Don't call it a dream.... Call it a plan

kittykatneedscash

3 items listed on Ebay this morning as I had an email with an offer for 'sell for £1 max' per item that ended today so hopefully if these all sell it will be £77 before fees. Still waiting for my £40 to be paid from onepoll then I will have the total amount saved to pay off my credit card in full and clear this.

Busy weekend coming up so I need to spend as little as possible for the rest of the week.

kittykatneedscash

So I've been on a 30 day sim only contract with @2 for a while. £17.22/month I've been looking around and managed to get a deal with plusnet for £7.50/month for 2GB data with 1000 minutes and unlimited texts. So a saving of £9.72 with double the amount of data!! It really frustrates me how you get nothing for being a loyal customer I've been with @2 for years but asked them if they could match the offer all they could offer was £12/month signed into a 12 month contract that was an exclusive deal not available on their website. Erm thanks but no thanks I'll change. So just ordered my new sim and got my PUC code, off to update my spreadsheet with the new monthly amount.
In the last few weeks I've managed to get a better deal on my mortgage saving £33.82/ month, a cheaper renewal on my buildings and contents insurance saving £5.45/ month, and the £9.72/month I've just saved on my mobile, so for not a lot of work I've managed to save £48.99/ month so really pleased with that:T

EssexHebridean

As and when you balance in your Nationwide account reaches the 2.5k level remember you won't get any additional interest over that. Instead look at opening one of their "Regular saver" accounts that's linked to the Flexaccount you have - you can then "trickle" money across into there each month to maximise the interest you can get. It will take up to £500 a month but you can set the direct debt for a small amount and then manually move more over within your online banking or the app.

I moved from O2 to EE (who Plusnet piggyback off) a few years ago and haven't regretted it for a moment - far better service and reliability!

kittykatneedscash

Thanks EH I'll look into that. I think the regular savers pay interest at the end of the 12 month period rather than monthly but I already have 2.5k in that account so will have a look tonight.

Savings pots and savings towards debts totals so far

Emergency fund 2k - £2000 100%
Parents 6k - £2325.17 38%
House refurbishments fund 1.5k - £402.21 26%
CC £892 - £852 95% (awaiting £40 from onepoll then complete)
Me fund £500 - £52.14 10% (towards any clothes / haircut / trips)
Coaching £225 - £144.59 64%

Next pots to think about

Christmas / Birthdays £500
Save towards overdraft £1250 - I'm not actually in my overdraft I was at the bottom but I am 'holding' some of my pots in there so that I don't get charged if that makes sense.

kittykatneedscash

£40 onepoll has been paid:j money has gone over to my savings pot for my credit card balance I now have the full amount and this is effectively neutral. I was going to pay it off all in a lump sum but I've realised that I still have it at 0% for another 14 months so I will use what I have saved for the £30 a month standing order and keep the rest in a savings account for the time being.

ani*fan

Hi KittyKat :wave:

Thanks for dropping by my diary and saying hello. It's good to meet you.

Your words of wisdom about renovating an old property arrived at just the right time, thanks for that. I'm glad your nana's house is working out for you. How big is the house? What have you had done already? It's a bit daunting when you're new to renovations. You've done so well!

I like what you're doing with your savings. I struggle between paying off debt (which I feel obligated to do) and putting savings in high interest accounts because the debt is all 0% so it makes more sense to do that. Mostly I just enjoy playing with the numbers.

I've subscribed and look forward to hearing how you're getting on.

kittykatneedscash

It seems I really am rubbish at updating this diary. Note to self must try harder! I still visit the forum regularly and keep up with other people’s diaries but seem to be rubbish at keeping my own.

Things are going well, I feel like I have a better grasp on my finances than I did a few months ago slowly but surely things are moving in the right direction. I’ve given up on keeping a spending diary it doesn’t seem to work for me or YNAB but I do watch every penny I spend and allocate myself a set amount each week and if I go over that comes off the next weeks spends. I am taking my lunches to work everyday. I can’t remember the last time I bought lunch at work so that’s good.

I am keeping spreadsheets for my regular outgoings, income, and savings v’s debts. I’m actually really enjoying the spreadsheets and have kept them up to date since March. It also helps to keep going back to my regular outgoing spreadsheet and see what can be shaved off, this year I have saved on Sky, Mortgage, G&E, Home insurance, pet insurance and mobile package.

Totals so far

Emergency fund £2000 100%:j
Saved for parents £2820.18 / £6000 47%
Saved towards renovations £728.32 / £1500 48%
Holiday fund £200/ £600 33%

Lots of exciting things coming up I’m going to Portugal in 3 weeks only had to pay for flights £220 and need some spending money can’t wait I’m really looking forward to this. My best friend is getting married at the start of Sept and I am maid of honour so a family hen do which is afternoon tea and the main hen do which is a couple of nights away. I also need to sort my dress / shoes etc and hotel for the night before and the night of the wedding so a few things that I need to save for but it means a very busy and exciting couple of months.

I’ve also stopped smoking again currently on day 4 and not doing bad I am determined that this is it. I will not let life get in the way again I am feeling really good and not wasting all my money is a massive motivator:T. Hope everyone is doing well

kittykatneedscash

Quick update I'm on day number 11 of not smoking and it's going really well. Feeling really positive about it. My smoke free app says £85.22 saved by not smoking so far.

Got an MRI this afternoon which I'm not really looking forward to but got to be done. Not much to report of money saving front just waiting till the end of the month as any extra will go towards holiday spends

kittykatneedscash

I really am rubbish at updating my diary! Thinks are going well though been a busy few months Portugal was lovely great weather and very relaxing the apartment we stayed in was beautiful overlooking the harbour with a huge roof terrace. Feels like a lifetime ago now it’s getting colder and getting darker in the evenings, I’m not looking forward to winter. I had my best friends wedding at the start of September which was the best day ever! I loved every minute. I stayed the night before and the night of the wedding at the venue which was a very posh hotel. All summer seems to have been a build up for this and I’m sad it’s now over. We’ve had dress fittings, shopping trips, afternoon tea hen do, glamping with a hot tub hen do, wedding planning meetings it’s been fab and lots of excuses to spend quality time with my bestie. It has been a very spendy time though but well worth it.

In other news I am still a non smoker!!:j:j:j Not caved once so 75 days smoke free. My smokefree app has calculated I’ve saved £590.45:T. I haven’t managed to actually save that but there’s been a lot of expense involved with the hen do’s, wedding and holiday so I would have been a lot worse off if I hadn’t stopped. I don’t have a lot coming up now just a few small things but nothing big so I’m hoping that I will start to feel the benefit cash wise now from stopping.

UncannyScot

Hi
Just caught up with your diary
You're doing well
Congrats on getting off the fags too, I know someone who kicked the habit and saved enough to buy a brand spanking new Ducati motorbike... cash!
Have subscribed to your diary and look forward to following your progress
All the bestest