Risen from the ashes ...

rising_from_the_ashes

Ohhhhh my - another week seems to have flown by already!:eek:

On the 2nd load of washing - another to do!:D Gotta take advantage of all this beautiful sun!:j

Money side .... well cc bill arrived & nearly had heart failure when I looked at it :eek: - spoke to the bank and they have now refunded all the fraudulent transactions on it :T so it's a much more reasonable amount to pay!:D

Going to be an expensive couple of weeks tho - house insurance paid for the year (but missed this month's cut off date so won't have to pay until June:j) and Maisie is being spayed this week :eek: (really going to miss her as she's staying with DM for the next fortnight - thought it was better that someone was with her all the time while she's got her stitches in)

Anyway, time for Weekly pots update

Pets £241.86 Spent £119.20 :eek: = £122.66:eek:
Car & House £489.55 Spent £228 (house ins) = £261.55 *
Others £115.27
Savings £89.71

* Actually finding the multi-pots pretty good & (touch wood) seem to be getting the hang of them :j - although the house ins pot is now -£52:eek: (will be down to -£27 on payday) as the rest of the car / house pots are lumped in the same big pot, there's leeway to do this (nothing due on car until insurance in Dec) so plenty of time to balance things out IYKWIM:T

Suffolk_lass

Hi Rising,
Well done for sorting out the fraudulent transactions so quickly - it must have felt like a massive overpayment getting them all removed!

I love reading your DFD - you are so practical and prepared for what will happen.

I have a monthly payments sheet that also includes the periodic (annual, quarterly) things and I allow an average for these. I'm wondering what I've overlooked as I have an unexpected little surplus this month. I need to accumulate a bit of spare as DS is going to Uni in October and we will pay his rent and top up his loan - probably the last few weeks of every term! :eek:

It's a beautiful day here and I have three loads of washing blowing themselves dry. I must pot on the tomatoes, aubergines, cucumbers and chillis today - they need too much attention when they are in small pots. I'm going to put most outside in sheltered spots but cucumbers will have to stay in. The onions, potatoes, runner beans and fruit are all coming on and I have an old sink half filled with rubble and then 2 grow bags sprinkled on and I've got radishes and salad leaves crammed in there. I'm hoping to be veg self-sufficient in about a month! - That should help with the GC.

Speaking of which there are loads of new people and it is rampaging like it did in January but lots of the old crew are less frequent visitors. I haven't been doing it long enough to know if that's normal but I miss the experienced posters like you and Spiggle who are busy on other things and are less frequent visitors. I've blown my target this month (it's the smug complacency I recognise in me - exactly like dieting!). Oh well..
Have a good week and I hope Maisie's op goes well

All the best
SL

rising_from_the_ashes

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

I love reading your DFD - you are so practical and prepared for what will happen.

Awwwww I'm still learning believe me! This really is my 1st year of proper budgeting - my budget is quite tight so really need to keep track as I'm absolutely determined not to get back into debt again.

Spreadsheets seem to be working well now - I've got the SoW where each individual spend is recorded and then ones for the pots which have a totals page at the front (below)



NOTE: slightly out of date as I've just transferred £45 cash to cover the mini-hoover I've just bought - Maisie is terrified of the hoover but isn't so bad with DMs mini-hand Dyson but as I've not got £220:eek: to buy one I thought I'd give this one a go - anyway, took the £10 off for the new kettle I got at Mr T this morning and then realised this doesn't come off until next month's cc bill arrives:o). Pot balance now at 216.55


As well as an individual page for each pot which shows payments in / out but not each individual spend (felt this was a bit of duplication as they're recorded on the SoW and I only pay into the pots on payday and only take money out when it's time to pay the cc bill - unless it's a cash payment which I do transfer at the time - does that make any sense:rotfl:)

rising_from_the_ashes

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

That should help with the GC.

Speaking of which there are loads of new people and it is rampaging like it did in January but lots of the old crew are less frequent visitors. I haven't been doing it long enough to know if that's normal but I miss the experienced posters like you and Spiggle who are busy on other things and are less frequent visitors. I've blown my target this month (it's the smug complacency I recognise in me - exactly like dieting!). Oh well..
Have a good week and I hope Maisie's op goes well

Ohhhhh wow to all those veg :T - I did some peas & runner beans (as well as spinnach, lettuce, radishes etc) last year but they're still in DM's greenhouse this year as it's been so bloomin' cold overnight. Must try to get them home & planted up ... going to do way more peas this year as they're fab (not many made it into the kitchen:rotfl:)

I've not managed to keep up with the GC at all this month:o - wasn't able to get online much when Maisie 1st arrived & everytime I tried to catch up (and was only a couple of days each time) there was another 10 pages to read :eek: - I did wonder if there were loads of new people!

:eek: to DS going to Uni - my neighbours have 3 teenagers (1 in Yr 2 of Uni, 1 starting Uni this Sept and the other has another couple of years to go at HS) .... very expensive time for them I'm sure!:eek:

rising_from_the_ashes

Now ..... must go & watch the F1 - Monaco's my favourite circuit!

Suffolk_lass

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Ohhhhh wow to all those veg :T - I did some peas & runner beans (as well as spinnach, lettuce, radishes etc) last year but they're still in DM's greenhouse this year as it's been so bloomin' cold overnight. Must try to get them home & planted up ... going to do way more peas this year as they're fab (not many made it into the kitchen:rotfl:)

I love homegrown peas but at the moment we haven't got all the veg beds in - we are going to put another 5 sleeper height raised beds in for next year (we have 2x2 at the moment so thiis will take it to 3x3) - I'll definitely be growning peas then!

I'm saving for the materials to do that and replace a couple of hedges - the laurel is out (greedy rampant thing) and the runner beans are in there while the ground settles back down and we have a privet that we keep killing bits of by cutting it too low so that is coming out and a mixed green and copper beech going into both places. I've got so much I want to do with the garden still...

DS has told us his prediced grades and he has lifted them by two this year so on for the equivalent of ABB at A Level - we are so proud the expense has paled by comparison (almost).

Lovely day again - hope your weather is good!
All the best
SL

rising_from_the_ashes

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

I love homegrown peas but at the moment we haven't got all the veg beds in - we are going to put another 5 sleeper height raised beds in for next year (we have 2x2 at the moment so thiis will take it to 3x3) - I'll definitely be growning peas then!

Ohhhh the peas are the best!:D

Just brought my big planter (was a lid off something I found at my old house & have drilled holes in it - perfect!:D - home today.

I have to store it it DMs shed over the winter as I don't have one ..... yet! (working on it with the coin jars!)

14 peas about 12" long and a packet of seeds to start some more off! Yum!:j

It's very quiet here - left Maisie with DM & DF as she has her op on Tuesday (bit worried as with all GAs there's always a risk) - cats are happy tho':p have been in / out the lounge / back door since I got home;)

Just cut the grass & I can't believe how much it's grown - it was only cut last Sun & the lawn mower really struggled to get through the length:eek:

A huge "well done" to DS .... you & OH must be so proud!:T

Suffolk_lass

Hi Rising,
Yes we are very proud - it's his second time round as he succumbed to my will and did very badly at A levels first time round (it was a real lesson to me) but to be honest, he would have frittered if he had taken the music course instead of A levels as he was just too immature. At least this way he himself has concluded he has to work
Have a good week
SL

rising_from_the_ashes

Sorry folks .... another SOA - having a bit of a panic moment as things just seem to be getting ever tighter & tighter

Probably just feeling a bit *wobbly* as my entire savings have been wiped out with one thing and another over the past few months :eek:

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Total monthly income.................... 1334

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 276
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 0
[STRIKE] Management charge (leasehold property)[/STRIKE] Estate maintenance charge.. 11
Council tax............................. 94
Electricity............................. 34
Gas..................................... 30
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 0
Telephone (land line)................... 12.5
Mobile phone............................ 21 cashback brings this down to £8.50 / month but want to use the cheques for savings
TV Licence.............................. 12.12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 21.5 this really is my entertainment as I don't go out much
Internet Services....................... 6.49 1/2 price until April '13
Groceries etc. ......................... 140
Clothing................................ 20
Petrol/diesel........................... 100 Need to work on this - has been around £120 for the past couple of months
Road tax................................ 2.5
Car Insurance........................... 20 Saving for renewal (Dec)
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 35
[STRIKE]Car parking [/STRIKE]Breakdown cover......... 4
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 10
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0 Pet costs split below
Buildings insurance..................... 10 Just renewed
Contents insurance...................... 10 As above
[STRIKE]Life assurance [/STRIKE] Boiler insurance ............. 18.75 Ends Oct (too old:eek:)
[STRIKE]Other insurance[/STRIKE] Income protection insurance......................... 21.5
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 10
Haircuts................................ 8.5
Entertainment........................... 50 Incl "anything else"
Holiday................................. 10
Emergency fund.......................... 25 Just about wiped out again:eek:
Boiler - monthly savings................ 25 - will be adding boiler insurance money once this ends
Car - insurance ............... 23.5 Current year - Nov
Dog - insurance......................... 18
Dog..................................... 40
Cats - insurance........................ 18.75
Cats.................................... 50
Total monthly expenses.................. 1189.11


Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 70000....(276)......2.59
Total secured & HP debts...... 70000.....-.........-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,334
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,189.11
Available for debt repayments........... 144.89
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 0
Amount left after debt repayments....... 144.89 *

* This goes down everytime I do the SOA (and I am making savings - honest:o) - good news is that I'll have an extra £23.50 / month once the car insurance renews (paying this years monthly & saving for next years at the same time).

Doesn't help not having had a pay rise for nearly 3 years now .....

Need to find some money for a dog walker - options are 2 x "play sessions" / week @ £5 or 1 x "proper walk"(£10) - probably leaning towards the play sessions as a) they're cheaper and b) it saves £3 in fuel (x 2) for not coming home which offsets the cost of them IYSWIM

Ohhhh I'm waffling - sorry - I'm really tired and worried about Maisie's op tomorrow ....the obsession with figures tends to take hold when I'm stressed:o

ETA shouldn't do this when I'm tired ..... missed the window cleaner (£5)

rising_from_the_ashes

Ohhhhh meant to say .... the mini - vacuum thing I bought is absolutely fantastic!

It gets the pet hair off the stairs which is fab as the Dyson (ancient & must loved!) is soooooo heavy! Maisie still wasn't errrr keen on it - but better than the big one!