How to fall in love with saving money

cathybird

Morning all! Hi JIL and JoJoC In a way, it's really interesting about the interest waning, because I expected it to happen and it's at that point that it's really easy to slip back into old free-spending ways (I think). It happened to me - not right away, I paid down a lot of debt, and then I had a couple of difficult things happen and spent a bit to make myself feel better, telling myself it was temporary, and then drifted away from MSE. So, that's really why I posed the question about "how to fall in love with saving money", because I didn't want that to happen again - that drifting away. But it's probably human nature and in a way I was probably asking the wrong question - it's not falling in love that counts but the determination to keep slogging even when the interest does wane. So, possibly a bit more like a long-term relationship after the spark has died?

JIL, btw, thanks for the reminder about TopCashBack! I've got to do my car insurance and had forgotten all about trying to get cashback. Mine won't be as cheap as yours either but cashback will certainly help!

Shortie

Regarding cashbac on insurances... I like to shop around like I'm sure we all do. I will be getting my own car again in a couple if weeks time so need to look at insuring at, and the family car insurance is also due to expire - can I shop around outside of Quidco to find a cheap insurance and then buy through Quidco? I worry that the cookies on my computer will let Quidco know I shopped around outside of there and it won't track?

I hope I just made sense there, lol

Shortie

Oooh okay - so I just logeged on to check and there is a comparison engine on there - not sure thouhg if you get the cashback if you use the comparision option? I would assume you do but will try and google it first!

JIL

JoJoC wrote: »

Hey JIL, you're not alone, as you've probably read! It seems like we're all struggling a bit.

Maybe it's the four month savings itch?

Well done on getting your cash back on your insurance! I can only ever dream of having insurance that low. My husband and I are still mid-late 20s so our premiums are still quite high. About 5 times your net cost!

Hope everyone is in for a lovely day!

Aw thank you, to be honest it is just a small car that I have had from new. Its 6 years old now. I was really pleased as the previous insurance company was double that at £197. I did not think I would get the cashback at £60 when the quote was £166, so was really pleased when it tracked. That was with protected no claims as well with a decent company.

JIL

Shortie wrote: »

Oooh okay - so I just logeged on to check and there is a comparison engine on there - not sure thouhg if you get the cashback if you use the comparision option? I would assume you do but will try and google it first!

Shortie, i used a comparison site, but did not save any quotes. I noted which were the cheapest and then I just used TCB and looked to see which paid the best cashback. I have done this for both my father in law and my own dad.
When I did my father in laws I saved him over £250 on his renewal quote. A few months later I was able to give him £50 worth of love to shop vouchers as well.
Good luck

JIL

cathybird wrote: »

Morning all! Hi JIL and JoJoC In a way, it's really interesting about the interest waning, because I expected it to happen and it's at that point that it's really easy to slip back into old free-spending ways (I think). It happened to me - not right away, I paid down a lot of debt, and then I had a couple of difficult things happen and spent a bit to make myself feel better, telling myself it was temporary, and then drifted away from MSE. So, that's really why I posed the question about "how to fall in love with saving money", because I didn't want that to happen again - that drifting away. But it's probably human nature and in a way I was probably asking the wrong question - it's not falling in love that counts but the determination to keep slogging even when the interest does wane. So, possibly a bit more like a long-term relationship after the spark has died?

JIL, btw, thanks for the reminder about TopCashBack! I've got to do my car insurance and had forgotten all about trying to get cashback. Mine won't be as cheap as yours either but cashback will certainly help!

Tonight I have sorted out the money, paid off the credit card, sent some money to my student son. Sent some to my other son as its his birthday soon, sorted out the husbands passport, and realised there wont be any saved this month. We will still overpay on the mortgage though.
I am determined that this month is a blip. Next month we will be back on track. I just need to make sure that we do not dip into whats already saved.

I do like topcashback. I move my house and car insurance every year to take advantage of cashback.
Then I change my phone contract via topcashback every two years. Last month i got a new contract at £11.99 per month with lots of data, unlimited texts and 100 mins talk time with a really good phone. I got £80.80 cashback!
Friends at work say they cant be bothered, but half an hour on the computer and they would be quids in.

cathybird

Back late home tonight and about to take myself off to bed but plan to tackle my car insurance tomorrow via Topcashback and very pleased about the reminder to do so I'm determined to make this month a blip too - next month starts tomorrow Night night all, see you tomorrow for another day of MSE-ing.

cathybird

Morning all! So yesterday I was chatting to my boss and he was talking about how he got really stressed first thing before coming in to work because his wife's car tax was due and he took two hours getting some documentation together and then driving round trying to find a post office to pay it before remembering he actually paid it four days ago anyway. Happily this reminded me that my car tax was probably due too, though I couldn't remember getting the reminder in the mail? When I got home last night I looked through some unopened mail I had piled up in the spare room. Bingo! Yes, it was due yesterday as well. I paid it with one and a half hours to spare. Not that it would make much difference if it was a day or so late, I suppose, but still. Note to self: really must find a more efficient way of dealing with incoming mail.

I have also opened that new TSB account thing, with 5% interest, and put some money in there, so I guess that's a bit more MSE. I might actually swap my salary over so it gets paid into it. I'm a bit annoyed with my current providers - their interest rate is nil and they have been a bit crap in other ways.

I hope everyone out there is having an MSE day.

atush

Well I am home and tired so am not leaving the house. Which means if I don't buy anything online, i will have a no spend day lol.

That reminds me, I should have some money ready to pay out over at TCB now. I use it to get amazon vouchers which I spend on books so as to not have to pay for them lol

Lomcevak

cathybird wrote: »

I have also opened that new TSB account thing, with 5% interest, and put some money in there, so I guess that's a bit more MSE. I might actually swap my salary over so it gets paid into it.

Just the one?

Depending on what you earn it might be worth having a second TSB account if you want to use it for your main banking to hold anything about the £2k that earns interest. But if you're moving salary too then you could net an extra £60 a year very easily by opening a Halifax reward account too, pay your salary in to Halifax, leave enough balance to pay the two DDs you need to qualify for the reward payment, and then move the balance to TSB for interest. Once set up it's 60 seconds effort a month, so well worth it IMO (if only to top up the book fund ).

YNAB makes it very easy to keep on top of the various balances and payments too, have you set that up yet?