How I live now.

MuffinTops

Hello lovely,

All is good with me. I need to reinstate a diary though as I'm not as focussed as I once was either. I still love reading diaries though.

Your gas and electric does look whopping to me. I pay £45 a month for joint energy with British Gas and am £200 in credit at the moment. I admit I'm a little bit mean with the heating, but I'm home 4 days a week and won't sit cold for very long before the heating goes on. I've got a draughty old 3 bed house too, which literally gives out free heating to the street! I'm possibly the reason why we've had a mild winter!

When I do an energy comparison I always look at how much they charge per energy unit rather than how much of a monthly saving on my monthly direct debit they promise.

MT xx

Knitting_Nora

thriftylass wrote: »

Hello!

Sorry couldn't just read and run.

Yes the earning more option sounds sensible but not sure how achievable. I guess the rent is what it is and moving is not an option. It just seems £560 rent out of only 966 income is a LOT.

I agree definitely look at your gas and leccy tariff and consumption. Is your heating electric or gas. Have you got a timer etc.

The mobile is that on a contract or PAYG (might be cheaper?)

Good luck

*waves* Thanks Thriftylass. You're right (which you know, but it's nice to hear from someone else), the rent *is* a big part of my wages. I go back and forth on sharing the place, or moving into something cheaper as I would prefer to avoid either. Of course, I'd prefer not to worry about money either! So I'm prioritising reducing everything else and maximising my income and hoping that's enough to allow me to stay where I am.


Gas heating - and I'm not very good at wearing jumpers, so definitely scope to bring that down! The electric actually isn't particularly high.


The mobile is now a sim-only contract (it was a full smart-phone one from the days when I earned a bit more). I'll check and see where I am on the contract and whether payg is a possibility/economically better.

MuffinTops wrote: »

Hello lovely,

All is good with me. I need to reinstate a diary though as I'm not as focussed as I once was either. I still love reading diaries though.

Your gas and electric does look whopping to me. I pay £45 a month for joint energy with British Gas and am £200 in credit at the moment. I admit I'm a little bit mean with the heating, but I'm home 4 days a week and won't sit cold for very long before the heating goes on. I've got a draughty old 3 bed house too, which literally gives out free heating to the street! I'm possibly the reason why we've had a mild winter!

When I do an energy comparison I always look at how much they charge per energy unit rather than how much of a monthly saving on my monthly direct debit they promise.

MT xx

Get yer diary up and running, Missus! I need the company!


Interesting about the heating (and thanks for the comparison tip) - mine was in credit for a while (it was great - I had ages while my energy bills were just £7 pcm!). House is a 2-bed, and I've always though it was fairly well insulated (or insulted - which is what I typed first)... I'm here most of the week - clearly just need to knit myself some nice warm jumpers!

RosaBernicia

Nora!! :j Good to have you back :T

For frugalising things...

I have used AutoA1d and was soooo impressed with them, I think they're a brilliant deal for their £38 and the only reason I haven't got them this year is that I got cover included with the new (to me) car. They use local rescue firms and will find ones that take a CC since most of us don't travel with vast wads of cash. You just send in the receipts afterwards and they send a cheque. Mine turned up within about 10 days so it wouldn't even have cost interest on the card.

For phones, have a look at monthly contracts as well/ instead of the top-up type of PAYG - I found they were a better deal and it means you're not locked into a long contract. G1ffG4ff were good when I used them but I think all the others do it now (and you can probably find a cashback deal on a new SIM ).

Your broadband etc does look high, though it will depend what you get for that - do you have TV or need fibre? I got mine down to about £140 for the year but it did mean paying upfront for the line rental. Very sensible to make sure you check contract dates and exit fees (see my diary ).

Aaaand lastly I have gone off QCo, I think they've gone rather downhill, but am now a TCB convert


Have subscribed so will see you around

Rosa xx

Knitting_Nora

Rosa!! So fab to see you (and congrats on the new car!!). I'll be catching up with your diary today.


Thanks for all the tips - I've learnt loads just since posting yesterday!


Nora.xx

Knitting_Nora

Morning! *waves*


Breakfast this morning has been tea and custard creams - because that's how I'm rolling today.


I spent quite a bit of yesterday reading through advice from Martin *bows* and fellow forumites on various ways to save money and just be a bit smarter about the decisions I make.


So, this morning I've battled EDF (when I say 'battled', I really mean just talked to them nicely using their live chat service because I hate using the phone), gave them new meter readings and brought my account up to date (because there's honestly no way it's really £354 in credit in February!). I've also swapped to a new tariff - all of which has resulted in my monthly payments dropping from £85.00, to £66.00!


I've also programmed my heating and hot water properly - whereas before I was just using the thermostat to control the heating and simply didn't think about the hot water!! There really ought to be an emoticon slapping its forehead, but this one'll have to do instead:


And now I'll keep a beady eye on my usage, the tariff and their billing process!


I've also tackled O2 about my mobile (again, politely via livechat - because they get really funny with you if you insist on actually tackling their people), and cancelled my insurance - which reduced my monthly bill by £6.00 to around £8.40 pcm. this sounds like a silly move, but I'm not, as Martin puts it, a 'loser'. And to be honest, although I have a very old iphone, I have no intention of getting another one after this one finally falls over. I'm going back to basics - no more smart phones for me. Far too expensive, and addictive!


So in the space of about an hour all told, I've reduced my monthly expenses by £25 - saving me a staggering £300 over the year!


All of your advice on the breakdown cover has really got me thinking about what *exactly* I'm paying for - so I'm going to have another look at that.


I've also applied for all sorts of freebies to help me save water, plus it looks like a water meter could save me quite a bit - so I'm going to see if one can be fitted here (providing my landlord agrees!).


I've also identified a batch of stuff for ebay etc.


But you know the best thing? I'm smiling. No, not like a crazy person! But like someone who's just remembered what it's like to be getting things back under control again.


Time for another cuppa I think. Who wants one?


Nora.xx

Knitting_Nora

I'm back!


I'm still with the RAC, but I went through exactly what cover I wanted and why - and realised I was still covered for things which aren't a requirement any more.


For example, I used to regularly drive other cars, so I made sure I had full cover as well as my car. But over the last 12 months, I've only done that a couple of times. I also don't need 'at home' cover, as I have a couple of tame mechanics and a garage that will come out and tow the car back to them if needs be. But I do drive some long distances, and I'm terrified of being stuck somewhere with no chance of help... so I've kept the full recovery option which means if they can't fix the car at the roadside, they'll tow me anywhere I want to go.


So, with all of that done, I've reduced my original quote of £250 down to £64.98!


I tell you, this is so much fun!! I'm off to do a revised SOA with all of the savings I've managed this morning...


Nora.xx

Aaleigha

What a fantastic start to your day

I will join you in that cuppa please no sugar but milk

I started a diary and am just getting to terms with where can make savings - you are so imspirational
I will write down your ideas so I can throw them at Hubby tonight and we can get moving on things (some are in his name and they wont let me deal direct they have to speak to him)

today its little steps for me but they will add up come the end of the year

Knitting_Nora

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet


NB: Actually, it isn't because I've deleted it! Accurate SOA in post 289. See you there!

Knitting_Nora

Aaleigha wrote: »

What a fantastic start to your day

I will join you in that cuppa please no sugar but milk

I started a diary and am just getting to terms with where can make savings - you are so imspirational
I will write down your ideas so I can throw them at Hubby tonight and we can get moving on things (some are in his name and they wont let me deal direct they have to speak to him)

today its little steps for me but they will add up come the end of the year

Morning Sweetie - here you go... :coffee:


Congrats on the diary! Is it on here? If so, I'll wander over for a nosey.


I don't know about inspirational (though thankingyoukindly) - mostly I'm feeling like a bit of a chump for not doing all this before. Right now I'm just following the MSE advice from the main site for a full money work out.


If you haven't done it yourself, then go to the tabs right at the top of the page, click on the family income one and do the budget (under the household bit). I'm finding mine a huge eye opener.


The other thing which strikes me - and made me think of you this morning - is that my credit card debt started with me having the card for emergencies... so please feel free to point that out to your hubby. I've no problem being a horrible warning! :rotfl:


Right, off to get some other stuff done.


Have a good 'un.xx

twiggy86

Hi Nora!

Wow - you've made some great savings already! I've been debating cancelling my phone insurance for a couple of months. I don't want to say the phrase you use and jinx myself (I'm a very superstitious type!) but I think I should cancel mine - £10.99 a month! I did try changing it the other day but phones too old!


It is very satisfying this debt busting malarkey!


PS. Mine's a tea, white, one sugar - are there any custard creams left?! :rotfl: