DFB35 Diary

HarrysMummy

I agree with the memories not being expensive ones!

Little Dude loves just going to the park, I know he's still very little but I think this is where we will be making our memories as it's free, summer will be picnics which is a lot like what I did when I was younger.

As mentioned already, which debt is the most expensive? Would it be better financially to save for the next few of months the £300 and then get a settlement figure for the car finance, might knock the total figure down a bit then work on the others as you would have the car payments free then aswell... (maybe even use some of what you would have paid car finance to fund the theme park).

Sorry if you've alrady covered this earlier in the diary, I get muddled with who's doing what as I read so many!! Hope you don't mind my suggestion either, not trying to stride in lol

DFB35

Thank you stepuptheplate and HarrysMummy

You know what ive not even thought about which one is more expensive as they are loans and I was under the impression that the interest rate was included in the repayments so we always would have the same repayments and just shorten the length of the loan?! If we are also able to save on interest that is fantastic - Loan 1 has the higher apr of about 7% and loan 2 is the one i took few months ago has has a better apr of around 4%

Im not sure that we are allowed to repay the car finance early or to make extra payments - I will need to double check paperwork/ ring up about this.

Therefore... the logical step would be to throw everything extra on loan 1

Unless I am able to over pay car finance and settle it early - I will find out about this..

Thank you!!

stepuptothepl8

It might be that you can't overpay the loans, or if you do that it doesn't have an impact on the interest.. But if it does, it's definitely worth doing

You're doing so well!

DFB35

So the good news or the bad news first? Hmmm

I think the good I've been looking for a mattress for my daughter as the one we bought didn't expand and it was one of the last ones in stock so we couldn't have a replacement but agreed on a refund (£50 cheque still not with us - will need to chase). My sons one we bought at the same time from the same shop and it was absolutely perfect 190x90x20cm depth. It was very hard to find another foam matress with 20cm depth for a good price and having tried my sons I didn't want to get my daughter a thinner one. Honestly my sons mattress is gorgeous and we do love a foam mattress although it's not for everyone..

Any who I found one this morning for 99 with free delivery!!! The cheapest I've seen previously was 150 (and only 18cm but I was going to settle). Therefore with the 50 refund I am 50 under budget on the matress

Will let you know the exact cost of the kids room bits I'm getting that I've mentioned in my previous post, but hopefully we will be coming well under budget.

So far estimated budget £200 - actual cost so far £73.99 = £99 (mattress) + 24.99 (canvas and wall stickers) -50 (refund) - and a few bits still left to buy.

Now the not so good news, my childcare will be going up by 90 a month This is completely legitimate and a long story I won't bore you with, but basically I was getting it much cheaper before and had to change the provider as they were unable to continue and have to pay the going rate with a new provider. It will be ok and I was getting it cheaper for over a year but still.. Will need to readjust my budgets.

Have a good day everyone

DFB35

Finished getting the bits for kids rooms

So lovely to see the new accessories and for my boy some BIG boy accessories and I must say it looks fab! Still to put together my daughters shelves but her mattress looks very good. Im so pleased!

Anyway the totals:

Mattress 49.99 (99.99-50 refund)
Shelves 14.99
Canvas and Stickers 24.99
Lightshade and a really cool nightlight, bulbs, picture frame, bathmat and some other bits for the bathroom= 77.83

Grand total = 167.80, under my initial 300 estimate and the reviewed 200 estimate.

I will put 100 to overpayment of loan 1 and hang on to the rest for now.

Very pleased as there are no other extra spends in march.
Fingers crossed nothing unexpected creeps up! But my budget has a bit of wiggle room and still hoping for about 300 left over towards the end of the month.

Take care

Igamogam

Boo to increase in child care costs........there is always something just around the corner to trip you up Updating of kids rooms sounds good though:)

DFB35

Confession time - we had a pizza takeaway last night it tasted very good but I'm feeling annoyed with myself about it this morning! I think the way we justified it was - it was payday week for us both, my daughter got a very good school report and we really fancied it... But... It's 20 essentially wasted. Also when doing my food shop I ordered a pizza treat for kids (pizza express reduced ), so now they going to have another pizza :doh:

There was also 15 spent in b00ts, part of it was essential (medicine) but part wasn't.

I will draw the line under these two and will try harder to stick to our budget for the rest of the month. I also remembered this morning that we don't pay council tax this month (I'm pretty sure it's Feb and March we don't pay). So hopefully I'm right and that money can be safely stashed away for debt repayment .. It's a hefty 150 a month.

I've got my food shop coming shortly, and I managed to get a few well reduced things in there and shampoo & conditioner which we use was half price.

Other spends this weekend - pet supplies for the month - about 20
Daughters horse riding - 22
Car desperately needs a wash but it's raining so maybe skip that..

My mums coming over today, can't wait to show her kids bedrooms

Have a good weekend everyone and keep going!

DFB35

I've been putting it off because I needed to get to a PC and download Dropbox etc...

But I finally had a free hour or so and been looking at YNAB. Thought it be a good time to start as we just been paid, at the moment feeling a bit overwhelmed about it due to the yearly spends.. I'm trying to get my head around it. It encourages planning ahead etc.. Which is good and I even entered an occasional takeaway category, just playing around with numbers at the moment.

Will let you know how I get on!

stepuptothepl8

I like my spreadsheet but if YNAB is good then I might be persuaded.. Let me know how it goes! xx

DFB35

stepuptothepl8 wrote: »

I like my spreadsheet but if YNAB is good then I might be persuaded.. Let me know how it goes! xx

Hi stepup, you can have a look at the free trial? That's what I'm doing first. I really like it so far xx