Oh No Not Again! Right. This Time......

Nagme

I used the MSE credit card soft check and applied for one I had a 90% chance of being successful with, but didn't get it. I asked for £1,200 and stated my income as £3,000, maybe that's why?
Just checked the Lloyds card which is on DH's name and the 0% ends this month then goes to 17.95% .
Decided to put all card balances on signature to stay focussed.

Nagme

It's being a bit of a pants week for money so far.

Good bits - DH's new paydate halfway through the month is for the whole month, so we won't be caught short.

Bad bits - First quote to sort the mini's bodywork (rust) before I sell it was for £1500 - way more than I expected. Getting another quote on Saturday, then I need to decide whether to get the work done or sell it as it is for less.

DH got a letter from Self Assessment, requesting £1,600 :shocked: . Unfortunately there's no breakdown as to how they reached that figure, and DH hasn't managed to get through on the helpline. Beggers belief, it really does. They've even stuck interest on it. He only does the whole SA because we still get child benefit (we're entitled to 60%) so even if we were asked to pay back the 40% x 2 years it would only come to £950 ish. The thing is, they didn't request any money last year, I have a bad feeling that they're catching up and whacked a load of interest backdated. I hope not.

It's just as well I haven't yet paid DH's holiday pay to Amex yet, it might need to go to the taxman

Nagme

I'm enjoying a slow day today

Had a lovely card and box of chocs from DS, and he and DH have just made pancakes which are hard to eat slowly. So now I'm tucked away in the lounge with the stereo on (MY music, for once) a view of the garden, grim day out and very cold compared to the last few days! I'm halfway through making a card for MIL, and we're going to watch a film this afternoon snuggled on the sofa.

I checked DH's self assessment submission and spotted a few mistakes (I think) so he has changed and re-submitted it, crossed fingers now, until they send us another letter.

I couldn't get the second quote for the mini yesterday as the guy's not there this weekend, that will need to wait. I really want to get a move on though; last time I drove the mini I felt so sad to be selling him and daydreamed about selling the Fabia and keeping the mini instead. I can't afford to be sentimental.

The bank account is looking healthy thanks to the wages from DH's new company coming in halfway through the month, but it feels very complicated. I decided to work out what's left for monthly spends and transfer that to the Natwest current account, that way the main account is just for the bills, and our credit cards get taken out of action - definately the way forward. We're up a bit so I'm transferring £800 for the first month, to hopefully have a buffer there. It'll be much easier for the credit card balances to go in the right direction. Hopefully after the SA issue is resolved there will be something leftover to pay off amex.

Right - off to watch the nut job with the boys. And probably the cat.

Nagme

Almost a NSD today, just needed to pay £15 to CriS (national caravan ownership database) to register the caravan. MIL's birthday card has a very cute caravan on it, which is nearly finished. I have a big collection of wallpaper samples which come in handy for cardmaking.

Oh and I sold a pair of DS's football boots through FB today for a fiver. We haven't taken cash out of the joint account for two months now.

DH's sold 3 holiday days back to his employer, and learned that there's no specific age restriction on his car to receive the car allowance - great news as we won't be taking a hit on another car's depreciation.

Handheld vacuum's on the blink, it's only 3 years old! Typical - it's so handy, especially for the caravan and the stairs. Manufacturer says it's either the motor or the battery. Come to think of it, for what we paid, it should really have lasted longer.

slm6002

Hi i have just read through your diary and think you sound a lot like me - problems with will power and money is always needed for something or the other. I hope you suceed in paying off those nasty credit cards.....a little tip for when you do clear one is to put it in a container of water and freeze in the freezer - if you ever get tempted or a real emergency happens you will have the card but will need the patience to defrost it before you use it so less impulse buys - well thats the theory lol

Nagme

Hi slm, oh I really struggle with willpower!

Rang Dys0n back once I'd got the handheld fully charged, and we established it was the battery - they're sending another battery to me for free .

Haven't acheived as much as I wanted today, although I did do an extra hour at work making food, they've had a busy few days and the chiller was very bare. I came home, had some lunch then fell asleep for an hour, feeling groggy. I don't know how the cat does it.

Received a refund today of the anti-virus that went out on direct debit for £30, which I sent to amex which currently sits at £1,727.

Tomorrow I must renew my car insurance and then I'll know if there's funds left to sort the handbrake out. The handbrake works, but I have to pull it so high to stop the car rolling, so it's not right.

DH is away on business for the night, so the cat and me will be sleeping diagonally across the bed - bliss

slm6002

My OH hasnt had a night out for work in ages and i miss it. He is a lorry driver and in the busy times has almost every week day out. Its quieter at the mo so home every night. I long to have the bed to myself lol

Got to sort my car insurance by the end of the month but trying to find the best deal plus any cashback. Hoping i can reduce it quite a bit this year as i have moved to a smaller car and engine, but had to stay with old policy and higher payments until the end of contract.

Nagme

Hope you get a pleasant surprise on your car insurance, slm.

Renewed Fabia's insurance, although definately NOT with current insurer after they charged me a total of £10 to phone their "customer service" number when someone went into the back of me last year. New insurer has an STD number for their customer service dept, I checked. DS is very pleased that we might be getting a Brian robot as well. £242 for the year, not bad as it's a modified (not by me, I just like the fact that it's red and has cup holders) vehicle.

Received the £30 energy switch cashback, so that went straight to amex, the card now resides in the "banking" box along with the cap1 card.

Mowed the lawn for the first time yesterday and replanted the garlic bulbs that the blackbird dug up for me, scrubbed the patio table and surveyed the weeds/prolifically spreading plants. We have daffodils, muscari and hyacinths awake now. It's been nice to hang the washing out this week, and I've kept to my "no laundry at the weekend" challenge again.

Spent £44.90 on MIL's birthday present. Far more than intended, I left it to the last minute and we only have expensive shops near us - think antique galleries, boutiques, small independent gift shops. It's a good 12 miles to the nearest Poundland! Still, we're within budget overall with the spending so long as we don't do anything this weekend.

Nagme

Got the dreaded brown envelope from the tax people today, with the revised tax bill for DH..... £28

Paid that.

So now I'm really keen to pay a chunk off the amex and DH wants to hang on to the cash because "I just want to feel like I've got some money for once". Yes I told him how much interest we pay every month....:wall:

Managed to extract Dad's bank card from his wallet long enough to buy a tank of fuel after all the running around I've done for him recently, very glad about that.

Fabia's at the garage getting aircon and handbrake looked at, and the mini is dribbling coolant all over the driveway, which is a new one - I think he's protesting at being sold.

I am not eating any more chocolate in the evenings after tea. I have a drawer of jeans and only two pairs fit.

in_need_of_direction

Can't you go half and half?