Rawr_'s Saving Diary

ChasingSunshine

Well done on the savings. Fingers crossed for the house tomorrow.

rawr_

Thanks ChasingSunshine, we put in an offer and it got declined, but to be honest as it hasn't got central heating I don't think we want to pay anymore than offered as we'd have to save to do the work ourself when we could. Think it might be a good idea to let this one slip by, and we don't 'love it'.

Mr Rawr's weekly £100 went in today so now at £2761.81 (46.03% of the way!). My accounts still looking good although I forgot the other day that it's Mr Rawr's 30th end of September, and I'm looking to spend more than what I usually would on him, which means the extra won't be going into savings after all - but I'm still happy with how we are doing. Also need to start putting a bit aside for the dreaded - wait for it - Christmas :eek:, so that it doesn't hit too hard when it comes. I don't need to buy for too many people, but it can still get costly.

Hope everyone is having good weeks!

rawr_

UPDATE
Current Savings: £3096.58 (51.61% of 6K)
Current House Savings: £18,693.83
Expendable Income left: £298.71
Food Budget left: £278.79

Happy bank holiday Monday everyone

I missed last weeks update as I wasn't very well and was off work for a couple of days. Nothing major, think half of it is being run down.

Current Savings: Yay we're now just over half way!! I'm so happy to have hit 3K, feels like such an achievement.

Current House Savings: I totally messed this up the other week when I was working it out, and turns out we have a little less than I thought! I must have just missed a number somewhere. We have the money split across three accounts (a normal savings account, and each have a help to buy ISA) and include the help to buy ISA bonus. We're still fine though with the number so not worried. Talking of house news, we think we've found one! We viewed a couple on Saturday, and have decided we're going to put an offer in on one of them. The estate agents aren't open until tomorrow so I'll be calling up then. But theres no chain either so we could be in before Christmas!

Expendable income: So it was payday on Friday so it's all back to a nice big number I think I need two news tyres for the car this month, as think the treads a little too worn, and want to get it sorted before the Winter months arrive. Apart from that, have Mr Rawrs birthday end of September - but I have said that if we end up getting a house he may have to wait for his big gift until everything's gone through to be on the safe side.

Food budget: Did the weekly food shop on Friday - manages to keep it quite low and sent £51.06 in Mr T's. That includes cat food! We have quite a few bits and pieces in the house, so I'm hoping this means a few cheaper shops this month. I keep meaning to go back to Ald! but I keep finishing work late on a Friday, and Mr T's is closer to where I need to pick up Mr Rawr from work!

Everything else is ticking along really. There was a job vacancy I was really interested in, which is like the next step up to what I do now, but can't really go for it because of applying for a mortgage... so think I'm going to have to let this one go. Who knows, it could come back up in the future. I like my job, but we're one person down in our team at the moment, and have quite a big workload, with no immediate intention of getting anyone else in any time soon. So I'm stressed and a little annoyed with it all at the moment. Hopefully it will all calm down in the next couple of months!!

Anyone else been cold? I keep getting tempted to put the heating on, but I'm one of those people that usually refuses to but the heating on any earlier than 1st November! :rotfl:

Homegrown0

Just wanted to stop by and say hello. I read through your diary this morning, and looks like you're going great guns with the saving.

I think it's a great idea getting these savings behind you before starting a family - I did before my first son but my second son was a surprise and we'd just moved house when he arrived (so spent most of our savings!) so that was a lean mat leave. Also worth considering (and I'm sure you have) what your childcare arrangements will be when you go back to work, or if you go part time then factoring in the drop in income.

We could never have imagined the cost of having two kids in full time childcare for 20 months. I still feel ill at the thought...

rawr_

Hi Homegrown thanks for stopping by!

I'm the higher wage earner so having savings behind me is the only way for me to have a decent time off for maternity, and still be able to live the way we do. I'll obviously cut back as much as possible, but I still want to be able to meet my friends for coffee etc too!

I kind of have my child arrangements sorted out. Me and the hubby are going to do the shared parental leave thing, so I'll have the first 6 months, and he'll take the rest. After that, my mums going to be a big help with childcare at least a couple of days a week (I realise how lucky I am with this!) and for the other days, I will have a work from home day, and maybe have one day a week childcare to socialise them a bit.

Wow that must have been a struggle with your second - especially with moving too! I don't know about you, but I get a little fed up of people telling me it doesn't matter and we'd find a way to make it through. I didn't want to be worrying about money as well as having my first baby where I'd have no idea what I was doing :rotfl:

Any more tips I'd be hugely grateful!

Homegrown0

rawr_ wrote: »

Hi Homegrown thanks for stopping by!

I'm the higher wage earner so having savings behind me is the only way for me to have a decent time off for maternity, and still be able to live the way we do. I'll obviously cut back as much as possible, but I still want to be able to meet my friends for coffee etc too!

I kind of have my child arrangements sorted out. Me and the hubby are going to do the shared parental leave thing, so I'll have the first 6 months, and he'll take the rest. After that, my mums going to be a big help with childcare at least a couple of days a week (I realise how lucky I am with this!) and for the other days, I will have a work from home day, and maybe have one day a week childcare to socialise them a bit.

Wow that must have been a struggle with your second - especially with moving too! I don't know about you, but I get a little fed up of people telling me it doesn't matter and we'd find a way to make it through. I didn't want to be worrying about money as well as having my first baby where I'd have no idea what I was doing :rotfl:

Any more tips I'd be hugely grateful!

Sounds like you've got some good strong plans in place

You're right, it's irritating when people think they know it all. For what it's worth, yes it's likely that you'd make it work if you had a baby and were financially unprepared (many do!) but what's 6-12 months out of your life to prepare and save before the time comes? Do what's best for you!

In terms of advice, I have no idea! haha I just stumbled my way through it all (and continue to do so 6 years on) but you'll find your own way with the help from others.

Great news on the childcare front that you'll get some help from your mum. Both mine and my husband's parents both work full time still, so the decision was between me going back to work full time or not at all. I'm the higher earner in our household too (plus I love my job!) so it wasn't really a decision to be made. We make it work and we're all happy to that's all that matters. Skint, but happy! haha

rawr_

Ahh that's really nice to hear that everything worked out for you

And I agree, 6-12 months for my peace of mind is nothing :rotfl: and if it means I'm going to be stressing a little less, I'm all for it. I realise people can muddle through, and like you said I'm sure we would be able to if we were unprepared but I didn't want to if I could help it!

rawr_

So big news! :j

We had an offer accepted on a house this week :eek: so we are going through the early painstaking motions of buying a house! The other day I'm sure I have never felt so stressed in my life. Now the solicitor has been sorted and we've done our mortgage application with the broker, I've calmed down a bit as I've pretty much done my bit. Theres no chain, so all being well we should be in by November latest - earlier if they pull their fingers out!

This does mean it's put a hold on the baby plans for now - but this is fine. Will take me longer to save up the other half of the money we need now that we'll have a mortgage, but it will all be worth it in the end!

I'm not looking forward to packing all our stuff and moving it, but I am looking forward to us having our first home and being able to do what we want with it. Plus the kitchen is to die for!!

We'll be discussing over the next few days as to when we should stop Mr Rawr's payments into the savings account - will probably be when we get a completion date. I'll defo be having a drink this weekend to celebrate! :beer:

ftbwannabe

How exciting! Terrific news, congrats!

Homegrown0

Brilliant news on the house! I hope everything goes smoothly for you