A whole new world

belleandthebudget

Thanks guys, I could only hope to have such fabby dinner company.

belleandthebudget

I went to the dentist this morning. I have free dental cover with work which will pay for the appointment and X-rays and my fluoride treatment but I bought the special extra fluoride toothpaste and the floss picks I like - SO EXPENSIVE.

They're my teeth though, I only get one set, so I figure it's worth the expense. We also talked about whitening, which is really naughty of me, but something I've wanted done for ten years. Urgh. Need to look into a way of making £300 so that I can justify it!

I think I need to go back through the SOA and add in the yearly things I've missed off. Or just the things you don't initially think about - like my fancy toothpaste. I won't even tell you how much it is a tube (shhhhhhhhhhhhhh... £12!!! :eek:) TOTALLY SHAMEFUL.

The thing is, I want a plan I can stick to that covers everything, even if that pushes back the DFD a little. I don't want ANY excuses for why I can't pay off this debt. The more I've been thinking about it and paying off the cards and getting involved here with all you wonderful people - the more I think about saving for a deposit on a house and really accomplishing all the financial things I never thought I could.

You guys make me believe that I CAN do those things.

Also got my yearly pension statement through from work today. I really struggle with pensions, it just seems like so much uncertainty. Like, how do I even know what's going to happen in 30-40 years time?! Oh well, at least I have it and I'm paying in to it every month.

daisymac

Hi! I was drawn to your username!

I have just taken control of annual costs and added them up and divided by 12 and have set up a standing order into a separate account for the amount so that I'm prepared for the bills when they come in. Once I've paid off my brother and an interest charging CC (YIKES) I'm going to do a big top up so next year will be a lot less painful!

Annual costs always catch us out and it just makes me want to cry as its over a couple of months and we just need to juggle and scrimp!

I also plan meals down to breakfast! I'm less likely to go off track if I'm organised and its ready to take with me!

belleandthebudget

Hi Daisy, thanks for popping by!

I'm a newbie to all things meal planning but I am finding that if I make things in advance it's much, much easier for me. It's not like I don't enjoy the food I've cooked. Usually I'm just to disorganised!

And you're right - got to always remember breakfast!

I like the idea of adding everything together and dividing by 12. I think trying to keep track of all the various 12 monthly bits and bobs is melting my brain a little, but if I put it as one lump sum then it would be much easier to keep track of and always know it's done.

Thank you for the advice - I'm off to think about all the extras I've left out of the initial SOA!

moneyonmymindsam

What a good idea Daisy...





See you tomorrow night for Tea me and the gang will be round...


p.s you know your doorbell's going to ring ...and your going to be like OMG........ it won't really be us ...but it could be CCL's cats lol

Orange_Ena

belleandthebudget wrote: »

I went to the dentist this morning. I have free dental cover with work which will pay for the appointment and X-rays and my fluoride treatment but I bought the special extra fluoride toothpaste and the floss picks I like - SO EXPENSIVE.

They're my teeth though, I only get one set, so I figure it's worth the expense. We also talked about whitening, which is really naughty of me, but something I've wanted done for ten years. Urgh. Need to look into a way of making £300 so that I can justify it!

I think I need to go back through the SOA and add in the yearly things I've missed off. Or just the things you don't initially think about - like my fancy toothpaste. I won't even tell you how much it is a tube (shhhhhhhhhhhhhh... £12!!! :eek:) TOTALLY SHAMEFUL.

The thing is, I want a plan I can stick to that covers everything, even if that pushes back the DFD a little. I don't want ANY excuses for why I can't pay off this debt. The more I've been thinking about it and paying off the cards and getting involved here with all you wonderful people - the more I think about saving for a deposit on a house and really accomplishing all the financial things I never thought I could.

You guys make me believe that I CAN do those things.

Also got my yearly pension statement through from work today. I really struggle with pensions, it just seems like so much uncertainty. Like, how do I even know what's going to happen in 30-40 years time?! Oh well, at least I have it and I'm paying in to it every month.

I think looking after your teeth is an essential so that's well justified. I'm sure looking after the ones you've got is a lot cheaper than dentures and all that paraphernalia :rotfl:

You CAN get your financial stuff sorted and save that deposit........you've found MSE! :T

I know what you mean about the pensions. We just don't know what's going to happen :eek:. But I'll be blimming annoyed if i'm not around long enough to claim it all

crazy_cat_lady

moneyonmymindsam wrote: »

...


p.s you know your doorbell's going to ring ...and your going to be like OMG........ it won't really be us ...but it could be CCL's cats lol

One of my cats can actually rattle the letterbox so don't be too surprised :rotfl:

Orange_Ena

crazy_cat_lady wrote: »

One of my cats can actually rattle the letterbox so don't be too surprised :rotfl:

:rotfl::rotfl::D

belleandthebudget

When one of the flat mates shouts up that there's a cat pulling a tiny wagon of melon cocktails outside I shall be most pleased.

Crunching the numbers again right now and trying to work out what I can live without. It's a fun old world, eh? Thing is, I feel so positive about it all. MSE has really helped me let go of the whiny, entitled toddler inside that spent all that money I didn't have!

I'll get there eventually and that's what counts. As much as I'd like it to be by my birthday in June I won't suddenly implode into flames if it's not all gone by next August instead. :rotfl:

Good night buds, I'm off for a little more pouring over the calculator app before bed. :A

belleandthebudget

Well, I did it again today! I checked my diary and made note of the times it wouldn't work for me to visit my parents, went online to book tickets... and booked tickets for one of the weekends I was supposed to be avoiding. Non-refundable, non-exchangeable tickets at that.

I have tickets to the ballet that weekend but think I may be able to change the date on those. Fingers-crossed! I'll call them tomorrow.

SIGH. Sometimes I just feel like my brain is melting and exploding at the same time.

Other than that it's been a pretty good day. Dad paid for 2/3 the price of my train tickets :T and I got to speak to my best friend. Work was good too.

I keep buying lunch while I'm at work though and I really need to stop it. SO EXPENSIVE! If I don't batch cook on Sunday though then I just never do it. Need to start scheduling in some time for that.

I've also been in touch with a charity about doing some volunteer work for them. They run cinemas in hospitals for the patients and their families. It sounds like a perfect mix of my interests - I just need to fill out the TEN THOUSAND forms they have on top of the DBS checks.

Plus I booked a haircut at a swanky Chelsea salon for free. They do model appointments on Mondays and you get a cut absolutely free - I went there when I got my hair chopped from my lower back to a long bob and have LOVED the cut. They had no issue booking me in again. It's during work times but I've just taken a half-day (I always have hols left cause I never go anywhere). Well worth saving the £50-£100 a cut costs there normally! :j

It's been a busy and productive day.

Going through all the numbers again last night I really don't know (with the things that have cropped up) if it's still possible to pay off all the debt before my 30th birthday. I know I'll still owe my parents some money but even the cards are looking less and less likely. What I'm going to do tonight is make a 10 month budget (the time until my birthday next June) and really only write down the things I'll need to buy until then. I may be able to squeeze some more out of my pay that way.

I certainly don't think I have enough to eBay my way out of this one. I don't even know what type of things eBay well these days!