Balancing not just the budget

RosaBernicia

Going OK... have had to accept that I may not be able to clear the small CC this payday if I want my social life, but it will definitely happen by end of next month.

Work are extending my transfer again - so good that it's more money confirmed, irritating it's not permanent yet.

I think the car may need a new exhaust - it's sounding very deep and growly and not just til she's warmed up - so will ring the garage next week. There's money in the pot, and she's taxed til the end of March so it should be OK.

I've had to swop a few things around as realised I hadn't allowed for travel costs to a couple of social events, but I'm liking being able to track it all as it means I realised in time and didn't get too fed up about it. Will have a think about more pots when the small CC is cleared.

Very pleased to realise that by the end of next month I will only have one debt and it will be less than half my original total. It feels much less scary.


Rosa xx

kerri_gt

RosaBernicia wrote: »

Just did my third run for the Couch to 5K and am ridiculously pleased with myself - that's week 1 of 9 done. It really is pretty much idiotproof and as it's only half an hour and I already had the stuff I went out and ran even in the cold and dark - of course I meant to get up early and run in daylight, but I slept really badly in the week so that didn't happen. The nearby park will be fab for when it is light and I've found a couple of well lit long streets nearby so can do loops there if I do have to go in the evening.

Will be rewarding myself with a pair of cheap running gloves :rotfl:


Rosa xx

Be sure to try on the running gloves properly Rosa, I bought some cheap thermal ones for boot camp and even though the fingers fitted fine the hands were too short so seams were on my palms and the wrists weren't long enough. Invested in some better North Face ones in the end, although I did get them at an outlet village so not quite so eye watering.

RosaBernicia

kerri_gt wrote: »

Be sure to try on the running gloves properly Rosa, I bought some cheap thermal ones for boot camp and even though the fingers fitted fine the hands were too short so seams were on my palms and the wrists weren't long enough. Invested in some better North Face ones in the end, although I did get them at an outlet village so not quite so eye watering.

Thanks Kerri :A

I picked up some Karrimor ones from Sp0rt5Dir and got medium so if anything they're a little bit big - but no seams in the way and the cuffs fit nicely under the jacket cuffs so all seems ok. They're going to live in the jacket pocket so cold hands/ having to search out appropriate gloves = another excuse gone :rotfl:

I've just done the first run of week 2 and it's gone OK - really the only thing I need to sort is getting to run in daylight and that will eventually resolve itself!


Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

I've just killed another credit card :j knocking over £900 off my debts in the process :j

It's a bit of a stretch but I really, really wanted to get rid of it this month and realised that if I give up holiday savings again and allow for my petrol expenses being repaid into next month's budget, that gives me enough room to pay off the card now.

That leaves me with only one debt :eek::T:j which is the low life of balance card now standing at £5,645.06. I'm going to wait a couple of months for things to filter through to my credit reports and then see if I can get a 0% transfer deal for this - best to do it soon as I intend to move later in the year. haven't really thought about how fast I can pay it off yet, but it seems so much more doable to just get rid of this last one!


The slightly bad news is that in all the excitement of rushing home and playing with my budget and online accounts I forgot to go for my third C25K run of the week :rotfl: so that will now have to wait til tomorrow. Either I can run two days in a row or I can shuffle the days I run next week to get back on track.


Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

Pffft. That will teach me to try skimpy budgets.

Today has cost me a tea (being early for course), brownie and crisps (because the course people had not bothered to sort out a gf meal after all, despite saying they would), an extra £2 parking fee (because the course finished late and I missed my park&ride time - in future will just book the full day as it's only £4) and probably a £50 parking fine anyway. :mad:

Got home cold, hungry and very very grumpy. I also have to go to Sainsbugs as I haven't managed it for the last few days with doing long days, and make a cake for tomorrow... so don't think the last run of week 3 is going to happen. I might just start on week 3 either tomorrow or Monday depending what time I get back.


Rosa xx

kerri_gt

Big hugs Rosa, sometimes things don't quite go to plan, it could have been worse, and fingers crossed no parking fine xx

RosaBernicia

Well no parking fine showing up yet so hopefully I got away with it

This month's budget is going passably well so far, though I might have to split the up front costs of the phone line rental between this month and next. It makes quite a reduction so is worth doing. Mind you first I have to actually get a response and MAC code out of my current provider :mad:

I accidentally bought a little halogen oven in Ald1 yesterday, as the one in the flat is so awful but I still don't know when I can move. I thought it was £25 but it turned out to be reduced to £15 :j and I'm very happy as just tried it out on some part-baked rolls. It heats up in no time, easy to set and clean, and you can see into it so hopefully no more cakes burnt on top :rotfl: anyway pleased with that for £15.

In other news... work is a PITA; have repeated week 2 of C25K and have one more run of week 3 to do tomorrow, it seems OK but am wondering if week 4 is going to be scary now :rotfl:; and if I can manage this month on budget, will be able to leave my holiday funds clear next month. Might have to start looking for ideas on what to do with it now


Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

Just popping by to keep myself on track

Still on budget despite a bit of a reshuffle - I took back some running gear and as I got unexpected discounts on both my haircut and a facial, have bought the huge size of my favourite conditioner from the hairdressers. It's twice the price but for four times as much so a pretty good deal, and I will get the shampoo next month.

Getting a smartcard for the bus has turned out to be a really moneysaving move as well, it means I have even less need for cash and so between that and taking lunch to work, I keep being surprised to find I still have a tenner in my purse :rotfl:

Also just emailed my energy supplier to ask them for a refund - I've had a credit balance of over £200 throughout the winter and the weather is warming up now, so I don't see any reason I should continue to leave money in their bank account rather than mine. Had forgotten about this so will be really pleased if it turns up.

And still really liking the software - I suppose I'm using a cross between their method and Martin's piggybanking one. I worked out all the pots I need for the year using a budget spreadsheet, have set them up on the software for tracking in one account rather than having the hassle of transfers, and am making adjustments to the in-month spends as I go. I'm not really sticking to the software co rules though as I'm adding in things like expenses before they turn up and flagging them to remind myself to check that they actually got paid in - but it means I can see how much I've got when and adjust accordingly.


Rosa xx

vasseur

Loads of progress since I last dropped by Rosa. Well done on getting down to one c/card - you're on the home strait now and glad to see you're keeping up the C25K. IIRC week 6 was when I suddenly realised that my clothes were feeling looser and my thighs were feeling toned.

You are putting me to shame though - I haven't been out for a run for 2 weeks because of the dreadful weather....:o:( fingers crossed I can get back into it this week.....

RosaBernicia

Thanks Vasseur

It's funny, it's only been a month or so of having cut the debt in half and already I am narked at still having £5K to go :rotfl: ... but am determined not to crash and burn with trying to kill it off so will just go slowly.

I have run up the CC again on upfront line rental, plus hotel for the scary interview and shoes for same... but it will all be cleared on payday if not before, as I've included in the budget

Back to interview prep


Rosa xx