Balancing not just the budget

RosaBernicia

Payday has been :T

And there was a little extra in my paycheque, I guess maybe the cost of living ( :rotfl: ) raise finally came through. Always welcome.

I've sorted out my bills, including clearing the credit card well before it's due - I know the money could be in my account earning interest but I get confused with handling the allocations in YNAB if it goes through to the next month, so it's simpler to clear it now. Wow, it's amazing how that just rolls off the tongue now that it's doable in one go! That's a whole different world to how things were before!

I also looked at my savings pots and was very pleased to find that my buffer fund is already up to about half my rent and my house fund would cover a survey. It's astonishingly painless to save when it feels like it's moving me in the direction I want to go. I've even got a bit of money building up in the holiday fund and am slowly adding to the long term replacement funds for the car and laptop - not enough to cover them in the time required, but a bit so that when other things are done I can work on them faster and they will already be part way there.

I claimed another £10 4mazon code from 5hopN5scan. I think I'm going to close my 'spare' credit card - I kept an extra one in case of emergencies as it had a permanently low rate, but there are much better deals out there at present and it may not be doing my credit rating any favours. My T5B and Holyfx accounts will both be cutting their rates shortly - and so will the Help to Buy ISA - so I will review them at the end of the year. If I can get a better deal elsewhere then I may do that, particularly as I think the Co-0p Bank had a similar offer and I'd like to put money in more ethical options where I can.

The only other :money: news is that I've started looking at houses again. Having thought about whether to try and move elsewhere or buy there and rent here, I just can't see any job options that beat what I've got and I am so fortunate to have a steady, well paid job that I like, I feel I should just be grateful for it and stick with it. If things are meant to change then they will. I guess I have been romanticising the whole idea of buying a house, thinking of it as a forever home - and that's not necessarily sensible, as in the bigger picture I want to be mortgage free and the sooner I start on that the better. I'm trying to think of it now like I did with buying the car - I need something that will do X and Y, and I can afford Z, therefore what can I choose that will enable me to have what I need and pay it off asap. I'm going to view a couple of places over the next few days. I am a little :eek: about it all still, but also really getting to the point where I'm fed up with this flat, so fingers crossed. I'm lucky to have the opportunity to buy and so I feel I should make the most of it.

So new adventures ahead... all seems well at the minute so feeling very grateful to be in a different place to when this diary started.


Rosa xx

doingitanyway

The house hunting sounds exciting. I'm looking forward to hearing your new adventures now you are DF. Keep on inspiring us

ZTD

RosaBernicia wrote: »

And there was a little extra in my paycheque, I guess maybe the cost of living ( :rotfl: ) raise finally came through.

So the spider in the bathroom can have a bit of luxury...

RosaBernicia wrote: »

My T5B and Holyfx accounts will both be cutting their rates shortly

Is this the monthly saver?

RosaBernicia wrote: »

- and so will the Help to Buy ISA - so I will review them at the end of the year. If I can get a better deal elsewhere then I may do that, particularly as I think the Co-0p Bank had a similar offer and I'd like to put money in more ethical options where I can.

Be careful of what things sell themselves as "ethical" options. For example - spot the odd one out: "CoOp Bank", "ethical", "Rent boys" and "Death Spiral"

RosaBernicia wrote: »

The only other :money: news is that I've started looking at houses again. Having thought about whether to try and move elsewhere or buy there and rent here, I just can't see any job options that beat what I've got and I am so fortunate to have a steady, well paid job that I like, I feel I should just be grateful for it and stick with it. If things are meant to change then they will.

Or you could make the change because you want to. Sail your course, not be blown by the wind.

RosaBernicia wrote: »

I guess I have been romanticising the whole idea of buying a house, thinking of it as a forever home - and that's not necessarily sensible, as in the bigger picture I want to be mortgage free and the sooner I start on that the better.

Even more equally, you don't know what the future holds, and what's right for you *right now* may not be right for you and possibly someone else in the future. Flexibility is something to be thought about - you don't want to be chained to the bricks.

RosaBernicia wrote: »

I'm trying to think of it now like I did with buying the car - I need something that will do X and Y,

But you also need to think of other things which aren't issues with a car. As in "is it in the right location?" and "can I do a doer upper?" - etc. Again, an unwise house can restrict your choices far more than an unwise car.

RosaBernicia wrote: »

and I can afford Z,

No you can't dahling - I'm far too high-maintenance for you...

RosaBernicia wrote: »

therefore what can I choose that will enable me to have what I need and pay it off asap. I'm going to view a couple of places over the next few days.

I take it that this isn't serious looking to buy? You'll need *far* more money than just a survey.

If it's for a new rent, then that's something far more sensible.

RosaBernicia wrote: »

I am a little :eek: about it all still, but also really getting to the point where I'm fed up with this flat, so fingers crossed. I'm lucky to have the opportunity to buy and so I feel I should make the most of it.

You're handing over money in exchange for a produced good. That's not luck, it's just generic commerce. Don't bring along more emotion than you have to, to something like a house purchase. It should be a carefully calculated cold and rational decision.

RosaBernicia wrote: »

So new adventures ahead... all seems well at the minute so feeling very grateful to be in a different place to when this diary started.

:T

RosaBernicia

ZTD wrote: »

Is this the monthly saver?

No, it's the reward and Classic Plus. Both are going down in interest and the cashback is changing too.

ZTD wrote: »

Even more equally, you don't know what the future holds, and what's right for you *right now* may not be right for you and possibly someone else in the future. Flexibility is something to be thought about - you don't want to be chained to the bricks.

ZTD wrote: »

But you also need to think of other things which aren't issues with a car. As in "is it in the right location?" and "can I do a doer upper?" - etc. Again, an unwise house can restrict your choices far more than an unwise car.

ZTD wrote: »

I take it that this isn't serious looking to buy? You'll need *far* more money than just a survey.

I've been thinking about this quite seriously for the last six months or so as I finished training and have some brain space and money freed up. I've concluded that I need more space to make any use of my training in even a part time business. I've also found that there are very few jobs at my level in the area of the country I was thinking of moving to, so that can't be a short term plan. I am already on about the best rent I could get in this area, and moving anywhere with the extra space I need will cost an arm and a leg and leave me less secure. So I think it's time to accept that my current job enables me to have security and will - if I want later - enable a transition plan. Start where I am, use what I've got,, do what I can.

The money I have saved is just an extra, the deposit will be a loan (morally) from family (legally it has to be a gift). I know that I can't take on a project as I don't have the time or spare energy, so am taking account of that in what I look at. I'm also considering location re commuting as I need to do it myself and so would any lodgers or later renters.

Also, rationality and emotion are not necessarily opposites. Some of my friends have had an awful year and without going into details, I have realised that there are situations where owning a house gives a security that just isn't available when renting. So it's both an emotional and rational reaction to protect myself from those situations.

ZTD wrote: »

No you can't dahling - I'm far too high-maintenance for you...

Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

Another Sunday shuffle underway. I'm within budget and there is still an expenses payment due, although it's not showing as pending so will probably have to go into November's inflow.

Nothing much to report really - minimising spending in case I do end up making an offer on a house. I was really proud of myself when I rang the brokers to update my mortgage decision in principle - when asked if I had a credit card and the balance, my answer was 'yes, currently £10.80 but it gets cleared every month' before I realised that they don't need quite that level of detail :rotfl:

I have a couple of 3bay things I should try to sell next weekend, and will need a few more things for winter clothes but am managing ok for the minute. Christmas isn't a major issue as I've put some extra in the pot this month and most of my family and friends are fairly frugal too, so are happy to eg do things together instead of buying presents.

Tidying and studying still to do... suppose I should get on with it!


Rosa xx

moneyonmymindsam

Hi Lovely Rosa, :j

Hope your tidying and studying motivation kicked in today.

I've washed up ( getting quite good at it now ha ha ) and at 8.22pm still need to wash my hair :P but other than that I'm trying not to spend.

I too should put things on 3bay but finding it a real energy drain. Been reading lots this weekend and have plans to make this week a life changing good week - breaking old habits and starting new ones.:D


Lets just hope I get up in time ...lol:rotfl:Hope your week is a good one.
Sam xx

EssexHebridean

Oh look - found you! With all your savings pots etc you realise you could be me?! :rotfl: I do like a good savings pot, and a budget!

RosaBernicia

The tidying got done yesterday (though I too washed my hair about 9pm) and I've written a good chunk of the essay draft tonight. For once I might be that kind of organised person who does it in bits instead of in one go at 2am on deadline day

Am still a bit behind though as I've got a couple of bits of new work to do. Fortunately work agreed I can have study time for the essay, so will come home early most nights this week. Hopefully that will enable me to get both done.

I've arranged another house viewing for Wednesday, but spotted something closer to what I want in the same village that's already under offer. So it might be worth waiting to see what else comes up.

Going to have to do something to give myself a challenge as I miss having excuses to fiddle with YNAB


Rosa xx

MuffinTops

Hello Rosa,
Wow. I'm off here a few weeks and you've decided on lots of changes. I got quite excited about your home buying plans. I hope the viewings go well.
Your mortgage call made me smile. I had a similar thing a few years ago when I took the mortgage over from my ex. I was asked if I could prove affordability and I handed over my cash bookmwhich tallied perfectly with the account I had with them. He actually burst out laughing! But I got the mortgage agreement there and then.

Good luck on the eBay decisions. I have so much I need to put up for sale!

MTxx

RosaBernicia

EssexHebridean wrote: »

Oh look - found you! With all your savings pots etc you realise you could be me?! :rotfl: I do like a good savings pot, and a budget!

Hello EH, welcome! :j

I love having savings pots and a fiddle-able-with budget... but best not get started or I'll start telling everyone how much I love YNAB again :rotfl:

The holiday money pot is building up slowly but will hopefully lead somewhere you'd approve of!


Rosa xx