Giving every £ a job

Blackcats

ha ha - yes the excitement of my lockdown is epitomised by a flask of tea in the car park 🥳.  I deliberately didn't mention the chocolate mini roll in case of sparking too much envy.  

savingholmes

Good to get out and about - even if you stay in the car! Change of scenery is good.
Love a mini roll too

Blackcats

Another exciting cuppa in the car today.  Beautiful views of the snowy landscape.  I upped my game today though by taking a fortnum and mason biscuit with me.  Now I don't usually have such posh biscuits but they were a Christmas gift.  

I did some proper figures for my retirement planning this evening and I will definitely be alright next year.  What I need to do this year is spend less to embed better habits and save more to build up the coffers.  

Sun_Addict

Fortnum and Mason - now you’re upping the game. What’s wrong with Hobnobs 🤣

savingholmes

Posh indeed. Glad the retirement figures are in your favour. For those of us still in work (and especially working from home) - this has to be one of the easiest times to save / spend less as there is less temptation as not going out, not socialising etc.

Blackcats

Posh biscuits were very nice but I'd never say no to a Hobnob.  Actually I've made hobnobs before using a recipe from MSE and they were so easy and delicious.
well the car had its service and passed its MOT. The little local garage gave me a very good deal - about £100 less than I'd budgeted for, so I'm very pleased with that.  

I thought back to when I bought this car - as Foxgloves would say it was in the spendy years.  I'd had a windfall and the money was burning a hole in my pockets - I didn't think of any long term use for it, I just wanted to spend it.  So I decided I "needed" a new car and with minimal research I headed to the local dealership and bought a car based on the following criteria - colour and the ability to collect it before the next weekend 🤷‍♀️

Fortunately the trade in price I was offered for my car was so derisory that even I was sufficiently insulted so I didn't go for that and sold it myself for a much better price.
well, my criteria got me a car that is really good for petrol consumption, zero road tax and has had very little go wrong with it, so I'm very grateful for that.  

Sarahwithlove

That's good news about the car costing less then you think. 
I too in my young naivety brought a car new on finance. Sadly a few years later my issues started with my back and I had to get a different car. The trade in value didn't even cover the cost of finance on it. Crazy. Never buy brand new again. 

Sun_Addict

I think I’ve made those hobnobs, was it Twinks hobnobs or something? Going back a few years now 😆

Been there and shrunk the T-shirt with the spendy years 😩

Blackcats

Hi Sarah - yes cars have the potential to be money pits.  A couple I know both have cars on a lease scheme.  They spend about £6/700 a month on them.  Yes they get a shiny new car every couple of years but the car will never be theirs.  I think for them it's all about the status of a big new car outside their house. 

I'm going to keep adding to the car saving pot - I out in £100 a month which more than covers the costs currently, particularly as it is zero road tax.  I never used to have the money set aside for car tax and it was always a stretch to pay it - I usually had to buy 6 months at a time.  I realise now that it shouldn't have been a surprise bill just like the costs associated with Christmas shouldn't come as a surprise either

Sarahwithlove

Yeh it's easy done though isn't it. We think oh I'll save nearer the time but it never happens and then it sneaks up on us. That's why for me it's been important to focus on my sinking funds at the moment as I don't want to come to end of this year and be moving money around to make it work.