Tunnel Vision in 2014!

Chardonnay

Thanks SA! I agree, it's all about changing spending habits.

We've had some more rubbish financial news today. OH was getting an ill health pension from when he worked on the railways. He had a back operation a few years back and has had real trouble with this back since so can't do manual work any more. They do a yearly check on income and unfortunately he earned too much last year, so that's £229 every 4 weeks down the swannee (spelling?)

On the plus side, it will start again when he's 60 in May next year, so that's something I guess. Still a lot of money to do without though and it's going to affect our debt busting but we must carry on doing our best!

On the holiday front, as OH, best mate and I all work for the same company, we can't all have holiday at the same time, so there's that idea out of the window However, as I'd already asked my dad to come and he was up for it, we are still going to go, but in July hopefully. We shouldn't really, especially with losing that money, but that just makes me want to go more!

We will just have to carry on finding ways to cut costs and try and earn extra bits I guess!

Also, apart from the birthday lunch on Saturday, we are now going out on Sunday lunchtime too, as it's my brother's birthday and he wants us to go out for lunch. It means train travel, lunch and drinks, so more money! :mad: However, both meals are for family and I really don't feel like I can say no. Life's too short and all that! Luckily most of February is quiet, so hoping to have a good month.

Onwards and upwards!

Sun_Addict

Chardonnay last year taught me there are some things more important than money. Over the years Mr SA and I have spent far too much money on holidays abroad when we should have been saving and doing stuff to the house. When I nearly lost him last year I looked back on all the lovely memories of past holidays and I thought I don't regret a single one of them now. It's now been a year since our last holiday and I'm getting withdrawal symptoms! Obviously you have to try and save as well and if you have debt it's wise to pay it off, but it's all about finding a balance really.

Bad news about the drop in income by the way! At least it'll start up again though and by then you might be used to living on less and it'll all be extra!

Chardonnay

Very true words SA! Losing mum in March last year also put things into perspective. It's all about finding a balance isn't it?! Cutting spending on the unnecessary things, but realising that sometimes we do have to spend for the things that are important to us. I really don't think I can live a completely frugal lifestyle with no treats, I do really feel life is too short for that for me, although I admire people who can!

I know exactly what you mean about having spent too much money on holidays in the past, that's partly how we got into this debt! But I can understand how the terrible year you had last year has put everything so much more into perspective and I think you're right not to regret the holidays. I'm not going to either, some of them were with my mum and they are memories that are so precious and I know I would have regretted it if I didn't have them.

I hope that Mr SA is well enough soon for you to both have a holiday....you so deserve it! You will appreciate it so much when you get to go, after everything you've been through!

Chardonnay

OK, so all change on the holiday front since my last diary post.

DD came home from college and announced that they are breaking up for the Summer in May! I didn't expect that at all, and of course it meant it gave us much more options for our holiday! I did call the college, just to check as it's taken her so long to get settled, there is no way I am going to do anything that could jeopardise that. Spoke to the lovely receptionist (who was also full of praise for DD as to how happy she looks and how well she's done, which meant so much!) who confirmed that as they are moving buildings, they are indeed finished in May until September

So, we are now going away in June. I've booked the flights as I find they only tend to get more expensive nearer the time and we found some with great flight times. They weren't any cheaper than going in the school holidays really but it did give us a lot more options for booking an apartment. We have found a gorgeous, frontline apartment overlooking the beach, which we wouldn't have been able to afford if we'd gone in the school holidays, so I've sent the deposit off to secure it already It's only 20% and you pay the balance on arrival, which I thought was quite good.

So I've changed my signature, because there'll be no saving for a holiday now as I've already booked it

BUT:

1. I worked out a budget for how much I was prepared to pay for the holiday and stuck to it.
2. Although I paid for the flights on my credit card for safety reasons (and because I haven't been paid yet ), they will be paid off as soon as I get paid.
3. I paid the apartment deposit in cash.
4. The apartment looks so comfortable and in such a beautiful spot, with lovely outdoor space, that I really feel we'll be happy just to spend time there, rather than keep going out spending money. We will be eating breakfast and lunch there and probably cook there in the evening a couple of times, so I am hoping to get away with much less spending money than usual.
5. Dad and OH absolutely love the photos and are excited about it, so that's got to be worth the money

So although I won't be paying much off the debts at all this month, as I had planned, a lot of the holiday will be paid for and I will still be a little bit less in debt than I was last month! :T And at least we don't have to worry about paying the balance until June

In other news, I've been keeping up with doing as much s/e work as possible but got up early today to do some and there isn't any :mad: Oh well! Also went to family meal yesterday and spent £15 so that wasn't too bad Had a lovely time too and glad I went. Brother's meal today and that's going to be more expensive with trains as well, but going to have to try to limit the damage on that one.

Then, February should be a clear month (apart from going out with friends one night) so really going to try to get back to chipping away at the debt!

Hope everyone has a lovely Sunday in the awful weather that's forecast! :eek:

Chardonnay

Aargh, nearly forgot! I lost 3.5lb last week! :T Am now lighter than I have been in probably 4 years? Went on the treadmill 3 times last week for half an hour and managed to run for longer yesterday. Have also been sticking to the WW points, although I've abandoned them this weekend with so many meals out. Yesterday was an all you can eat buffet, so that was a bit of a disaster Takeaway on Friday night (OH came back from a trip away with some money left so we used that to pay for it). I know I should have paid it off the debt, but had a nightmare afternoon getting back from the hospital after DD's CBT appointment and I just fancied a takeaway so much! And at least it hasn't come out of the budget!

Another meal out today too! Will definitely get back to counting the points tomorrow :cool:

Also, I've been persuaded by my best friend to enter the Birmingham Half Marathon with her in October :eek: It's 9 months away yet, so I figured it would be something to aim for, although considering the furthest I've ever run is 5k, I've got a lot of training to do!

Skinnylatte

That's good to hear about the holiday, I agree life is too short, as long as it doesn't put you deeper into debt then of course you should plan great times.
Well done with the weight loss :T
A half marathon, whoa that's a serious distance to run, good for you :j

Sun_Addict

Wow a half marathon! Think I'd end up speed walking a lot of it! Although I would imagine running with lots of other people spurs you on. Good luck anyway.

Well done on booking the holiday on budget. The apartment sounds great. Something to look forward to. Sometimes I think I enjoy the looking forward to a holiday more than the actual holiday - daft though it sounds!

And well done on the weight loss!

Chardonnay

Thanks skinnylatte! Well I'm pleased to say that despite booking the holiday, I have still managed to pay a tiny bit off the debt this month, so although not as much as I would have liked, at least I know that a lot of the holiday is paid for and I'm no further in debt :T

The half marathon, well it may just be a pipe dream, will have to see how I get on...but it would be nice to try it!

Oh yes, SA, that is me with the planning the holidays! People always say I should have been a travel agent because I LOVE planning holidays! I look for them other people too. Not sure why I love it so much but I almost feel a bit of an anti climax once I've found "the one"!

Chardonnay

Phew! Made it back on!

Well I've had a bit of a re-jig of the finances this week! I've thought long and hard about it and I know that the general advice is that consolidation loans are a bad idea. However, on checking our budget for the next year on my spreadsheet, I think I set our target unrealistically high.

Basically, we really need to buy a house this summer - long story, but it's something we can't hang on for much longer. If we'd have carried on trying to pay all of the debt off, realistically it would have been at least a year away. So I decided to take out a loan with my bank, who were offering me a reasonable interest rate, and borrowed £7500. That has paid off my Marriott card and some of my Barclaycard. It means that the new aim is to pay the Barclaycard and Halifax card by the end of July, leaving us with a small monthly payment for the loan. On affordability calculators for mortgages, it means that even with the loan, we will still be able to afford a reasonable property.

I am determined that this is a positive move for us. It gives us a realistic goal of 6 months for the credit cards, and still means we'll be in a much better financial situation for when we buy a house. Once I receive the next Marriott statement, I am going to reduce the credit limit on that card to £2,000 (it's about £8,000 at the mo). I'm then going to use that for day to day expenses but change the Direct Debit to pay off the whole balance every month. I thought about closing it, but I have built up a few points and don't really want to lose them. You also get more points for using it abroad, so I can build up a few points while on holiday (will check charges first) and we might get the odd free night away, eventually!

I aim to pay the Barclaycard off next month, and will then close that account. That will then just leave the Halifax to blitz! Next month is a bit difficult as our gas/electric bill is due, and I've a feeling it's going to be big! That's the downside to working from home, and of course this is the worst quarter of the year I've budgeted for it though, and if I can pay that and pay off the Barclaycard, I'll be happy!

Just been paid, so updated my signature and a bit disappointed I didn't get to pay off more this month but we've paid for our flights and a deposit on the apartment, so the fact I've managed to pay anything off at all is a good thing I guess! Oh, and I also had to pay the tax bill, which was £450.

Onwards and upwards from here!

Sun_Addict

You've done really well Chardonnay! It doesn't matter how little you pay off as long as it's something - especially in January. Here's to next month!