A Ditherer's Diary (again)

Naomim

For me it's more about breaking habits rather than having nothing to do with my hands. 

I've just ordered a bulk load of disposable vapes. £38 (£4 each) they are supposed to last the equivalent of two pack of cigarettes so it should be a noticable saving. 

Child benefit has landed and now 16yo has his own bank account I should actually be able to use it for what it's meant for. I'm stopping his pocket money as he is earning now but am upping 11yo's pocket money as she was only getting £2 a week but her chores will increase too. 

I need to revisit the budget to allow for the changes.

One of my 0% deals ends on 22nd October.  I was hoping my Barclaycard would offer me a deal as it's now at 0 balance but nothing doing so I may have to contemplate applying for another card. I've got about a month to wait and see. According to my credit report my affordability is still weak so just need to sit on it for a while.

EssexHebridean

well done on the smoking thing - and the noticeable saving should act as a good incentive too!

Yep - when I started earning (paper round!) my "normal" pocket money was stopped IIRC but I got a clothing allowance for stuff outside the needed uniform, underwear etc. if I wanted anything fancy/non essential it had to come from my allowance and earnings though. (As a result I still have a very undemanding taste in clothes!) 

Naomim

A short update from me as I have been dragged down by an awful cold.  

Good news, my credit card balances are now £25,911.39 so I have paid off 22% 👌

Bad news, my in-laws are with Avro energy who has gone bust.  Unfortunately I manage their account as Avro was online only and don't have any bills or screenshots of the account so we have no idea if they are in credit or not.  I went round yesterday and took photos of their meter readings and cancelled their DD. Told them to put the money by every month and once a switch is made, not to be shocked if it's £50-£60 a month higher.  It's a worry as they are already pensioners on a tight budget.  Also thinking of my SiL as although I think she's with one of the big six, she is on prepayment meters due to paying off old debts so I assume her prices are going to massively increase too. 

Anyway, off to sniffle into a bowl of soup.

Hope everyone is doing ok.

Naomim 

WinterWarrior

I hope you feel better soon.
it’s horrible news about the energy firms. It feels like financially you just can’t trust anyone. 

Naomim

Thanks @WinterWarrior my boss keeps asking why I'm working but I think I sound worse than I feel now. I was off Monday & Tuesday as I felt awful.

Good news I managed to get access to the Avro website so have a screenshot of the dashboard and the last 6 months of bills. 

EssexHebridean

My parents were with Green who are another of those who have gone - I think we’re far from the end of it as well - right now my inclination personally having been switched to one of the big 6 for our gas is to sit tight where we are until we’re through he worst, otherwise I can foresee switching just to get switched again. 

GeorgianaCavendish

So stressful about the energy firms. My parents are with British Gas which is one relief but I don't know if they are on fixed or variable tariffs, I asked them to check a few weeks ago and if on variable then to switch to a fixed tariff  - I hope they have done it because they will have very little flex in their budget. 

Naomim

Gaah! The boiler has packed in. No hot water. Thank God for the electric shower.   

I have the home care policy so will get an engineer booked in but I suspect we'll need a new one. This was put in when 16yo was born and has had a few parts replaced but the don't make this model anymore. 

Thank goodness we have the emergency fund but I hate having to do into it 😥

EssexHebridean

Oh no! Fingers crossed it will turn out to be something minor that can be fixed! As for going into the EF - try to think of it as it serving its purpose - this is precisely why you've put all the work into saving it! 

Naomim

I think it's probably on it's way out. I know what you're saying about the EF and this is why we have it, but I like seeing it sitting there in the account 🤣

My cold has now turned into a wheezy cough which in turn has made me a social pariah. Maybe not a bad thing! 😋