Choccy's last debt diary! Tme to stop messing and focus.

Choccygirl123

Yesterday was a busy one I completely skipped checking the bank, updating the dds as they've gone out and posting on here. Was hoping for a NSD but we needed a few top up shopping bits.

Today has been my second NSD for March. The car is still in the garage for investigation abd they said they'll get it done tomorrow. Hoping it's nothing major...but do have £300 budgeted so fingers crossed.

Choccygirl123

Not great news on the car. The warning light is off, but the mechanic said we've got some huge bills going in the future. It's happening for a reason, but it's several hundred to figure out why. Blinking gutted, but have car home say on the drive and thinking about what to do.  Hubby working from home, so we can manage with just his for time being. 

 We think we're going to have to trade it in. We've been offered £7800 for it, so at least it's good deposit on a new one. Just means we're looking at swapping it 3/4 years quicker than we planned. Not rushing into making a decision yet and my brother in law has kindly offered to lend me some interest free. We helped him a lot when he bought his first house.

I'm Absolutely gutted! We seemed to be getting back on trek after a nightmare couple of years after me being off work for 18months. Our debt just dropped below 15k this month. My plan is keep every penny a prisoner and stack as much into savings as we can. 

Out of the cash I'd budgeted there's £260 extra which has gone straight to savings. I'm going to put overpaying the loan on the back burner and concentrate on savings. 

I've got £1500 in a monthly saver, £1660 in another saving account and £1200 in my EF. If we can manage with just 1 car (leave faulty on drive, so no risk of warning light coming back on) I'm sure if I cut everything back I should be able to add £1500 to these pots. Going to have a look at newer ones.

Not that it's much help, but we have had a NSD today....baby steps.

Sarahwithlove

Could you sell it for current price and then put the money away until you need a 2nd car or just use it to buy a car a couple of years old. 

Choccygirl123

That's what we were thinking of doing. The trouble is not knowing how soon hubby will have to return to the office. There is a bus service To where I work, but it's hourly and is awkward.  I'm sure if we look around we'll find a newish car for what we've got saved and the car. This car is our family car, so the replacement eeds to fit 4adults, the dog and bags for longer trips visiting family so no little runaround. Can't really look as in lockdown at the minute. We're ignoring it for the time being and saving every spare penny to get as much thrown into savings as we can. 

Choccygirl123

Monday and the teenagers are back to school! I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. It was lovely to see them laughing and joking as they walked down the drive whilst sharing ipods. I'm so proud the way they've handled the last year, but it's a relief they're back. Our eldest leaves school in 12 weeks and I know she's ready for whatever A levels throw at her. The youngest will take her exams next year, so she's got a lot of work to do yet.

In money news, all but 2 of the DDs have gone out. I was planning on a NSD, but needed to nip to the post office, so popped and grabbed some yummy baguettes for lunch and few bits of salad. Spent £8.70, but it felt like a treat for hubby and I. He's working like made at the minute, but it made him smile.

Choccygirl123

Having another NSD today and staying away from the local shop. Have been for a walk with my best friend. Not seen her since November so it was lovely, I took a drink with me.

Fridge is looking pretty empty just cold meat, 6 sausages, milk and veg left. I've made spag bol for tonight which used up loads of veggies up. Will meal plan at dinner tonight with the family,  ready for my next shop.  We've got plenty of eggs, so will have veg omelette tomorrow with the l/o sausages. I'm tempted to shop on Thursday to make sure we use up the drive and drabs. Our food waste has definitely been reduced which is helping save money. I have a hoard of tins and store cupboard essentials which I always build up over winter. If we get snow, we do get cut off easily and our little village shop isn't huge. Will concentrate of running down the surplus over the next couple of months. 

Choccygirl123

What a miserable wet day. Should have gone to do my shopping this morning, but decided against it. The bonus is it's a NSD.

All but one of the DD has gone and my standing order to regular saver is still to go out.Budgets seem to be holding up really well this month.

account balance  £372.82

Food budget £289.09

Misc budget £27.07

Fuel budget £56.66

Food budget plan

Shop tomorrow to cover 11-17th £60 or less - will using freezer and cupboard supplies

Shop next wednesday to cover 18th-26 £70 or less - again using up freezer and cupbaord supplies

I get paid on 26th so budget resets. Hopefully will have surplus from food buget of approx £160 to throw into savings.

Fuel

Hubby's car is 3/4 full and we've only got a couple of short trips planned. Should only need one more fill up £35, which will leave surplus approx £22 for savings

Misc

Not a huge amount left this month our of our original £200 but it has been spent well and we've got things to show for it.

- chippy tea

-kebab tea

-new board game for teenagers

-birthday present and card for my uncle

-9 new facemasks for girls going back to school

-extra £10 pocket to DD2 for a day's work in the garden, cleaning cars etc

-postage and odds and ends

I do need to buy a few bits to post to my friend for Easter - choc, jam tea etc and postage to Germany. That'll be the death of the budget. It also means if we want a takeaway it'll have to come out the food budget!

Still not thinking about the car! Have been looking at second hand, but determined not to rush and make an expensive mistake.

Choccygirl123

Survived the wind last night, but didn't get much sleep. Up mega early, dropped the teenagers off nipped to Aldi, Tesco and the post office. Managed to get the bits for my friend in Germany and I bought some Easter eggs, whilst they were cheaper in Tesco. Shopping was £65 ish and everything else £33.49. Hadn't planned on buying the eggs today, but they're hidden away and will save me some cash at the end of the month. Budgets still on track.

Extra income for March hasn't been great! 

£12.69 surveys cashed out

£5.00 amazon voucher cashed today

£3.32 cash made on ebay

Total £21.01

Choccygirl123

I've not posted for 11 days but not a lot of spending has happened which is always good. We've made the decision to sell my car and hubby will buy a motorbike. Have agreed a price with dealer so it should be gone by the end of the month. Hubby is going to start looking at bikes when lockdown lifted. He'll need leathers, helmet and insurance but car cash will go a long way towards it all.

Joint account is looking pretty healthy £145.51. Just been notified of a £13.75 refund which should arrive over the next couple of days. The child benefit is due tomorrow so will squirrel that into the birthday saving pot which is for the eldest' arriving lessons in few months. 

Need to have catch up on my extra income for March. I've cashed out another £10 Amazon voucher for receipt tracking and have another eBay item with a bid on. 

Choccygirl123

I need to get back on track and keep posting regularly. Pay day has arrived and direct debits are going out.

My car has gone and I'm waiting on payment to hit my account. Still not decided if we should buy another car or motorbike but in short term will keep in savings.

Our fixed mortgage coming to an end, so have applied to our bank for new one. We've approx £31,000 left over 8years. I'm hoping once debt gone, we divert the payments to over pay. 

My gas and electric deal is ending so need to have a look at new deals and will use Quidco. 

The teenagers are doing well, but desperate to see their friends. They were both desperate for new underwater so got those ordered. Ordered huge amount so they've got choice from
next in the sale. They know how much is in the savings pot, so they need to prioritise what they need rather than want. Eldest leaving school and needs smarter items - no hoodies or jeans at 6th form.

Will spend an hour checking budgets and updating my spreadsheet. Have decided we're stopping sending any over payments to the loan. Going to squirrel it away into savings, until we decided what to do with the car dilemma.