And Baby Makes Three....

FunLovinCriminal

These four weeks are awful!
Bored, and looking at every penny spent.
The bonus today was a cluster of cashback has become payable - £48 no less.
Its been lurking there for months, and I emailed quidco enquiring why it was taking so long - and coincidentally it leaps over.
Going to leave it there for a couple of days. Hoping to make another substantial OP soon.

bexster1975

Hello FLC! Don't know when your 4 weeks started, but hope it's over for you soon!! Are you well enough to do any of your hobbies? Or a bit of online surveying to increase the pot a little ( I get bored of those as I'm often thrown out after ages filling in stuff!). Do you/could you grow anything to keep you busy and save on spends? Sorry you are so bored. I have been unwell for a bit longer than 4 weeks so I do know the feeling!

Also, do you have a first direct account? I ask because they are great ( no, I don't work for them!) and you get the £100 switching bonus plus they have a 6% regular saver which you can put up to £300 a month in. Just a thought. Santander for your ISA sounds like a plan.

chin up

Bexster

bexster1975

I will ponder your what advice would you give to your younger self. At the moment I'm thinking " never mind getting degrees, get on the property ladder whilst it's cheap!!"

I'm sure there are plenty of other " pearls of wisdom"

Bexster

FunLovinCriminal

Hi Bexster
Many thanks for your post. I had the operation on Friday - not due back to work until beginning of July - I am going stir crazy here!!!!

Sorry to hear you have not been well. Hope you are on the road to recovery?

Not looked at First Direct - don't really want to switch account, currently with BoS and they give me £5 interest, and the branch is quite local for us.

As for survey's I will look at them, I was an avid "valuedopinions" person, but have lost my username and email address has changed so I figure thats lost - can you recommend any?

Had a heart-to-heart with the OH this morning. She really isn't enjoying being back at work, and leaving Little FLC three days a week. Unfortunately she is the bread-winner, earning more than me during her three days than I do full time.

So I am about to re-post me SOA, can you clever clever people glance over it, see where I can cut back?

FLC

FunLovinCriminal

So here is my latest SOA.

Still got £97k on mortgage, and want to buckle up and get down on it - I have four weeks to make some head-way.

All advice is taken on board....

Wages £2,300

Hair & Treatments £150.00
Savings £65.00
TV Licence £12.12
Council Tax £189.00
Mobile Phone Insurance £12.00
Mortgage £703.64
Eon £92.00
Sky £80.00
Simply Health £33.00
Joint Gym £78.00
Mobile Phones £60.00
Weightwatchers £21.45
Home & Contents Insurance £25.50
Food £200.00
Diesel £300.00

bexster1975

Hi

I definitely think getting things sorted whilst you are off work is a good idea, will also save your sanity!

I'm sorry your other half is so unhappy, it is a pain when she earns more. As for your SOA, don't get caught posting it everywhere there are some brutal people recently on here!!

I think places to begin are:

Council tax is high, is that over ten months? Could do it over 12 if it helps with monthly outgoings. Honestly though I just pay the two months there is no council tax straight off mortgage.

I'm not going to lie to you, Sky, joint gym and mobile phones need looking into. I realise you may be stuck in a contract but haggling/ looking for same cheaper elsewhere is a great way to boost your overpays. I can recommend netflix if your broadband is up to it. I think I pay £5.99 a month.
What do you do to your hair?!:eek:
I'm sure lots of people in old style could help you cut the food bill

Just some thoughts...

Bexster:)

bexster1975

Could I ask, is there any way Mrs FLC could work from home? Either for her current business or maybe for herself? I appreciate she is the breadwinner as it were, but she might be able to find something that suits better, and you could cut your cloth to fit. I only ask as they are not little for long, and it's a pity to miss it, especially if she's unhappy about it.

Sorry to hear you are only just started your enforced break!

Bexster:)

FunLovinCriminal

Hi Bexster

Is there "brutal" folk on here? I am not on here often, well until my enforced time off, but I've never seen this before - thats a shame.

Its reality, we have a lovely house, a house that we extended prior to little FLC coming, and we need to pay for it - just tough for her.

Council tax is over ten months, its in Scotland, so incorporates water rates.

I have just got off the phone to Sky, it did include phone and broadband, and sky sports - they have reduced my bill by £20 per month for 12 months.

I use showbox and playbox, through my android tablet - Mrs FLC is not so keen though.

Hair, I'm afraid is Mrs FLC's dept, my hair went long before little FLC came along - the money is waxing, nails and hair - not done every month, but left on there (in case)

bexster1975 wrote: »

Hi

I definitely think getting things sorted whilst you are off work is a good idea, will also save your sanity!

I'm sorry your other half is so unhappy, it is a pain when she earns more. As for your SOA, don't get caught posting it everywhere there are some brutal people recently on here!!

I think places to begin are:

Council tax is high, is that over ten months? Could do it over 12 if it helps with monthly outgoings. Honestly though I just pay the two months there is no council tax straight off mortgage.

I'm not going to lie to you, Sky, joint gym and mobile phones need looking into. I realise you may be stuck in a contract but haggling/ looking for same cheaper elsewhere is a great way to boost your overpays. I can recommend netflix if your broadband is up to it. I think I pay £5.99 a month.
What do you do to your hair?!:eek:
I'm sure lots of people in old style could help you cut the food bill

Just some thoughts...

Bexster:)

bexster1975

Ah! No water rates is explained! I only just noticed this missing!

I think we should leave Mrs FLCs hair and nails alone ( I sort of guessed it wouldn't be yours).

Great news about sky. And not so bad if phone and broadband are included. :T

A few newbies have been posting and have some quite large TV budgets which have taken a kicking from some ( I suppose they may call it tough love!)

Not sure if you are fit to cook, but if so you could save quite a bit cooking from scratch depending on what you like. Also shopping at Aldi or Lidl if you have one close by could save quite a bit ( almost a third on shopping here, compared to previously using Asda etc.)

Bexster

FunLovinCriminal

Thanks bexster - for the advice and someone to talk to lol

We both work for a large supermarket chain, when I can drive aglain (hoping another couple of days) I am hoping to go to Aldi or Lidl and see what the fuss is about.

I am about to do a click and collect shop using Tesco vouchers so we have at least some food in, and Mrs FLC can collect on Wednesday.

Going to fire up the spreadsheet and play with numbers. Only 60 days to go until I am 40, so means only 3710 til I am 50, and (hopefully) MF