My Diary v3.0

natsplatnat

Hi LT (and anyone else reading!)


Yep, still love a good plan!! What's not to like?? lol


Todays news is.... we (OH and I) are off on holibobs in September! Whoop whoop! Fairly MSE overall - but we do feel like we need it and there is money to cover it which is good. I ruled out several lovely places as I just couldn't justify the cost - but OH has agreed we will set up a holibob pot for next year! love him really!


We go 4 weeks today, so I am hoping to offset the reduction in food consumption between now and then against the cost... very little alcohol until then too! We are both just a little rounder than we would like... not looking for miracles over the next 28 days, but it is always easier when you have a goal! (goal after that is to drop a dress size by my brothers wedding next May - but not very good with longer term targets).

natsplatnat

Just completed a PA survey which will put me over £20.00 when it clears! YAY! FINALLY!

Lemon_Tree

enjoy your holiday, they're the staples in many people's lives that mean so much to us mse'ers
well done on your PA cashout, i'm still waiting to hit the magic £20

natsplatnat

Ah, thanks LT. We didn't have the best start to the year with OH's health - so now its all settled down we need a bit of R&R.


Just requested £21.50 from PA - that will be squirrelled into the car fund!


Nothing particularly interesting to report at the moment. It's that section of the month where nothing really happens!

natsplatnat

No wonder I create sooo many plans ... it has finally dawned on me the reason may be because I don't gather all the necessary facts in advance and just assume things will be the way I think they will be (which is odd because I always thought I was quite methodical and analytical).


I was just about to apply for a 0% CC to use to clear my car loan when a little voice in the back of my head said "just check you can clear the loan balance with a CC". So I did ... and the answer is no, I can't.


I can clear the balance in full at any time with an online payment or send them a cheque.


This has obviously ruined my plan!!


Really annoyed with myself as I thought that this was a perfect plan to save debt interest and earn credit interest.


I could still do it by taking out a CC which allows transfers to a current account - but they all charge in the region of a 2.9% fee. I may re-visit this but any fee eats into any saving to be made.


I might look at applying the "stoozing" technique of taking out a 0% CC and using this for my day to day spending, paying the minimum to the card each month and using the money I would be spending to build my pot up and clear the loan. Not sure I have the mental capacity to think about this at the moment though as OH have a joint CC for all spends and I am not sure how I could split out enough from things that are solely mine to make it work!


Even using my emergency fund I don't have the funds to clear it myself - and that would leave me with no EF.


Really quite annoyed with myself. I think all I can do is build my little pot up as much as possible and then clear it in full... but this will be much nearer the end of the term of the loan. At least I will be earning some interest on the pot I build.


Note to self:- GET ALL FACTS TOGETHER WHEN MAKING A PLAN (therefore plan may actually succeed!!)


I suppose the upside is I closed my PO CC with the view of doing this so my available credit is less.

natsplatnat

Still musing over the car loan scenario. What doesn't help is OH is adamant I should get a new(er) car. Thought I would indulge his whim last night and look at some cars and figures... even with the supposed equity in my current car, I would be looking at a new loan of approx. £12,000. So that's a no from me then!! I'm sure he'll get it one day!


Good news is the £21.50 from Pro.Ac is safely in my account and I have just withdrawn the £20.00 from Q.co. I now Have 1 months cars loan money sat there... clearing the loan one month early isn't really saving enough interest - but it would be a little (tiny) saving. On to saving another month!!
Should hopefully hear about OH's ppi claim in the next 10 days or so. If successful that would be a nice mood booster before holiday!
I'm sure there is more to report - but my brain feels a little weary today and I cannot remember.
Hoping the sunshine makes a re-appearance soon... yesterday was nice but its more like November down here today (really, dark, wet and gloomy).

natsplatnat

Still no news on OH's ppi claim... we'll just keep waiting.


Renewed both car insurance policies last night. We had a joint policy last year, but this year it was cheaper to split them again, and I should get cashback on both! That will be a nice £71.60 in total! Mine will go into my car fund - OH can have his!


Waiting for a new CC to arrive - one of those "good for use abroad" ones! Holibobs in 13 days! YAY!

natsplatnat

Hi All!
Oops, not written for over a month. But everything is good.


Holiday has been and gone . New CC for use abroad arrived and worked a treat. Everything due has been paid and the surplus allowed re-shuffled for now.
In even better news, OH got one of his ppi claims upheld and received a cheque just after we got back for just under £6500.00! That got me some serious "good girlfriend points"!! Still waiting for an update on the other one - they wrote to say they needed a bit more time, but haven't heard anything since. Time must almost be up, so will have a look at the dates and where we go from here.


The plan for the car fund is still the same.... slowly build up a pot to pay off as early as I can.
I have 1 night house sitting in October + 12 nights house sitting confirmed for November, and a week in Jan (that can all go in the car fund too).
I am possibly off to Oxford this weekend, then in 3 weeks I am off to my sisters for the weekend (well, Sat night - home Sunday). We are going to the cinema, then back to hers for PJ's pizza and wine - sounds perfect.
So, that's me pretty much up to date. Really tired this week, I think maybe I am harbouring the germs OH and DSS have had for the last week! Hoping they don't make a proper appearance in time for this weekend.
Love to all, Nats x

natsplatnat

So the germs hit and I had yesterday off work - luckily no deductions from my pay!


I picked up a couple of Pro.Ac surveys earlier in the week - one offered a bonus of £2.20 which was nice and my balance is now £9.85 - so nearly half way to another checkout.


First Christmas present bought earlier this week - should arrive today. Discounted and with cashback! Nice!


Back at work today, but it is my weekend off, so there will be a bit of pottering, some fresh air and not a lot else (hopefully!).


Catch you all soon xxx

natsplatnat

Morning All!


Where does the weekend go? Had a lovely, semi-productive couple of days and now it's back to work.
Logged into one of my accounts yesterday and there was a mystery £10 in there... some kind of vi5a reward. Not a clue - but I have moved it to my car fund! Thank you very much!
Still no news on OH's other ppi claim - tonights job will be to look at the last letter they sent and see what they are up to.
Right, that's me up to date. Have a great week all! xxx