We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
We're aware that dates on the Forum are not currently showing correctly. Please bear with us while we get this fixed, and see Site feedback for updates.
Update Paid off! - Six years and counting!!
Comments
-
Exciting news yesterday - DD1 has been selected again for the U13 Girls County Cricket squad. She has worked really hard all winter and I am so thrilled for her that it has paid off. However, this also means expenses - I have paid £130 for the summer and then there'll be approx another £130 for the cricket residential plus about £120 on new playing kit as she has grown a fair bit since last season. Although they have stuck with the same sponsors for three seasons now so I might be able to see if I could buy some 2nd hand. I'll speak to her tonight - if she wants brand new, I'll get her to pay half I think.
Day 28 (dedicate) yoga done last night and I cycled to the swimming pool and swam 80 lengths this morning. Need to blitz the house this afternoon. I'm really pleased with my weight loss - I'm 3lbs lighter than I was on Easter Monday. I haven't done anything drastic just cut down treats and snacks, done yoga every day and have tried to fit in some cardio too. It's definitely helped recording it on here, as I have often felt as though I can't be bothered but done it anyway because I don't want to have to admit to giving up!MFW since March 2019Mortgage-free 30th June 2023
My Budget and Savings Diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6543308/making-a-budget-and-sticking-to-it#latest1 -
Have cashed out £22.70 on Prolific via Circle so no fees to pay.
15 minute cardio ballet and 45 minute body balance gym class done yesterday. Likely to be my last balance class for a while as DD1 has been asked to join her cricket club women's training sessions on a Thursday evening during the summer.
I ended up buying her playing kit new as I couldn't work out a way to ask other parents about buying their old kit without it sounding needy. It didn't work out as much as I had thought £88 altogether. Just need some dry weather now so that she can get some matches.
Off to the supermarket now - will try to keep the spending down.MFW since March 2019Mortgage-free 30th June 2023
My Budget and Savings Diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6543308/making-a-budget-and-sticking-to-it#latest1 -
Does the cricket club have a fb group for members ? Maybe start a thread or two.
Uniform wanted & uniform needed. Then people can post their items and lots of people benefit. Explain both the cost and environmental benefits of reducing consumption.Outstanding mortgage: £23,181 (December 19)
MFW 2020 Challenge Member #10 0/£23181 -
Have cashed out £22.70 on Prolific via Circle so no fees to pay.
15 minute cardio ballet and 45 minute body balance gym class done yesterday. Likely to be my last balance class for a while as DD1 has been asked to join her cricket club women's training sessions on a Thursday evening during the summer.
I ended up buying her playing kit new as I couldn't work out a way to ask other parents about buying their old kit without it sounding needy. It didn't work out as much as I had thought £88 altogether. Just need some dry weather now so that she can get some matches.
Off to the supermarket now - will try to keep the spending down.MFW since March 2019Mortgage-free 30th June 2023
My Budget and Savings Diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6543308/making-a-budget-and-sticking-to-it#latest0 -
Does the cricket club have a fb group for members ? Maybe start a thread or two.
Uniform wanted & uniform needed. Then people can post their items and lots of people benefit. Explain both the cost and environmental benefits of reducing consumption.
Cross posted with you Wish.
This is a brilliant idea but there is no Facebook group and, unfortunately, I don't think it would work. As soon as the kids are selected, we have to get our kit orders in ASAP as the supplier is very slow. If I had waited to see if I could pick anything up second hand, I would have risked her not having kit that fitted for her first match. Also, the majority of the parents are very affluent with a lot of the girls attending private schools so I don't think the cost of the kit registers with most of them. The thing that makes it most awkward is that my daughter is the tiniest and if I asked anyone about buying their old kit, they would probably give it to me and wouldn't take any money for it. This would make me feel very uncomfortable and I will be spending a lot of time with these parents over the summer. I feel bad about the environmental impact but I will have a look at the girls in the next age group down on the off chance that there are any small enough to be able to use our old kit and give it to them.MFW since March 2019Mortgage-free 30th June 2023
My Budget and Savings Diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6543308/making-a-budget-and-sticking-to-it#latest1 -
Another letter from Erudio (student loans) today saying that DH was still in arrears, despite us making a final payment after the previous letter. He rang up - I was surprised that he got through to speak to them straight away - and they confirmed that they have received the payment and he is now fully paid off. Hooray!
20 minutes zumba workout done this afternoon and 20 mins yoga (hamstrings) done this evening.
I've worked out how to do split screen on my mobile so I can have my banking app and my budgeting app open at the same time. Makes entering the data a whole lot easier.
No expensive plans for the bank holiday. DD1 has a cricket match (her first women's game, on the development team) on Sunday and a tennis tournament on Monday. I am hoping to take DD2 swimming while we are at the leisure centre for the tennis.MFW since March 2019Mortgage-free 30th June 2023
My Budget and Savings Diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6543308/making-a-budget-and-sticking-to-it#latest1 -
Good news to hear that you are back on track :j1
-
Spent £10 yesterday on a kayaking taster session for DD2 and £5 today on match fees for DD1s first women's cricket match. Also £42 on a new sports bra and cricket trousers for DD1. I think we need our own dedicated parking space at Sports Direct as we are there so often! Also £50 on fuel - I cover a lot more miles in the summer, travelling to various cricket clubs around the West Midlands and further afield for county matches.
I missed yoga yesterday but got back on it today - 20 minute "feel your best" practice today.MFW since March 2019Mortgage-free 30th June 2023
My Budget and Savings Diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6543308/making-a-budget-and-sticking-to-it#latest1 -
Good money news
- FD regular saver has matured and paid out £58.80 interest
- I have opened a new FD regular saver and put £300 straight in (plan is £160 mortgage overpayment and £140 for 2020 summer holiday)
- car insurance renewal has only gone up by £15 despite an open 'at fault' claim. I have been extremely impressed with Aviva through the whole process.
- DH has had another student loan letter to say his second account is now all paid off and closed. So after premature celebrations, that really is the end of student loan payments.
- received over £6.00 Cashback from Tandem credit card which they take straight off your bill.
Bad money news
- have been charged an unexpected £6 arranged overdraft fee on my TSB account. Really annoyed with myself as there was no reason to go into the overdraft as I had money in other accounts to make the payment. It was only overdrawn by £78 for 24 hrs and I only made the transfer from that account as you can set up a new payee without a card reader. I guess I must have known about the fee when I opened the account but I had completely forgotten. I have written a letter asking for them to refund it as a goodwill gesture but I don't hold out much hope. I know it's only £6 but that's two month worth of interest on that account. I certainly won't make the same mistake again.
- my extra income at end of April was a one off small lump sum and not a monthly rise. My basic gross pay has gone up by about £20 per month.
- this month I have had to pay £242 for car insurance
- we are now going into birthday season with DH, BIL and nephew in May, SIL and DD2 in June and DD1 in July.
- the £300 into the new RS has come from the old RS so it is not new money. I will need to save another £300 towards our 2019 summer holiday by the time the payment is due in August.
I missed yoga yesterday but did some swimming and 'yoga for your back' on Monday.MFW since March 2019Mortgage-free 30th June 2023
My Budget and Savings Diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6543308/making-a-budget-and-sticking-to-it#latest1 -
Trying not to get too excited until it's confirmed but I have checked my tax code and I think I have overpaid tax all last year. Up until recently, my tax code has been adjusted to pay self-employed tax through PAYE. I was expecting, at some point, for the amount of tax I pay to drop as I've stopped self-employed work and paid all the tax owed. But it has never happened. I have logged onto my personal tax account today and my tax code on my payslip does not match the tax code on my HMRC account. The HMRC code makes sense based on my personal allowance and professional fees.
If my calculations are correct, I have overpaid about £600 :j:j
I will ring the tax office on Friday to see what's going on and try to get my money back. I have already requested an overpayment of £2.52 back from my self-assessment account.MFW since March 2019Mortgage-free 30th June 2023
My Budget and Savings Diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6543308/making-a-budget-and-sticking-to-it#latest1
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 348.4K Banking & Borrowing
- 252.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 452.4K Spending & Discounts
- 241K Work, Benefits & Business
- 617.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 175.7K Life & Family
- 254.1K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards