Jumping aboard!

thriftylynny

Mmm frugalism, know the feeling, i had my car serviced yesterday (last one was 4yrs ago!) as a treat for it cos it passed mot? So that was £80 & its thrown up that something to do with the brakes needs doing so somehow i need to find £100 for that also, bloomin' cars :mad: All i need now is massive gas bill which i am seriously expecting :eek: Very little for this mths op pot methinks! I really dont like the winter & its getting to me at the moment & looks like we'll be struggling to get to work next few days, hate it since im expected to walk in if i cant drive & its a flamin' looong hike & im not that fit?!! Oh well cross that bridge when it happens. Hope your days a bit better today DS

downsizer3

Have you got lots of snow then? Cold here ( so heating seems permanently running gulp!) but no sign of snow yet.
Had to walk a lot last year - tiring but it saves a gym membership..............
Been to Asda - meant to spend about £20 - bill was £63!!! :eek: Yes i had a few things for the freezer but not even any booze. Horrors.
Wanted to get more paint today too - amazing how you can spend a lot on nothing really.
I try not to let budget living get me down but its a real struggle. Have to go look at a spreadsheet again........;)

thriftylynny

Hi DS,hope your managing ok up there this wknd? Well no had no snow on friday, but it's certainly here now & deep too:mad: My house is on a fairly steep road so it is impossible to even get car off driveway today, sooo looks like a very early start tmrw morn & try my luck catching bus into town then long walk other end to work No point even trying to move car it'd just get stuck, with me looking a total idiot as happened last yr when no-one came to my rescue ! My very miserable & nosy retired neighbours, outside clearing their little paths, all miraculously disappeared indoors soon as they saw me struggling & skidding all over the place, so im not putting myself thru that scenario this time!!

Just done a gas reading(last one 21/10/11) & its come up as £370 i owe for 3 mths use :eek: surely that can't be right can it?? This is a tiny house & i am sorta watchfull of my useage, or perhaps i've just lost count of how much it all costs now , so as i only pay £46 p/m dd gas,it looks like ill be needing to find an extra £200 from somewhere, maybe off my apple tree ?!!! Fed up now so i'm off to the fridge to get the top off that half bottle of Zinfandel :j

downsizer3

Ouch. Sadly that sounds about right for the winter I'm afraid. I pay £85pm gas and £23 elec - and over winter months the gas isn't enough so maybe thats about right.
I can't work out my readings and what that means in money terms - if its 3p ish per unit from the meter I'm in trouble as I'm using about 220 in numerical terms a month - no idea what that is in money. I'll maybe give them a call as if its loads I'm up the creek.
Chimney quotes coming in over £10k. My 1/4 share is bad enough - especially if they need me to pay then get insurance back? I just can't do it!
Fed up today - skint again and feeling like I'm getting nowhere fast. I am sloooooooooowly paying off debts I know but ist so long and I'm just fed up.At least next month will see the card under £500 and tax credit OPs under £2k but still - its a hard slog. Fed up thinking about money all the time.
It'll be worth it one day won't it?

Blinking bank - you log on to watch your card going down (with astronomical credit should you feel like using it - NO WAY!) and up pops a loan offer!! These banks - won't they ever learn? Maybe its because they see me paying off my card regularly? Unbelievable :mad:
Sorry - rant over!

ally18

downsizer3 wrote: »

Fed up today - skint again and feeling like I'm getting nowhere fast. I am sloooooooooowly paying off debts I know but ist so long and I'm just fed up. Fed up thinking about money all the time.
It'll be worth it one day won't it?

Sorry - rant over!

Hi downsizer,

Just wanted to say, keep your chin up. You aren't alone, everyone has down days and you sometimes think about is it all worth it because all you seem to do is constantly think about money but you are doing so well. Just think, when your chimney is sorted, that will be safe for how many years and shouldn't need doing again so that is a plus point in making your home better and safer for you and your child. You will have paid off the ctc op by the end of the year so that will be done and dusted and fingers crossed, won't happen again. These things are sent to try us and unfortunately you have just had a little more than your fair share all at once.

Keep going and keep smiling and keep posting. I read all your posts but just don't reply much as I haven't anything worthwhile to say but you are doing brilliantly.

downsizer3

Aw! Thanks so much Ally - nice to know you're out there!
Yes - just a down day and it'll be all worth it in the end........even my spreadsheets aren't doing it today - Monday blues eh?

ally18

Monday blues right through to Friday woes is usually mine.

thriftylynny

Gas bill's right,worried about it all sunday & rang them yesterday:( Cannot believe how much cost of living has gone up ? God how bad is it that i have to think about taking one of my own xmas preesies back (which have receipt for) to get a refund in order to put towards a bloomin' gas bill !! Think we're all a bit down at the moment don't you its that time of year, but its great we can support each other on here & i agree with Ally that you are managing fantastic just look at your figures, in the short time you've been there they are going down You need another one of your little projects to keep you going DS!! :A

downsizer3

Aw thanks girls. Yes - its this time of year isn't it? Pretty gloomy and extra hard going when there are no funds to pep you up.
Bad news about the bill Thrifty - I know what you mean though. My hoover is goosed - thats about £150 - £200 for a new one - so its down on my hands and knees with a wee brush till next month!! Even then I don't have that sort of money to spend - not if I want my weekend bottle of PG and um, food........:eek:
Keep telling myself it'll be better when the cards paid off and I can start to tackle the emergency fund but with the way things are going I need the emergency fund now! Urgh.
I was looking back at this time last year in my monthly outgoings book ( sad I know) but then I was getting tax credits as DD was at nursery - get nowt now so thats a big dent in my income and childcare has gone up, paying off debts - and and and......wahhhhh!
Hey ho - by May it'll feel better won't it? Pleeeeeeease?:(

thriftylynny

Just eaten last nights' leftover spag bol with 2x woollies on,damn heating on low & no wine left either !! Ex is a week overdue on maint & lately has been gettin a bit moody about handing it over,soon as our son finishes education in june suppose he'll stop it all, i really depend on that £40 p/w & have only pence in my purse today. Also petrified that although my wage is pretty low, im full time hrs now & may be getting op'd on the tax credits & like you will end up having to pay some back , i never do understand the info/figures they give you over phone
On the hoover thingy i went to a local mkt recently & noticed reconditioned dysons for £49 with guarantees & also freecycle might be worth a try just to tide you over, but you can prob hang on for a while until theres more news on the chimney front eh? Roll on maytime i'm certain it WILL get better & please don't go giving up ok?