2018: Saving for Wedding and potential IVF

System

Pleased to hear you're considering a wedding this year, fingers crossed that it is the day you want and deserve! I'd love to elope when OH and I get married as his family are not really present and my family will absolutely try and meddle!!

2017 was such a weird year for me and my OH so I can attest to it being an odd year for many! Sounds lovely that you're starting the year re-decorating the new house, just make sure you don't take too much on because you need time to continue trying for a baby and you so frequently hear that as soon as individuals relax it happens naturally (though I sometimes find that irritating to hear when people are telling me about my fertility struggles!!).

How did the Tooting checks go?

coastalchick

Thanks Sauce!

So. Hmmmm. Been a bit up and down MSE wise this week. Been good and taken lunch/snacks to work every day. However, I wanted to start running again and to do that need music. Could not find mu shuffle charger anywhere so bought one - £15.95. Then when got home that night, found the bloody charger!!! Going to try to take that back today but not sure if they will give me a refund as is a local shop. Will try. £5.98 in b**ts on shampoo and painkillers - both necessary. Had lunch out with old boss yesterday but he paid. So that's good.

However, we have a big issue with our outside wall. When we had survey done to buy this place we were told it was potentially an issue (so won't be covered by insurance) but it's got worse. So structural engineer came round this am and it needs stitching/possibly underpinning. Not sure what he's charging for the visit but we also have to get surveyor back on Tues to get his view before sorting out asap. Budgeting 5k in hope it will be less. So that may throw a spanner in works re wedding.

OH learning to fly at the moment which is expensive. But it makes him happy so don't want him to have to stop doing that. So maybe will get married next year instead. Grrrrr.

Though he has a viewing on his (rented) flat on sat. If that sells then we will have a chunk. But want him to invest it.

Not heard from agent yet re electric checks. Hoping that means that it was ok.

Today have lunch with friend who is moving to Aus next fri but should be cheap. Need petrol and pre-natal vits (which are pricey) but we are not going out this weekend and though we have a shop to do, don't think we need a whole lot. It's then pay day 19th and a new budget.

I am going to try to knock £250 a month off my spending budget and see how that goes. And squirrel that £250 into savings.

System

Sounds tough paying a premium on your shopping, I hadn't realised you weren't on the mainland! My ex's family lived in Lymington and used to sale over to the Isle of Wight regularly and it was SOOO pricey there!

EscapingTheAlarm

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you that your wall comes in under budget!
ETA x

FiscalPickle

Hi coastal, I am offshore too, it does get expensive. Good luck with the specialist x

coastalchick

Not been the best week spending wise!!!! Took the iPod charger back and got a refund so that was good. But spent over £30 on pre-natal vits (essential though). In real terms, was only the cost of the charger plus around £3 as OH pays half (as it's to benefit him too by making sure I'm healthy for a kid!).

Lunch with friend was £21 and only 1 course each - more than I thought as place she had picked had been re-furbed and put prices up. Was nice though and won't get to see her now for months so don't mind really.

Big shop wasn't too bad.

Chap came out for wall and told us we needed to get surveyor out. So we did - that was £300/2 and not yet got structural engineer's bill! Got the damp proofing man coming out today so god knows how much that will be and then hopefully builder (if can get hold of him!) to give quote for repairs. But we do have to get it done. So just have to suck it up. London flat electrical test was £180 so paid that and now waiting on report (he said there were a couple of issues to agent) so lord only knows how much that will be! They have also had to do some works to a wall/re-plastering there so that is £204, plus gas safety check at £84. Thankfully I had put some money aside in a separate account for works to that property so able to pay for all of that (probs bar the electric works) from that cash.

Today need to get the cat's food (£32 a bag as he is on a special diet as he's fat - but split by 2), food shop (don't need huge amounts but reckon will still be around £60-70/2) and OH wants to go out for a curry tonight (I am not drinking so should not be too bad) and we need petrol (so probs £20/2).

I should have at least £150 left from this month's budget after today's spends so thinking will put that in the account I use for paying for the london property to go towards the costs there.

Pay day today, but as we normally get paid on 20th I am running this month's budget from tomorrow. We don't have anything in diary for Feb other than a dinner out for one of OH's friends 40ths on 17th, and his nephew's birthday is in a couple of weeks (but think we will just give him a cheque for £30 as he'll get tons of presents from his friends and has just had a load of presents for xmas - think cash probably more useful) - so hoping that I can make it a frugal february!

It just seems a long slog to be able to save any decent amounts. When in my old job I used to be able to save a massive chunk every month. I'm technically being paid the same now pro rata (though not in terms of cold hard cash, but now get pension, health insurance etc) though because I'm 4 days a week, clearly that knocks a significant amount off. But not sure I want to go FT (and not even sure there;s budget for me to do so).

Have been asked to do some fee-earning work, a document review, for the next month or so. It's fine because when I interviewed for the job, it was agreed that if required, I'd help out from time to time on cases. But I will earn the firm half my yearly salary from this review, kind of makes me think they should give me a bit in return. But can't really raise it. I am a bit worried they might want me to work longer hours to get it done, which I don't want to do. I guess if they do I either say no, or I say yes but you have to pay me an hourly rate (a fee earner's hourly rate rather than the rate am being paid now) to do it.

Do wish I could just say no sometimes.

coastalchick

Petrol was 20/2. Shopping was a bit more than expected - just over £83/2, but that was because there was stuff on offer that we use all the time (nature valley peanut butter bars - we each take one to work each day and they were half price so got 8 boxes!) so stocked up. Still have to get a roast chicken and some spinach - but that should be no more than a further £10/2. Cat food - £32.19/2.

Didn't go for a curry last night - going to cinema this afternoon and then cinema afterwards. Cinema tickets booked yesterday so out of last month's budget, curry will be from this month's. I also naughtily spent £14.37 on 3 books from this month's budget.

Ended up with £182.58 left from last month so whacked that into what I call the "house" account which pays for things/repairs to our house and to house in Tooting. After paying surveyor, and all the stuff for Tooting house (apart from whatever the works the electron has recommended) I should now have about £400 in there towards expenses. But probs going to have to ping a bit more over this month which means not putting as much into long term savings.

Have knocked £250 off what I usually allow myself for spending on food, going out, clothes, toiletries etc this month to see if I can stick within a smaller budget. Already spent £14.37 of that on books and need some flat boots for work/general wear.

Also - having some therapy at the moment (paid for by insurance thankfully) and we have really identified that I just don't have the right personality for law (i.e. horrid, cold, arrogant) and that is why I have really struggled in this career as there is always an internal conflict going on within me. I can't change now because, if we are going to have a family, the role I am in lends itself really well to that as can change my hours to suit, given no longer client facing. But, once any kids we have are in school, it may be possible (either if OH has been promoted by then, or by releasing some equity from my Tooting flat as conceivably it may only have 3 years left on mortgage by then) to take some time off and re-train as something else. Though may be 46/47 by then so query is it worth it. At least feel like have some options in future.

System

I had a similar experience in talking therapy, my personality is not well suited to finance and I do struggle with how cut throat my colleagues can seem at times. I can't compete with my workmates like they are able to!

Hope you enjoyed the cinema!

coastalchick

Thanks lovely - I think that is finance in general! Cinema wasn't bad thanks, film took a while to get going but was good in the end.

Curry was £57.50/2 even though I wasn't drinking - OH had 2 large cobras at a cost of £5.50 each!!!! So expensive dinner out. Then despite only needing a chicken and spinach, we went nuts in m&s yesterday and ended up spending £23.13/2!!!!

Today has been a NSD as took sandwiches and snacks to work. Was supposed to be meeting a friend for lunch tomorrow but she's messaged to say she has flu so has postponed - fine by me as means I can save!

No plans all week which is fab! All meals from stores, though may just need a top up of milk at some point.

Have a friend coming over friday night - not sure if she wants food yet (hoping she will eat with her kids) and then we are (currently) in all weekend.

New books should arrive tomorrow so will keep me busy in the evenings!

coastalchick

Been tasked with actual legal work at work (albeit only a document review) - 4500 documents (some several pages long). It's a bit annoying but we have lost someone and someone else gone on study leave and everyone else stacked covering, so there's no-one else. I've said it's fine as long as they are not expecting me to stay late/come in early etc. If they are, then they need to pay me overtime and as a fee earner instead of support staff. I'm going to earn them (despite the fact they've lowered my hourly rate by around a third of what it should be) half my annual salary for 16 days work (presuming that's how long it takes - might take longer) which, if it's normal hours, is fine, but if they want blood, sweat and guts to get it done quicker, means they will have to pay me more.

Sadly, I can now see this becoming a regular occurrence because they've not planned staff cover very well for the next few months. If that happens, I do think that they will need to pay me at a fee earner's rate. They'll be charging me out at one.