The Road to Financial Security

Octobergirl

Just read your diary so far Pushkin, nice to see it's not just me juggling with life's constant little surprises. Have subscribed.:hello:

jodles16

Great deal on your cinema tickets! We rarely go because its so expensive! Also great news on the car, it always feels good when that happens! Sounds like things are going well!

Jodles

Pushkin

October Girl & Jodles16 - thank you for reading and taking an interest!

I think things are in the main going ok - I am very much in the flow of tracking and checking everything. I'm sure as with most people there are always things we could improve on. I know we spend more on food than a lot of people but I don't really like cooking and both DH and I work full time so for me it's worth having it delivered every week which means I don't get to Aldi or Lidl very often at all.

Well it's the 1 February today - pinch and punch everyone! I am itching to post updated financial figures but will wait until tomorrow when all the direct debits/standing orders (never do understand the difference between those!) go out.

Doubting I'll work tomorrow as still feeling horrible, going to my parents for lunch today which I feel guilty about if I do end up taking tomorrow off. However I can slob out on the sofa and moan as easily there as here and they have bought all the food so I think it would be rude not to go. Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow. I am taking medicine which is most unlike me so I think it is quite a nasty cold/bug.

On the plus side certainly won't be spending any money today.

Have 2 auctions on ebay finishing tonight - both already have 1 bid so thats a little more for the coffers.

Now that we're in February I am reminded of the spends coming up - DH birthday on 28 and DS is mid March so

Pushkin

Am off work ill - trouble is despite being ill still have to get up to get DS off to school and take the dog for a walk - DH is still working up in London so he leaves while its still dark.

Went back to bed and have just slept all morning now posting updated finances to cheer myself up a little!

Item MORTGAGE
01-Jan-15 £113,333
01-Feb-15 £112,002
Difference -£1,330

Updated to reflect accurate (& lower!) interest as had annual mort statement.


Item MONEY MAKING
01-Jan-15 £183
01-Feb-15 £216
Difference £34

Item DOG FUND
01-Jan-15 £2,814
01-Feb-15 £2,964
Difference £150

Item CAR FUND
01-Jan-15 £2,100
01-Feb-15 £2,800
Difference £700

Item HALIFAX NISA
01-Jan-15 £5,420
01-Feb-15 £5,920
Difference £500

Am going to stop tracking slush fund so much as I am getting annoyed when I withdraw money from it - the whole idea of the account is to pay for day to day expenses, annual insurance renewals etc so I need to stop thinking of it as a savings account - it isn't one!

Everything is chugging along - really big cc bill due this month (big hit to slush fund coming up!). My major achievement is to have been able to save an extra £100 in the NISA - unheard of in January. I do put that down to creating this savings structure and tracking it all so closely, mainly due I think to this forum :money::j

Pushkin

Back to work today after 3 days off, feeling more human but am exhausted after a full day's work while still not feeling 100%. The joys of winter!

Nothing much to report on anything since I've spent the last few days in bed or on a sofa - at least no spending there huh!

The furniture company have still not delivered the 2 outstanding chairs or swapped out the chair they sent in the wrong colour. Rang them today for a progress check and basically got nothing more than some flannel. Seem to be saying the 3 due chairs should be delivered shortly after 10 Feb.

I pointed out that I ordered the furniture on 27 Dec and on the invoice anticipated delivery is 7 days ! Failed that target by a mile huh!

I also told them that my credit card bill (which contains the furniture) is due to be paid 12 Feb and I am seriously considering not paying it. I'm worried once I do I lose leverage with the company. The last time I rang for a progress check the estimated delivery date was 4 Feb which has not mysteriously changed to 10 Feb. Hmmm

Have a sold item on ebay which the buyer has not contacted me about (its local collection only). I guess it was bound to happen at some point but this is a first or me and I'm not sure if I should raise it in the resolution centre or just re-list the item at the weekend.

Ready meal for tea as I will be lolling on the sofa and doing very little else this evening. DH working up near Milton Keynes so will be fairly late home.

Pushkin

Friday is here and I have just been very un MSE and texted my DH suggesting he pick up fish & chips on the way home. Not very healthy either - having been pretty good all week my diet has fallen off a cliff today.

ebay news in that as soon as I raised the case of the non paying buyer the buyer contacted me. He is coming tomorrow to collect the item so another few quid for my money making account :j

Want to think of some new things to post Sunday.

Not much planned this weekend - chores and rest tomorrow, shopping Sunday and some family time (which is actually code for quarrel with son while trying to get him to do his homework!)

BookWorm

Pushkin wrote: »

I also told them that my credit card bill (which contains the furniture) is due to be paid 12 Feb and I am seriously considering not paying it. I'm worried once I do I lose leverage with the company.

Hi Pushkin
It won't affect the furniture company if you don't pay the credit card bill as they will have received payment from the cc company already. Any payment you make goes to the cc company. All it will do is mean you miss a payment on your cc and/or end up paying interest on it. This could affect your credit file and you may wish to reconsider

I hope you get it sorted

Pushkin

Hey Bookworm - thanks for the input. I didn't realise the furniture company would have got payment already.

My strategy is actually to contact the credit card company for their advice, you are right and I certainly wouldn't not pay the bill - thats a lesson I (fortunately) learned in my 20s.

I just wondered if the credit card company might have some recommended action.

Pushkin

eBay buyer collected this morning and paid cash so have transferred the £10 to my money making account :j

Dog had me up at 4am to be let outside, not like her and annoying as it is I'd prefer that to her leaving a smelly present in the house for when we get up

Awoke later with a pounding headache (not alcohol last night so not a hangover!), 2 nurofen and dog walk helped a bit but I've not really got any mojo today and have not been very productive.

The usual Sunday evening panic dash to do all the chores that have to be done beckons.

Pushkin

Just back from the shops and first task was to tot up what has been spent on my financial spreadsheet - am a tad addicted to all this

Very good session in M&S where I spent £59 but had £57 in vouchers :beer:

Got some big mats for use on the new dining room table as I don't want to wreck the new cloth with hot dishes.

Kicked off shopping for DS's birthday and got him a top in the sales - not that clothes are a very exciting gift for him!

Bought some cheap(ish) perfume as the stuff DH bought me for Christmas was very expensive and I feel very wasteful squirting it on during the week when I'm just working from home.

Surrendered to Valentines Day advertising and got DH some overpriced heart shaped chocolates - totally unnecessary and could have got better value just buying a normal box but I do on occasion get swept up like this.

Just been for lunch to one of my favourite restaurants - tried to use a voucher from an app on my phone for the first time and ran into all sorts of difficulties as it started asking me to log in & I had to try and create an account. Then they only applied the % reduction to one meal rather than all 3 - not sure if that was correct. I need to check this properly before using the voucher next time. Lesson learned.

So not a cheap day but nice to get out of the house and lovely to have lunch out and some family time.

Still got a load of chores to do so the Sunday evening panic dash is well and truly on the horizon.