A new debt free journey

lcc86

So today has been interesting. I went horse riding this morning at a different place as I had a £5 off voucher. Long drive and a very rude instructor so not altogether happy. The horse was fine! But the instructor wasn't really a people person shall we say!

Then I went to look at a couple of flats. I KNOW I shouldn't have but couldn't help myself. One wasn't my cup of tea, probably photographed better than it looked in real life. The second was absolutely 100% ideal. So now I know that if I get approved for borrowing more money with OH, I will probably go for it. Provided it's still there, and karma will probably teach me a lesson and it'll be sold by the time I get round to it. That'll teach me to go jumping in before I've even confirmed everything!! :rotfl: we'll see, if it's still available then fab, if not, so be it.

I have loads of anxiety over this and whether it's a good idea now we're leaving the EU. But the other option - staying put - just isn't viable now I know what I know about the development happening outside my front door. I need to sell before this really becomes an issue. Plus I've wanted to move for a while anyway so I guess I need to follow my instinct. I'm always anxious, it's in my nature. I could have £1 million in the bank and no mortgage and probably still find something to worry about!!!

Anyway, spends today were £20 on petrol and £15 on food. I have £56 unspent until payday on Thursday. Nothing I can think of which needs buying apart from sawdust for my piggies, so I should be able to put some extra cash into my moving fund, but I'll wait a couple of days to do so.

Tomorrow I'm doing some training for my RDA volunteer role and am also doing Race for Life with a friend (just the 5k), so that's Sunday pretty much taken care of.

lcc86

Received my first bill since moving to coop energy and I'm £115 in debit. Not happy as they predicted I would be saving money compared to my previous supplier and they're actually twice as expensive so far!! Need to submit a meter reading later on and see if that makes any difference - I pray it does otherwise I've made a big mistake switching. I'll need to try and double check some of my old bills with the previous supplier and see what I used on average compared to what I have used with the new supplier.

lcc86

Have just tried to put a meter reading on my account but the coop website isn't working properly so will keep trying throughout the day.

Have got my most recent payslip and it's better than I thought, it seems to include some back pay, so I just need to find out what that's for. I've increased my savings target from £200 to £250 for moving costs. Have booked a second viewing on the place I like, need to see it with OH and then pray it doesn't get sold before I see the bank. Am also getting everything in place to sell my own place with the estate agents - that needs to happen regardless of whether this place falls through.

lcc86

Payday today, have transferred everything into the relevant accounts. My moving fund now stands at £565, which isn't bad going at all. Have at least a couple of months to add to it, I think the next target is to get it to £1,000. I'll see if I can add to it during the month. OH is also saving too. Might still need to use a little equity to pay some fees as I haven't found a solicitor yet and don't know what stamp duty will be.

Anyway, moving on, I'm going to try and have a frugal month. Today I have a free boxercise class, only catch is it's outside and heavy rain is predicted so I'm not sure about it! If not I should really go to the gym instead.

Time to recap my targets for June:
1. Don't look at anything car related unless it's to do with something I need for my own car - I did really well with this and resisted temptation. Reality is I probably won't ever be able to afford a campervan so there's no point torturing myself! Perhaps one day in the distant future, but certainly not now! On the plus side, I now have enough to get my bumper painted following my many adventures with other cars, so will book that in this month.

2. Research my Masters, job options etc, and make a decision - I think I've done that. While I love the sound of the course, I don't think it's worth it financially as the benefits may not stack up in reality. Plus I drove up there the other day and realised just how far away it is - at least a 1 hour drive from work and a 2 hour drive home. That would take its toll. So, with moving and everything else, I think I'll give it a miss.

3. Spend less than half my unallocated budget - failed here! I probably spent 75% of it and saved the rest, which isn't bad going, I think I was just a little too ambitious.

So onto July's targets:
1. Finalise everything needed to sell flat - photographer is booked for next week following the bank appointment. I've got all my documents in order, just need to finalise solicitor details and anything else which crops up.

2. Sort out electricity bills - as per Monday's post. Will try to submit the meter reading again and hopefully get a more accurate bill.

3. Spend less than 75% of unallocated funds - I have about £200 spare so will try to spend £150 or less and save the rest.

Right, better get off to work!

lcc86

Have made a £1.83 payment into my moving fund. Will try and make a payment a day so should be able to increase it by at least £30 over the course of July.

Managed to submit my meter reading, asked for a new bill but they just directed me to the previous bill, which isn't helpful, so I will ask again.

Off to the view the flat I liked with OH after work tonight. Didn't go to boxercise last night due to the weather but did go to the gym despite lacking motivation!

lcc86

Mixed feelings this morning. First the positive: I've had a provisional offer accepted on the flat me and OH like and have had my flat valued at much more than I thought. It'll be going on the market next week. Early days but fingers crossed all will go relatively smoothly.

The negative: I've gone to visit my parents this weekend and from the second I arrived my mum has been off with me. Not sure what I'm supposed to have done but she was more interested in watching the tv than coming downstairs to say hi. I was pretty tired last night, had been up since before 6 and had a three hour drive to get here, so wanted to go to sleep relatively early, and that went down like a lead balloon because se was watching tv in the guest bedroom where I sleep. Really not sure what I'm supposed to have done to p*ss her off so much. She told me I shouldn't have come and practically reduced me to tears, I almost got in my car and drove all the way back home! I couldn't sleep either so have been up since about 6.30, and will probably get told off for that too. Just feel bizarre being 30 years old and having to tread on eggshells like a child around a parent. Luckily my dad is more 'normal' otherwise I'd probably have left. She has a very strained relationship with her own siblings and I think it's transferring onto me for whatever reason. Just have to grin and bear it and make her tea to keep her happy!!

Have transferred £2 into my moving fund this morning, forgot to do it yesterday so that's £1 for each day. I've spent £25 on petrol and £5 on the Dartford crossing x2, so hopefully the rest of the weekend will be NSD.

eraclea

The £1 transfer every day seems such a good idea, perhaps I should try that as well and start building some savings. My savings are so small they don't even count!

Sometimes parents can be difficult, unfortunately we can't change them and we have to deal with it! Mine live overseas and we see each-other every year, but no more than 1 week at a time, that's plenty My mum's very critical, she's always been like that and I hate it but I learned to block it out. Good luck!

lcc86

Hi eraclea, mine is critical too, I have to pick my words so carefully and choose what to tell her at times to avoid an earbashing! I certainly can't tell her about my debt. She gave me the money for my first house deposit out of her inheritance and uses that as a weapon at times, I do wish I had the means to pay it back. My dad told me they had a disagreement over the television yesterday so it's nothing I've done, however it's a bloody extreme reaction!! Just not the nicest way to spend a weekend visiting family I guess.

lcc86

Forgot to check my pennies yesterday and round down to the nearest £, transferring them into savings, so I did that today and now have £569 for the move. Every little helps as they say.

I forgot to mention my electricity bill update. Turns out it IS right, in fact now that I've done an accurate reading I'm even more in debit!! I'm not tied in so can swap to someone else, but not sure whether to do so as I might be moving I.e. It might not be worth it. I might just suck it up for a couple of months, STOP falling asleep at night with the tv on even if it does turn itself off, and test how much electricity the appliances are using too.

lcc86

Transferred another £1 into my moving fund. Also set up an ebay account today. I had one years ago and used to use it to buy so much useless crap. This one is solely for selling, I figure if I'm moving this is as good a time as any to get rid of any bits and bobs I no longer want/need. There might not be much but it's mainly to help declutter rather than make money. I also bought a copy of Marie Kondo's book, also for when we move. I've kondoed before based on what I've read here but this would be a good time to do it properly!