Ev's new MFW challenge!

setmefree2

Congratulations :j:j:j:j:T:T:T Is this your first?

evab_2

no my second! DD in my avatar is 3.

setmefree2

That's good you've already bought all the "stuff" then so the financial impact wont be as bad:D..Exciting!

evab_2

Just wanted to say Hi I'm still here :santa2:

Not much going on round here, have had a few extra pounds from Xmas presents but have decided to put them towards the windows that need replacing.

Got some good news yesterday, DH is getting a pay rise from 1st Jan, so this will help further.

Discovered a survey site that I haven't used for ages has about £20 odd in it so will order some vouchers after Crimbo and put the pennies in the pot.

Have a good festive season

Ev x

evab_2

Happy new year, yes I know we're already 13 days in but I've been busy/unwell.

Anyway I'm off in a minute to update my accounts and sort out the finances since Xmas. I have been making bits of money on Bingo sites and still doing surveys etc but so far everything has been going into the maternity leave/windows fund although I seriously need to get those windows done as time is flying by!

Hubby did get pay rise and hopefully will get bonus in March, I've started my extra hours teaching (omg teenagers from hell - was thinking of carrying on after Easter but if they're still a nightmare I won't bother with the stress whilst pregnant even though the money would be good) and should get wages back pay in March also.

What I need to sit down and do is work out everything properly again, then decided which bits of money go where, I might even just use everything for now for the windows as this needs doing before the baby arrives and will take a while to sort out.

I now also have a food/spends/petrol account which is seperate to the bills account, hopefully this will help us manage our spending better and ensure all the bills are paid before anything else.

Right off to sort out finances, speak to you soon.

Ev x

evab_2

well didn't get round to sorting out figures last night as on phone to friend for an hour (she lives 250 miles away so nice to speak to her) but this morning have sorted out my mortgage payments.

Usually the payment goes out on the first but this is a huge problem for us as we get paid on 28th and 15th and because the payment is huge for our pockets we are left short and struggle to catch up to next month.

Anyway have arranged with mortgage company to pay by standing order then we can set our own date of payment, this will vastly help with the budgeting.

Right breakfast then figures, see you all later.

setmefree2

Good luck:money:

evab_2

Ok sorted out figures a few days ago, finances are in good shape at the mo just need to pay off a little bit of overdraft used over Xmas but that should be clear in next couple of weeks.

Started using a separate account for shopping, petrol and spending money for the month which seems to be going OK at the mo. Have also changed mortgage payment date for when dh gets paid as it was leaving us short for a couple of weeks.

So according to my figures we have about £100 a month left over from our pay and benefits, so all extras such as surveys etc is spare cash!

Really need to get windows sorted so at the mo throwing everything we can at that, then need to decide what I put into savings and what goes on the mortgage.

evab_2

OK I've come up with a plan to use every penny as best as I can.

So here it goes:

* Savings - set up a fixed monthly payment into ISA, also add payments from extra teaching hours, change jar, and any savings from spending budget.

* Mortgage - set up fixed monthly overpayment, plus put in any money from Quidco, TopCashBack and any survey sites that pay in cash.

* Birthdays/Xmas - use vouchers obtained through survey sites, plus Boots points and nectar points.

Matched betting, Bingo sites - I'll use on whatever hasn't had much in for the month.

Right how does that lot sound? Need to start from a clean month so will begin from 1st February!

setmefree2

Hi Evab,

By my calulation you must be 4 months into your pregnancy. Hope everything's going well....:D