NST July - Bobs Bucket & Spade Boogie to the beach!

abundant1972

Evening!

Thank you everyone for the morale boost... I don't know if it's this mid-end of month time or what? Glad your dark cloud has passed over too, Dolly.

Well impressed with everyones debt busting thriftyness. Bob - that's some seriously creative stuff. Lemonrind? :T

Alas no SFD again... Slipped at the last hurdle and bought some protein infused bread at the gym lol - total non-essential buy but looked amazing! Meh!!!

Catch you all tommoz!

misstara

A NSD today for me 13/20

Bobarella

Morning All

I hit 15 NSDS myself yesterday. I think I should do the target by next Friday.

One area I've identified for a while now as a possible source of higher debt repayment cash is my energy bill. We had a problem last year where they gave us a £300 rebate. Then told us it was a mistake and put us £300 in deficit. Because it was October by the time we found out we have struggled to clear it and pay our monthly bill. They put our DDS up from £50 to £105 a month:eek: to try and pay off the outstanding sum. Long story short when I checked our bill yesterday we were down to £98 owing. Our bill was £47 for new usage. So I think in 2 months we can finally put that back to normal payment levels! And use the other £50 to keep paying down debt.
Am hoping we get a few months in before our usage goes up again due to winter temperatures. We didn't put our heating on until December last year.

Is there anyone else with things like this where you could shoe horn a few more £££s from your household budget for debt repayment or savings?

10 days now till the end of July. Keep going over the figures, every £ you save or don't spend is to your credit. You can still make a difference.

Go Turtles!!!

Bob

Fmess

Funny you should mention energy bills bob as I was doing a comparison on mine last night and will be swapping in August when I don't have to pay an exit fee. I'm hoping that with just me at home, I'll be saving about 50% on the electric and will try to keep the heating off as long as possible this year. I now have at least 4 duvets so will probably relegate one to the sofa got the evenings and pile the other three on my bed.

The car is still in the garage so I'm commuting to my summer job on the bus, which takes just over an hour and will mean I'll be out of the house for 11 hours in order to work 7.5 hours. Just need up keep thinking of the money

Hope you all have a good day

The_Only_Girl

I agree with both of you bob and fmess about the energy bills. We can definitely save some money in that area particularly now that we have longer day light. We were on the same boat as you Bob with First Utility. We used to pay £50 and then because of the short fall, sometime in the winter, they increased the DD to £105. We are in the process of moving to a different provider via the energy club here on MSE but it does make me wonder if that is somehow just to lure us to move across and then they will increase the DD just like what FU did. I will keep an eye on our energy bills to see how bad or good we are doing (used to be my OH's role but he lets it all slide, he's very lenient). My hungry hippos still tend to forget to save electricity and need constant reminder (aka nagging wink wink). I have a question - how do I get the economy 7 tariff? OH said we are not qualified to be on that tariff but I don't really understand his explanation.

What about water rates? Are you on water meter or the flat rate? They said as a rule, if you have less people in the house than bedrooms, it would be better to be on water meter. My colleague lives alone and he pays £9 a month whereas for the 4 of us in my household, we pay £41. I have another colleague who swears water metering is still more economical as her daughter also has 4 people in the household which includes a baby and a toddler and pays a lot lesser than my monthly bill. I rang our water provider and we calculated based on our usage and he also thinks we are on the cheaper tariff being flat rate as opposed to water meter. For normal people, that would be the end of the story. But for a WOTS avid fan like me, there's a niggling doubt in my head and a burning desire to give metering a try. Our provider did say we can change our mind and revert back if it is more costly for us. I just need to convince the hungry hippos.

My next target is mobile phone bills. I've mentioned this on a previous post. Mine and DS1's contracts are ending on the 24th of August. Since both are mobile phones are still very serviceable and have plenty of life in them (fingers crossed), I am planning to switch to a sim-only-plan. I can't do it right now because I will have to pay for an exit/termination fee, I am in the process of looking for a suitable yet cheaper plan for both of us.

The_Only_Girl

Oh by the way, I forgot to mention. I didn't have a NSD yesterday:(. I went to the post office to post one of my eBay sold items and I passed by a small shop to buy laundry detergent but ended up with a few biscuits and treats in my basket. Only £15 though so I am not beating myself up about it. When I got home I somehow ended up being glued to the sofa and had a looooooong nap. I tried so hard not to sleep during the day after the 2 night shifts so I could get back to the normal sleeping pattern but I failed. I felt like I fell from the third floor and did absolutely NO housework in the afternoon. My house is looking like a bomb site with stuff from mine and ds2's camping trip all over the place and the 3 days neglect when I was on night shifts but I just didn't have the energy to tackle them yesterday, I made hubby to order some Indian take away when he got home from work (he didn't need a lot of convincing) and spent £24. NOTE TO SELF - I must get off my backside and use some elbow grease and tackle the bomb site as this is my last day off for the week.

I need to go to the go this afternoon for my BP check to see if I can qualify for a level term insurance. Wish me luck. These past few days, my BP was on the high side. :eek:

Now off for some elbow grease. Have a nice day everyone!

dolly84

Hi everyone.

Calling - very sad news about your friend, life is so unfair,

The Only Girl - your friend is right - TalkTalk internet is rubbish.

I have a water meter and there are four of us here but it still works out cheaper than rates. We pay about £70/quarter.

I don't have any plans to spend money today, DD is leaving primary school today so I doubt I will be able to show my face after the leavers assembly, I don't look good when I cry.

The_Only_Girl

Thanks dolly you've just swayed me towards trying water meter. Must convince the hungry hippos now. Must think of a good sales pitch.

Calling I feel for you. There's nothing more annoying than a detailed annotation of somebody else's holiday.

misstara

It's a beautiful day here and on my day off as well - that practically never happens so I've been sitting in the park for the last couple of hours reading a book and enjoying the sunshine. Suppose at some point I'll have to head back home as the flat won't clean itself, however as this is my only day off for the next couple of weeks I should make the most of it.

I've gotten slightly carried away and picked up lots of shifts with 2nd job hence my lack of days off. It's all extra money to go towards debt/emergency fund though.

Today won't be a NSD as I'm meeting some friends for tea tonight. Not sure where yet but one of the girls always checks for vouchers first and then we go wherever we will get the best deal

Bobarella

Hi All

Firstly, sorry Calling, I didnt see the bit about your friend going into a hospice. That is very very sad.

The Only Girl/Fmess - Energy consumption stuff is a pain. I think the way forward is having a smart metre installed, which First Utility do want me to do, but they cant come out at weekends, and there is no one here to let them in during the day. I am going to have one installed at the shop by EON and it makes total sense to me. Having to remember to do readings is a pain, everyone just wants to pay for what they owe, so I'll be pushing for a smart metre appointment just as soon as I can.
Interesting to hear First Utility named and shamed by us both though The Only Girl, sorry your long shifts have KO'd you as well, but not that shocked considering how much sleep patterns are being disrupted.
Fmess- that long bus journey doesnt sound fun.

On water metres. We are a household of 3 at the moment. We pay £29 a month. I'd be surprised if we'd get it any lower with a metre.

Hugs to you Dolly hope it wasnt too emotional.

MissTara - It wont be forever all this extra work. And it is in a good cause. I am telling myself the same thing!

So good things today.
1) A friend at another cafe has asked me to cover 2 shifts this weekend. Total of £100 CIH, plus tips, which are good there as its busy. I know, before Calling tells me off, that I should be relaxing. But I also feel that as my family are going away for 3 days next week, that will be relaxing for me right there. No cooking, cleaning, washing and general skivvying after them. I shall read late, rise late & generally be a lazy bum

2) CB was in the account early, so I've paid that to CC2. The little sap now only has £355.55 left on it between me & only having 1 CC! Take that CC2

3) 0.22 brand match voucher to add to the wombles, & small amount in tips.

Right, now I am tired so Im off to run a bath & put DS to bed.

Night all

Bob