I am being upgraded from Mum to Nan - I need a plan!

Mum2Nan

It’s so windy here.  My balcony looks totally windswept.  I had to bring in a couple of the lighter pots and my lamp and candle holder as I had visions of the latter taking off either never to be seen again or even worse landing in some else’s balcony or garden.

Am feeling mightily pleased with myself tonight.  All my queries have been resolved for the time being, including two new ones and with no help other than my notes I jotted down yesterday.  I am waiting on input and approvals from others before they can be completed, but for now, my in box is up to date!  Phew.

Thanks @beanielou – I have now upgraded.  You are right, if the A/C number and S/C are the same, it can’t be a new account.  I feel a bit silly now as I was obviously way overthinking it.  Anyway, it’s done now.  I shall need to cancel my D/D to MBNA and remember to pay a couple of days early to ensure the payment arrives on time.  

I have received another e-mail from Quidco.  My £40 cashback from my energy switch last year has finally come through.  I had given up with it thinking they were doing an AA on me and end up declining it, but it has been confirmed and paid.  This handy little cash stream will dry up now though as apart from a couple of very small transactions, my next biggish payout will be in October from changing my broadband supplier recently.  It’s incredible how much it adds up as my account says I have earnt £485 since I opened it.  Effectively free money as it’s things I would have bought or researched (and no doubt switched) in any case.  A big chunk of that came via work expenses as well so I wasn’t even spending my own money!

I have done my shop.  I kept to the list.  In fact, they didn’t have two items so will need to change my meal plan slightly.  I did overspend though as I have stocked up on cat food (it was on the list but I just bought more of it).  Laurel & Hardy were over the moon when I put down their clean bowls of their favourite food so they are now happily asleep on my bed.  I couldn’t be bothered with the shopping centre and looking for jeans.  For one thing, I didn’t have the time and I just can’t be bothered with the shops at the moment.

I have already updated my budget and spending diary for today.

I think I am now going to be in a financial lull until payday and debt reduction day, boo so to compensate I will have to reap the NSDs instead. 

Mum2Nan

A financial recap for May but before I do that, I have news... great news... I am going to be a Nanny again.  I have been sworn to secrecy as it's still very early days but I just want to record how happy and excited I feel.  I knew they were thinking of trying for another baby after delaying for longer than planned as they didn't want a lockdown baby but I don't think anyone could have foreseen how long it was going to last... so another potential 4 day week on the horizon although a lot will depend on current working arrangements.  If needed I may do compressed hours instead as this will not affect my pension contributions as it did previously.  Anyway, a long way off yet and something to think about in the distant future but whatever materialises I am definitely in a much, much improved financial position this time around, about £17K better off!

So financials for May.

I received my new pay to take into account my payrise but still not received my WfH tax rebate.  Looks like I will have to chase again soon.

I achieved 25 NSDs (8 in a row towards the end of the month).  I am so very pleased with this.  My everyday credit card I pay off in full every month is the lowest ever but this is not only because I am more disciplined than ever but also I have so very few work expenses these days.  My credit rating, as predicted has taken a small nose dive due to paying off and closing BC so credit utilisation was adjusted.  Boo.

I unexpectedly received another £5.20 into my Quidco account so that has been transferred to PP.  I just need to log on there and transfer it to my current account and then move it to my EF.

I have allocated £50 to spend on my balcony this week.  Compost, plants and a new bracket for a hanging basket.   I have also allocated £100 to have my hair cut and coloured.  This is a real treat for me as I rarely go to the hairdressers but it really needs a good cut. 

My emergency fund is looking a lot healthier this month now as the SO for the BC payment was transferred and yesterday I paid off £530 to MBNA using my debit card (for the fiver reward) so total debt now stands at £5300.  Next month I will drop down to the next thousand pound bracket. 

I am planning food shopping in Sainsbury's on alternate weeks, topping up in Aldi on the others which worked very well last month and meant my grocery shopping came in at £174.56 for the month.  The bad news is my cats costs me £107.87, this is over double my budget.  TBF, this did include a bulk order of cat litter but even so, that's an awful lot of money.  i just don't know how to get this down.  It hasn't helped because the cat litter has gone up by 50p a bag and I buy 8 bags at a time to avoid paying delivery charges.  I did have a £2 off voucher from the PaH app which I used and will also get a small amount of cashback through the cashback extras which will just about cover the additional £4 but it won't always be like that.  I will have to shop around I think.

I have booked a 4 day break in August on a refundable basis in case anything goes wrong.  Nothing fancy but need a change of scenery.  There is nearly enough in my everyday spending account for this as long as I don't go mad which I won't. 

Still loving and enjoying my secondment role.  I am feeing more embedded and integrated with the team than ever and have really got a handle on the way things work now.   The odd enquiries still throw me here and there but I now know how to deal with them and if I don't, I have made friends with one of the PAs there as she is so very helpful and kind.

I shall be going into the office one day a week from next month but it will be interesting to see how things pan out in that area, not least because it will affect my travel costs which have been at a minimum thus far.

beanielou

Great news on all fronts 

Mum2Nan

I am failing miserably with everything this month.

I ended up at the shops and had a bit of a spendy day but I desperately needed some clothes.  I overspent by £60 although could and should have returned one item but it's still sitting in the bag with the receipt in the hallway.

My D/D called me to say she didn't feel very well and complained of pains in her side and asked me to pop round and help out with my DGS but I knew as soon as she opened the door things weren't right.  Finally, almost 24 hours later her doctor and 111 decided it would be best she went to hospital where she was eventually diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy and had emergency surgery.  She had her fallopian tube removed and obviously has lost the baby.  She is recovering physically but emotionally is another matter so life has been pretty much on hold these past two weeks or so. 

I booked some emergency leave and both my immediate boss and LM were very supportive as usual but as I am on a secondment I have been working some very weird times. 

I've been so disorganised that I forgot to cancel my grocery delivery and most of it ended up in the bin because of not really being at home much.  I could go on about money and debts but right now, they don't seem that important. 

Sarahwithlove

I'm sorry to hear about your D/D I hope she has a speedy recovery so her mind has time to heal properly. 

beanielou

So sorry to read this.

Mum2Nan

I logged in the other evening to update my debt figure and progress but was interrupted and have been either too busy or too tired to get back on here.  Life has been anything but normal recently but I do like a challenge.

Progress was slow last month and it’s even slower this month so debt repayment in two weeks will be similar to last.  For the first time, I blew my fuel budget last month and have done again this month and still have another 10 days to go.   Apart from the rising cost, I have been using my car nearly every day, sometimes twice.  Lots of trips back and forth to DD’s mainly but also to see Mum & Dad every weekend.  I have dipped into my ‘everyday’ savings to make it work.  This is a temporary blip so won’t be adjusting my budget for the longer term.    

I had to take some more holiday from work to help out with my DGS and have spent a small fortune keeping him occupied and just generally spoiling him for a while, not excessively but definitely a lot more than usual.   I did pack us a few snacks on our days out including a flask of coffee for me initially but I must confess there is nothing like the smell of a fresh coffee to perk you up (as we walked past Costa) so the coffee I made remained in the flask.  I tried to justify it to myself as I was pouring it down the sink when I finally got home,  I was helping to save jobs and help the economy.  It must have worked as I didn’t bother with the flask on our next day out!

DD is feeling so much better than a few weeks ago.  Still a few down moments but my DSIL has been fantastic.

I am still loving my secondment role.  I am now a whizz on their systems and dealing with enquiries.  My main boss called me via Teams to tell me he had received positive feedback so looks like my PO could be extended for another 6 months (fingers crossed).  I am still working  some weird hours but this should also settle down by the end of the month.

I still managed to repay my EF by the B/C amount of £320.

My balcony is blooming again.  The colours are so vibrant and rich.  I love sitting out there when the weather is nice, especially early morning with a brew and Laurel and Hardy.

We have our little family trip in 1 week and 5 days.  I’m not really counting… this is another reason why my repayment will be lower this month.  I don’t want to spend my time away worrying about money.  I am still keeping my spending diary and as long as I don’t need to use my EF, I will consider that a win.

Mum2Nan

I had a lovely few days away with my family but it seems like a lifetime ago now when in reality it was only last month.

Life is back on track in terms of debt reduction for the moment.   Next month will see me under £4K but this will be temporary as I will be taking on another £3.5K+ worth of debt later next month due to some expensive dental work which desperately needs doing.  I could pay for this and wipe out my entire emergency fund plus a little more I think but have taken out a new 0% purchase card in preparation to pay for it.  I have already managed to suck up the odd payments but the real work starts next month.  I really hoped I would at least be debt neutral by the end of this year but the gods have conspired against me again!

DD is doing really well which is a big relief; still a little tearful occasionally but that's to be expected I think.   My DGS is as gorgeous as ever.  I have started collecting him from nursery one day a week and it's the highlight of my week.  I do so love our little chats on the way home. 

With the exception of my cats' pot, all budget pots are also back on track and car usage is now back to a new normal.  I have adjusted my pot for the car.  The cats I still struggle with but this is nothing new.

I am still loving my now not so new role.  I have become a fully integrated part of the team.  When I think back to this time last year or indeed back earlier this year and compare it to now, I am still winning I think.

I am back in the office 2 days a week (fares pot also adjusted) and it's a really healthy balance for me.  Onwards and upwards...

KxMx

If it works into your overall budget then increase your cats pot. 
If it doesn't all get spent, great, add the leftover to a debt payment, if it does, no harm done to your overall budget. 

I increased my food spending amount when I kept going over it, and found it really helpful. 

Mum2Nan

 Life is being kind to me at the moment and is ticking over nicely for once.

My debt is now at £3,800, I am so close to being debt neutral but yet so far as I still have my looming dental bill but appointments have been delayed and I am concsious I am wasting my interest free credit card I took out to pay for it.  I am putting some money aside though.

I spent nearly £200 last month not planned but essential so used my emergency fund. 

My immediate boss (rather than my line manager) put my name forward for an enhanced benefit package and I found out last week it has been approved.