The 'I'm less money-idiot more money-savvy' Diary

[Deleted User]

I have been reading your diary for a while, you are doing so well, but you need to have heat and hot water. OK it will put you back a bit, make you DFD a bit further off, just bite the bullet and do it.

You will get some cash back through the green deal so you can pay off part of it, keep your chin up, you will get there.

girlsmum

Oh Judi, crap!!! these things never happen in the summer (well it did but it was working... kind of) when you can just about manage without a boiler.

at least you are in a good position to be able to access funds. Its a blip in your plan, but you will still get there in the end.

Maybe its time to get sorting and selling stuff as you mentioned in an earlier post.

Cwtchie

What doesn't kill you.........
Look at it from a positive point of view and think really hard about the best, economical boiler for you. Make this yuk situation work for you.
At the very least your bills maybe lower due to the new one being much more efficient.....everything happens for a reason x

judi24

Boiler drama update:


I cant extend the greendeal voucher expiry date - work has to be completed and paperwork submitted by Friday (Bad news! :mad:)


I managed to find a supplier that can fit a new boiler that meets the requirements of the greendeal grant tomorrow and get the paperwork submitted by Friday (good news!:))


I managed to change the name on of the supplier on the voucher (more good news!:))


The cost of the new boiler will be £2350!!! (bad news!:mad:)


I will get £1100 back as I can claim for the energy survey I had done last year as long as I can find the receipt (Good news!:))


I can pay by CC so can use my Tesco card (Good news - well sort of! as I would rather not use a CC at all!)


I will be charged 3% for using CC which is about £50 of the balance after the deposit! (Bad news:mad:)


I will have a lovely shiny new A+ energy rated boiler with gas flu heat recovery system (whatever that does!!!) that should cut my gas bills by a fair bit (Good news:))


I have managed to get a day off and not use leave - I asked my boss if I could work from home or use leave to be at home for boiler fitting tomorrow - she said she was sure I was owed some hours so could take time back not using leave!!!! (Good news!!:D)


So on balance - more good news than bad news!!! RESULT - looking forward to a nice hot bath tomorrow night!!!!

Moneywhizz

Have been reading your diary lately. You seem to achieve so much on a daily basis. Having a new boiler will be one less thing to worry about and one thing off your to do list once you are debt free. As long as it isn't costing you too much in additional interest it comes to the same thing in the end.
I think it's admirable trying to pay off that amount of debt in one year but life sometimes gets in the way and taking care of your family is more important than meeting your debt free date.
Enjoy your new warm home and hot water tomorrow night. X

judi24

Thanks for saying hello Moneywhizz - It always was an ambitious plan to get debt free this year and I knew things would come along to de rail it!!! (but really?? January? I at least though I would be able to stay on plan til Feb!!!) I haven't given up hope of being debt free this year but I have to be pragmatic about it and the boiler is a good investment long term but need to keep interest accruing credit to the minimum. I don't want to apply for any additional credit until I am debt free so have to make sure I try to keep debt in the lowest interest way possible! I was stressed about this last night - but I have manages to turn my head around and see it as a positive!
Things could be a lot worse!!!!

judi24

Boiler is fitter here - thank goodness as It is so cold today!!!! Can't wait for a toasty house and a hot bath - simple pleasures - but you do miss them when they are not available!


Due to the boiler problem I have had to review my DFW plan and it got me thinking about what I can do to cut costs a little more so I can stay with the goal of being debt free this year.


The first step on that plan was to look at how I can cut costs this month when going to my cousins wedding.


I had booked the wedding hotel (which was very nice and very expensive!!!:eek: £500 for B&B for 2 rooms ) for 2 nights - one before the wedding and the night of the wedding - we do need to go the day before as the wedding is at 2pm so to go up on the day would have been a nightmare! (and train ticket bought and paid for using rail card so £80 for 5 people) But I have now done some research and found a cheaper chain hotel just up the road so I have cancelled the posh hotel for the night before and booked us into the cheap hotel. Not only is it cheaper to stay there It has a restaurant that is much more suitable for the family (although I loved the menu at the posh hotel the kids would have hated it and it was very expensive!!!) I have booked the meal deal so get all food and a drink the in the evening and breakfast for £22 for each adult - which I thought was a good buy! So all I need to pay extra for would be kids evening meals (their breakfast is free) and any extra drinks which will be a huge amount cheaper than the posh hotel!!!


I have also rationalised the rooms in the posh hotel for the wedding night - so instead of having 3 rooms (my mum having her own!) I will share with DD1 and DD3 and DS (Large family room) and my mum and DD2 can share a twin.


This has essentially halved the cost of the accommodation and probably halved the food cost - so my budget has dropped from £700 (might have been more by the time I had paid for a meal on our first night) to £380 for the 2 days away - I am really pleased with that! Working it all out that is 2 nights accommodation, an evening meal on the first night, breakfast on both days for 3 adults and 2 children = £78 per person (I am also hoping my Gran pays for some of the accommodation) or £94per person including travel

Also going to take a top back I bought at Christmas back to Debenhams and get a refund (credit note as it was half price!) and use that to buy my DS smart trousers for the wedding (He lives in jeans and joggers!) so everyone is kitted out with no extra spends!


So once I get the grant money back and by reducing the cost of next weeks trip away - I will have £1000 outstanding (which will be on my Tesco CC) for a brand new efficient boiler - hopefully saving me around £100 a year in fuel - which I think is definitely money well spent!:T
Of course it would have been better to have the money upfront and not have to use credit at all - but hey ho! someday in future that will be possible!

Keeping_Motivated

Wow you're doing great! Such a great attitude..keep doing the right thing as you are and it will all unravel and you will get to where you want to be x

beanielou

Great decisions there then

judi24

Thanks for the support Beanie and KM - all I need to do now is to not have any other major bills and shave an extra £100 off my current budget and I will be debt free by December 2015!!!! I wonder how long you could live on spam without turning into it!!!:rotfl: