Ready to be debt free

Bobarella

How annoying about the item!

DD265

Yup, as predicted it fell through. After clarifying my options on the eBay board, I cancelled the transaction so I'm not out of pocket. It's very irritating but I suppose I'll take the opportunity to re-do the listing as I've cycled it several times now.

I have transferred £100 out of savings with the view to putting it back when I've been paid. May is not forecast to be as expensive as April, thankfully. It still sucks to do it, but it got me wondering what I would class as an emergency. "Anything I need but can't afford to pay outright" I guess. You could argue that the Pilates course wasn't strictly a necessary expense but diesel is, and I would agree, but at the same time I need to fix my body and Pilates is helping me do that.

I started the ball rolling on giving the car back, and we're going to test drive a couple today. I haven't done the money transfer yet and I'm deliberately not, to deter a purchase. If my family member says that one of the cars we see is too good to pass up as we won't find another (doubtful, as there is plenty of choice) then I'll worry about it then. I was told to allow 2-3 weeks for my car to be collected, once I've signed and returned the form. Then I found out about just doing a VT in writing and refusing to sign the forms, to save mileage charges etc, and I'm not sure whether I have the lady-balls to do that. :rotfl:

Just in the process of working out the cheapest way to make the purchase, playing off money transfers vs interest free purchase vs balance transfers.

Bobarella

Just goes to show we all need savings. But it's funny how it always feels uncomfortable spending them, and how much easier it still is to borrow instead of use them. Or that's how I feel.

DD265

I totally agree Bob! Longer term I plan to have several different savings pots (in theory I won't feel as bad if I'm dipping into the car pot for the car, or the holiday pot for flights etc), but I still feel like I ought to be able to cover everything from what's come in each month.

One of the cars we saw today is a strong possibility so I've to call and arrange a test drive. It's a lovely Golf 1.9 Diesel, really good condition. My compromise with this car is going to be economy; it's not as good as the Note. There is a more economical version of the Golf (near-as with the Note), but finding one appears quite tricky. I'll need to decide whether to hold out and hope I find one in decent nick, or whether to accept the lower economy.

Bobarella

Isn't diesel expensive now? I haven't had a car in 4 years so can't be relied upon to be right but I'm sure it used to be.

DD265

It is Bob, but still works out better for my high mileage commuting.

Got some good news today! £3.5k pay rise. :beer:

kirtsypoos

Congrats on the payrise!

DD265

So some difficult decisions have been made.

I am now the owner of a 2005 VW Golf, which actually looks immaculate in the car park at work. I'm not yet a proud Golf owner, but I will be. I have to confess that whilst in many ways it feels like a better car than the Nissan, it's still a hefty downgrade to me. The Golf had the "big jobs" done so we're mainly doing upgrades and cosmetic work until anything else crops up or we service it 6000 miles in, so about 3 months for me.

The Note is being inspected/collected on Friday (last day it's insured, phew) so hopefully it won't cost any more than the excess mileage, as we touched up any scratches that needed it. I opted to agree to the charges and avoid the added stress of going down the letter VT route.

My horse is being put down on Sunday. It's the right thing to do, although of course it's an awful thing to go through. I actually feel a lot better for making the decision. I will miss him but he'll always be with me.

I am so not looking forward to updating the credit card figures in my signature, but long term it'll be worth it.

kirtsypoos

Sorry about your horse - even the right decisions aren't always easy.

DD265

Thanks Kirtsypoos. If I could turn back the clock and have a ground-hog decade I totally would, but it's not to be

The Note is gone. A charge of about £100 (assuming RCI Finance bother with it) for two dings in the body work - one is definitely somebody opening the door on it, not sure about the second. Could've been worse. Estimating around £300 including the excess mileage.

I've paid for the collection and cremation, it was £180. I always expected to have to pay £1000+ for it, but I think that must be emergency vet with injection plus collection plus individual cremation and ashes back. I've opted for humane gun (as from my reading this carries less risk and it's quickest) and group cremation, with no ashes returned. Partly because I don't want to drag it out, and partly because his ashes aren't him.

Just got to get through the weekend - and probably the rest of the month, to be fair - and then can look ahead to the future when I suddenly have "extra" money to budget with.