Journey to happy skinflintedness

saraih

Been reading around MSE about how to deal with my main new problem, not having to shell out huge sums to deal with things I know are going to happen.

Envelopes won't work as I rarely have any cash but a virtual envelope system would.

Insurance
Birthdays and Christmas
Glasses
Prescription card
Son's yearly bus pass

And I need to get on with the vet plan thing. I'm sure there are other things that could be planned in advance for.

These things need saving for at the same time as building up a six month savings plan, otherwise there's not much point in saving everything if it's going to be spent in chunks anyway.

This is all first world problems now, a very good place to be One thing I do know is that there is NOTHING I want badly enough to use credit for it. It'd have to be a serious catastrophe and even then I'd probably prefer to live in a tent - the cat can share with me.

Planning is much more fun when there's actual spare money involved :shocked:

in_need_of_direction

Have you applied yet?

saraih

No forms yet, the last ones arrived pretty quick so I'm hoping they'll be here tomorrow. If they don't I'll see if it can be done online.

Definitely doing it though.

in_need_of_direction

Good. Btw, is it worth checking out if oh could be exempt from paying for prescriptions on the grounds of medical condition? Also, I know you don't want to splurge but DS appears to be an absolute rock in terms of not putting pressure on (bus pass excepted). Can you not do a mini splurge on him for Christmas now there's a bit of extra regular money? I know I shouldn't be encouraging spends but he really seems so good.

ailz95

in_need_of_direction wrote: »

Good. Btw, is it worth checking out if oh could be exempt from paying for prescriptions on the grounds of medical condition? Also, I know you don't want to splurge but DS appears to be an absolute rock in terms of not putting pressure on (bus pass excepted). Can you not do a mini splurge on him for Christmas now there's a bit of extra regular money? I know I shouldn't be encouraging spends but he really seems so good.

I got an exemption certificate for prescriptions because I couldn't get to the surgery without help. I got the form from the doctor's reception - though this is going back a bit now.

Ailz

saraih

He's always been that way, INOD. I really can't say how much I've appreciated him not being demanding for the last few years, he earns anything he wants over what we give him and doesn't ask for anything much. Trouble is if you ask him he'll just say steam vouchers :rotfl: it's his answer to everything and he already gets them.

I was thinking of post christmas sales clothes though, or a yearly cinema voucher as that's what he spends his own money on. It might delay him trying for more work if he isn't short for those things. Other than that I will try to encourage him to have a good think about it. His friends don't really have any money to speak of so he doesn't have anyone to keep up with.

ailz I was looking at the same thing but I honestly don't know if OH will ask the doctor to sign off on the form needed for prescription payments. He does go on his own to the doctors quite often because it's a short taxi ride and hardly any walking. I'd say about half the time he's on his own. OH tends to minimize any issues with the doctor out of fear he'll sign him off work. It's a problem sometimes.

Having said that, the next time it's been a few times when he's had to have me with him, I might casually mention it myself.

Anyway the form came! I'm going to post it before last collection and see what happens. Access to work have sent a remittance notice as well, no money yet but at least they must have approved something. All good news.

saraih

The form for the taxi vouchers arrived, I'll pop it in the post tomorrow with a photo. So handy, all the taxis round here take them and OH was asking one of the regulars and they don't mind taking them at all, so it shouldn't be awkward.

I did some sums for a cinema voucher and I'm not sure if son & heir goes often enough to be worth it. Leaning towards just giving him cash and letting him use it however is most useful to him, he's definitely proved he isn't going to waste it and he'll be seventeen anyway by then. His normal savings will still be there.

Went shopping on the market this morning, so much easier with the wheelchair and saved a bundle on some nice brands. Love buying M&S food for own brand prices.

Asked son & heir to pick his 3DS on Amazon so I could use some vouchers - he worked out that a new pink one was £31 cheaper than a new white one, so he got that and a purple case for it at £3 so he could have the rest in steam vouchers. He got his game used and made another £7 change for steam as well

Access to work made a payment, it looks like they might have been right about catching up this month.

Everything's going so well, I just want to lock up the bank account as it is, frozen in time like sleeping beauty :rotfl: it hasn't looked this good in ages, wish I could say the same for me!

In spendy news, I got three tickets to the theatre and will be getting drinks in the interval and probably revolting unhealthy food afterwards. Won't be a habit but it's been a loooong time.

in_need_of_direction

Enjoy the theatre trip. You have truly earned it.

saraih

Thanks, it was great! really enjoyed it and it didn't cost a huge amount because no-one was hungry after so nice to go out as a family and do normal things.

Did the sums for the end of the month and there's about £85 left over for the credit union even considering the Access to Work backlog. I'll put it in tomorrow if there's any cleaning because I'll be in town anyway. Hopefully this will improve next month but it's better than I'd thought anyway.

No vouchers as I just wiped them out on Amazon. Tiny bit of spare change as I haven't used cash much this month.

Gas & electric have been manageable.

All is well, I think son & heir wants a bit of a computer upgrade for christmas, there's three kids in the family to buy for and that's it really. We do splash out on super nice food at christmas but otherwise it's usually quiet.

We did forget out anniversary yet again. 21 years and I think we've bought cards about six times :rotfl: so romantic. Last night will have to count even if we did go out with the son & heir

saraih

Bit of cleaning this morning so I stuck the leftover money into the credit union, at least it's going up and not down. Put the cleaning money in the normal bank.

Not sure whether to overpay L!nk this week but to be honest with the incomings the way they are now I can just consider the £800 as another bill that will get paid when it gets paid. If OH lost his job we could still manage because the regular outgoings are so low these days.

There's a stew in the slow cooker that is making the house smell gorgeous, can't wait. Going to stick a few dumplings in now.

No spending still, too pleased with the credit union payment to start now