Keeping up appearances.......

chevalier

HI box of fluffies *waves to another new zealand based contributor* I am being lulled into a false sense of security with blue skies and sunshine here. Just waiting to see if it will hit later in the day.

Happy glad the speed awareness course went well.
chev

HappyNow

Hi Fluffies and Chev, I hope the weather has quietened down in NZ now. I think Spring has finished here already - back to the rain!

Moneysaving update.

I spent most of yesterday checking out car insurance as ours expires this month. Currently we have all three cars (mine, Mr H's and DS's) on one multi-car policy with Admiral, but I wondered if it would be cheaper to cover them each seperately.

So that was three comparison sites checked for each car, then Aviva and Direct Line checked for each car - fifteen searches in total!! It took AGES, entering the same information over and over again. And the end result? It's cheaper to stay as we are! So, that's several hours of my life wasted, but at least I know we're getting the best deal.

Unfortunately Admiral's monthly payment costs are huge, so it's only cheap if it's paid as one lump. DS pays for his own, but I will have to pay £573 for myself and Mr Happy next payday. I have decided to put £500 of it onto a credit card and pay it off at £50 plus interest for 10 months. I'm going to class it as a 'living cost' not a debt, as I couldn't bear to increase my signature totals!! And if I was with another company and just paying by instalments I wouldn't class it as debt. Then fingers crossed, when next year's is due I should have the money waiting to pay for it. Yay!

Itsadogslife_2

Hi Happy,

At least you know you are getting the best deal even if you did waste some of your precious time

Can't believe the change in the weather from the beautiful blue skies of yesterday and last week to today It almost makes you feel glum just because it is dark already

Roll on summer :cool:

poohbear59

Happy, I did the same as you last year. I put the car insurances on a credit card and then paid them off over ten months as I would have done if I was paying the company monthly. This year I did the same and they are now included in my cc debt on here. I reckon it saved me a lot in interest as my cc is interest free. The one I have listed in my soa is DS1's which I am still paying for him as he can't pay it himself yet.

HappyNow

Bum. Mr Happy's car has had a puncture, and it was right on the edge of the tyre where it couldn't be mended. So £75 for a new tyre . We paid for it in cash, but that has wiped out all our petrol money and all the money set aside for Little Miss Happy's birthday meal this weekend. We won't make it to payday on the 15th now without using credit cards. That's very sad. It's because we're new to it all and we don't have any surplus money in any of the little pots yet.

Still, at least I can account for every penny spent this month, which is liberating. And I know that there has been virtually nothing wasted - not money, not food, not effort. I couldn't have said THAT three months ago, so I'm still wearing a big smiley face - --> .

gollygosh

Sorry about the tyre, that's a right pain. In a few months you'll be set to do the "money pot juggle" in times of unexpected expense, so keep going it does get easier and very addictive!

girlracer

Hi Happynow, I dont really have much to advise but i did promise to come and have a look at your diary and you seem to doing well
keep up the good work and i shall subscribe
Have a fab day

poohbear59

Happy, it very frustrating when things go wrong to scupper your plans. I know it is best to try not to use credit cards but sometimes they are a Godsend when things go wrong.

We have an account for emergencies which I put £50 a month into and which we can't easily access. It is empty at the moment but it will soon build up again and you too will be in that position in a few months I am sure. At the end of last year I used it to pay some big car bills.

brizzledfw

Hi all

Good to catch up with your diary Happy. You sound like you're doing so well. The tyre is a pain..as is insurance. I am in same place as you as I have £307.00 to find before 7th April. Not sure what we will do - maybe put on a 0% card and then pay off at end of year. Not sure yet. But the money pots are the way to go. And go you!!!! Knowing where every penny has gone..well thats a great achievement in itself!!:j

Have a great day..its gorgeously sunny here:D

PS the rice pudding was much loved. Will probably give it a week and then make some more!!

HappyNow

Well it never rains but it pours !

I now have a poorly horse and had to call the vet today. He has a foot abscess, which is really painful for horses because their hooves can't expand to accomodate the build-up of pus. He should make a full recovery which is obviously the main thing but I will have the expense of the vet bill (including two injections and a supply of pain relief), I will have to buy more poultices and vetwrap for his foot, and I will have to keep him and his companion on box-rest for a while which will take loads of food and bedding. He and his companion hate to be seperated, so if he is on box-rest, so is she!

So it's out with the plastic again !

Back later to catch up with everyone's diaries, just wanted to write this down as a sort of pressure-release !