Paying the car tax via EBay, and other shenanigans.

mfmaybe

Ugh. This morning is proving expensive. I've to have some remedial electrical work done in the flat at a cost of £500. Some things I understand, but apparently I need a further smoke alarm and a heat sensor. It's a tiny one bed flat, so you aren't more than 5 paces from the existing smoke alarm wherever you are; but that's the law now so I have to comply.

Anyway I've instructed the work and also emailed nursery about DS' hours so the list is progressing.

It's a nice day so away to go and wash a pair of curtains so I can get them on the line; and also need to make soup at some point.

lucielle

All sounds like its going at your end!
L

mfmaybe

lucielle wrote: »

All sounds like its going at your end!
L

Yes, it's just as well I am not trying to fit in work as well

mfmaybe

Made some progress on the list.

[STRIKE]Phone GP *2 [/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Collect prescription[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Chase on lorry bill[/STRIKE] DONE
Arrange nurse appointment
Send paperwork in to office
[STRIKE]Call re electrical testing in flat[/STRIKE] DONE
Chase on EPC for flat
[STRIKE]Pay for electrical testing in flat[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Email nursery to cut hours[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Follow up on lease if not returned[/STRIKE] DONE

Also washed the curtains, but haven't made the soup. I might not need to post the paperwork into the office as I am meeting my boss next week. So only a couple of things to carry over. Next up is a new blog post.

In money news, cutting nursery hours has somehow made the bill higher this month :huh:. I'm being told this is because I pay an average annual amount, but this month will be done on days. I think it might just be because it's a long month; but I kind of want to do the maths to prove it to myself. Logic tells me it can't be right.

mfmaybe

Updated my signature. The CCRF wasn't going anywhere. However, I thought it would be good to keep track of paying off the BtL mortgage. In addition, have set myself targets for Alcohol-free days and No-spend days. The former is stolen from Brizzle, and is part of my commitment to budgeting . The latter will be any day where I don't hand over my debit card, credit card, or cash (or online shopping). It won't count against me if I pay a bill (like today, where I paid the bill for the electrical testing on the flat).

mfmaybe

I slept much better last night than I've done in a while - courtesy of digging out an eye mask to save the 5am bright sunlight giving me a splitting headache (I need dark to sleep but our rental doesn't have blackouts). Therefore I have a bit more energy to get stuff done today, albeit I went back to bed with a cup of tea and my ipad after DS went to nursery

In MSE news, interest has gone in to our savings accounts. I'm tempted to use the interest I'm earning on my payout to offset the interest I am paying on the BTL. It would essentially double the speed at which it is being paid down. I've another thought on this one too though.

Meanwhile I need to open a second account as we are holding too much cash in one place. This is going to be the Clydesdale B account. I was going to do TSB and may still in the future - but perhaps not right now . That's on today's agenda. DONE

A few other things I want to get done, in no particular order
[STRIKE]Start packing up winter clothes[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Start packing up other bits and bobs[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Try to find DS' rainsuit which is mysteriously missing.[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Collect medicine[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Nurse appointment[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Make soup[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Defrost something for tea.[/STRIKE] DONE
Arrange meetings on site for Friday

Got to stop now as cat is trying to type and it's too difficult to fight her off.

brizzlegirl

All sounding good your end MFM and SO pleased youre getting VR if thats whats best for you and your family. Keep on plugging away. You will have spendy months and less spendy months as you ease into being a single income family but am sure its manageable.

I am doing OK on the alcohol free days, maybe by drinking more tea

mfmaybe

Thanks Brizzle. Updated sig as another one today. Not a NSD though, as needed milk and a couple of bits and bobs.

Quick bedtime brainstorm on to-do list for tomorrow

[STRIKE]Pick up keys for flat[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Pack flat paperwork[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Pack all bags for weekend[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Pack snacks/food for weekend incl soup[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Nursery/horses[/STRIKE] DONE
Blow up car tyre before we go
Key to catsitter
[STRIKE]Money for catsitter[/STRIKE] DONE
Contact Scottish Water re Friday
Cash for farmer
[STRIKE]Take birthday cards with us plus gift for friend[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Decide on pudding for Saturday night[/STRIKE] DONE
Message tenant to arrange key handover
[STRIKE]Chase on EPC[/STRIKE] DONE, DROP KEYS
[STRIKE]Chase on electrical work[/STRIKE] DONE

brizzlegirl

Hope youre having a great weekend. Picture in the paper this morning of a beach cricket match in Fife in glorious sunshine and I thought of you and Beanie and wondered if youd got your flip flops out yet :rotfl:

mfmaybe

Haha well it was tempting but now it's drizzle (ok, full on deluge) again. Yuck.

Anyway - AFD's have been going well but tonight I have a glass of wine. NSDs haven't been as successful. We were away Thursday-Monday and each one of those involved some spending. Yesterday I bought DS some clothes using vouchers, so it almost made it but then I met my boss for coffee which I paid for. I did however make sure I used a proper mug, as I'd forgotten my keep cup. But today is a NSD at last. Tomorrow I might manage as well; but there is food shopping needing done very soon.

Other money news. The lorry bill came in. Ugh. It's 4 figures (though only just) which is waaaay more than I expected. I guess I forgot about the vat, the labour was a fair whack more than anticipated, and each of the parts was just a bit pricier than I would have guessed. My car is making a worrying noise too.

Slightly less scary, the current month Amex isn't too bad. But the one needing paid on payday is HUUUUGEEEE. There are other big bills though. All the stuff for the flat that's coming up (tax deductible, phew). My livery costs go down, but at the same time I might be shipping the horse off for some schooling so I'll have to start paying that. Won't be for too long though. And I do need to find them both somewhere to live if I haven't sorted my fencing out.

Oh I think I'm too tired for this post. I feel like huge sums of money are haemorraghing out at the moment.