Minty's incredible disappearing £700 thread...

mintymoneysaver

It's just one with a paying in book with the Halifax. Probably not the best one to have, but we used to have a Halifax at the top of the road ( before they closed it) so it was handy! And it usually has so little in it that the interest never really mattered!

Daughter is only looking for a part time job to combine with her A levels but there just seems to be nothing around. It's not for want of trying!

You're doing really well with those overdrafts. Well done!

o2bfree

I read your diary with interest this morning and IF you don't mind I am going to pinch your idea.
My OH gets paid weekly so find the money disappears when we should have at least £300 per month left.

So the plan is to work out the outgoings again and put what should be left each week into a savings account. If needed it is there but if not that will be a bonus

I shall subscribe to see how you are getting on

mintymoneysaver

I don't mind at all, thanks for coming on board! That was the problem, we should have plenty of money left to do jobs etc, but we just don't!

The jobs/ things we need to buy are
1)A new dining table and chairs ( these are on their last legs, literally! the chairs are held together with a bit of superglue and you have to check everything's in place before you sit down on them!) I want to buy a nice one though, not just go for cheap and cheerful, as my children are hopefully old enough to not draw all over it now.
2) A new suite. DH refuses to go to DFS or the like and says we have to have the cash to pay for it. I'd pay monthly if I had my way, so I'm working on that one. Thisone's 20 years old so we've had our wear out of it.
3) A new bed. They're supposed to be replaced every ten years, we got ours as a wedding present 22 years ago!
4) A new set of french windows ( lock broken, full of condensation, let in a huge draught etc....)

That'll do to be going on with....:rotfl:

o2bfree

Thanks, Minty.
I'll let you know how I get on.

Good luck with the jobs/things you need to buy list. You will feel so much happier paying cash

beanielou

Whats your bugbear with EMA then?

mintymoneysaver

Only the fact that maintenance isn't taken into account when it's calculated. I'm all for people who need it getting it, but we don't qualify for it so have to give our daughter an allowance. We can only afford to give her £50 a month, but I am friends with at least two mums who receive a really good maintenance settlement from ex husbands and are in a similar financial situation to us, but because that isn't counted their children get EMA . One of these is her boyfriend who managed to buy her a Pandora bracelet for Valentine's Day out of his! Some of her friends also have jobs too, so are getting child benefit, EMA and wages...

I'm only jealous, but it just annoys me....

beanielou

Thats news to me as I thought all income was counted.

mintymoneysaver

Forgot No 5 on my list of things that have to be done...
A new shed. Falling apart, ivy growing on the inside of it, holes in the roof etc....

On the good side I am fed up of having a stupid amount owing on that Barclaycard so have just paid £9.15 off it to get it to a nice even number!:rotfl:

mintymoneysaver

Got the statement today and it's down to a nice even total...

BARCLAYCARD:mad: at start £2973.81/£2847/£2709.15/£2609.15/£2530

The aim now is to pay at least £30.01 off this before the next statement, so that with the £100 that's already gone off that the next statement will say £23xx.xx. I'll have to get ebaying....

especially as I've remembered No 6 on my list of things I need this year. New blinds as ours have gone all manky, especially the bathroom one.

mintymoneysaver

Nearly another payday already! Thank goodness, I seem to have had only £40 in my bank account for weeks:rotfl:Mind you, there's only about 17p in there now, as I withdrew the rest today ready for a lunch out and a trip to town tomorrow!
I 'think'(hope!) that as long as no major bill crops up between now and Wednesday I'm going to be able to put £200 in my ISA again! Starting this diary has really made me reflect on how it just got frittered away. All stuff that we needed, and I have been lucky in that we've had no emergencies to pay out for, but it feels so good to have some savings. There'll be £600 in there next week! Barclaycard and holiday wise I have some stuff finishing on ebay tomorrow and I should be able to pay my £30 off the Barclaycard, and have a bit left over to put in my holiday fund!:j

I have made a start at losing some pounds as well this week though as I've finally rejoined weightwatchers! I know it's not very moneysaving but I suppose I'll be spending less on food to make up for it! I have 8 months till my daughter's 18th and even though she would never say anything I don't want to be the embarassing fat mother. I've had enough now, and need to do something about it.
Will update next week when the money's in my account and I can knock some more off that debt!