The Ultimate Incentive Threadies go all out!

Tete_en_l'Air

Dinah if you've read this already I've only just finished editing it! No wonder I don't responds to SOAs more often, they're hard!

Cinny91

Dinah93 wrote: »

I bit the frog and did the thing I was most dreading this weekend - my SOA for Cinny as she's going to tear it apart!

Am I really that bad?!

Dinah93 wrote: »

Monthly Expense Details[/b]
Telephone (land line)................... 18
TV Licence.............................. 29 Just being nosy, but I didn't think you had a telly?? Where did I get that idea from?!
Internet Services....................... 19
Joint account fee....................... 13
Stroke Association...................... 5
Altzheimers Society..................... 5
Cancer Research......................... 5

Other than the TV Licence which you can't change, I was just curious These are the areas I'd hit. That's if you're not tied in with contracts anyways - if you could double up your calls and internet to the same provider you'll be able to save a good amount. My Mum has just switched to TalkTalk for phone (evening and weekends) and internet (unlimited) for £7.50 a month. And I'm 99% sure I saw them doing a promo of £3.75 for the first 3 months or something!

And I know it's hard to cut out charity giving, even more so when it's a charity close to your heart. But charity begins at home, and that £15pm could be put in a savings account - towards The Challenge, car tax, car bills or bank charges. I'd also budget the £124.50 just so it doesn't get eaten up. I'd go £50 towards the bank charges so you're covered and put the rest into an emergency fund - something that can be used to cover all the things you mentioned you don't budget for.

Errmmm, also maybe cut the £20 a week you both spend on going out separately? I'm sure your Mum would understand money is tight, and you could meet up at home for coffee and nicely baked things. That's what me and my Mum do anyways Even more so now Tour de France is on as I couldn't physically drag her from the telly! And I'm not sure how NIM's football works so can't really comment there. I know £10 each a week doesn't seem like much to some people and I don't mean to sound a like a condescending b*tch, but all totted up it's £80 that you just can't afford. It could be spent on a day out, a couple new dvd's for a night in (or if you sign up to lovefilm with Birdie's trial they have thousands you can watch online too), or few meals out if it is £80 out of budget you can still easily find/make?

And my last little nugget would be to make the £150 work for your groceries. Take it out at the start of the month, keep it in one place and that's what you've got. Like I've said before (well, I think!) if you want any ideas for cheap meals I can send you some extra recipes. So far this month we've spent £40 on food, and that's with a few £1 bottles of Dettol chucked in. Oh, and it also funded a few family meals. And I'd guess we'll roughly spend the same again on the next half. OH is sick of eating corn though, it's in season now so the Supermarkets have it really cheap, like 50% off. I just luuuurve it But all I mean it, it's not totally far fetched to just have the £150. I know if you thought of it like a challenge, you'd be able to do it. Just like you always do!

Dinah93

Originally Posted by Dinah93


I'd have pm-d Cinny it if I didn't welcome everyones thoughts, so comment away.

Other income............................ 0 What about MS/ebay etc? Where is this and where does it go? I don't budget it as it always seems to get lost covering unexpected big costs This should be what is clearing our debt.
Telephone (land line)................... 18 - Why do you have this if you both have mobiles? We needed it to get the internet, but the main reason is it gives us free calls to Ireland on a weekend, which saves us about £80 a month it was costing us to do those 'dial so and so before dialing the real number' things off the mobile.
Mobile phone............................ 43 - presumably at this price you get plenty of mins/text so don't need the above? Surely either this or above can be cut? This is for 2 mobiles, NIM uses his to be able to get MS jobs while at work, I use mine for the business so need to be contactable at any time not just on the evenings.
TV Licence.............................. 29 - Shouldn't this be like £12.50? TV licence is not over £300 p/a. Anyway I thought you didn't have a TV?? It's £29 for the first 6 months, then it drops. Basically you have to pay in advance apparently. We're 2 months from it dropping. We do own a tv, it's just covered by a dust sheet. Given we don't use it at all at the moment I have considered stopping this, but it feels a bit like giving up on ever having a finished lounge!
Internet Services....................... 19
Groceries etc. ......................... 150 - from what you say on the thread you spend a lot more than this in reality - this is where Cinny will come in! Also meal planning etc. Could you even go veggie five days a week and have meat as a treat? Or have beans on toast/soup for tea several nights a week at least for a month to give yourself a bit extra towards building up a car emergency account? I'm really, really trying to cut back! We actually allocate £100, but from tracking our spends the last 2 weeks I think its closer to £150-£200. We have started meal planning but you're definately right, this is an area we need to address and cut back on and certainly not be thinking that every meal must contain meat.
Clothing................................ 0
Petrol/diesel........................... 400 - yikes! You have a big car though don't you? Are you still doing a round trip to NIMs work then yours? I don't know what you can do about this in all honesty - you need the car for work (?) and don't think there are direct trains/buses for NIM... petrolprices.com for cheapest petrol in the area is all I can suggest. Aye it is a big car, and again I've considered selling it, but I got it through a car loan from work scheme, which they no longer opperate, so we'd need to find the money to save to be able to buy the new car. And it was a lifesaver in winter, got me to work several days when other people in normal cars didn't manage it. Best part is I didn't get stuck on the icy roads while doing site vists this year and have to get a stranger to drive my car backwards at 50mph up a blind hill!!! Wish I could have a winter and a summer car.
Road tax................................ 0 - yeah you need to put money aside each month for things like this so it doesn't put you off-kilter with your budgets when it comes around The idea of us stopping was we would be better paying it off the debt... but it ended up going to pay for the car instead.
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0 - as above
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 10.4 - if this is prescriptions is it worth getting one of those annual prescriptions? Don't know much about them I'm afraid! This is an annual pre payment prescription card. Which I'm actually stopping when its due in September as I don't take the many tablets I got it for anymore.
Holiday................................. 0 - Aren't you going on like four holidays this year? Where is this coming from? Tesco paid for New York (mostly), we're in a bit of a quantry as we need to find the money for france (as previously explained I wouldn't have taken this holiday if it hadn't been so important to my grandad as I know full well we can't afford it!). NIMs dad paid for Ireland - We came back with more money than we went with!
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Joint account fee....................... 13 - What's this? Pays for our breakdown cover, health insurance, but most importantly means we don't pay a fee to cash euro cheques or transactions, which tend to be one or two of around £200-£300 a month.
Medicash healthcare cashback............ 39 Ditto what's this? Can you afford this at the moment? If it's some kind of medical insurance, how come you still have to pay out a tenner a month above? This is basically cover for dental and optical - I get £500 each per year. My contacts cost £436 on their own, so with an eye test and hopefully the new pair of specs I've needed for 4 years I'll claim the full £500 on that (averaging at £41 a month if I saved). Dental checkup x2 = £70ish. Fillings which I always need are another £100 each (and the brush more often !!!!es me off too, I ALWAYS brush twice a day, quite often 3 times a day, I floss, I have an electric toothbrush that times 2 mins, unfortunately I also like to eat fruit (which I always chew gum after as advised by my dentist). Basically what I'm saying is this is kind of a way for me to save for these costs, even if I need no fillings it saves me money, and if I were to need surgery again, or a hospital stay or had a baby it would give large lump sums. We don't have it for NIM as it doesn't add up as he doesn't have regular eye costs.
Stroke Association...................... 5
Altzheimers Society..................... 5
Cancer Research......................... 5 - I think you should stop these for now. You're going to be so stressed with mopney you'll have a stroke yourself! I find them calming actually! Little bit of do-good in my life! Plus these are the 3 who have helped my nana and grandma before they went - if I had more money I'd have another 2 or 3 charities on this list!
Unison.................................. 18 - I'm seriously starting to wonder why I pay into this myself TBH. They fight for payrises (albeint tiny ones at the mo) and the whole staff gets the benefit, even the ones who don't pay the fee. But as soon as you stop paying you can guarantee you'll need them! Aye thats my worry, and you can't get their help for 3 months after joining. I don't know on this one tbh.
Boiler/plumbing/leccy cover............. 27 - Doesn't this come under insurance? I don't know much about insurance I'm afraid. Do you really need it? Its not covered on the house insurance. Its a lot I know, but I just think that last winter we couldn't have afforded to get a plumber when the boiler went off if we hadn't had this so maybe its worth it? I don't know on thie one either. Maybe stop and start again in winter.


I've never ever understood all your medical covers - you explain them as though you think you're getting a great deal but I don't get what you get for it. We have an NHS (for now anyway) - which you seem to have to use anyway - look how long it took to get your knee sorted. Don't you have some sort of cental cover as well or is it the same thing? I put aside £10 a month for dental over the year - that's in case I need a filling each time I go (you should have seen the slating I got for that when I was asking about budgetting for one a few weeks ago - "Brush your teeth more!" Cheeky sods! I'm totally doing what a good MSE should and budgetting for a more expensive scenario rather than need a filling and have no money to pay for it. Anyway that's a seperate gripe) Maybe I'm understanding it wrong and you can explain why paying for all the cover is cheaper for you and paying as you go? Replied above, but no, this is a cashback plan, not private medical insurance. Btw my knee was done privately - but paid for by the nhs - as there was a 2 year wait for their surgeons!

Ditto the boiler insurance - are you not better off putting that £30 a month towards debts? At least until they're repaid?

I don't remember seeing your contact lenses above. Medicash back plan

You need to stop the charities for now - £15 a month is a good bit of food for you. If you feel guilty why not promise yourself that your first debt free month, you'll start up the DDs again and make a one-off payment to each of the amount you missed while you were paying off debt - this can come from the money that would normally be going off debts so you wouldn't miss it, just means your debts will come down quicker and you'll pay less interest. Giving blood is a brilliant free way of being charitable. www.blood.co.uk Not allowed. I had ME badly in my late teens/early twenties and still get some symptoms, but if you've ever been diagnosed with ME you're inelligable to give blood.

If I were you, with payday coming up I'd be tempted to do the absolute minimum payments to the debts this month - to get out of the cycle of paying off debt on the first but putting things back on the cards by the 25th if you see what I mean. We do only make minimum payments mostly - but I see what you're saying - put the extra income earners into a seperate pot and if we go over the OD put some in there to stop getting these fees which are a waste of money.

Have a really really frugal month - no alcohol, no going out, eat super noodles and beans on toast, just to try not tp have to spend on the cards by the end of the month. (But you're going on holiday aren't you I think?) Frugal this month is a bit hard - we'll be in France We don't buy booze anyway (we have a few bottles of wine left from a load I bought for our engagement party though!), only go out for MS meals, but yeah that would be fantastic to have money left in the account at the end of the month. I have such sad dreams!

When is your car tax/MOT due? - I'd be tempted to put aside a lump sum to cover these if they're imminent and then you have peace of mind about that. Then work out how much the car costs in MOT/tax/insurance and divide it by 12 and start piggybanking it from next month. Tax is due in 11 months so now would be the time to start saving, on the other hand I'd like to be debt free in 11 months... decisions decisions! MOT is due in November as is insurance.

It's not too late to start spreading the cost of Christmas - even £30 a month gives you £180 by December. Very true and very wise.

There, hope some if it makes sense. I don't think I'm an expert by any means and I'm sure none of this is new to you. Hope I haven't come across as harsh, just being businesslike!
Nah it's all stuff my rational brain knows, but I tend to avoid!

You didn't comment on my car insurance, which I'm suprised at tbh. I actually had the thought the other day that it might drop if we stick dad on it, so I'm going to see what happens if I try to alter the policy. Need to call them anyway to change it from 3rd party to fully comp while in France (extra £30)

I need lots of paperwork for some of these things, which means battling the second study. Will you lot be my cheerleaders if I do it this weekend - I'll post a photo if you like - show you why I need moral suport (and possibly a guide rope)

Cinny91

Reading Tete's post she makes good points on the insurance ect. I meant to say, in Unison the Union? I'd stop paying into that, all I really get from them is they like to strike and make a fuss

I meant to ask with the bank account are there any perks. I most definitely wouldn't change that! OH pays £10 a month is gets all sorts of little bits which make it more than worth while.

As for making meat a treat (poet!) you don't really have to. I buy a £1 pack of 8 sausages. Cook 3 up for toad in the hole, or just to have with veggies (2 for OH, 1 for me) 3 split the same goes into a fry up one morning which means we just have sandwiches for tea that night and then the left over 2 tend to get cooked with the fry up, then left in the fridge to chop up into carbonara the next night. I always mention it but I buy the 1kg pack of mince from Aldi for £2.41, and can make 3 pushing 4 meals from that. My Grandparents say my planning and cooking reminds them of how their parents used to do it in the war so I suppose there's quite a lot of frugality in my little ways! But £3.41 a week and you can pretty much have meat every meal.

I forgot to say earlier, I'm not a Potter head (I think I've only watched 3 of the movies properly!) but this video is going around Tumblr. I thought Birdie might appreciate it! But turn the sound down!

Dinah93

Cinny91 wrote: »

Am I really that bad?!




Other than the TV Licence which you can't change, I was just curious These are the areas I'd hit. That's if you're not tied in with contracts anyways - if you could double up your calls and internet to the same provider you'll be able to save a good amount. My Mum has just switched to TalkTalk for phone (evening and weekends) and internet (unlimited) for £7.50 a month. And I'm 99% sure I saw them doing a promo of £3.75 for the first 3 months or something!

Definately need to change the broadband when it's up at the end of August, it was the cheapest one going when we signed up last year as NIM was an O2 customer, but now he's not its sky rocketted. As explained above, Post office works best for our home phone for slightly more up front.

And I know it's hard to cut out charity giving, even more so when it's a charity close to your heart. But charity begins at home, and that £15pm could be put in a savings account - towards The Challenge, car tax, car bills or bank charges. I'd also budget the £124.50 just so it doesn't get eaten up. I'd go £50 towards the bank charges so you're covered and put the rest into an emergency fund - something that can be used to cover all the things you mentioned you don't budget for.

I was kind of inspired by you. You earn a lot less than me but give so much.

Errmmm, also maybe cut the £20 a week you both spend on going out separately? I'm sure your Mum would understand money is tight, and you could meet up at home for coffee and nicely baked things. That's what me and my Mum do anyways Even more so now Tour de France is on as I couldn't physically drag her from the telly! And I'm not sure how NIM's football works so can't really comment there. I know £10 each a week doesn't seem like much to some people and I don't mean to sound a like a condescending b*tch, but all totted up it's £80 that you just can't afford. It could be spent on a day out, a couple new dvd's for a night in (or if you sign up to lovefilm with Birdie's trial they have thousands you can watch online too), or few meals out if it is £80 out of budget you can still easily find/make?

Mum does understand money is tight, hence buying me lots of clothes last week as she said I had to throw out things with holes in in their place! Usually we go to a national trust place (both members) and she buys the tea and cakes, I just feel bad that I'm always leaning on her. The football is the only time NIM has social contact outside of me, my family and the 9-5, so I'd not like to cut that, I think it's important he makes contact with new people over here. I think the playing football is about £3, it's the pub after that costs us! We watch films and episodes online for free anyway (which makes the tv licence even more pointless).

And my last little nugget would be to make the £150 work for your groceries. Take it out at the start of the month, keep it in one place and that's what you've got. Like I've said before (well, I think!) if you want any ideas for cheap meals I can send you some extra recipes. So far this month we've spent £40 on food, and that's with a few £1 bottles of Dettol chucked in. Oh, and it also funded a few family meals. And I'd guess we'll roughly spend the same again on the next half. OH is sick of eating corn though, it's in season now so the Supermarkets have it really cheap, like 50% off. I just luuuurve it But all I mean it, it's not totally far fetched to just have the £150. I know if you thought of it like a challenge, you'd be able to do it. Just like you always do!

You're right. We only buy instore not online, so I will carry the cash and hopefully be more aware of what I spend and when we're running out. That will be the plan from next month.

Already acted on the advice given - tv licence is now cancelled - and we're getting a £48.55 refund.

Tete_en_l'Air

As I thought there are reasons behind all my queries - I knew there would be because you've been on here long enough - you're not stupid.

I didn't comment on the car insurance because yeah it's a lot and it would be cheaper if you paid in a lump sum, but it's a big car, you do a lot of mileage and NIM is on there being all male and under 25 so I don't know how much it should be really. Mine's expensive enough in a little 10 year old 1 litre at 10000 miles a year.

Your contact lenses are £400-odd per year?? How? Mine are £240 and I thought that was bad. But I get Boots points and half price eye tests etc.

I suppose you have to weigh up cancelling things like charities and boiler cover til you're debt free - if they give you peace of mind and you can handle the debt for an extra month or two then keep them on.

It's hard, I know that drowning-not-waving feeling where you feel like there are so many costs all at once and you don't know where the money's coming from. With the car, maybe leave the tax if you expect to be DF by then, but start putting a little something aside for the MOT - then if it passes, you have something to go on the debt or Xmas presents.

Are you able to take a mortgage break for one month even, just to get you on track a bit? Might be worth posting the SOA seperately on the DFW board and get others' advice?

Make NIM give blood

EDIT - I think the football is worth it, and cheaper than the gym too

Well done on cancelling the TV licence, maybe put the telly in the shed or something though if it won't get wet. I seem to think they say you need a licence if you watch online, but don't know how they prove it...?

Dinah93

Cinny91 wrote: »

Reading Tete's post she makes good points on the insurance ect. I meant to say, in Unison the Union? I'd stop paying into that, all I really get from them is they like to strike and make a fuss

I meant to ask with the bank account are there any perks. I most definitely wouldn't change that! OH pays £10 a month is gets all sorts of little bits which make it more than worth while.

As for making meat a treat (poet!) you don't really have to. I buy a £1 pack of 8 sausages. Cook 3 up for toad in the hole, or just to have with veggies (2 for OH, 1 for me) 3 split the same goes into a fry up one morning which means we just have sandwiches for tea that night and then the left over 2 tend to get cooked with the fry up, then left in the fridge to chop up into carbonara the next night. I always mention it but I buy the 1kg pack of mince from Aldi for £2.41, and can make 3 pushing 4 meals from that. My Grandparents say my planning and cooking reminds them of how their parents used to do it in the war so I suppose there's quite a lot of frugality in my little ways! But £3.41 a week and you can pretty much have meat every meal.

I forgot to say earlier, I'm not a Potter head (I think I've only watched 3 of the movies properly!) but this video is going around Tumblr. I thought Birdie might appreciate it! But turn the sound down!

I made toad in the hole last night - complete and utter failure! Lots of mince in the freezer atm to use in August.

I'm going to stay with unison for the moment, as there is a possibility they're going to try to move my job to a section I don't want to go to, and if I can fight it I will!

Saw this and this for you too last night Birdie.

Dinah93

Tete_en_l'Air wrote: »

Your contact lenses are £400-odd per year?? How? Mine are £240 and I thought that was bad. But I get Boots points and half price eye tests etc.

I have to use daily disposables - I'm allergic to sollution :mad: If yours are dailys though I'll be going to Boots!

I suppose you have to weigh up cancelling things like charities and boiler cover til you're debt free - if they give you peace of mind and you can handle the debt for an extra month or two then keep them on.

It's hard, I know that drowning-not-waving feeling where you feel like there are so many costs all at once and you don't know where the money's coming from. With the car, maybe leave the tax if you expect to be DF by then, but start putting a little something aside for the MOT - then if it passes, you have something to go on the debt or Xmas presents.

You're right, as always.

Are you able to take a mortgage break for one month even, just to get you on track a bit? Might be worth posting the SOA seperately on the DFW board and get others' advice?

Oooh they're scary out there. They'll have me in glasses and using a bit of string and the toe-bar off the car if I get a toothache. Although they'll have sold the car and have me on the train and the bus to work, even though it takes over 2 1/2 hours each way and it says in my job contract I have to have a car.

Make NIM give blood I've tried!

EDIT - I think the football is worth it, and cheaper than the gym too

Well done on cancelling the TV licence, maybe put the telly in the shed or something though if it won't get wet. I seem to think they say you need a licence if you watch online, but don't know how they prove it...?

Nope, only if you watch tv online as its broadcast on the telly, we asked and we're fine. I've made a declaration saying we watch online but not the box. If I sold a few bits of furnitue out the attic we could put it up there, but NIM is always too injured to get it out (usually by the attic itself!)

N.I.M

Hi guys, just a point on the car before I finish reading the rest of it. D has to go out on site in winter, and to those of you who don't know driving in east cleveland in winter is dangerous. I would rather spend the rest of my life in debt than worry that my wife is not going to come home to me cause we were frugal and bought her an aygo to go on site in in winter. Even the smaller 4x4s arent as safe, the short wheel based ones flip at the drop of a hat, a family friend is permanently disabled from taking a corner a bit too sharp in a short wheel based 4x4.

Now call me what ever you like but if its a case of stay in debt or become a widower I'm staying in debt.

N.I.M

Cinny, how much do you think it should coust, roughly to do homemade fish and chips? I've come up with a recepie I think is good value as it does both of us for £2 (so a quid a head) but I dunno if I'm being extravigant with it.