Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th September 2015 - What small debt free things will you do to

Bobarella

foxgloves wrote: »

Bob - I'm getting quite interested in the concept of PAD. We're still debt-free (apart from mortgage, of course!) but we will need to borrow some money in about 17 months to buy a new car. The idea is that we save as much as possible in the meantime to reduce the amount we need to borrow as significantly as possible. I save £50 a month automatically into our emergency fund, I've set up Savings Piggies (6 envelopes on which I've stuck shiny pink piggies!) to cover various different areas of expenditure and this year, as per my signature, I started just transferring little spare bits of money, survey money, bits & bobs of ebay sales, etc, into a savings towards a car, to see how much additional money I could manage to save from all these small sources this year. I've been thinking that PAD could be useful for me to up my game on the car savings front. I'm assuming it can be anything extra.....i.e checking my online banking & rounding down to nearest whole figure by paying the little odd bit across to savings, etc. I'm getting good at cashing my Toluna points for Sainsbury's gift cards (£15 a time), using them instead of grocery budget cash, then paying the £15 saved across. I guess it's all these little sorts of things, but aiming to put something in each day. I'm a firm believer in all those small things adding up, as are all of us on here. Will give it some more thought. Think this could motivate me to save more.
Great to see your debt coming down, by the way, Missis!
f x

Thanks Foxgloves:) yes many people PAD who aren't in debt. A couple of the regulars are Mortgage Free too. I think it's a great concept. It has focused me when I make a good womble and can switch a payment around from other budgets. I think, like any of the challenges, being part of them really focuses your mind so it's a useful tool.
Maybe see you there at some point. :j

ziggy2407

ziggy2407 wrote: »

Good Morning All

Hi to all of the regulars and a BIG welcome to all the newbies, this is a really FAB thread with so many lovely, caring, considerate and supportive people.

Gosh, I am really, really tired, the last couple of days have been a real struggle to get out of bed Today's little list:

Party this evening for OH's sister -
Packed lunch for DH - Done
Investigate "Bounts" (thank you Lego mum) -
List few more bits on Freegle -
Bump listings/stuff for sale -
Continue purge on Emails -
Surveys -
Check Banks -
Enter a few comps -
All meals from cupboards/fridge/freezer -
Read library book -
Check https://www.freepostcodelottery.com - Remember there are now 5 chances to win -

Have a great weekend, love to you all

C x

Today for me has turned into a disaster, DS went to our local shops and bought bits from here and there, then OH met us and brought us home after he'd finished work and it went downhill from there ... had to use my heart spray and have spent the afternoon in bed with aching chest, arms, head. Have now got up and persuaded DH and DS to go to party while I lay on sofa. Hoping for a better day tomorrow.

Night all x

lego_mum

ziggy2407 wrote: »

Today for me has turned into a disaster, DS went to our local shops and bought bits from here and there, then OH met us and brought us home after he'd finished work and it went downhill from there ... had to use my heart spray and have spent the afternoon in bed with aching chest, arms, head. Have now got up and persuaded DH and DS to go to party while I lay on sofa. Hoping for a better day tomorrow.

Night all x

Sorry to hear that Ziggy, hope you are feeling better soon.

allydowd

foxgloves wrote: »

*Dropped off a big bag at the charity shop this morning - not money saving, but it's a pile of stuff that's sat around too long, & it was great to declutter it.

It is money-saving because now you won't need to use any Stardrops keeping it clean!

Bobarella

ziggy2407 wrote: »

Today for me has turned into a disaster, DS went to our local shops and bought bits from here and there, then OH met us and brought us home after he'd finished work and it went downhill from there ... had to use my heart spray and have spent the afternoon in bed with aching chest, arms, head. Have now got up and persuaded DH and DS to go to party while I lay on sofa. Hoping for a better day tomorrow.

Night all x

So sorry Ziggy. That's come out of no where hasn't it? You've seemed so well. Rest up and really hope you are better soon.

crazy_cat_lady

Feel better soon Ziggy xxx

allydowd

ziggy2407 wrote: »

Today for me has turned into a disaster, DS went to our local shops and bought bits from here and there, then OH met us and brought us home after he'd finished work and it went downhill from there ... had to use my heart spray and have spent the afternoon in bed with aching chest, arms, head. Have now got up and persuaded DH and DS to go to party while I lay on sofa. Hoping for a better day tomorrow.

Night all x

Take care, pal.

foxgloves

Look after yourself, Ziggy. It's probably just a blip, but best to be on the safe side ,& rest up xx

princess_pea

Evening all,

Thanks for starting thread Bob
Sorry you're poorly Ziggy
Many congratulations JOJO
Enjoy camping Foxgloves!

I've had a hectic couple of days as I'm now handing the keys back on my flat on Wednesday rather than at the end of the month!! There is someone else moving in a week on Monday. It does mean I'll get the majority of the rent back for this month though!

So yesterday was spent dropping off bookcases at a friend's house, sorting out the direct debit for new rent payments and setting up a re-direction for my post. All being well I'll get a tidy sum back from the landlord including my deposit so I'm going to put £700 back towards the £1000 emergency pot I recently wiped out. I keep this as premium bonds so I'm less likely to dip into it. I'll have £100 to put back into the monthly budget to cover the carpet/ window cleaners I have to pay for on Tuesday. That leaves me with about £250 - part of which I'm going to use to buy a decent winter coat, one that'll hopefully last for years - and the rest is going into Christmas savings.

I realise I'm not reducing my loan at all but I feel much happier knowing I've "repaid" a large chunk of my savings. Even if I repaid my loan early it would still cost me the same amount as the bank would charge me the interest planned up to my final payment date in May next year.

So today has been a NSD but tomorrow I need to buy some lightbulbs and a little thank you for a friend who is coming to fix my kitchen spotlight (currently hanging off the ceiling!!). I'll then be packing up/ moving the rest of the stuff coming with me - mainly kitchen things - then filling the car with stuff for the charity shop. I've got to work on Monday but I can drop stuff off on my way home. I'll make a start on the cleaning tomorrow but hopefully it's not too bad! I also have some kitchen bits and pieces like pans that will be going to a local collection for the refugees in Calais.

All meals from stores today and tomorrow
FPL and surveys done
Listed some things on the local fb selling site after they finally added me as a member. Haven't had any interest yet.
Ironing and bathroom clean to squeeze in at some point this weekend!

Off to bed now with a "sleepy tea" to finish my book. Night all

Bobarella

Morning All

Princess - I hate to contradict you but are you 100% sure on the way the interest on your loan would work as in have you spoken to someone about it?
I managed to save a lot of money by early repayment, literally hundreds of £. My loan was with Mr T. Because they front load the interest based on a certain term, early repayment changes that picture. .do check of you haven't already. Congrats on moving early too!

So this morning we woke at a decent hour. Which makes a difference. It's a gorgeous bright cold morning. I started off with a trip to one of Kathy Wolk Stanley 's 5 frugal things articles which I picked up the link to from twitter. She is just like us. But American "

Anyone looking for wider reading I'd recommend her. It's also facinating because people respond with their own 5 frugal things in the comments section. So in homage my own 5 today will be:
1. YS crumpets from the freezer defrosted for our breakfast. They were Kingsmill original for over £1. I paid 42p. That has done 3 people's breakfasts today so cost per head 14p. Plus a scraping of butter and marmite.
2. Both husband and I take our coffee black. We both used to have milk but over time I first gave it up as I realised working in a coffee shop I was drinking literally litres of the stuff and it made me fatter. Husband always a tea drinker till the age of 40! Automatically had milk with his coffee but gradually upon me trying him on the odd sip black also gave up the dairy. We now only use around 10ml of milk per day in tea. Cost saving per week/month? £££
3. Our tenants son has broken a pipe at the flat. Again. He plays football out in the garden and kicks the ball against the pipe. We paid the first time. This time she has said she'll reimburse us. Husband spent £5 in Wickes yesterday to get the part he needs. If we added up all the jobs he does at the property instead of simply calling in a handyman it would be loads per year.
4. Rolls with cream cheese for lunch from stores. Again bread from the freezer. This time multi seeded subs. Cost 24p.
5. Checked Clicksnap. On 89p. All from loading a few reciepts each day at 1p each. Most wombled. Pay out is £1. Can roll that straight to a Payment a Day.

And that's my 5

Have a good day all


Bob