Eager Elephant's Exciting Elimination.....

Savvy_Sue

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

The truck is for my smallholding and is needed to cart water up to the field, I have a big tank on the back which I fill with water at home and take up to the field, this is only once a week and so the truck does about 5 miles a week. It is also used to take animals to slaughter but that is only a few times a year. I put about £40 of petrol in every 4 - 5 months so apart from the tax and insurance doesnt cost much and I have it down as a business expense for my self-employment.

The car I use for general running around and to get to and from work.

Could be worth looking at replacing both with a dual purpose vehicle: yes, you'd need to get it thoroughly cleaned after transporting animals, but even so.

Or just get rid of the car, record your truck mileage and only claim business miles against your self-employment. On those rare occasions you need to move more than however many people fit in the front, hire a car.

We downsized our car when the boys started to leave home: the first time we had to fit all five of us in the small car for a weekend, plus luggage, was 'interesting', and when we were all given two Easter eggs to bring home again, it was even more 'interesting'! :rotfl:

So when we've all needed to be somewhere, we've done a mix of hiring a 7 seater, or sending some of the boys by train.

I think it could be worth costing, anyway!

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

The phone cost is for 2 contracts, mine and my son's - mine is £22pm and his is £18pm. He's at Uni so it's the least I can do as he doesnt ask me for money ever. I am 1 year in to my contract and he is nearly 2 years in and then his cost will reduce as the actual phone part will be paid off and I doubt he will want an upgrade.

Bear in mind that his cost may not reduce automatically: I find you have to ask!

enthusiasticsaver

As you have a deficit I would definitely cancel the lottery and the newspapers. The odds of you winning are so low and that could cover your shortfall. Add up how much you have spent over say the last five years if you have been doing it that long and how much you have won. Secret to not worrying about numbers coming up is don't check the numbers if you have been doing the same ones every week. Read the news online rather than in papers. That will give you an extra £76 a month. If you have a shortfall now when you are not allowing for birthdays, xmas, car repairs etc is that all going on a credit card? That is unsustainable long term. I think I would also get rid of the bank fee and move to a free account and cancel the charity subscription while you are in debt. That vanquis is the worst one.

Savvy_Sue

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

I've been thinking for a while now about the newspapers, I barely get time to read them and have piles in my bedroom that I feel I have to read before I can throw them away - sounds mad I know!!!
A few weeks ago I started reading the paper properly every day and then recycling it but life is so busy that last week I didnt get a chance to do much except glance at each days paper so I've now got a minature pile in the kitchen.....

I don't know about you, but I often don't mind someone else throwing out a pile of stuff I ought to have dealt with but haven't quite found the energy for ... so as long as you're sure it's just a pile of newspapers, when DD's home, is it worth saying to her 'oh, could you just put that pile of papers in the recycling for me, I keep meaning to do it but my hands are always full / I keep forgetting / whatever ..."

Unfortunately our piles are a mix of junk mail and potentially vital stuff, so I daren't take that approach ...

Eager_Elephant

I have taken the brave step of cancelling the newspapers and today was the first day without and even though I am off today (and all week) I dont even care.
I think it was force of habit as my parents have always had newspapers delivered so its all I've ever known.
Thats £33 per month saved.

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

. If you have a shortfall now when you are not allowing for birthdays, xmas, car repairs etc is that all going on a credit card? That is unsustainable long term. I think I would also get rid of the bank fee and move to a free account and cancel the charity subscription while you are in debt. That vanquis is the worst one.

I used the credit cards from when STBEXH moved out in June and stopped using them after Xmas. Xmas has gone on them and also 2 lots of insurance.
At the moment birthdays are funded from money in my account so I have to cut back elsewhere....I've had some extra money in my account from things like lottery wins, selling CD's to Music Magpie etc so this has helped cover the stuff I am not allowing for in my financial statement.

Seasidegal58

Well done on cancelling the newspapers EE! It's hard to break a habit - I always used to buy several monthly magazines before I started on the road to getting rid of my debt - even though I wasn't getting through them all. I stopped it when I started debt busting a couple of years ago and looked at them online instead for free and saved a bundle! I do have a monthly subscription to one at the moment but this sub was actually a gift but I won't renew it myself.

Sun_Addict

I do my magazine subscriptions via Tesco Clubcard deals. I've been a bit of a magazine fiend since my childhood comic days although they are getting so expensive just lately I fear they're going to price themselves out of the market Online just isn't the same for me - I like to read my magazines in the bath

Great job cancelling the newspaper and not even noticing. Full of doom and gloom at the moment anyway.

beanielou

Hope all is well in your world EE

mary_hinge

Making myself comfy in your new digs EE :rotfl:

Glad single life is allowing you much more freedom and happiness.

Much Love

Ms H x

Eager_Elephant

Life's been hectic, not sure if I have mentioned on this diary but definitely did on my last, one of my dogs has terminal cancer, last year we (well me) opted for no treatment and just decided to see how things went.
Her tumour got larger and was infected at least every 2 months but this year it was always infected and so I made the decision a few weeks ago for her to have the tumour removed and a toe amputated, she was been recovering really well and today was signed off by the vet.
She still has a small wound which is healing but she is doing amazingly considering her age and size.

Although the tumour has been removed they cannot get clear margins wihtout amputatiung her foot which is not possible so its just a matter of waiting to see what happens and in the mean time living life to the fullest.

STBEXH has not shared the cost of any treatment since March so I have had to borrow money from my brother and also got myself an overdraft - the op was £800 but the medication has been another £300+

I have also had more money spent on the divorce so I am in loads more debt and wondering when it will all end.

STBEXH meanwhile has managed to buy loads of new things for his house and for himself....had his car fixed but cannot afford to pay the bill and bounced loads of direct debits last month


In good news the job which I have been doing for a committee was advertised, I have been interviewed and got the job!!
Only 4 hours per week but at over £10ph its enough to help balance the budget more.
I assume the job would start this week but in the offer email they are proposing to pay me back to September subject to a meeting next week.
I was not expecting this at all but it will come in so handy for more divorce costs.

Also got a small payrise at work plus of course the extra in my tax code, I have put £19 more per month in my pension but still got about £30pm more to play with.

I have a girls weekend away this month but from 1st June I will start my new budget and new get out of debt plan now that I can afford to save for all the yearly stuff.

please-let-me-be-lucky

Great news about your doggie and the ‘new’ job :j.

STBEX = twonk

Girls weekend sounds just the ticket :T Xx