The march to financial freedom

Ali-OK

Morning Diary

Some good financial news to share today :j:j

- Got into the B@rclays ISA which has a grand total of £11.43 in it!
- Have closed the TT Savings Account and gained 16p interest
- Have set up a payment of £128.61 (includes Qu!dco, Qmee and interest) to the ISA One job done!

Car Insurance - oh I'm :j:j:j

Renewal quote - £232.15
Best cashback quote - £179
Best comparison site quote - £177 - this was with Lloyds bank and being a customer, I logged on to see a 10% discount for going direct. Got a quote and I've just paid £137.80 like for like :T:T:T

Just goes to show you have to try all the avenues to find the cheapest/best. Am chuffed as Martin wrote recently about rising car insurance costs, so to save on last years cost of £169 is incredible :money: Paid in one lump. Job done for another year.

Just the gas to look at and sort, bit worried changeover might be whilst we're away on hols, so thinking of leaving that until we get back in April.

Happy Friday indeed :D

Ali-OK

Gas update :j

Today just gets better and better

I'm with Daligas (SS hope this is useful for you too)

They've just lauched a new deal called FIX 12 - at the end of the 12 months of Daligas One (1 Year Fixed) you'll be automatically switched to the new deal - and it's cheaper :j - just need to update them with meter reading on end date (12th March for me - a reminder I can find easily by noting it here )

So I'm going to be staying with them - currently paying £54.46 per month and it'll reduce to £48.00 per month - that's a great saving given I could only find better by @ £2 a month with Zog.

So the big drop is in standing change from 19p to 8p per day, kwh goes down from 3.308 to 3.035

Happy with that :T:T

liltdiddylilt

WOW - look at you!! That is pretty blooming awesome!

You finally tried B@rclays then and got in!! :j and you're rich see!!

Looks like Daligas are fighting to keep people which is great news. Prices have gone down but most of the big companies are not passing the savings on so these little guys should be more and more popular as time goes on

Where are you when I need you woman? I need a cup of tea... :rotfl:

Happy weekend!! xx

Ali-OK

Even better as earnt another 11p on Qmee, moved it and upped transfer to ISA :rotfl: Total in ISA after the move will be £140.15

Praying I can still get into B@rclays after the transfer to see it safely sat there :rotfl:

Gas prices don't seem to have dropped much in comparison to electricity, so the new Daligas offering is great. I'm also all poised to jump ship from FU to iSupply in May - customer service at FU was dreadful for months til it finally got sorted (online did not work at all!) so even though only a small saving of @ £2 a month, Mum is with iSupply and all has been tickety-boo since her move. So I shall follow. Think you're spot on with the smaller suppliers

Health wise, it's all been downhill since lunchtime Had to push through the hot leg flashes and funny head to get DS to his Paed appointment - all really good there, but I'm just struggling through the tiredness and everything. Even started the ADs back up tonight in hope of settling things.

The Science event tomorrow hasn't come to fruition - the people in the know weren't in school today and I've come to a dead end. A real shame as it looks to be a top day (possibly weekend) with Astronaut Dr Michael Foale and other top bods at a University not too far away. About creating something to go into the next space mission. What a missed opportunity

Still, the overall upshot is lay ins, friends visiting and what I hope will be a relaxing weekend.

liltdiddylilt

So sorry about you being poorly and DS missing out on the science trip sounds like ti would have been amazing!

Lay in sounds... lush. I wish. I've got a 2 year old :rotfl:

Ali-OK

:rotfl: Wait until Jelly's a teen and you're tip-toeing around so you don't wake them...they naturally surface about lunchtime (if you're lucky :rotfl:)

Health is really rubbish at the mo, don't know what else I can do to self help or get help. A bit stuck so trying all the stuff I know - relaxation podcasts, ibruprofen for face pain, the AD (but I also know that might increase anxiety when I don't feel anxious, it's all seemingly physical).

Perhaps a PJ day is what I need

liltdiddylilt

Maybe you are right.. a pj day sounds fab.

Have you tried amitriptyline? Works in a different way to other pain meds, being an AD only in very high doses. I have to say it has helped me so much since I started taking 20mg at night. Helps me sleep too x

Ali-OK

No, not been offered that by the GP.. *makes notes to suggest it with lady GP next week*

Might have PJ day pre and post visitors then, better get dressed for that :rotfl:

AlexLK

Ali, I hope you get well soon. Pleased to hear all the finances looking healthy for you, though.

As for the school GCSE options, what's your son's final choices if you don't mind me asking? Good universities will expect to see a mix of strong subjects at GCSE and a more specialised set at A Level. Don't know what I'll be like when my son gets to that age, it's hard enough advising pupils interested in taking their music further, for one I've spent about five hours gathering relevant information this week alone.

Ali-OK

Thanks Alex.

Up at a ridiculous 5.30am with a poorly tummy this morning, slept through apart from that :rotfl:

It'll be a couple of months before we know final choices as they have to pick a couple of back up subjects just in case they can't take what they want, though based on last year over 90% got first choices. We'll be putting his in after next weeks Parents Eve.

So, the compulsory are English Lit and Lang, Maths and RE. His choices - Triple Science, History, Computing, Drama. Uni entry looks favourably on have the English Baccalaureate which he needs a language to complete. His back ups are Geography and something not yet decided :rotfl: But I can see that being a language.

It's a solid set and gives him options - programming/coding is in the Computing GCSE and Drama is his fun option - it's done so much for his confidence and social/life skills so is useful from that perspective.


Elec and gas meter readings done and entered in my spreadsheet, bank account checked and been doing some more reading on Junior ISAs and general adult savings.

All ready for friends to come over - birthday pressie wrapped, showered and dressed and bits of housework done too. If I put the kettle on, they're bound to arrive