Onwards & Upwards in 2014

happydays89

Hi,have you shopped around for building and house insurance? They look very high.We pay £149.00 a year.we have a three bed semi.Might be worth looking around.

Mrs_Cheshire

Igamogam wrote: »

Tiny little thing but it all helps...........are you claiming tax relief against your union fees? If not get on to HMRC and it can be back dated 4 years I think - just have to let them know if the fees change. Good luck

My husband pays union fees, would be interested to hear how you go about claiming the tax relief!

Midgie

I have done the reclaiming tax on my union fees already. It's pretty easy - all you have to do is write to your local tax people and they'll do the rest.

Building insurance is through my factors so I don't think I can change that but will have a go at my contents insurance.

Had to dip into my travel budget for an unexpected taxi last night. Grrrr! Life is so much easier when I have a car!

Happy New Year everyone! 2014 begins in earnest!

Midgie

I am blowing living on a budget big time this week! I spent another £17 in Asda on food! I went in to pick up bread, eggs and porridge and then ended up picking up other things!

I am going to have to knuckle down and do it! My problem is that I don't want to say no to things! Though I think this might get easier when I'm back at work next week and don't have the same free time!

I have £50 to last me until the 21st January and I am determined I am going to do it! And that will be me rid of my £100 overdraft which the bank have started charging me £6 every month for using (they didn't used to as it used to be free but I've been going through statements and realised that I didn't know that the terms of my account changed!)

Good thing is I picked up a little bit of extra work. Its only an hour a week (and I feel awful taking money from a friend) but it all helps!

Ali-OK

Shops are good at leading us to wander around them and tempt us, that's the problem!

Try going in with a list in your hand (however short) with a basket in the other. Head only to the items needed via the shortest route and straight to the check out nearest the exit. It feels a bit odd to start with, but over time, it becomes a habit and I rarely get anything additional to what is on my list now.

Try meal planning before you do a weekly shop so you buy in what's needed and are using what's in the cupboard/fridge/freezer. Try and avoid having to 'pop in' for a few things. I know it's easier said than done - you'll get there though

Good news on the overdraft fee soon to be gone and the extra work. All coming together nicely

Midgie

Thanks Ali-OK! I will try that!

Do you know that way I led myself to believe that I'd only picked up a couple of extra things then got a shock at the till? Anyway, I will learn!

Do you do a weekly shop or a monthly? I normally do a monthly then pick up bits and pieces but I'm starting to think that's not the best way!

Midgie

Midgie

Also my direct debits went out my account today so

Loan is at £8607.23

Credit Card is at £5167.76

Ali-OK

So easy to think 'just this extra one or two or three' won't add up too much! When I was still in the conscious learning phase, I mentally added up the bill and started putting 1 or 2 extra things back. Then I worked out the best route in the store, so I avoided aisles that might tempt me - the baby one where I wouldn't want anything or the pharmacy aisle! It's finding a strategy that works for you and testing different ways to do it.

I've always been a weekly shopper and never tried the monthly idea. I plan meals a week at a time going round the cupboards and freezer and also we eat the fresh stuff up first, but am learning that grated cheese freezes well as does chopped up carrots and other root veg. The OS board is brill for that sort of info.

The only thing I ever need to get extra in the week is milk from our local shop, but now the half chest is free of duck, 2 turkeys and desserts for 19 (I held a big family lunch just before Xmas as I do each year), I will probably buy more milk in the weekly run and freeze half of it. So I don't get the need to pop in anymore.

I talk to DS about what he wants in his packed lunch, breakfasts and if there's anything particular he wants for evening meals and I'll incorporate those if it dovetails with what we have in. If not I note it down for a future week meal plan, so we circulate through what we've got first and keeps the budget down.

Biggest problem I encounter is DS going through phases of foods he wants/likes and having a stock of it, for him then to go off of it, so am left with stuff he likes but I don't! The weekly works well from that perspective now as I only buy what he has agreed to eat and he has to stick to it too!!

Ooh great news on the payments as well - all heading in the right direction

Midgie

Freeze the milk ......why did I never think of that?? I'm always running out!

I think I'll maybe try go to a fortnightly shop and see if that works better. I tend to do a monthly shop then batch cook. Problem is I then eat all the things I 'really' like at the start of the month and then get stuck with all the things that I 'should' like at the end of the month! :rotfl:

Midgie

Another NSD today!

Its really easy to do if you spend the day in your pjs!:rotfl: