£5000 by hook or by crook

B_Blank

Hi OP,

Where is your £1290 sitting at the moment? In an instant access account or are you using it cleverly to maximise your interest? You could save it in a regular savings account and get a better % and still have instant access to it at most banks. This could make you a few pounds

Barros

Hi ILGPink :j

Thanks for your encouragement! and i really like the idea of giving yourself a set pot of pocket money each month as my wages go up and down each month (bonus or lack of ) so that means i wont be tempted to spend more if i get more of a bonus!! I am going to try that method out when I get paid in 8 DAYS!! woop woop

As for you, I think you are SPOT ON to try and have a wee party or gathering for your DD's big day!! You will regret if if you don't.

Just plan; right a list of all the food / drink you need for it and kindly ask those coming to bring an item each. They won't mind as its a party and everyone should bring something to a party and for you it means the cost isnt so much so you will stay have a GREAT time but without worrying if you are going to be left short for the month :T

On an aside I've just found out that my circumstances may be changing soon so my savings plan for this year may be turned on its
head and I may need to bring forward my first flat buy - gutted but its made me focus and cut the crap spending as much as i can!! xxx

Barros

keelni wrote: »

Hi Barros welcome, Congratulations on your excellent savings so far. I'm hopeless at savings so I'm not really the best person to be advising though your first idea of putting your savings away at the beginning of the month seems sensible once the moneys in the savings account you'll be less likely to want to spend it.
Hi ILGPink glad to see you are well I'm feeling really disheartened at the moment it seems the harder I try to save the more things cost. Managed to do all the repairs but now the garage roof needs replacing.
I'm not sure how much we have at the moment will have to do some sums but I know it's not going to be good.

Oh no that is terrible Keelni!!

I think we all have weeks/months like that unfortuantely - its like trying to stay quiet in the morning when someone else is sleeping. You always end up dropping a plate or something!!!

I hope you can get a deal , or a winning scratch card

ILGPink

Hey Barrows thanks 4the message. sounds like you are in a very familiar circs to what I was in 3yrs ago. My original plan was to save deposit for house over 2years; we thought that gettinga mortgage due to the credit crunch ect would b really hard. anyhow long story short we managed to actualy buy our house a year ahead of plan, all happend very quick and we got here for a reasonable price. many ppl told us not to buy in such an unstable market ect but my dad made us realise that waiting may not work to our advantage. At the moment it is a buyers market and aslong as u can afford the repayments (i would advise making sure you have conver incase you're out of work). also the fact you will b a 1st time buyer again goes 2ur advantage, not having a chain is a massive attraction to sellers. we managed to negaotiate o lower price for here based on the fact we were ready to mortgage nd funds in place with no chain. x-fingers 4u, very exciting times ahead x

Well as of this morning my plans are having 2change again. OH came home about 30mins after leaving and thought @the time how odd. well low and behold hes only gone and crashed his flippin' car in2 a van!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. hes atleast managed to arrange that we can pay the repairs without going through insurance but that means we are going 2b skint between that and DD's party.

I swear life is a pile of poo @times, really wish we could just catch a bloody break. feel like we are banging our heads on a brick wall

The irony is OH had only just said on monday maybe we should try and go down to 1car, espec now that petrol, insurance nd TAX is going up so high. Been trying to persuade him for 18months we need 2get rid but he didnt want 2loose his car (after 12yrs of always having his own), finaly comes round 2my way of thinking then this happens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aaaaaarrrrgh

TTFN 4now guys x

ILGPink

well another week of trying 2save nd banging our heads

so far we have started the week by putting money in our new xmas savings pot £80:j

So a quick update of the goals we have.
1) Save £5000 as quickly as poss so we can then start overpaying the mortgage. Not going great at the mo we have £1250.11 but weve got to seriously up this asap
2) Save £800 in the xmas club by Nov'11(pay for xmas gifts nd anyleft over will go towards the £5000 target); £80 so far paid in.

hope you are all having a good week

TTFN x

Barros

Hi ILG Pink!

Nightmare about the motor - you never know though it may turn out to be a blessing in disguise?!(looking for a positive here!x!) but hey ho at least the OH is ok and no injuries etc.

And just think - £1250.11/5000 is what 25% so you're a quarter of the way there which for OVERPAYMENT is a really good achievement - remember its an overpayment therefore you canbe EXTRA happy with yourself - great goal though.

Thanks for the encouragement too - I hadn't really thought about the + of being a FTB with no chain etc and I guess I can move within 4 wks also which is a bonus... I think I like my comfort saving zone and I am so used to it to be honest, the idea of change isn't the most appealing!

3 days to payday and dreading the gas and elec bills coming in i know they are due anyday!!

ILGPink

quick update double checked the savings a/c and we actually have £1290.11 (somehow managed 2write the wrong amount in my book!!! doh)

thanks for the encouragment Barros, i hadn't thought bout it like that. infact i've been feeling very down about the none savings ect. we have had a lot of money drains arise and eventhough we have NOT dipped into savings it means we haven't saved anything either.

spoke 2OH last night and we are kinda resigned 2the fact that up untill June things are going 2b very tough in this household; and it will again be a case of tight belts. This upcoming month we have 2repair our roof, OH's car and pay for DD's b-day party; which is going 2again leave us most prob's unable to save anymore. We are due to put a cashback claim in on OH's mobile so thats going to bring a little bit of money in that can go 2savings straight away.

anhow enough of my ramblings

TTFN

p.s hope your keeping ok Keelni; let us know how ur getting on x

keelni

Hi everyone I am good ILGPink thanks for asking. I know how your feeling theres always a repair or unexpected bill that turns up just when you don't need it and as for cars don't get me started dh had problems with his last week that ended up costing £70 and I'm having problems with mine but am hoping that it will be covered under a warranty as it's to do with work I had done a couple of months ago (fingers crossed).
As for savings I still don't know where we are at the savings were put back into the current account to cover the bills. I am planning to start again in March putting money into a seperate savings account.
I am determind to get on top of my savings this year.

Think I need to redo my sig it is well out of date

Barros

ILGPink wrote: »

quick update double checked the savings a/c and we actually have £1290.11 (somehow managed 2write the wrong amount in my book!!! doh)

thanks for the encouragment Barros, i hadn't thought bout it like that. infact i've been feeling very down about the none savings ect. we have had a lot of money drains arise and eventhough we have NOT dipped into savings it means we haven't saved anything either.

spoke 2OH last night and we are kinda resigned 2the fact that up untill June things are going 2b very tough in this household; and it will again be a case of tight belts. This upcoming month we have 2repair our roof, OH's car and pay for DD's b-day party; which is going 2again leave us most prob's unable to save anymore. We are due to put a cashback claim in on OH's mobile so thats going to bring a little bit of money in that can go 2savings straight away.

anhow enough of my ramblings

TTFN

p.s hope your keeping ok Keelni; let us know how ur getting on x

Hugs ILG ... it is tough, especially this year when the publicity about the increased cost of EVRYTHING is really starting to bite coupled with the wage freeze, benefit cuts etc.

Still though - be encouraged. You are obviously a strong character as you haven't dipped into those savings at all, and these are savings so you can OVERPAY your mortgage. I really do commend you ... and remember what i said about DD's birthday party - get all the guests to bring something, tell them what if need be. SO make a list first and dictate. No one minds, most people bring something these days anyway and it means you won't have 8 bags of Sensations and 5 litres of fizzy pop that willl sit there for months AND will save you money! It's all about the day together anyhow and celebrating the occasion with those who live you ... OMG how cliched!

If we lived in the same area (maybe we do!??) I'd take you out for a hot chocolate or some kind of treat - hugs.

ILGPink

Barros wrote: »

Hugs ILG ... it is tough, especially this year when the publicity about the increased cost of EVRYTHING is really starting to bite coupled with the wage freeze, benefit cuts etc.

Still though - be encouraged. You are obviously a strong character as you haven't dipped into those savings at all, and these are savings so you can OVERPAY your mortgage. I really do commend you ... and remember what i said about DD's birthday party - get all the guests to bring something, tell them what if need be. SO make a list first and dictate. No one minds, most people bring something these days anyway and it means you won't have 8 bags of Sensations and 5 litres of fizzy pop that willl sit there for months AND will save you money! It's all about the day together anyhow and celebrating the occasion with those who live you ... OMG how cliched!

If we lived in the same area (maybe we do!??) I'd take you out for a hot chocolate or some kind of treat - hugs.

Oh Bless ya Barros, I'm in the backend of nowhere in wales. How are youre mortgage/house plans coming along hun???

DD party plans coming 2gether. Luckly im a member of Makro (wholesalers) so will go and pick up most food things up from them (take 2hrs 2get 2em so i always bulk buy when I go, spend a lot but worth it espec 4meat). Have decided to not do sandwiches as such going to buy a big slab of ham and a catering size bag of chicken drum sticks. weve got soooooo many ppl who either dont eat bread cant eat wheat/gluten, dont like butter ect i was going 2b making loads of individual portions; so thought sod it they can have cold meats pasta salads, potato salad and various other bits which will include bread rolls and individual butters. so eaveryone can help them selfs. also thought whatever ppl dnt eat i can then freeze and use for us .

many ppl have said they will bring/make puds ect so rather organised with that aswel. All invites sentout now, made some lovely alice and wonderland theme invites so again very money saving :money:.

Anyhow not much savings going on just the usual keeping heads above water. running rather low on food now that weve been using and eating everything up we had saved. Been a bit of a life saver to have a massive stocked up kitchen 2b honest.

Hope you've had some good news on the car Keelni nd I know exactly where ur coming from with the bills. And now the news keeps preparing us for more petrol price hikes :eek::eek:

TTFN 4now guys xx