD - will clear the rest over the next couple of months. We're repaying it as opposed to DD because we'd've had to top her money up if she hadn't have had it - so it's horses for courses, really.

brizzlegirl

Hope the new budget goes well with OH in the new role.

x

greent

Well, the new budget is going ok so far (1/3 of the month in ) - actually have way more money than month! :j - so much so that I've transferred a small lump to (instant access) savings (a sort of float/ just in case account) and every ebay sale/ cashback payout has been rounded up to the next £10 (usually £5) when transferring to hol fund - and I've made a (small) extra OP to the BTL. Oooh - and I've repaid the last £300 to Student Finance for DD's overpayment she received. Ok - we still have 2/3 of the month to go, but all DDs have gone out (bar a £10 one - think I can cope with that), all CCs have been repaid, we have plenty of food - it's looking good. There is still half term to come - and OH's 50th birthday this weekend... but it is (touch wood) a nice place to be in

3.5hours work this week - and about 4 hours in a fortnight - and that's it now until mid Dec! :eek: I'd like to spend that time instead being productive - house, garden, Xmas, (and DD & DS2's bdays), my Nan's stuff.... have spent quite a bit of time on the latter this week - and have an appointment with our agreed Estate Agent tomorrow morning to go through paperwork to get her house on the market - last big step. Although she took a tumble yesterday evening and is in hospital with a broken sternum - chest infections are a common complication from that, apparently - which is not good, as she is prone to them anyway and it's that time of year as well... we shall see....

I also need to sort out closing OH's company - I've transferred his shares to me We've had the last of the income in now, so I have a VAT return to do after 31st Oct and then it's just money going out (I'm still taking a salary from there at the mo) such as phone bills, accountancy fees etc. I'm thinking it may well be tidiest to run it until year end (31st Jan) - accountant is not being particularly helpful about it - probably because whilst it still goes on they still get a monthly fee (over £200) for no real work.....

Moneyfordreams

Fantastic financially as ever , happy birthday to your OH … your poor Nan, she must of taken quite a tumble to do that. I hope she recovers well x

greent

Thanks, mfd - I haven't heard the details from the home, but I'm guessing she could have fallen onto her walker to do it. She has osteoporosis and has had calcium and vit D injections (she won't take tablets - grrr) I shall go and see her next week - much quieter week (atm) than this week

I'm just hoping that (financially) I haven't missed anything...…

apple_muncher

Yikes to a broken sternum! Hope she keeps well in hospital...

newgirly

Hi greent, Poor nan I hope she recovers ok

Glad you got the flights sorted for your trip, must have been a bit of a shock initially!