Spend Nowt, Buy Nowt, Owe Nowt

XSpender

Hi brizzle

So glad it’s pay day tomorrow, we have scraped through June by the skin of our teeth but are back to normal income levels this month, thank god.

Trouble is this month we have a family wedding, DS school uniform order and car hire to pay for as well as a gazillion other one of expenses which will mean the CC balance goes up. August we are on holiday so outgoings will be low which will cover our spending money. We can then hopefully start the plan in earnest in September.

We are having a go at it this month with fire extinguisher going to build our EFfor the next couple of months. We have also set up our splurge accounts with M0nz0 and are ready to go. I can’t wait to start it properly in September.


DH had some good news today, his bonus scheme for H2 has been updated and is much more achievable, he is very confident he will achieve it which will really help pay the debt down quicker and build the holiday/camper fund.

My client is talking about our project continuing next year but it is subject to budgets being signed off etc. Although the role is changing somewhat and doesn’t excite me as much as it did I would like the security of staying where I am for at least another year as DH has only been in his job 12 months. Child care is likely to become an issue soon and all the jobs I have seen still require travel to achieve the same salary so no help. I’m feeling a bit stressed about it.

DS went to the fair after school and brought me back a bag of my favourite sweets :happyhear:happyhear going to have a few with a cuppa when i can drag myself away from the women’s football.

Suffolk_lass

I got to the stage where I paid the 50% deposit on my new glasses and then did not collect them until the day after my CC statement so I could spread the cost over 2 months. I don't know if that works for you

XSpender

Unfortunately everything needs paying up front SL.

Today I have paid for DB wedding gift, DS school uniform order, a month's school lunches, a weekly shop that came in under £50 and a bargain side table from Aldi to stop DH leaving his empty cups on the floor/avoid spillages.

The debit cards from M0nZ0 have arrived, all except my personal account (which I don need anyway but needed to set up the joint account), less than 24 hours from setting up the accounts.:T When I needed a replacement card from LL0ydz the turnaround was 5 days, well it would have been if it turned up and didn't have to be re-ordered. :mad:

I have some coins to pay into our savings account and will try and get to the bank after yoga in the morning. Our village bank is now a glorified cashpoint and the other one I use only opens M-F for businesses.

I have hardly read this month but have been and renewed/borrowed some new books to read. DS sat doing the large jigsaw they have out for everyone to help with and had to be dragged away :rotfl:

We are off to the theatre tomorrow afternoon to see a children's show. We had bought the tickets for DS's birthday.

I have asked DH to speak to DPIL (again!!!!:mad:) about how much we are now paying them for reduced hours and what they can do in the summer holidays and next school year. I am getting worried about finding childcare and need to speak to the wrap around provider before end of term as it isn't open during the holidays. I am going to get cross if he doesn't sort it this weekend :mad:

DS and I are going out with the dog now it has cooled down a bit.

Suffolk_lass

Lots of people have a real problem, having difficult conversations, and go ages not doing it. It is especially hard if you know them well (or related) and especially so if you love them. Our DS made himself quite ill early this year over a money matter until he got up the courage to tell me what he had done. You could visibly see the relief.

If your DH's conversation with his parents is going to be difficult, you might want to talk it through with him ahead of the conversation - maybe consider sort of confiding in them about your money aims and limitations? If you talk about the impact on you they might have more empathy. I suspect they are looking at it from their own perspective at the moment. So hard.

I have just realised you posted this a week ago - I do hope it has gone well, and no falling out.

brizzlegirl

Hope everything is ok XS, and your month money wise is going well x

apple_muncher

Hi XSpender - hope things are going okay for you all. Missing your posts x

XSpender

Hey apple

I am bracing myself to do an update post after a nightmare few weeks both financially and family wise. I haven’t wanted to think about how far backward we have gone

We go on hols at the weekend for 2 weeks so will get it done before then as I have 3 working from days now.

XS

apple_muncher

It might feel like going backwards, but you are aware of it. And that is a good thing. Hope you can get it posted before going away, and then have a great holiday and not have to think too much about it x

brizzlegirl

Thinking of you XS....

Sending hugs x

XSpender

We go on holiday tomorrow so I am doing a much shorter update than planned plus some of the figures are not quite finalised to give a new final debt total.

DPIL raised the issue of childcare before DH mentioned it and offered to have DS as usual through the summer holidays. I was still planning to send him to sports camp a day or 2 a week to keep him occupied and give them a break. 2 days later they text to say the didn’t want to do any of it (including school pick up) starting from the next day. Mass panic trying to cover the last bit of the school term and find holiday cover. Thank god I work from home a fair bit and can be flexible about my schedule. We managed it between us and feel that the new arrangements are going to be better us DS and us. This cost up more up front this month but will cuts our child care costs from September.

The telly blew up and the reconditioned vacuum died 2 weeks after its warranty ran out :mad: The local vac repair shop wouldn’t touch it but did give some good advice so aiming to replace the battery ourselves. I really miss it It’s one of those stick cordless ones and it doesn’t half help me keep on top of the floors as I can just whip it out and whiz it about.

DH bonus didn’t get paid last month so he has had to chase it.

Our debt has gone up about £4K over the last couple of months

In good news we had a fabulous family doo with my side (who live much further away) and have made plans to get together with my siblings later in the year.

My monthly bonus has been added to my basic salary and i have had an improved tax code. Still no decision on our contract for next year, some rumours are positive but who knows?? If my project is extended I am going to stay with my current employer. My job isn’t challenging or stretching mentally, I haven’t had a pay rise in years and cant say I have learnt anything new in about 3 years but it does offer a LOT of flexibility, a decent salary and a car. I would struggle to get all of this elsewhere.

I have decided though to do my job in 4 days and have (unofficially) Friday to myself to clean the house, batch cook, food shop, walk the dog and maybe exercise. I will of course be flexible and still have 1 eye on the laptop/phone. I usually pick DS up from school on a Friday anyway. I feel this will make me more productive as I will be focussed on showing significant output for work across the 4 days to avoid feeling so naughty about the 5th. At present, I have some work at home days where I don’t achieve much as there isn’t much to do but then don’t do my own home tasks so will see if this helps me achieve more for home and work.

We have chopped over £200/month off our outgoings. Our energy DD has gone down nearly £50/month due to not using the TD, not heating water in the evening and having a new thermostat. DH has asked for some thermal long johns so we can not have the heating on much during the autumn/winter :rotfl: This is a cold house. Also cancelled the boiler cover and the cleaner. We are aiming to reduce our average monthly outgoings by a total of £500/month by the end of the year.

I am looking forward to our holiday but also to getting back as we start the barefoot investor path on our return. We will complete our mini mojo in September (EF) but have decided to save our Fire Extinguisher payment (debt OPs) until I know my project is continuing next year. As soon as I have this confirmed we will pay the saved sum to the debt. This will reduce our outgoings by a further £125 and settle 2 accounts.