The Edcawber Principle

Karmacat

I wouldn't do it if I didn't have to, nowadays, but it's very satisfying

edinburgher

KC - was that coded speak for "bees don't like hydrangeas as the flowers are sterile?" Not to worry, the addition of the world's smallest wildflower meadow will cheer them up (maybe 12-15 feet square). We also have a single buddleja, lots of honeysuckle and another couple of flowering bushes that I know get bee visitors.

I repaired the old fence and stripped out 2/3 of a wheelie bin of dead plants from last winter, as well as spending hours in the sun, a BBQ and a trip to the park :j

Just as well, because the promised rain has arrived today. I am glad that we made barbecued food while the sun shone

Tried but failed to pay £12 off a CC. Not only do V1rgin only accept one payment per 24 hours, but it also looks like you can't make payments on Sundays. What is this - 1987?

*Edit: note to self - is now £48.75 to CC as car insurance CB paid out :beer:

Karmacat

No code in that post, Ed (or any of mine, I'm rubbish at it ). Here's to bee visitors

edinburgher

Ah Monday - you truly are a sucky day! Not quite the challenger to Tuesday that some would have you believe, but definitely less fun than Wednesday onwards :rotfl:

Today is CB day, so I've borrowed our 4th payment from DD. Luckily that gamble is paying off so far, as the original unit price was higher than it is now, meaning that she'll be a few £ better off when we pay her back

I've also rolled our various shuffles, interest and cashback into today's payment of £323.01. Still feeling skint and only expecting that to get worse by the end of the week! :eek:

Thankfully there are a few payments coming in from savings accounts that should help to cushion the impact of our various bills etc. but it does look like a period of screwing the nut is going to be necessary once we get back from our summer holiday in a few weeks.

I will make ad hoc payments for any small TT that are required this week, but today marks the last Monday payment. We'll be going back to once a month payments as of Tuesday the first of May (total debt / remaining months - mandatory minimum payments). I am also planning on running our household budget on the same basis, which will be uncomfortable to begin with as we get paid on two different cycles

Note to self - must remember to split out any "savings" money into an interest bearing account to stop it getting caught up in the new budgetary arrangements...

I like to think that our efforts are buying me the luxury of future simplicity.

Good luck surviving Monday everyone :coffee:

Edit: have downgraded my account with the Spanish bank to the "Lite" version of their main current account, our cash balance no longer justifies paying the £5/month fee. The new fee of £1 minus cashback should mean that we turn a very small profit roughly equivalent to keeping a couple thousand in cash in the account.

Edit the second: must add the £1 fee to the spreadsheet!

Suffolk_lass

You see, every time I think I am getting the hang of this, you go and post something that makes me reconsider my lazy strategy. I just don't shuffle our funds enough and it really is down to CBA. You and Busy Mee1 put me to shame. I remain in awe of your spreadsheet shuffling.

And Monday was grim

edinburgher

That's ok Suffolk lass - every time I think I'm getting the hang of this I realise I've scunnered myself with a mistake or an inability to be thrifty

We'll all get there. I figure it's 10x better to think about this stuff all the time and be !!!! at it than to never think about it at all :rotfl:

Mrs E looked confused when I explained budget resetting on the 1st, sure she gets it, was just tired and cold because it's gone all wintry again in our part of the world.

It really was grim - thank flip it's done. We've had a tasty dinner, the dishes and laundry are done and the little one is in bed. Job done :coffee:

beanielou

I dont like Mondays.
(will be recognised by those of a certain age!!:p)

beanielou

Yes, wintry here again too

AlexLK

Just reading your post re budgets has confused me, Ed. :rotfl:

edinburgher

AlexLK wrote: »

Just reading your post re budgets has confused me, Ed. :rotfl:

Mrs E got the potted version

£2.60 paid off a CC (Am@zon voucher shuffle for a bargainous board book as part of a gift for an impending baby and a TT).

Does anyone else ever daydream about a lifestyle they'd rather have? I was thinking yesterday that I could be quite happy pottering about somewhere sunny with cheap local foods, plenty to read and a bit less stress. Some very nice 2 bedroom houses for about £100k on our favourite Greek island....