Young And Dumb

Mx_Emmin

Life has been doing that weird thing where it’s very busy and also very dull. What have I been up to? Not much. But I’m so stressed about it.

Even previously enjoyable things, like this blog, have somehow become anxiety inducing.

I am counting down the days for work though. Friday 23rd is my last shift!

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I have ordered the laptop bag – its bigger than expected, in a good way. I currently have two laptops, both metaphoriscally held together with duct tape. They’re both so slow, crash a lot, and I think the newest is from 2019. One laptop plays sims4 – just – and one laptop plays minecraft. They each wont do the other game. I dont even know why. If they can just hang on until March, I will have enough saved up for a decent replacement.

I mean tbf I have £800 currently so if they go sooner, they go, but by next March I’ll have more set aside.

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I have lots of thoughts on the death of the Queen. Unfortunatly some people have been arrested for voicing thier opinions recently so I’m not sure how safe all of my thoughts are on public record.

That being said, it’s awful that NHS appointments have been cancelled, with waiting lists as long as they are. Hell we had to cancel some appointments at work (I work at a bank – it was a bank holiday) but our appointments aren’t life and death! And it’s not like they can just rebook to the next day, because the days book up months in advance!

That being said, it has been interesting watching companies try to deal with it all. I know its been 70 years and the worlds changed a lot, and medias changed a lot, and we don’t necessarily have a blueprint for how to deal with these kind of events, and I know no company wants to be the only company not to pay thier respects…. but Ann Summers had a dedication to the Queen on thier website, right above the sex toys? I don’t know, I just felt like too many companies were getting involved. Whilst she could obviously do what she liked in her own time, I don’t think the Queen ever pubically associated herself with that sector/industry?

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In more personal news, me and my partner are trying to move in together, which is very exciting. And stressful, because there is a LOT to juggle. Benefits, household income, pets, accessibility (for both of us), staying within commute distance of work.

We had a mammoth budgeting session together where we compared budgets and priorities and tried to see what budget we could work with. It was amazing to have a partner who I could talk to about without getting too stressed about. And that the stress that was there, was more on a societal/capitalism level.

I did realise that my next move fund is probably insufficient. If I’d been moving into another houseshare it would have done, but trying to get a flat or bungalow with my partner, the deposit alone will probably swallow all of it. We live and learn.

And this is going much smoother than when I moved in with my ex. Ok, we were uni students, but we didn’t discuss any of this and put it all on credit cards, and it took years to sort myself out.

So I will end up sacrificing some categories for furniture and other moving expenses.

There are some funds I’d be ok with raiding:
Vacation misc – £150 – I dont have anything planned currently
Pride – £88 – We have time to save up again before next July
Garmin/Fitbit – £62 – Mine is still relatively new, I have time to replenish it
Tattoo – £130 – I can wait
Bird Blend Christmas In July – £40 – There is time to start saving up
Easter Eggs – £14 – There is time to start saving up
Total – £484
Note that for some of those, we would need to increase monthly contributions after to hit deadlines

These next categories I am less willing to dip into, but acknowledge there could be higher priorities
BB – £150 (this is, essentially, for future babies. I’m trans, we will need some outside intervention to make babies happen)
Whiskey Decanter – £68
Total – £218

There are three categories where, my willingness to dip into them, depends how much we need
I would take 25% out pretty easily and could probably take up to 50%, after that I get uncomfy
Extra House Deposit – £284 (Not the main house deposit, just a bit extra I was hoping to set aside on top of my usual save)
Next Phone – £781
FA Diploma – £384
Total £1449, but I’d only want to take £362 to £724

If we need to there are other funds beyond that… but tbh if we need more than that, we might need to review what we’re buying lol

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I can’t find a subtle way to slip this in elsewhere, but every time I see an article about a trial of Four Day Week, I share it as widely as I can. And obviously anythign that might alleviate cost of living crisis is worth trying, surely? Not that I think our government is going to give a go. But they should.

Mx_Emmin

I’ve had a lot on. I have my first day at the new job on Monday, and I’ve applied for a (rented) place to live that I’m waiting to hear back on. Lots going on.

I did balls up somewhere and have overspent on groceries this month. As in, I had food shopping arriving tonight but no funds left to pay for it. What I think happened is I originally intended for the food to arrive on Saturday, and count to October’s budget, but I’m going somewhere on Saturday so I had the shopping arrive Friday instead. Between all the house viewings it jsut slipped my mind.

I raided my tattoo fund for the extra £20 but that’s an unusual oversight for me

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On 30th September 2022:

My Bank Accounts Net Worth was £14,045.73

£1645.05 was in my “Next Month Income” category

£3,157.53 was in my “Emergency Fund” category

£3,015.13 was my H2B ISA (House deposit, though I’ve got a secondary category I’m trying to save a little more for the house deposit in by the end of the year)

£1,000 was in my “Next Move” category

£822.46 was in my “Gym” category, waiting to see is I can get any help with that and move this money elsewhere

£866.57 was in my “Next Laptop” category

£781.01 was in my “Next Phone” category

£500 was in my “Canal Boat” category

And then the rest is in smaller categories

Banking Net Worth September 2022

My Investing & Pension Net Worth is £13,311.42

£12,762.59 of that is in my work pension, to which I am currently (that is, from my March Paycheque) contributing 8% and my employer is contributing 12.5%. This is about the time of year I usually up the % so when I get the chance to set it for my new place I’ll set it to 9%. This value has gone down since last night, but the UK govt did a thing and our economy is in free fall, so could be worse I guess.

£449.86 is in my bank’s Investment service, I put £25 a month in there and some fund managers do hopefully smart things with it. Like my pension, this went down since last month.

£67.55 is in my Freetrade Account, where I like to pretend I know how to day trade. I dont contribute to this on a regular schedule, but so far I’ve put £71 in it so technically I’m making a loss.

£11.34 is in my Paypal Crypto account, where I like to pretend I know how Bitcoin works. I dont contribute to this on a regular schedule, and it’s the one thing that has technically risen since last month. By 5p.

£20.08 is in a Crowdcube account. This doesn’t seem to change in value so I think it was more of a GoFundMe rather than an Investment.

I haven’t had been tracking data long to do much of a graph for Investment Net Worth, but here we are

Investment Net Worth September 2022

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Bit of a low-energy update this month, but quite frankly I am very low energy right now.

Mx_Emmin

I looked at the calender and suddenly was seized by that feeling of “oh god, it’s October already? The year is practically over!”

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This month for budgeting, I put extra money into clothes category as I need to buy a new winter coat. Last Spring I threw away my old coat, but I didnt replace it yet, and it’s defintely finally starting to get colder. I am so ready to be busy cosy with chai lattes and duvet piles. But no heating, not this year in the UK.

Categories I did not fund this month: Sims, Charity/Artists, Online Shopping. Frankly I’ve just got a busy few months and these are all optional. And my laptop is STRUGGLING with Sims anyway, so I need to stop buying packs.

Categories I underfunded this month: RPG Night, £10 instead of £20. I think when I create a new budget afte rmoving house, I will probably drop this category and move this into Hobbies and Social Categories. My game is all online these days, when I first made that category I was meeting (a different group) in person in a cafe.

Overfunded: Clothes, £60 instead of £25

The coat didn’t cost that much in the end, I got myself a cheap primark coat, but I might end up buying some more office outfits later this month, or I would like an inbetween autumn/spring jacket, or it might get caught up in moving costs (most likely)

After all that, I had an extra £46 so I put it into the Next Move category, for obvious reasons.

Mx_Emmin

First week of my new job! It’s going pretty well so far. It’s been a lot of data entry, but I don’t mind that. There’s not many in the office so its spooky quiet haha I’m used to chaos.

Also, just to keep my life busy, we have been accepted on a new (rental) place. So now we have to figure out moving van, cleaners (because dog) and buying bits of new furniture. I noticed some of the products I was looking at were getting more expensive even a few weeks, due to inflation, and it occured to me that in this scenario it might make sense to buy small pieces if furniture or flat pack furniture in advance of moving in. We’re not due to move for a month but I might end up buying things like a desk, a microwave, sooner and just camping them in the living room for a bit. Some stuff you just dont have when you lived in shared houses.

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One month my paychecks will be wonky, but I cant figure out if it’ll be October paycheck, November budget or November paycheck, October budget

Basically when I left my previous work, my departure did not exactly line up with a pay cycle, so I’ll get a mini paycheck with the last bit of salary and any unpaid vacation. Similarly, my starting at the new job is unlikely to exactly line up with their pay cycle either, so I’ll get a partial salary the first month. I’m a month ahead so the effect would be a bit delayed.

I really did need that week off inbetween jobs but now I’m moving, bit of an inconvenient time to be uncertain of pay lol

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On a related note, I decide to selling all my Freetrade investments and withdraw the £68 ish and use it for moving costs

The Freetrade Investments were mostly a game/for fun anyway, I will technically be making a loss overall but it is what it is, I need the funds

I might be able to withdraw from my banking investments to, but those are the more offical/serious investments so I’m less keen to do that

jusferbrowsing

Good luck with the move

KeepOnKnitting

Sounds like exciting times with all the moving. Just a shout to check out the likes of ebay, facebook marketplace and freecycle/freegle for house stuff. You can find some fab bargains to furnish for not much, and it's amazing how much life is still left in some items. My microwave was £5 about 8 years ago, washer was free about 10 years ago, bookcases, drawers, tables and desks. Most of my entire house is second hand! It's amazing the things I have fit in my succession of tiny cars as well.

Mx_Emmin

So these are the “Day 1” items we’ve bought, arrived over the weekend, to have on the day we move in

• Microwave
• Wooden Table & Chair set, currently flat packed so will take a few days to assemble
• Grey Fabric Wardrobe, intending to save up for a better one over time
• Expensive Computer Chair to save my back, I own my desk but not a chair
• Mini folding table £12
• Folding Chair £16
• Plastic Drawer Tower
• Ethernet Cable
• Toilet brush & bathroom bin (don’t wait until you need it!)

The reason I’ve got that folding table and chair is partly for the first few days until we get the main table constructed, and partly for the office room until we can afford a real desk. We want to keep a seperate desk available in a slightly more private room in case one of us is doing virtual therapy, or D&D or whatever

We both already have bedroom furniture, but due to living in a shared house (me) and a furnished flat (them), neither of us have living room or dining room furniture.

KeepOnKnitting said:

Just a shout to check out the likes of ebay, facebook marketplace and freecycle/freegle for house stuff.

A few people have suggested things like Facebook Marketplace, Charity Shops, etc, and for things like coffee tables, bookshelves, stuff that is less urgent we will definitely utilise those, but there’s just some day 1 stuff we needed and couldnt rely on charity shops/marketplace to have in time. For example, it turned out we only owned one chair between us and until the Argos furniture, we actually collectively owned more toasters than chairs haha

But for less immediately urgent stuff we will definitely watch all those places, and we’ve had people offer us sofas already

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I’ve seen some things in the news about potential black outs this winter

And I’ve also seen TikToks of some people using solar powered fairy lights to light thier home to save money on the electric bills, and I also found some solar powered battery packs on amazon. I might be being a bit paranoid, but if we have any money left over from moving, I might try pick some up. The solar powered fairy lights will be cute, if nothing else.

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We have a detailed list of Moving House tasks, broken down into time slots – Moving day is 5th November

Four Weeks Ahead

• Both – Decide move-in date – DONE 5th November
• Both – Give notice – DONE
• Both – Make list of furniture for van man – DONE
• Both – Make list of priority furniture to buy (microwave) – budget? – DONE
• Me – call cleaning firms (condition in my tenancy for having pets) – DONE
• [Housemate] – Ask [Carer] if she’s around on move in day to help me transport the guinea pigs – DONE
• [Housemate] – Build the guinea pigs a lid
• [Housemate] – Check furniture emails (there was a question over if they technically owned the bedframe) – DONE
• [Housemate] – Confirm move-in date? With landlord? Sign contract? – waiting on letting agents
• [Housemate] – Contact van man for quote – contacted, waiting for response
• [Housemate] – Discuss sofa options
• [Housemate] – Let care contribution know
• [Housemate] – Let social worker know – ask if need another assessment in new place
• [Housemate] – Message octopus for electricity – messaged, awaiting reply
• [Housemate] – Message virgin for internet – messaged, awaiting reply
• [Housemate] – Order boxes to start packing
• [Housemate] – Tell blue badge
• [Housemate] – Tell Council Tax, ask if need some sort of closing statement?
• [Housemate] – Tell ESA
• [Housemate] – Tell fall alarm
• [Housemate] – Tell HMRC
• [Housemate] – Tell housing benefit (impacts council tax)
• [Housemate] – Tell pharmacy (meds delivery)
• [Housemate] – Tell PIP
• [Housemate] – Tell water
• [Housemate] – Call Red Cross to remove the bath lift

Two Weeks Ahead Approx 22nd Oct

• Both – Begin packing non essentials
• Both – Post Office Redirection
• Both – probably mostly Me – Sort out YNAB duplicate accounts (we’re both signed up to YNAB, but we’ll only need one subscription going forward)
• Both – Start running down freezer
• Me – order meds
• Me – call cleaners confirm if cash or card
• Me – simplify bank accounts 
• [Housemate] – Switch guinea pig haybox order

One Week Ahead Approx 29th Oct

• [Housemate] – Ask for some sort of council tax statement??

Two Days Ahead 3rd Nov

• Both – Prepare box of moving day essentials
• Both – Discuss my rug (low priority I can sort it alone if need be)(essentially I’ve booked a carpet cleaner, but its for the day after I move, so I could hold my rug back a day and get it cleaned, but then how do I get it to the new place)

Moving Day 5th & 6th Nov

• Saturday Morning, [Housemate] check the postbox for the last time
• The mover’s we’re most likely to go with think they can get us both done Saturday morning
• Sunday Morning, Cleaners at my House 
• Sunday Afternoon/Monday, [Housemate] Clean thier Flat – If Monday, need Sherlock plan  
• Sunday ideally always at least one person in house, for pet comforts
• [Housemate]- Put the flat furniture back (blue chair)

After

• Both – Ask OT to come and do an assessment
• Both – Electoral Roll
• Both – House Insurance? Contents?
• Both – Tell Banks
• Both – any subscriptions eg bird & blend
• Me – look up new dog groomer
• Me – order new dog collar
• Me – Pet microchip
• Me – sort new doctors surgery AFTER collecting meds
• Me – Take meter readings
• Me – tell gender clinic
• Me – tell PIP
• Me – tell work
• Me – Update Sherlock’s Vet & Insurance
• Me – sort work pensions (not really to do w move, more to do w brain space)
• Me – follow up w family & friends re offered furniture 
• [Housemate] – Tell autism assessment place
• [Housemate] – Tell Cripps
• [Housemate] – Tell GenderCare
• [Housemate] – Tell gender clinic
• [Housemate] – Tell Rosekel
• [Housemate] – TV License
• [Housemate] – Update Guinea’s Vet
• [Housemate] – Duplicates of fob & keys for carers
• [Housemate] – put in priority list octopus 

Do you think we’ve missed anything? We’re just porting my housemate’s utility accounts initally for ease, we can try shop around (not that there’s much to shop for in this market) afterwards

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I am going to leave sorting my new work pension, combining it with my old work pension and adjusting the contribution rate, until after the house move. Just due to brain space & spoons.

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Finally, I got this confusing series of texts from PIP. The interesting part is I haven’t actually had an assessment yet, not even a phone assessment. Looking forward to seeing the decision letter, hopefully I dont need to appeal anything!

Humdinger1

As ever, impressively organised @Mx_Emmin! Good luck and every happiness in your new home love Humdinger xx 

Mx_Emmin

Lots on this week! I got more information about how much PIP I’m getting, I had a surprise small bit of money turn up from Sharesave, and musing on the travel pass.

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First of all, this is our list of “Furniture still to buy”, these are the ones that will mostly be sourced from charity shops, family, facebook marketplace, and so on. I have put price estimates next to some of them, that’s mostly just for budgetin estimates and best guesses

• Second clothes horse – Wilko £20
• Vacuum £50-£100 (Family has offered handheld dyson) 
• Bookshelves £50-£100  (Family has offered a set)
• Argos 450/0324 £50-£60 (luxury item)
• Family has offered coffee table 
• My “winter paranoia” list Amazon (those solar light and power banks)
• Spare desk for office £50 ish (we do have a folding table for the meantime)
• Desk chair for office £15-£80 depending on quality (we also have a folding chair)
• Decorations, something that goes beyond utility

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I had a letter from my Sharesave from my old work. I had one scheme left that I signed up to in 2019, I hadn’t signed up to any in the last few years. I had put in £5pm for about 3 years, so I’m getting £180 back. I think I could have left it with them, but they don’t pay interest on it so eh. With inflation and moving best to ask for it back.

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In total over the next week or so I’m going to receive approximatly £1600 ish backpay for PIP, £67 ish withdrawn from Freetrade, £87 ish from my last salary at my old place, £180 from Sharesave… for now I’ll put it all in Next Months Income, as I dont know how much I’ll get paid from New Job this month. Starting work (and finishing my old place) didn’t 100% align with pay cycles.

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We hope/need to have a budget session pretty soon after moving in, as my YNAB subscription will end 4 days after moving in, and we’ll switch to a shared subscription.

I tried simplifying bank accounts ahead of combining budgets. I don’t think I succeeded in terms of number of accounts, but they are on better rates now! So that’s… progress?

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I have been looking into Bus & Tram passes now I have a PIP letter. My city has both buses and trams, right now I’m on a bus route, after the move I’ll be on a tram route.

From the Tram website

Free travel is available on the Network in line with the English National Concessionary Scheme for older people and people with a disability:

Free on Mondays to Fridays between 09:30 and 23:00 (so I can get home for free lol)
Free on Mondays to Fridays before 09:30 and after 23:00 on weekdays for City Council mobility pass holders in my city (so this is my next thing to look into)
Free all day on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays

And then from the City Council website

If you’re […] or receive 8 or more points under moving around or communicating verbally of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), you do not need to attend a medical assessment as you will have an automatic entitlement to a mobility card.

I scored 10

But I have to go to the council with proof of address and everything so that’s a November thing

Why does this need to be so complicated

Also as an aside, I can get a reduction on my gym/swim membership now, I should do that asap

KeepOnKnitting

Morning @Mx_Emmin how is the house move prep going? Hope you are still feeling positive and not overwhelmed.