Rennovations and the price to pay..

remote_control

I can't do the £100 a week shop anymore and have upped it to £105! I was just finding it too stressful running low on things, I like to have well stocked cupboards. It's so expensive with things like toilet roll, shampoo etc included as well. I needed several things like that this week and I just couldn't make it work! And here was I thinking we'd use less toilet roll and food now they are back at school!

Pengwern

Hi
you just need to have a figure that works for you. I just found by having that weekly figure it really helped.  It made more sense than having to juggle a monthly budget.  I’m just about managing but the shelves are more empty than they have ever been, it has taken a while but with a meal plan in place I don’t panic about it like I used too.  Our bed mattress has failed and we have only had it 4yrs so it’s still in guarantee.  We have to have an assessment done which I am nervous about.  But I need it resolved as it’s so uncomfortable so we need to get a new on ASAP, fingers crossed the guarantee will cover the cost. I’ve no idea as I have never been in this situation before.  

remote_control

I have been meal planning but I think at the weekend we get a little bit more free with it and I just feel like I'm constantly monitoring how much of everything there is (e.g. how much cereal there is in each box) whereas in the past I would just buy a box of cereal every couple of weeks. Anyway cupboards feel a lot fuller with just that extra £5 so hopefully that will be a better amount.
Good luck with the mattress! We need to buy one but I just can't be bothered choosing the right one.

Pengwern

Hi
just made a house purchase that has been on the list for a while but we have prioritised other things.  It’s 2 blinds for our dining room that this weekend have an extra 10% off so we thought let’s get them.  It leaves me with £35 slush till the end of the month but everything else is budgeted for.  Fingers crossed for no surprises.  I keep staring at my cc that is on 0% until Aug 21. I have the money in an account ready to pay if off. But do I just do it now? It’s so tempting but I am getting a small amount of interest on the money so really I should sit tight and wait.  My current savings are to pay off the cc that ends it’s 0% deal in Nov 21.  By then end of the year all being well I will on have 1 cc left to pay.  I just need to not fall off the debt free journey, garden furniture is the current temptation.  Too many lovely pictures of sunny times in the garden to tempt me.  We do have a table and chairs but they have seen better days.  Again it is a want rather than a need so I have to keep focused on the end goal and the feeling of being debt free hopefully by July 22.

Pengwern

I have just gone in the completely opposite direction with regards the cc with the 0% deal that expires in Aug 21. I have just applied and been accepted for another 0% deal with no fee. I have decided I will transfer £4K of the remaining £5k balance to this new card and pay off the £1k left.  Still reducing my debt but continuing to make the most of the 0% deals while they are on offer. I won’t touch the money I have built up to pay it off so I can use that for the card which expires in Nov 21.  I need to save another £1k to cover that balance as it stands.  I would not have done the balance transfer without the no fee criteria.  I know it’s delaying the debt free date but I feel more secure having the money available, so while the debt is 0% I think it’s ok.  I will pay more than the minimum each month but I have not decided what that will be yet.  

Pengwern

I have just phoned the mattress company and it looks like they will replace it for us.  I’m so relieved I had not realised how much of a weight that was hanging over me.  It’s still going to be another 6 weeks but fingers crossed that goes quickly and we can finally enjoy a good nights sleep again.  Just awaiting the arrival of the new cc to see what limits they have given me.  Should be here this week from the information sent through. 

Pengwern

Cc has arrived and I have just over £5k limit. That fits in with my plan I just need to arrange the transfer.  Food shop well under budget this week which is good as I have also ordered some fabric to make some blinds.  Just awaiting the rail to arrive and then I need a clear day to make them.  I work best if I do it in one go, stopping and starting I find takes a lot longer.

Pengwern

I’ve finally done the transfer of £4K to the new cc. This leaves £1200 to pay off by Aug on the cc which 0% deal ends then. I’m going to use some of my cc savings but will try to use as little as possible. We’ve a list as long as your arm with jobs for the house but they can all wait. We’ve prioritised them and costed them out.  It gives us a clear saving goal and end reward for when we have the money.  We’ve agreed to keep a minimum in an emergency fund, and also overpay the mortgage one the debt has gone.  It will not be a lot but it will all help.  I really want to knock some years off the mortgage we still have 25yrs left! 

remote_control

I've just left this board and now post on the MFW. We still have 12k ish on 0% cards but DDs are set up so they will be paid off before the 0% deal ends. 

So I have forgotten about them now and any extra money coming in or left at the end of the month now goes to the mortgage. 

p.s. I am so much more relaxed now the food budget is £105 a week, it's funny what a difference it makes. We're not constantly running out of things.

Pengwern

Hi remote_control so pleased you have your cc all sorted and payments to clear balance before the end of the offers.  I’m not quite there yet as I cannot afford that level of monthly payment to be committed.  But the balances are coming down,  I’ve now payed off £1k from the cc I did a BT from.  I will keep that open as the credit limit is £8k but I’ve closed a cc with a smaller limit.  I did not want to affect my credit utilisation score too much.  Not sure it works exactly like that but that was my decision process.  Another banking app I can also delete from my phone, it’s nice to have a clear out.  That leaves me with £15,500 on cc, next 0% end date is Nov and I will need £5k to pay that off then.  I have £3k in the cc fund account so I need to save the rest. That’s a little over £300/month which should be ok as I’ve averaged about that in savings since the start of the year.  I know I could put it directly on to the cc but I prefer to send a set figure to the cc each month which gives the budget flexibility should something unexpected happen.  It’s meaning a longer journey but a less stressful one for me each month.  I’m still really liking the weekly food budget and it’s going down well in the house too.  There’s room to get what we need but also space some weeks for us to save extra money.  Last month the extra saved covered the sports club bill which was super. Debt free date currently Aug 2022!