Hawaii before 50

RumPunch_2

Woowoo wrote: »

I spend £60 a week shopping for me and the OH, that includes £12 on dog food and all other household items including deodorant and stuff like that as well.

So we only spent £10 a week more than you which doesn't seem to bad as we are novices! Also, we've got quite a bit of stuff left in the freezer, so could use lots up and have a lean month. Spent £90 on big shopping this week but that is for two weeks, just top up items to get locally so should be better, going to be very strict and see how it goes!

RumPunch_2

Have updated signature again, not that I'm being obsessive about this or anything!

Thought it might be helpful to show how much is saved towards the santander card, although I'm not sure how we will find £1577.69 before December. It seemed doable in August but we didn't do as well as we wanted in our first month! However, I've taken the tesco balance off what we owe as although we are still using this card, the money to pay this month is safely in a savings account and so is the spending since the last statement. This seems to be working for us.

We've both signed up to do market research using a company I found in the Up You Income Forum. I did this once about some makeup and it was actually quite an enjoyable evening!

Still haven't added this month's temporary loan from husband (we have used half of it), have a cunning plan for that now. Father in Law gave us a cheque this month to help with the spending we have done for him (our travelling, flights for him, shopping for him and we pay for a cleaner each week for him who keeps an eye on him for us), so I think if we actually use this money we can pay husband back. I thought this seemed fair as this accounts for a lot of our recent spending. When we are sorted we can save this up again and keep somewhere safe.

Have also got organised with new first direct bank account. Have opened some extra e-saver accounts so we can start allocating money to different accounts for house, cars, holidays (this will be a big pot), Christmas and presents etc. as soon as we are able to start saving.

Anyone know where you get seeds for a money tree?

Feeling a bit better again today, throat not quite so sore and voice improving but the cough is still my constant companion. Fed up with it now! However, have no idea how I will keep uptodate with diaries when I'm back at school

Hope everyone has a good day.

Woowoo

Am loving the extra large pot for holidays RP!

Glad your on the mend, no rushing back to work though we will miss you on here!

If you do find a supplier for those money tree seeds let me know lol!

RumPunch_2

Thanks Woowoo.

Husband agreed that we should use money from his Dad for the expenses we have/are incurring. I don't grudge my father in law at all, he's lovely, just that it makes good sense to use the money as intended. We had hoped to keep it separate for him, but now we can use it and pay husband back his money from his endowments and put the money aside later when we can spare it.

If we are very careful with our spending this month we might be able to throw another £500 towards the Santander Card, that would mean only spending £300 but will really try and stick to this.

Have set up all DDs and SOs for 1st direct and cancelled them all with A & L. Have cleared this account out now so we can finally close it. Their service has to be amongst the worst I have ever encountered. Only Northern Gas compare, do they still exist? They were shocking!

So now all joint banking through 1st direct, I don't know if their customer service is always as good, but it is very refreshing and I hope it lasts. Feels like a new start today!

Woowoo

No more A & L that's definitely something to celebrate!

Even if you get as close to £300 as possible it will make a difference.

How is the FIL, will he be coming out soon?

RumPunch_2

We have a bottle of champagne, perhaps when I'm better we should open it and celebrate!

FIL came out yesterday and seems quite bright and is doing well. It’s a worry though, he is quite elderly and his only other family is his sister who lives near us. My Mum and Dad are nearby and do as much as they can but my Dad is disabled, so my Mum is kept busy!

Woowoo

Glad he's not doing too badly now, it must be hard sometimes having no one else to share the responsibility with.

I'm lucky that I have a sister nearby, I also have a brother but he lives in Peterborough as he's in the RAF.

RumPunch_2

We've got a nice problem now though... husband thinks we should book our skiing holiday before tax goes up. Need to decide where to go now!

Woowoo

Ooh decisions, decisions! Anywhere in mind? How exciting, I love booking holidays!

RumPunch_2

No, I really don't know! Usually I have a good idea. Don't want to do a long haul as its just for a week, possibly Italy, quite like the sound of Val Gardena, part of the Sella Ronda so lots of skiing. Help me choose!