A Ditherer's Diary (again)

WinterWarrior

Ooh yes do that. I’m waiting for an MSE pb big winner (preferably me 🤣). I read on Martins pb page that £4k is the amount you need to have in to have a hope of winning anything 😖 

Naomim

I've shoved the lump sum into the PB's. Fingers crossed for a win in April with my already small amount owned and May with the lump sum, if I haven't withdrawn half of it by then! 😂

I've transferred my money for my pots and updated my YNAB ready for a fresh start in April.  I've also reveiwed the pots. I've added one for Passport/Driving licence renewal and that should only need about £3 per month as MrM and 12yo have just had new ones and 16yo and I need to renew so that will come out of the bonus money for now and then I have 10 years to save for the next ones (5 for the kids).

I've adjusted council tax and water. Council tax has gone up £12 per month 😒 And I've over estimated on the gas & electricity payments to try and build a buffer there. I uploaded meter readings the other day and will again in a couple of days time just to make sure they have my recent readings. I'm with British Gas and their app is rubbish. I looked on their website and they appear to only issue 6 monthly bills, May & November.  I'd rather it was quarterly.   I've downloaded my last bill from November as that had my meter readings on it. Going to keep a little spreadsheet of readings I think to make sure I am on track for payments.

I also need to get a monthly travelcard on my Oyster. That's £250 a month. We've been just tapping in and out at the stations and that's coming in at just on £300 so a saving to be made there.

Doggo is getting better at the training, lead walks are getting a little easier with her but she's still a very enthusiastic greeter of other dogs and people that needs a lot of work. I posted on the Pet care forum and got some brilliant answers. Today I have ordered a whistle to work on her recall when out and about. I've also ordered some insoles for MrM's work shoes as madam ate the inside of them.  She's also chewed up the zip on my best boots. Not sure it's worth getting that fixed or just getting a new pair when I need them.  

I hope everyone is safe and well.

Naomim

FootyFanDan

Hey @Naomim. Glad to hear the doggo is starting to settle down a teeny bit, even if it is still a work in progress haha. It is so scary thinking about all the costs slowly going up, especially given its literally everything that is impacted. Luckily my council tax for some reason has remained unaffected, but electric is currently been estimated at over 2k per year!! Petrol being high and also water going up hasn't helped either. I see you have stuck with YNAB, howe are you finding it?

Naomim

To be honest I haven't really stuck with it but I paid the annual fee so need to make use of it. I have to keep on track.of the budget, hence the fresh start! 😂

12yo has just advised me she needs new school shoes and 16yo is an endless money pit. I  refused to give him money for lunches today as I knew he had £20. I'm trying to get him to make sure he budgets as he's set up a couple of subscriptions for things like spotify and then forgets.🤦‍♀️

FootyFanDan

Naomim said:

To be honest I haven't really stuck with it but I paid the annual fee so need to make use of it. I have to keep on track.of the budget, hence the fresh start! 😂

12yo has just advised me she needs new school shoes and 16yo is an endless money pit. I  refused to give him money for lunches today as I knew he had £20. I'm trying to get him to make sure he budgets as he's set up a couple of subscriptions for things like spotify and then forgets.🤦‍♀️

hahaha i guess you may as well try get your money's worth.

Kids are expensive right? we have it with school trips and uniforms and her feet won't stop growing😂

moving_forward

Wow look at you NM all organised! Keep up the good work ☺️

Naomim

I'm trying MF. I've been a bit half hearted and coasting for a while. Now everything is getting more expensive, I need to get my sh*t together to ride it out.

On a different note, my best friend's husband is a mechanic for the paramedic service. Yesterday he and a group of co-workers have taken 10 decommissioned ambulances full of supplies to the Ukrainian border. I'm so proud of him, he's such a lovely, lovely person 💙

GeorgianaCavendish

If you find that you aren’t using YNAB they will refund you for the unused months from the point of cancellation to the end of your subscription. 

Dog sounds like she is learning lots 😊 

Naomim

Thanks GC I didn't know that, but do want to make the effort. 

Doggo is slowly learning. She's definitely not a hopeless case. A lot of it is being clear about what we want from her and all pulling together doing the same thing. I think she's better behaved for me though! 😂

moving_forward

M_F dog is definitely better behaved for me because I'm the only one who's ever stuck to training 😮‍💨 Mr M_F makes half hearted attempts then gives up. I am slowly training him as he's the one who needs the training!