Prosperous soul in the making

savingholmes

savingholmes wrote: »

MIL has said, 'Don't splash out for mother's day." :j I will follow her direction and give her and her friend something I have already made. She is coming over for sunday lunch and bringing a friend - so just the cost of ingredients.

So lunch was expensive as we had lamb (£17) and had to buy soft drinks (£5) etc- but not as much as eating out.

Actual presents: circa £6.50 each for hand decorated items:
£2 x 2 (for her and her friend) for charity shop bought pretty coloured balloon glasses
£2.50 x 2 (for flowers)
Hand decorated recycled candle jars (free from friends) using glass paint - material costs (£2 worth of more expensive set)
30p x 2 Maxi nightlights
50p x 2 Decoupaged Wooden hearts

I've never been sure my MIL liked my craft stuff - but it turns out her bottle light has run out which suggests she has used it. I gave her a new cork light (£1-2) and told her to give us the old one when she next sees us

The only reason I've given you prices is to encourage those of you who don't feel you can give presents on a budget... you can if you are creative / spend some time thinking about it.

In other news - one of my church friends has said she loves what I've done and would like to buy some. Need to make another jar like the one I gave MIL as she liked that one.

jwil

They sound lovely gifts. I haven't a creative bone in my body!

savingholmes

Well I have definitely been accepted for the CC for the 0% transfer - I just still don't know what my limit is or whether the balances have gone through but the DD confirmation and account number and pin arrived today.

£175 and £47 payments went out to CCs today.... Just £30 left to pay this month

My attempted savings have been ravaged though - so need to do a review to see where it went wrong and try and plan better next month.

milann

All sounds good SH. Everything going in the right direction.

savingholmes

Thanks Milann and Jwil.

Just entered gas and electric meter readings so likely to get more updated bills soon.

Get paid Friday which will be good. Fresh start. Definitely need to divide our money into savings pots this month and see where that takes us. Need to be more disciplined as no longer have the two month free of council tax benefit...

Still not heard re OH's interview...

A friend asked me about doing a specific piece for her. She is going to look for a piece of glass she likes and then get me to decorate it.

savingholmes

Great news I have been accepted for #6K of balance transfers to MBNA. :jStill need confirmation of whether they gave me the 1.89% transfer rate and the 0% for 37 months but if they did that would be amazing. That would equal a #113.40 fee. I think they want 1% minimum payment a month which would be roughly #61.

Previously I was paying roughly #225 against this debt so IF I needed it - this releases some money. I can hear some of you screaming at me already... but I am trying to ensure I have enough money to pay for DS at uni for his study abroad year. In his third year he is on industrial placement and should earn his own money so we should get a break from any payments before restarting payments in the fourth year. Writing that I can see that it is still a cop out - as if I managed my budget better in theory I can pay his #400 and the debt.

I have paid off the #5.43 remaining M&S card balance. On BC I still have a balance of around #3K that has a series of 0% end dates spread between about November 18 and January 19. I need to pay roughly #80 minimum towards this (not counted in the #225 above). My next target is therefore the PO which let me transfer 1800 free until mid August 18. #225-61=164 available to save / pay off the debt. I think my minimum repayment with the PO is around #45 - so I would potentially save #119pcm and gain some interest in the meantime. I will then need to look at balance transferring #816 at that point unless I manage to sell some things to cover it in the meantime or OH gets a better paid job.

Selling #816 of stuff between now and August should be doable... Need OH to get on board and help with that too....

savingholmes

Reflecting on this - I don't think I trust myself yet to save the money. I think I should just pay it off. But need to ensure that BC direct debit is reduced before overpay on PO or could find myself in difficulties. This will potentially make my August shortfall higher.

jwil

Great news about the card :T

savingholmes

My new card gave me an £11K limit :eek:- 0% to April 2021 - amazing. i have 60 days from when I applied to do balance transfers. I have used £6K so far. Assuming they let me I could move H@l1fax and PO to them which would mean less individual payments going out my account and take pressure off tarting later in the year. I may even be able to move more of BC. Chuffed

savingholmes

Just transferred 3 more balances. If I stick to my budgeted payments I should be able to pay my BC and OH's BC within the 0% period. That would mean I just need to arrange to transfer OH's V card when that rate expires in December. After the impact of balance transfer fees - debt at end of this pay period £45815