Hope is not an Effective Financial Strategy

[Deleted User]

shangaijimmy wrote: »

So, i'm signing off for the week as we head to centre parcs for a fun filled, money spending week - good job i've been well schooled in the art of MSE!

Our accounts for May are done and posted just above, i've posted on the MFW 2015 challenge with our monthly total, I've taken and submitted our meter readings. The kids clothes are packed, the food is packed, the car has been emptied and hoovered. All that remains is our clothes to pack and we're good to go.

Been a tough day today as it's exactly a year that we lost our Miniature Schnauzer Harvey (avatar pic) to a short cancer illness, so we've spent lots of time playing with and making a fuss of Vinnie (new schnauzer) and he's well and truly flaked out in his bed!!

Have a good week everyone and i'll catch up on everyone's activities next weekend.

Have a great time!

Wife started packing for us even tough we don't go for weeks!

Cheers

shangaijimmy

To be fair we are night before packers!!

Update on eBay. They stepped in and refund awarded. Gives me a positive glow about eBay!!

shangaijimmy

Well we're back after having a great week at centre parcs, with a few happenings along the way (i'll explain more about car troubles later)!!

This is a very quick post whilst i have a quick brew in work!!

Our monthly overpayments are under way with the following:

• TSB - £8.04
• Surveys - £5.00
• Halifax Rewards - £15.00
• Nationwide - £8.31
  Total - £36.35 :j We'll have our usual £423 at the end of the month but may struggle to find any extra bits due to the sickening prices of fun (centre parcs :mad:). That said we'll have a few £'s of tilly tidies that'll will get us close to the £480 total. So howdy all and i''ll report the car exploits when i have more time (well more of my time anyway!)

shangaijimmy

Well i must be honest i've hit that diary slump!! After having a week away from the boards for hols I seem to have lost my mojo for it! We're also in that mid month phase of 2 weeks away from next payday, so equally 2 weeks from much happening. Money wise after centre parcs we've got nothing left, but fortunately we didn't spend over budget.

I have some savings considerations for our maternity leave plan and am currently weighing up 2 options:
1. We currently put £125 away into a new car fund. This was the car loan when we bought 3 years ago and once paid off we've kept putting it away so that we're well placed when we do decide to change. Currently we have just under £3k so its a sizable pot to freeze and put the money away into maternity fund to get Mrs SJ 9 months off.
2. Second option is to overpay by £100 less per month.

Currently option 1 is the favoured approach. We;d be doing it for an 18 month period and i estimate that we'll be changing cars in 3 years, so it won't have too much of an impact. Equally the thought of reducing those overpayments doesn't sit well with me.

For budgets i have 2 weeks to make my mind up (again referring back to that mid month flat period)!

Keep at it everyone!!

(I'm intending on posting a predictions post tomorrow and play around with spreadsheets in the hope of finding motivation!!

shangaijimmy

I promised to post an update of car exploits and centre parcs.

We are not really car people. I hate spending on them and Mrs SJ agrees that she doesn't deserve a nice car as she can't keep it clean or tidy (she has it truly horrific by the way :mad:). That said we have a decent car with approx 30k on the clock.

Off we set for centre parcs. 160miles with a 6yr and 2 yr old in the back! All was going well fro the first 130 miles, then we hit a spot of M1 accident traffic, and the troubles begin. Warning signs start flashing on the dashboard :eek:. My first thought is close your eyes and ignore it!

Anyway the signs go off and on as we crawl the last 20miles of motorway. We finally arrive greatly relieved that the car has got us there and me saying we have breakdown cover they'll get us home at the end of the week if needed! Typically it conks out 6 cars from the check in car wash type things!!

Staff were great, they got us to car park, and gave us an early check in and took all our kit in one of their vans. We then decided to ignore the car until Friday morning deal with any problems at home time!!

Typically it started first time, and was great all the way home. We've had no warning lights or breakdowns since. So what to do now? Risk Mrs SJ breaking down on her own on the M6 by erasing from memory, or spend money...

I'm guessing you can all guess my current decision... :money:

shangaijimmy

Just done some spreadsheet calculations as well. At current predictions we'll be £30.13 short of moving into the £131k's and colouring another brick in!

That may be a bit too far from little extra's of tilly tidies etc... I will get £25 from refereeing on Sunday, but my golf card is down to the last £4, so i'll need to top that up with at least £10.

So i could throw £15 from this week refereeing, and £15 from next week?? I have a plan, i have a plan...

shangaijimmy

shangaijimmy wrote: »

Just done some spreadsheet calculations as well. At current predictions we'll be £30.13 short of moving into the £131k's and colouring another brick in!

That may be a bit too far from little extra's of tilly tidies etc... I will get £25 from refereeing on Sunday, but my golf card is down to the last £4, so i'll need to top that up with at least £10.

So i could throw £15 from this week refereeing, and £15 from next week?? I have a plan, i have a plan...

Best laid plans... Had to use half the referee money for DS school trip!!

shangaijimmy

Right, i'm definitely back and re-motivated.

Firstly i always thought i was good with energy switches and stuff, but it appears i haven't been too good. So i've signed up for the energy club and instigated a switch that apparently will save me £21 per month.

My next plan is to write up a small review from the first 6 months of the year. Progress made, things still to do etc... If anyone wants to throw some thoughts in for discussion please do!

Lastly for now is an update on the ebay refund. And basically i'm still waiting! It's been awarded through ebay itself but as yet hasn't been paid. I'm not getting annoyed or wound up just yet though as i'm sure its just a process and all will be fine...

So, ill be back with a 6month review.

shangaijimmy

First up eBay refund has hit our PayPal account :T £72.60! I'm thinking off spending some of it and using some to make that £30.13 shortfall to move out of the £132k's. (PayPal is always our spending fund as it helps us to constant,y de clutter and not dip into other funds when the kids suddenly grow out of all their pants/shoes, so eBay isn't an overpayment fund).

Secondly that's the 200th post :T. Admittedly most are mine, but that's still a great achievement in 4 months I think!

I haven't forgotten either that my 6 month report is due.

We've got a few financial things cropping up in next 2-3wks as car needs a service, MOT and insurance due. I'll keep posted on requote costs etc...

[Deleted User]

shangaijimmy wrote: »

Firstly i always thought i was good with energy switches and stuff, but it appears i haven't been too good. So i've signed up for the energy club and instigated a switch that apparently will save me £21 per month.

That's a great saving, £252 over the year or Mr MM style... £2520 over 10 years!

Cheers