The Happiness Fund.

MovingForwards

Well done for squishing the chair in and getting it cleaned up.

The only suggestions for the bathroom are those damp catcher things. Put them in overnight, remove in the day when the room is in use. A dehumidifier, again only run at night, windows wide open after using the bath / shower.

To treat it there is a mould / Mildred remover spray, my OH uses cilit bang as it works quite well, within 30 - 60 minutes of spraying on, wipe off and it's gone. I'm assuming you mean the black marks.

savingwannabe

That's what I will be doing more often in that room from now on. It is clear now. Yesterday my sugars were v low and I was so tired. Today I have done so much already. I had a hospital appointment by phone and my nurse is well thank goodness and really cheered me up and she said I cheered her up!!! lol. I have vacuumed, mopped, done a white wash and have one last bit of damp to clear today. If I am up to it I might mow the grass or I could just read a book in the garden as the nurse said why do I always work on my day off. On my salary she is right. lol 
For some inspiration I am filling out a budget doodah that I have robbed from Skinty to see if there is anything I can do to be more thrifty, if anyone has any ideas please let me know: I pay all the lodger money to the mortgage and my OP is also £250 since my salary went back up part way through this year. However I don't know if the OPs will continue next year as work is in a state of flux. I thought the more I paid off the better. I also use the mortgage fund as savings too as I always have enough to pay the minimum £750). It probably is full of mistakes but we shall see -

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Monthly Income Details

Monthly income after tax................ 1696.00 (salary went back up this year but don't know if it will stay at this rate next year)

Partners monthly income after tax....... 0

Benefits................................ 0

Other income............................ 500  bills from lovely lodger (LL)

Total monthly income.................... 2196

Monthly Expense Details

Mortgage................................ 750 +500 from LL which is an OP

Council tax............................. 178

Electricity.and gas............................ 95.50

Water rates............................. 30.95 +? hasn't started yet 

Mobile phone............................ 15.00

TV Licence.............................. 13.2

Internet Services....................... 31  TV & land line & broadband

Groceries etc. ......................... 120 (rarely spend this much in lockdown as  I have cut back)

Car maintenance (including MOT)......… 0

Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...… 30

Entertainment........................…100 (not really using this in lockdown) 

long term savings....................... £250

dog food................................ 

union................................... 19.00

annual bills............................ take from savings  Car/ house insurance, car breakdown, car tax, clothes, haircuts

Total monthly expenses.............1632.65..(2132.65 if I include OP on mortgage technically it isn't an expense but I prefer to use it to pay off house earlier)… 

Secured & HP Debts

Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR

Mortgage..............................(750)….+ £500 also from lodger when mortgage is paid off this will be my retirement fund)

Total secured & HP debts...... 0.........-.........-   [/b]

Unsecured Debts

Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR

credit card....................0.........45.....0[b]

Total unsecured debts..........0.........45..... I pay this monthly

Monthly Budget Summary[/b]

Total monthly income.................... 2196

Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1632.65 (and OP on mortgage of 500 from lodger) 

Available for debt repayments........... 63.50

Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 45.00

Amount left after debt repayments...…. 18.50(I tend to put extras in xmas fund and use for treats)
(I pay a lot extra on my mortgage - this can also used for insurance, emergency expenses if I don't have enough in savings fund)

[i]Created using the SOA calculator at www.LemonFool.co.uk.

Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using other browser.
(robbed from Skinty) 

I keep finding mistakes. omg. I hope it is ok now.

Skint_yet_Again

Tee hee 😆 you might want to delete the rest of my post from the middle. 

MovingForwards

Potentially you could:
Find a cheaper mobile eg SIM only
Water bill details should be on their website
Council tax spread over 12 months
Do you watch mainstream TV eg BBC, C4 etc?

Possibly look to trim your mortgage OP down a bit, save the money instead, that way you have physical money to pay your mortgage each month if needed, rather than a payment holiday, every few years take a chunk of the money out to pay off your mortgage.

Will you please slow down as now I feel I have to do more 😂

savingwannabe

Skinty sorry you know what an idiot i am. 

MF, I did used to pay council tax over 12 months but now I prefer having two whole months off and that money goes into savings. II had an expensive SIM deal but they gave me £100 cash which i paid into savings. I used my mobile in my summer job but that's folded now so I will find a cheap deal when this ends. 

I watch telly and have Free sat/Freeviewdoodah which cost loads when I first paid for all the satellite doodahs but is free now. Hurrah. 

Thanks to the fact my salary has gone back up to what it was two years ago (it may fall again this year I'm not 100% sure) I am well off due to having LL . When he finally get's round to proposing to his lovely girlfriend I will be less comfortable. In the meantime, I am saving whatever I can as I don't trust my workplace they are savage with cutbacks and very untrustworthy. 

I mowed the grass. 

MovingForwards

I did wonder if you liked having the two 'free' months.

I've a feeling most of these types of workplaces are, from what I've seen so far.

Would you take on another LL in time? I know you have a good one now, maybe he would have a very long engagement and not move for years!

Skint_yet_Again

savingwannabe said:

Skinty sorry you know what an idiot i am. 

SW you are one of the kindest, cleverest, most genuinely lovely people I know 😊

savingwannabe

lol that was v kind. I wish I was more intelligent. I would be rich now. Work was rubbish but it's nearly the weekend. lol. 

savingwannabe

It is a beautiful day. I am going to try to do admin today as well as teach. I have seen a gorgeous wooden garden swing which is £239 but I don't know if I should order it. I had a metal one which I loved but it died in a storm. I want it but don't know if I can justify it. I will ask the neighbours to put it together for me and pay them. What do people think? I would personally prefer to go to a garden centre and buy one after I have seen it and tried it.  It is expensive and I will only be using it in the summer? shall I wait till it is safe to go to the garden centres or take a risk?

MovingForwards

If you like it, will make use of it for many years, why not!

Sounds well priced to me.