Ditching the last of the pizza debt

ani*fan

Hi everyone

My apologies for going awol for so long. Things have been very hectic but I thought I'd report that the pizza debt is now £5,850. :beer::j:T:rotfl::):D This has been with minimum payments only for the last few months but at least it's going in the right direction.

Renovations continue to eat up every extra penny but our home is looking more lovely by the day. So that's good.

As you all know, my pizza debt is in 2 different places. I shifted some to my longer 0% term overdraft so it now looks like this: £2,000 overdraft and £3,850 HSBC. I hate dealing with HSBC; they are the worst bank I've ever experienced. I realise though that they're all dreadful when it comes to debt and they just don't give a hoot about how your account is serviced, how staff are trained, giving you the right info, warning you about charges, or anything else. I think the only solution is to have no debt. So that continues to be the goal.

How's the Christmas shopping coming along everyone??:eek:

misstara

Fab to see a post from you ani and congratulations on the debt figure, won't be long now until it's gone completely

I'm pretty much done with Christmas shopping, just a couple more things to get

Kittychick

Another one who's happy to see an update here! I've just paid off my cc with HSBC, I only have a savings account with them now which has money from my daughter in it, when I can I'll close that too.
Older houses easily become money pits but are so satisfying in their transformations.
Partway through the Christmas preps here, husbands mum to buy for but we know what she wants which makes it easier and the fresh food to do.
Have a lovely Christmas and see you in the new year!

ani*fan

Lovely to hear from you. And glad that everyone is almost there with the Christmas prep. We're having a quiet one this year, our first in our new home as a married couple. I'm so looking forward to it after all the mayhem of this year.

We've been doing a bit of catching up with family and friends, and of course there was the obligatory work night out that started with a beautiful meal and ended in the worst pub I've ever been in. Lol. At least I know never to go back there again. Spends have been kept to an absolute minimum.

I'm planning a summary post about this year's achievements, it really has been a mad one, but need to get my thoughts together.

But oh, this...

Kittychick wrote: »

Older houses easily become money pits but are so satisfying in their transformations.

So so true Kittychick! It really is a labour of love, then when you see the finished result it is all so worth it. Although we still have a couple of down pipes to be replaced at the back (happening very soon), the building is now water tight, cosy and safe with new electrics and boiler and everything. And all paid for upfront, can you believe it?

We have now, finally, reached the decorating stage. I thought we'd never get here. The cornice and walls in the front 2 rooms have been painted and oh wow...they're lovely. The plasterer did an amazing repair job, you can hardly tell there was ever a problem, whoever tore out big chunks of cornice was a twit but now it is all beautiful again and pristine white. So satisfying.

We have a white and grey theme, some industrial-style lighting and a minimalist look. I love it so much. It is truly becoming home now. Shame we have totally run out of cash now we are actually ready to buy carpets. :rotfl: Old habits die hard though and OH had to talk me out of getting a bedroom carpet on credit. Will I ever learn? :mad: Luckily there are 2 of us so when one has a mad moment, the other can just say no. I need to be patient, because after the carpets then it will be time to get started thinking about the kitchen and bathroom. And before any of that, we still need to pay for those down pipes.

I was watching a documentary before about poverty in Britain after something came up on Facebook. I'm feeling very humbled this year at how much I have, and how people are suffering more than ever in the uk right now, particularly the children who are living below the poverty line and worrying about how mum is paying the bills or if there will be food. Me and OH want to have children and I'm more determined than ever to try and get our financial situation as stable as I possibly can before that happens. It doesn't take much to be tipped over the edge. We still have no emergency fund and when I get paid on Friday, that fund will be getting started. Somehow having children makes you more vulnerable, you can't just go out to work more, even if you could find the work, when your children need you. I have an entirely different mindset now. It's not just me trying to survive, coping with being up to my ears in debt, it's my family and I love becoming a family. :heart2: That pizza debt needs to be gone because there is a whole different story to be written once it's away.

Anyway, peace and love everyone. And a very Happy Christmas when it comes.

ani*fan

I had a lovely surprise this morning when our postman brought a cheque for me that I've been waiting on for some time now. When I opened it, it was made out in my maiden name. It was for £500, could have been very handy. After an angry phone call I feel slightly better but not looking forward to waiting another 3 months for the new cheque. Note to self: follow this up.

I contacted the skip hire company I used a couple of months ago and asked them to send me a receipt. The other 2 building owners have said they will share the cost with me, even retrospectively (they are nice boys) so £100 coming from each of them. Think I'll just knock it off my share of the gutter/downpipe bill. Note to self: don't forget this.

I have also enquired about a pet plan we took out for the kitten as I couldn't remember when it finishes. She's over one year old now and I was sure the plan was only for a year. Turns out we are due an £80 refund so I gave them my details and that'll be in my account in a couple of days.

And finally, I sold my old mobile phone for £70 and the cash will be with me in a couple of days.

All in all a good day's money saving. Shame I feel insane and not at all calm and contained as this post suggests. I truly want to kill somebody, I am so pmt-ed I can hardly stand it. :mad:

Maybe OH will bring a bottle of wine home.

ani*fan

My friend is getting married in the Spring. I'm thrilled for her and secretly think my wedding has given some of my friends an idea to get married too. She has also been engaged for a very long time so it's all lovely.

The wedding is somewhere remote and as a result is very expensive. There are only 2 places to stay and OH says 'no way' to the youth hostel. Can't say I fancied it either. We are not having a holiday this year as we can't afford it, so this will be our wee holiday. It's not possible in anything less than 3 nights, so I've added one night on for fun. So here's the costing as it stands for 5 days/4 nights away.

Hotel en route 60 (no way to avoid this)
B and B 285 (I know, it's this or 8 in a dorm in a hostel)
Car hire 130 (this includes the fuel, 5 days/4 nights)
Ferry 42.40
Cattery 64 (2 cats sharing a pen)
Food 150
Gift 15 (thankfully my friend gave me a modest but thoughtful small wedding gift, and I've already found the perfect thing for her.)
Total £746.40

This is an insane amount of cash to spend going to a wedding. It really is. But what can I do? She is such a good friend and I wouldn't miss it for the world. However, OH does not feel the same about her (obviously, she's my friend) and is grudging every penny.

So I'm trying to organise the budget and keep costs down, while being aware that this costing does not even include a new dress for me . I've spotted one. It's beautiful but also £90. No chance .

The present can come out of our usual present budget, there's enough left in there after Christmas so why not? Also, we can take £100 of our ordinary food budget for that month to spend while we're away and hope the other £100 is enough for the rest of the month (unrealistic?)

It still leaves £631.40 to find. I plan to skim £20 off our food budget every month between now and then. I also plan to put all my misc. spends, £50 per month, towards it.

This leaves £351.40 to find. Now I could include it in the monthly budget at roughly £90 per month, or I could challenge myself to find this another way. What do you think my chances are of managing to do that?

Anyone have any thoughts about this or words of wisdom? Thank you in advance you lovely people. :A Despite the cost I am very excited this is happening and so pleased for my friend.

hiddenshadow

If OH is "meh" on going, do the costs go down significantly by having only you travel? Presumably you could avoid the cattery, possibly some food, and you could skip the last night away as you would be on your own.

Just thinking outside the box a bit, assuming your savings by skipping the extra day + cattery fees is £100-200, could you and OH have a nice night/weekend away some other time for the same money?

Having been the "plus one" on several occasions, I always felt it was a bit of a waste of time/money, even though I was happy to celebrate with the couple.

If that isn't an option, I'd go for the "find it some other way" challenge - surveys, part-time job for a few weeks, etc.

ani*fan

hiddenshadow wrote: »

Having been the "plus one" on several occasions, I always felt it was a bit of a waste of time/money, even though I was happy to celebrate with the couple.

Thank you for this hiddenshadow, you are entirely correct. OH isn't fussed in the slightest, but happy to help them celebrate, but not to have it cost a fortune. In my mind, I've been making a holiday of it when actually it is not anywhere we would go for a holiday. It's likely to be windy and cold (the wedding is on a beach) and the accomodation is well over priced.

Also, I was thinking we have to arrive a day or two ahead of time in case the ferry (one a day) is cancelled. But if it is, there will be no registrar either, so no wedding, so that's fine (not for the bride but you know what I mean!) I'm thinking we need to take a chance on the ferry, keep the cost right down and do it in 2 nights.

New costing:

Hotel 60 (need to check this, we'll now be staying on a different night)
B adn B 95 (more like it!)
Car hire 90 (this is a guesstimate, need to check)
Ferry 42.40
Cattery 32
Food 75
Gift 15
Total £409.40

I just saved us £337. OH will be very pleased.

ani*fan

I just did a quick check and the new costing is all correct except the car hire. That will be £99 plus petrol. Overall still much cheaper and more manageable. Excellent.

Also had a look online for my dress and discovered it is now reduced to £32.50 in the sales! I ordered it, and another one at the same price, and another one I liked too that was reduced from £65 to £19, and some new shoes for a tenner, 70% off. Obviously I will pick one dress and send the others back. I wondered about getting my wedding shoes dyed but that'll cost £25, cheaper to get a new pair in the right colour in the sales.

Suddenly this is all very exciting instead of a drain on the finances!

hiddenshadow

Glad to be of service! Very nice reduction in costings.