My SOA after 6 months ish here

notes

Grateful for comments on below. i have come far, and maybe i could come further ? You lot really helped me when i began to get soa in order last time, but maybe i can do better ?

This is also so i can see on screen my incomings / outgoings in black and white.

I no longer buy breakfast and lunch in the week, and make myself. No more newspapers and magazines. No wasting money in pub. No longer waste my gym money. Dont waste money and buy useless items. Wash my own car. No more home maintenance "just for the sake of it" or "cosmetic" stuff - if it works ill keep it. Bike maintenance myself (couldnt be bothered before).

British Telecom 15
Black horse bike finance 121 (bike instead of train ticket to work)
Sky Television 9 (now half price 6 months)
Flat service charge 20
Water 20
Electric 20 (changed supplier and also got 18 for switching)
Mortgage and insurance's 450
AOL Broadband 15
Gym - NOW CANCELLED
TV Licence 11
Critical Illness cover 11
Council Tax 56
BA Amex 120 (4.9% LOB)
Fuel work 100
Food Shopping 80
Work lunches 25
Mobile Phone 20
Haircut NIL - do it myself
Bike maintenance 20
Car maintenance 15


Note that car is paid for and is very reliable (touch wood) and very low mileage. If i sell it i may get 2000 but when i buy another car it would cost me more and i would lose out big time. I also do need a car for winter (if icy). Now its paid for, car costs very little to run and insure so may as well keep.
Bike is for work and saves me money on train fare.

Yearly costs:-
Car Tax 100
Bike Tax 50
Car insurance 260
Bike insurance 250

so monthly cost for all this yearly stuff is = 55. However, not currently added to above SOA yet as have virtually paid all this for another year.


TOTAL OUTGOING 1128

TOTAL incoming 1700

Approx left 572 (:T makes a change !) but reckon ive probably missed a few things!

Does not cover xmas and birthday presents as usually get xmas bonus which should cover it.


Looking at all this it shows ive come a long way in 6 months!:T Now have a lot left if im careful and well on my way to dfd.
BUT still a long way to go. Why is it the first 2 thousand are the easiest to get rid of ? then it gets harder.

Phew !:o

Debts are Amex as per signature. 4.9%
Not included in signature is bike loan of 120 month. I havent included this as this is really instead of season ticket for train so i dont look it as a debt. More of a hire vehicle whereby i pay 120 a month. i.e. When bike is paid off it will be so old that i will need a new one. If i stop working i will sell it.

Keith

Can't help you save but you can help me.

I'm the same using a motorbike to save on season ticket, how difficult is the 4000 mile services? I've always used a dealership but let them slip to 6000 miles. I should stick to them really!

roswell

Only suggestion is you have Mortgage and insurances .... does this mean you pmake one payment for both .. if so investigate the insurances as stand alone products they are normaly a lot cheaper when not from your mortgage company.

dawn2dusk

Well done Notes, the only thing i can suggest is do you need the critical illness cover. Also have you signed up for Quidco, Pigsback and mystery shopping ? See if you have anything to sell on Ebay or Amazon. :T

lynzpower

notes
how many is that food for?

if its just for one, there 80+25 there adn thats what we normally spend on 2, so theres a little leverage to bring it down more. but it does take sheer effort and its certainly not always easy.

getting rid of sky & getting a digibox is a saving too.

other than that i cant see anything else!


WELL DONE :T

hypno06

Pretty good so far, my only thoughts are..

Even though the car/bike costs are covered this year, keep them in your monthly budget so that you do not "forget" them when they come up next year. By reminding yourself each month that you need to account £55 a month for them, you will not get caught out.

Don't rely on the Christmas bonus for pressies - put a monthly allowance by for them just in case. Although you may be pretty sure you will get cash from work to cover Christmas, what would happen if they didn't pay it one year? By putting away an equivalent amount, you will, in effect, get double bonus if you don't need it at Christmas!

Hope the above makes sense and is of some help!!

Prudent

What AOL package are you on? If its silver, you can get this for £9.99 per month by threatening to leave. That's a saving of £60 per year.

nickyhutch

Why don't you just use the car for work and get rid of the bike?

notes

cheers all.

will look into mortgage repayments insurance asap. think im paying about 45 quid come to think of it

cant use car for work as have 30 mile commute to LONDON where i park for free and no congestion charge either.

Keith - if your doing a lot of milege well worth doing at least oil change at 4000 miles yourself and leave the rest to the dealers. Or get a yamaha (6000 miles service ).

food is for one but i have a theory and reckon you can almost feed two people for the cost of one . (Anyone want a free dinner at mine - im paying as long as you cook

AOL is 15 / silver package. BUT i phoned up 6 months ago to cancel and they reduced to 15 from 18 and gave me free router which i sold on ebay for 60 quid. True DFW ?

Suppose ill just sit back for another 6 months / 1 year and then hopefully ill then be a mortgage Free Wannabbee