NST - January. Bobs post bauble debt busting challenge

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for getting outside at lunchtime, for making Spring Piggy for tea, for bring some marking home and actually doing it thus rendering tomorrow a little lighter, for a good book to read, for keeping dd out of the downstairs loo as that is where we have 'hidden' her free bike for her bday - cunningly disguised with a couple of coats, so long as you ignore the obvious pedal and tyre!!

CEW

Did my Aldi shop today and spent £48.47. Really pleased with this as £19.99 of that was for a new family size George Foreman Grill as ours has seen better days to put it mildly. The money used was part of my Christmas present from my Mum so no real cost to me.

Had a small Sainsbury's shop as well for a couple of items that Aldi did not have but that was only another £11.35. Cupboards are now very full and I have all of the ingredients for another few meals to batch cook and freeze down.

Should not need anything else this week so should get a few NSD's in.

Weather turned pretty cold here today. I think winter may be trying to nudge its way in. Oh well extra jumpers and a fleece on the sofa with the dogs should help to keep me warm. Another good reason not to go out and spend as well :rotfl:

Well done everyone on the NSD's. There seem to be a lot of them flying around this month.

Hope you all keep safe and warm

Chez x

mothernerd

Still catching up, so will be doing this in instalments. First a warm welcome to all new turtles and those returning plus the stalwarts.

The turtle backstory is post #2 on this thread https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5048897

The challenges can seem daunting and we all have times when we struggle and RL gets in the way. Things become easier over time and some things become automatic. No one ever fails and no turtle gets left behind. We all give support and receive it when we need it. Lastly, there have been times when I have felt unable to participate in a monthly challenge (when I was doing my house up for sale, the money going out on doing essential work meant my debt increased in some months). Those months without the turtles were infinitely harder.

HelgatheHairy what a dreadful 2015 you have had. I hope 2016 is better in every way.

Thanks to Misstara for the December thread and thanks to Bobarella for this one.

xOemzOx so glad to meet another cross stitch fan.

(Will go back to reading shortly).

I have spent the day tidying loose ends - energy, water rates and council tax for the other house are now sorted, more passport photos have been sorted (without my glasses so DS3's beloved had to read the instructions, move me into position -left a bit, left a bit, higher, back a bit and press the buttons so I didn't move out of position).

DS3 asked if we could have a sleepover, I thought he meant next weekend. Only found out yesterday that two friends were already on their way and beloved arrived today. We may also have purchased a 'new-to me' laptop but it will be charged to the business (just need to make some profits to cover my expenses). One of the friends is going to take the old one home with him to try to make it better.

Today I am grateful for the library (could have gone on using their computers for a while if my back wasn't hurting so much), for letting the other house go (still keep thinking of things I have to do there and then remember it isn't my responsibility any more) and

BEING DEBT FREE (still can't quite believe it and emergency fund is temporarily low - a few thousand has to come back to me from my mother's account, when she is well enough to go). Can't go mad because there is no 'mad' money but the transactions the bank put on hold on Friday have gone through. All credit cards paid off in full.

crazy_cat_lady

:j:j:j Huge congratulations mothernerd, on being debt free.

Eager_Elephant

must.try.harder wrote: »

Well I do have a small amount of emergency savings, but unfortunately I am going to have to use those to pay a builder to fix a wall in my house as water is currently coming into my hallway...yet another thing going wrong.

We have actually been trying to build up £1,000 emergencies, but every month there has been something else go wrong so as soon as money goes in to the pot it has to come out again, so we barely have over £100 saved up : (

Just had a quick look and noticed you don't have your own diary and was wondering what your budget looks like?


I appreciate that the roof leaking is an emergency and the washing of the key fob but in my opinion car repairs are not an emergency - they are a foreseen expense so really you need a savings pot for car repairs (take an average over a few years) and then you will put an amount aside in this pot meaning the emergency fund grows slower but you will be able to cover car repairs eventually (I know if the car breaks in month one you won't have saved enough to cover the bill but as the months tick by you will have enough saved)


Some people (harsher than me) might say you need a home maintenance savings pot as well as our homes will inevitable need work doing on them at some point.


Is there anyway to rework the budget to be able to create a few more savings pots?


Sorry if I am speaking out of turn - feel free to ignore me!!

Eager_Elephant

Another NSD taking me up to 7 for the month - tomorrow will be a spend day as I will need soya milk at work.


Well done everyone with keeping up with the challenge!!

XSpender

Many congratulations on being debt free mothernerd:j:T

Thank you for all your good wishes about our offer on the house. The sellers accepted an offer from someone who didn't have a house to sell. Lucky people had several offers to choose from.

Neither DH and I have felt that gutted about our offer being rejected and with hindsight we think the house and the garden may have been a little small and we have decided to exclude this style of house (of which there is a lot in our preferred location) from our search. We think we were swayed by how beautifully it was presented and have discussed how we need to draw up a non-negotiable list and stick to it!

DH has taken a day off this week to ensure everything is ready in the house for the photos on Friday and hopefully viewings at the weekend. DH is out on Saturday so not sure what to do with DS and the dog if we have viewings, may take them both to DMIL and try and schedule viewings close together.

I am shattered tonight after an early flight this morning and a flight back this evening for work. Spent about £4 on tea and chocolate today Haven't even eaten the chocolate.

Had an email to say we were due an unexpected refund from Sky today so will OP that amount and the CA interest that I still haven't OP'd.

themarsbargirl

Spend day for me, really struggled to decide what food I wanted when shopping :-/ but as I'd had an unexpected bill that I paid on the spot at the caravan site I decided I might as well use today as a spend day.

Now I need to try and be under budget enough to neutralize the bill I shoved onto my credit card.

FunBrum

It's lovely to read all of your fab post....it keeps me motivated!:T

NSD 11.:j

Today I've been busy registering my Nectar card with Sainsbobs. I didn't realise I could receive extra points coupon via the site, that would be loaded onto my card.:p
I will have to go shopping next week so will collect them then. I don't need much as I'm still making do with what I have, and have eaten at my friends today. I will combine all my necessary spends on one day so that I can gain maximum NSD's:D

I still haven't donated yet but will when I get a minute.:A

I have been waiting all day for someone to phone me concerning my debt. So annoying when they don't bother!:mad:
Another £50 towards my debt. When I think what I could spend that money on...namely a holiday I had planned for February, but not going now....I get a bit fed up but then think, better the debt gone! I'm determined to clear it!:)

must.try.harder

Thanks so much for all of your messages!! You have all cheered me up loads and it's definitely reassuring to hear other people having similar problems and getting through them!

Thanks Stewby - I think sometimes I need to be reminded that I WILL get there! This is just a hic up.

Calling14 - I think its repointing that my wall needs and potentially some flashing needs redoing too. Then the gutter above is broken directing loads of rain to the area that needs redoing! So frustrating! I'm just glad that I haven't decorated the hallway yet, I hope your leak hasnt done too much damage?

Eager_Elephant - Thanks for you advice, definitely not speaking out of turn. I need all the help I can get! Sadly the car repair issue was my own stupidity. I do actually budget for MOT, service, Insurance etc which usually covers everything, but I was in such a rush when they gave me the paperwork in September that I didn't read that there were advisory items would need doing within 6 months. So it came as a bit of a shock. But perhaps you are right and I need to put in a bit extra into a car repair savings pot anyway to build up a buffer! Luckily I get paid on Thursday which will cover all of the issues, although I had budgeted to pay off my most expensive credit card this month. It was my main goal of this challenge and it is disappointing to think I won't achieve it. But like Stewby says. I will get there! and I just need to think positively that I am not increasing my credit card debt

In other positivity I had another NSD today