Finally I have a mortgage I can start to pay off!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

When I popped to Dad's on Friday for the plants I discovered that I was missing my rear number plate. So yesterday I ventured out again, to Halfords to get a replacement made up (I took DH's car and figured it was essential as being able to drive legally is kind of important). Did manage to use DH's trade discount, so £12.94 instead of £16. Was very impressed with their set-up - no customers in store, a desk at the front door and the staff were very hot on social distancing.

Still haven't managed to get any plain flour - am eking out what remains. Mum's got some SR for me, but I'll have to wait until DH goes into work (hopefully this week) for him to collect that. Did manage to substitute some buckwheat in the biscuit recipe without them being too 'galettey'. We're having fajitas tonight, so will mix the plain with some strong for them too. Will try the village shop for flour, but not at a weekend - it was just too busy and unsafe last week.

Spent a lot of yesterday afternoon weeding in the garden - front and back. They look a lot better now. Also baked the biscuits and cooked the cat's chicken for the next couple of weeks. I also did my first ever successional planting - of spring onions! Dad turned up briefly - he'd made an unnecessary trip to B&Q and brought me some plants - two more pepper plants and a dianthus. 

This morning I've been in the garden again, doing some more weeding and pulling rhubarb - mainly to give it a tidy up as we don't have the flour to make a crumble or anything else (and I know we could eat plain stewed rhubarb, and we probably will, but where's the fun in that?!). The plant now has several crowns and the stems twist round and get caught up in each other making them weak. So I've pulled quite a bit and hopefully it'll grow a bit straighter now. Fortunately, most of the stems are still usable. DH has made up a window box for the front garden - when the wood has dried out a bit (it's been in the garden), I'll give it a quick lick of fence paint and plant it up with some cornflower seeds. Good job I decided to get two bags of compost in the garden centre delivery!

We also door-step visited (on foot) BIL and GF with his birthday present. It was lovely to see them and stand and chat for a while. Better still, we got a piece of birthday cake and some doughnut centres to take home with us (I did not, in any way, stand on the doorstep and munch anything! ).

Paid myself Friday and while I paid myself less than normal, I was still able to put some money to savings - proof that I'm spending less in lockdown. DH is not as he keeps buying bits for the mini as he is cracking on with work on it. While I suspect I'll get paid even less this month, I think the impulse lockdown purchases (chocolate, beer, puzzle for Dad, magazine to send to niece) will also lessen - they need to!

MS things:
* Clicks
* Halfords discount
* Salad leaves are sprouting ; rhubarb from garden
* Using up bits of wood and seeds

Gratitudes:
* We're well
* We're having a quiz this evening on our family zoom
* Cake

I think I might take Busy Mee's list and do a bit of a review.... that being said, the forecast situation makes planning trickier!

themadvix

So here's my review, a la Busy Mee (feel free not to read it, it's mainly for my own benefit!)

1. Target setting
Target setting in itself comes easily enough, but with a variable income due to self-employment, following through can be a bit up in the air. My aim remains to OP our full allowance this year (currently £4634.84). At the moment though, apart from a token OP each month, I'm putting this money aside. I've also temporarily paused investing in my S&S ISA. While I know that now is the time to buy and that you should just continue obliviously with index funds, I may need the cash sooner, so I'm keeping hold of the money for the time being  - it's going in Marcus, so I'm getting some interest on it.

2. Keep some tension on your finances
This is an area where I struggle. Because of the variable income, some months it's lean anyway (at least from my point of view - and don't take that as DH being tight, it's not - he saves a lot every month and contributes to the OPs (and offers me money!), but we each have our bills to pay and I only have total control over 'my' money) and so in the fatter months I'm inclined to spend slightly more. This usually takes the form of a cuppa or meal out, rather than physical items, but it still slips away. Another factor is that I use my CC to get points which means I don't have a limited budget in the same way. This is offset by the fact that I do know what my income is going to look like and am rarely inclined to spend on anything that's unnecessary (tight by nature, moi?), so I don't ever go mad. But I do sometimes look at my CC bill at the end of the month and think how did all those little bits add up to that! I think the lockdown has proven that we don't need to eat out all the time to have a treat, nor perhaps, do I need to visit my mum in person every time I'm feeling lonely - perhaps a video chat over lunch might do sometimes. 

In terms of making do, we're usually pretty good at this and will reuse stuff in strange ways, so we don't instantly go out and buy stuff.

3. Understand where your money is going
We did a spending diary for the best part of a year and it was interesting, but not that illuminating (apart from in the cat expenses but this has been trimmed since). DH found it made me very tight and overly focused, which took the fun out of everything, so we stopped and I have no intention of restarting. Obviously we look at our CC bills each month to check that they're not getting out of hand and always shop around for big purchases and annual bills. On the whole, I think we have this tied down pretty well.

4. Challenge the Sacred Cows
As someone who has always been self-employed since university (with other part-time jobs), I've never been one to have more financial commitments than necessary. We have Netflix and DH has Apple Music, but he pays for them (and I earn vouchers towards the music subscription via RM surveys). I no longer have an annual NT membership. I go to an evening class once a week, which isn't cheap but it is educational, stretches my brain and is a chance to meet different friends, so I consider it worthwhile (and at the moment we're not meeting anyway so saving there). DH buys my membership of another organisation for a birthday present (but will cancel this year as we're not getting VFM). 

5. Save up for things
We both have annual bills plans to which we contribute money monthly for all the annual and monthly bills, smoothing out the curve (sorry, in today's lingo, 'flattening the peak'). This covers everything from insurances to cattery fees and enough money to have a basic caravan holiday. We save extra for nicer holidays... if we ever get to go on them! We are both savers (on the whole - DH can be more spontaneous than me, but he has a regular income...), so generally this isn't a problem for us. We put some of the new car on a 0% card, not because we couldn't afford to pay cash, but just for the stoozing benefit.

6. Sweat the small stuff
My focus in this area waxes and wanes, but I don't think this is unusual. I do all the usual - S&S, RM survey, TCB, surveys (although I've cut down dramatically over the years), interest, vouchers, clicks etc. At the moment the only issue I'm having is a lack of botheredness with where to put my matured regular saver money.... it's gone to Marcus for now though, so better than nothing. Because I have to pay tax on all my survey savings, I don't get the chance to earmark it and see the benefit these little bits bring - the money gets absorbed into my general income. This isn't great for motivation, but hey ho!

So overall, I think cutting out some of the discretionary spending (easy at the moment!) should be my main focus. This may or may not become essential anyway as we head into recession. As we're likely to be in a similar position to lockdown for much of the next year, I think, fortunately, that discretionary spending will be down anyway - I think eating out and cafe visits are far less likely to be happening any time soon, as will travel, which I realise I've not mentioned above, but is definitely an area where we spend. I think perhaps, that the lockdown will teach me that I don't need to go away to relax, although I am yearning to get away for a change of scene. Perhaps quality over quantity will be the way forward...

Right, enough waffling introspection.... back to the garden! 

Busy_Mee

Oh wow Mad Vix. That is a fairly comprehensive review and tbh you are already much better than me at this MSE lark. 

I have been thinking about this again this morning and how lockdown has challenged more of our Sacred Cows. I was discussing with DD this morning and we were both saying that we want to think carefully before just starting up with spending on the same things. For example I have now not had my hair professionally coloured and cut for eight weeks and the sky hasn't fallen in and no one is laughing and pointing. So I am going and try and not go back to the regular monthly appointments. 

Similarly I think we are going to bit more discerning about travel abroad, we were flying too much and I want to be a bit more balanced about this, particularly thinking about the environmental impact. I love this new world, where the roads and skies  are empty and hope that things won't go back to the way they were, but that is only going to happen if we all reduce the amount we drive and fly.  It would be great, if after lockdown everyone that could work from home continues to do so then the commutes for people who have to travel to work would be so much less congested.

Jessy103

Great review, vix and definitely some food for thought x

themadvix

Thanks both. Busy Mee, I think it's just a case of different incomes/job prospects - I've always pinched the pennies because it's the only way I know how to afford stuff. If you've had a higher income and come to this later, I think you've done brilliantly to get everything so under control - it must be far more of a sacrifice to do that. And also, with a high-flying job, there are concomitant costs that I just don't have to factor in (travel, clothing, appearance, drinks etc.!).

On the travel front, with the exception of our long-awaited holiday to the States (which we've already offset the emissions for - no refunds on that! (which is fine, just amusing!)), I had already decided I didn't want to fly as much (and avoid short-haul altogether). It looks like a trip to the Christmas markets will be off this year, as I doubt they'll even be happening, let alone international travel be sensibly possible, which will help with that and give us longer to save. I too, hope that people will continue to work from home more - it's got to be better for people and the planet. I know I've found the peace and quiet on the roads to be lovely and have been quite cross in the last week or so when there's so much traffic I can't walk in peace!

themadvix

Morning all,

I've paid that pesky £34.84 of the OP allowance off this morning, as my April OP (I know it's May, I've not lost track that much, it's just from my April pay!). That'll be all this month, but the OP fund is filling up - partly through additions from bills pots as money isn't being spent -as well as money being transferred to savings. I've also reduced our DD for energy from next month (again). It was originally £86/month (based on the non-smart/EV tariff) - I reduced it to £75 last (?) month and have now reduced it to £65. The tariff was cheaper anyway than our one with the old supplier, and we're taking advantage of the cheap overnight rate wherever possible, and, of course, not charging the car very often at the moment. We're £225 in credit already (since the switch in Feb), so I don't think they need more of my money!

I have some work to get on with this morning, and then this afternoon I plan to paint and plant the window box (if DH can get it attached to the wall - depends on his work). Also more work in the front garden. I need to do the money shuffles too and still haven't rung Nationwide. Perhaps I'll get stuck into those bits of admin after the work.

MS things:
* OP made
* PA survey
* Clicks
* Work
* Today should be a NSD, unless I go out for flour, but I don't think I need any today (perhaps this should be a challenge?)
* Ooh, and free Ancestry until 11 May!

Gratitudes:
* Lovely family time on Zoom yesterday
* Saw BIL and GF as I was out on my walk
* Looking forward to getting my windowbox up and seeded

Have a good day all!

themadvix

Ooh, I've won another £25 on the Premium Bonds

Money shuffles done and as much work done as I can - ran into technical difficulties with one piece and will have to wait for the West Coast Americans to get up... so about the time I want to sign off for the day.... Never mind. 

I usually leave £100 in my current account for cash spending. I've halved this this month (and it's probably still too much, but I might make a charity donation, or better (in budgeting terms) limit my personal spends to this (which shouldn't be hard and could include charity)). In all likelihood I could reduce this even further, but I like to have something in my current account, just in case. So another £50 transferred to the OP pot. I am giving myself the grace to take it back out if necessary at the end of the month, as I'm not sure how much my income will be this month.

All of this is just procrastination to put off calling Nationwide. Think I need a quick chat for clarity with DH first...

try_harder

I absolutely agree with both you and Busy Mee ..My daughter now works from home and instead of having to fly around the globe for conferences now does it all online saving time ,money and travelling .I feel my life has become so much more simpler and feel so more appreciative for everything I have ,even having a nice soap and toilet rolls has suddenly become a real luxury and makes me more mindful ..We really must give more regard to Mother Earth .so that this tragedy has not all been in vain

themadvix

Afternoon all,

It really brings everything into perspective, doesn't it TH, and you're right about appreciating the little things. Here's hoping that everyone finds a new sense of simplicity and we can avert the global climate disaster.

Spoke to Nationwide - basically they're not going to do anything. Apparently you're not covered by travel insurance at all if a company you're booked with goes under. Is this common knowledge that I've just missed out on? It seems ridiculous! So we wouldn't have any comeback if Virgin go under. On the other issues, we need to either push the provider for a cash refund or go to our CC provider under Section 75. Hmm...

I've managed to paint the window box, but will need to give it 24 hours to dry before filling it - decided painting the inside could only give the wood more protection. Have also planted up some of the plants from the garden centre and been for a nice long walk. It's clouding over now, so think I need to clear up and head inside. Have got lots of houseworky jobs done too, so feel entitled to sit and read for a bit before I have to do the American work.

themadvix

Morning all,

I've just completed my only bit of work for the day and done some business admin. Bread is proving and my cress has begun to germinate at last. The salad leaves are doing well and will need thinning in the next few days, as will the spring onions (mini salad perhaps?!). Plans for today include planting up the window box and planting up some more of the bedding plants, as well as some evening class work as I've been very slack on that lately. I think I need to cut the grass too, but that might wait.

DH has been to work, so managed to pick up the self-raising flour Mum had got me. Just need to decide what I can bake with it now - usually only have plain and add baking powder.

We investigated further with our holiday issues last night. DH reckons the only way we'll get Nationwide to pay is to put in a claim in writing, get a response back in writing and take it to the Ombudsman if they don't pay out. We were reading their T&Cs last night and it's marginal, but we think we could argue that they're skating on thin ice and should pay out. It seems that they don't actually define things as clearly in their policy as they should. Section 75 won't help because two of the hotels were paid for through Hotels.com and it has to be a direct link between customer and supplier for a claim. One of the hotels is offering a two-year voucher, which would be acceptable if we have to accept it, but the other is only offering a 1-year one, which really isn't.

MS things:
* Clicks
* £3.36 TCB payment on its way
* Last invoice dispatched
* Bread made

Gratitudes:
* Blue skies, although it looks rather windy
* Flour (who'd have thought this would ever make it to my gratitudes list?!)
* Lots happening in the self-sufficiency stakes! 

Have a good day all - hope it's sunny where you are!