Enjoying the journey - budgeting, saving and remaining credit card free

fedupandskint

Well happy days! That was my final week of full time work at the office of doom and glum run by the organisation who don't care a jot about their employees.

Also final day at my voluntary work placement - where I said my goodbyes and received a card, box of choccies and lots of well wishes for my new role which they have heard about the project Ill be working on. Amazing how the voluntary work place know so much more about me anyhow I'll fit in than my current place where I've sen for years.Now, that shows it is time to move on. Anyway, I will keep in touch with them to let them know how I'm getting on as it's been a great place for me to go to which I found almost by accident.

Only one more say of work to go before Crimbo on Monday then a few days off before I'm back in on Friday next week.

Well not much else to report apart from its another NSD today and a no clothes spend day too!

Tomorrow is the usual stuff of cleaning before Christmas, cooking, wrapping presets , tidying up outside after the gutters replaced this week, long dog walks and that's about it!

fedupandskint

Banking checks done - all ok as expected.

While browsing the forum last night I acme across a thread I gave a go a few years ago and never got very far with. So while my saving hat is well and truly on I set up a SO for the save £365 in 365 days challenge to use up my final currently unused savings account. This will go towards the loan settlement account in a year's time and has a £7 weekly standing order set up.

Went through the savings plan once more and it should take 3 years to get there if I stick to it at the longest. Every single penny counts of course here!

Feeling full of cold today - when does it end? So, a quiet day at home catching up on a few jobs and wrapping those presents.

fedupandskint

So far today I have cleaned all the windows and doors outside downstairs, swept up and tidied up outside and 2 lots of washing on the line not doing a bad job of drying as it's breezy today. Also cleaned the bathroom, swept and mopped the floors, emptied all the bins, just a run round with the Hoover to do.

Just having a little break for some lunch before starting the present wrapping.

fedupandskint

Presents wrapped and tagged and bagged in Christmas bags, all ready to go!

All jobs finished for today including freezing apples for crumble and making a crumble for tonight, yeah!

fedupandskint

A pretty relaxing day so far, I've bathed the dog for Christmas, he was less impressed! Ham in cooking ready for Christmas Eve to finish off in the oven, soup is cooking using up what needed using - carrots and spices and lentils for lunch today and to freeze for work.

Mince pies to bake this afternoon and make a nice tea, a relaxing bath, get some things ready to pack, work stuff ready for tomorrow and hopefully do the final card exchange over a mince pie later.

Looks like a NSD here today making it number 20 and another no clothes spend day of 22. Resisting the temptation of the sales so far by remembering I want to stay in credit in my account. I'm just making it this month by 32p.

I was paid one week early on Friday for Christmas and to resist the temptation to spend I transferred it into another account for a week. It's hard enough to get through January as it is without adding another week on. Having said that, should be ok as all budgets are set up and I've been sticking to them which is why I'm determined to stay in credit. December is my last month of full time work for the next year or so at my current salary so as the new year approaches change abounds. Looking forward to it!

fedupandskint

More loan calculations today.

One option save £6000 by the end of next year and take a loan out over 3 years with the option to overpay
Second option carry on saving for a further 2years to achieve the total

Can't decide as yet, so the focus has to be on saving as much as I can to get to this amount.

On a slightly different note which might sound bizzare while I'm mulling over loan settlement figures, I'm almost at the total amount saved up for my new road bike, and the sales are on!

I've been saving for the last few months as this will be my new transport mode to work in the new year as there is no parking there. Will gave to get over my nerves first! Have seen a few that match my budget so next week when I have done time off I'll call in for a look and try out.

My lovely friend called in today with cards and presents and we had a good old chat as usual about life and the rest. I can borrow the wallpaper stripper so no need to buy one and also some ideas about decorating. Also somewhere arranged to store my bike too, brill!

Jonesy88

Hi fedupandskint,

Just delurking to say have you considered a cycle-to-work cycle scheme loan thingy? My DH has a road bike and the shop he bought it from is licensed to offer the loan which is 0% (encouraged by the government i think). The shop assistant said most people have the loan even if they can afford the bike as its 0% so better earning interest in their account for longer. DH just moved the funds to an account he never uses and set up the DD for the 12 instalments. He genuinely loves his bike and sulks when he can't go to work on it

Also, good luck with the job changes. I moved jobs earlier this year and within a week i felt my new, nicer work-mates had spoken to me more and taken more of an interest in me then the previous role had done the whole time. So i know what you meanwhen you were talking about it earlier.

I also love your no clothes spending count!

:xmassign:

fedupandskint

Thanks Jonesy, I like counting the no spend days for clothes, it's the thing that clicked it all into place which is why I spent £101.98 all year, a very good result there!

I'll see if the new employers do a c2w scheme, current ones don't and also thanks for your good wishes and your job move worked out well too

fedupandskint

Good evening everyone.

I'm happy to have finished work for 3 days and am back there on Friday before another few days off. Very quiet and boring today bit that's better than manic and frantic and worse which it could be. Here's hoping it's quiet on Friday too so we can finish earlier than usual.

Anyway onto other matters, have filled up with liquid gold ready for the week ahead and the petrol station was quiet, budget money drawn out for food and petrol for Jan to split up into weekly allowances.

Time to get packing for a few days at home with mum and family which should be lovely so I'd better make a start!

NSD 21 today and no clothes spend day 23

fedupandskint

Transferred water rates payment for this month to loan settlement account as they are paid up now for the year. That's the plan stuck too and the plan for the next 4 months.