Future Proofing my life: Deposit saving then MFW journey in under 13 years

LadyWithAPlan

@Sistergold yes I am very grateful I just had a bruise and a small cut in my eyelid rather than permanent damage

@savingholmes yes but 4 different bank replacement  cards (as I had the apps on my phone and some in apple wallet..) Barclays were the worse - I cancelled the card  just in case and they did not send me a replacement! Nor give me a choice to do so. So I called yesterday to ask where it was and they are like - getting a replacement card is not automatic when you cancel.. you have to ask separately!!! Well the other 3 banks did make it effortless to get a replacement.

@KajiKita I have checked and realised I chose my contents insurance to not cover me outside the home.. as I am not someone who loses things ... (I did have travel insurance but I was already home by then by a few hours). I did not think about people stealing 
I will look next renewal at that

@WelshmansDaughter yes I am now looking at the refurbished price of iphone 12 pro and 13 pro (last one was 11 pro and it is not a great phone or camera - I paid  £450 refurbed last year) - I would have android but I need for my apple watch I do love. 




@SandyShores I am definitely watching now when I pull my phone out who is around. As when someone is on a bike, electric bike or a motorbike its easy for them to snatch and get away, the thief was on the pavement and it was a  very narrow  gap.

Sawing by hand is hard work it turns out! .. at least with plumbing its cutters and blow torches

@themadvix @jak @beanielou @TallGirl tx for your kind thoughts - they are much appreciated

I  had an accidental Saturday day/night out - a last minute 2pm friends bday brunch where the bubbly was open when I got there and  most tucked into the bottomless brunch (alcohol only) for £30 .... I couldn't face alcohol that early before proper food especially after dry Jan. However I had great eggs benedict and then did London  bar hopping then ended up in a full on dance club til 4.30am where an amazing DJ was playing. I did start drinking at 10pm so I was able to carry on, some friends gave up by 10pm and others were very drunk. Who knew I was that sensible, I had a great time Sunday I was a bit slow but ...
I spent £100 - it could have been a lot worse as 2 drinks were £30 in one place... and was a great night out 

Just had my broadband fitted - got a deal 1st year free then pay in second year - works out £15 per month over 2 years, as I had no b.band in the home (was on my  mobile data) and then my phone got stolen...

Just ordered a new sim only as my current Vod deal goes up from £25 per month to £40 .. as I had worldwide coverage in 81 countries.. but dropped to £10 a month

Having a box attached where they watch my viewing for research .. not had one before - not sure how much they pay me? However it will partly cover my monthly b/band and they can appreciate how much Rupaul I watch..


iphone replacement - Buying cash as always ouch . I will buy refurbished with a years guarantee
13 128g £517 
13 pro  256gb £737
12 PRO 128GB £400 
Hmmm 
Not sure I need the 13 pro - I gather the 13 camera much better than the 12 though.. so might have to be the 13.
Any views on iphones and their cameras? As I will be using for camera, video, streaming etc

Working on many projects for my long term people - feeling a bit at extra capacity but will carve out some time for my personal side hustle as doing something next week on that.


I am waiting on some cash to be paid so I can pay my cc in full and I have stopped using it  beyond 2 x work dds and some TFL bus fares.. It would be easy to add iphone on cc but then again I don't feel the pain of all that cash as much. I am buying it through a guarantee anyway so not so worried re section 75 protection. OR I pay vai cc and immediately transfer cash over. I need to start feeling the pain of my purchase decisions immediately.

WelshmansDaughter

If you do come over from the dark side, Pixel phones have great cameras. I have the 3a (they're on 6 or 7 now) and the camera is brilliant 

South_coast

Does the box for TV monitoring come with a webcam? Sounds like the one I've got if so, which is £15/month

TallGirl

I was told there is not much to be gained by the Pro option but mines a 14 but I think is great. 

beanielou

I have a 11, it's my second.
Happy with it.

LadyWithAPlan

WelshmansDaughter said:

If you do come over from the dark side, Pixel phones have great cameras. I have the 3a (they're on 6 or 7 now) and the camera is brilliant 

I also run an android phone and love them even though I am a MAC girl. However to run my apple watch properly I need an iphone.... 

@beanielou i just had an 11 pro stolen .. and my older android fone had a better camera.

@TallGirl I can imagine ! the iphone 14 looks amazing ... I have decided though as I am paying cash (and its a luxury phone largely just so I can run my watch.. as my old android is working fine... so for a luxury  replacement of something stolen I dont need to spend over £1k  .. especially as I am replacing something stolen .. my house deposit keeps looking a bit and feeling sorry for herself.

So I have just been looking at iphone 12 pro's and iphone 13's. In the end I found a great deal via ebay for music magpie (cheaper than going direct to MM even with cashback)
of £380 for iphone 12 pro with 256gb .
The other best price/ choice was a 128g iphone 13 for £545 - about £520 after cashback on back market. 

So I went for the iphone 12 Pro 256g - refurb  with a years guarantee  for £380 - its a bargain and I get 300 nectar points woohoo!

I have to keep reminding myself I am being frugal for a reason - house savings .. and an iphone 12 pro is hardly a horrid phone ... I am about to be on a £10 per month sim only  12 month deal that covers european roaming and 25gb per month, unlimited calls and texts..   (vodafone eu roaming best was £22 pm for 2 years)

So compared to going into a contract for a new iphone I have saved 000's.

South_coast said:

Does the box for TV monitoring come with a webcam? Sounds like the one I've got if so, which is £15/month

They said its £5 pm and then £21 every quarter on top ... so this covers a lot of my home b/band cost

I would declare a NSD but just bought the replacement phone and now I need to look for a case.

savingholmes

Glad you got the phone for a great price 

SandyShores

I'm another one with an iphone 11 @beanielou its not a pro but I love it and it cost about £430 from Argos.  I hadn't thought about secondhand @ladywithaplan, I'm guessing you've had a good experience with them?  £380 for a 12 pro sounds amazing, I'll definitely consider that next time I upgrade.

LadyWithAPlan

SandyShores said:

I'm another one with an iphone 11 @beanielou its not a pro but I love it and it cost about £430 from Argos.  I hadn't thought about secondhand @ladywithaplan, I'm guessing you've had a good experience with them?  £380 for a 12 pro sounds amazing, I'll definitely consider that next time I upgrade.

I have bought a few refurbished phones thru Music magpie and also backmarket - they have been great., I have also bought iphones thru ebay without any issues. Phone is great and works perfectly (and has a 12 month guarantee)

Don't move to 02 is my new lesson. Beyond useless customer service and the number transfer has not worked so anyone who calls or texts me on the number I have had for 25 years is currently getting a 'this number does not exist' message. 02 customer service have not helped at all and keep saying the right thing but doing nothing to help.

My current issue / bane of my existence though  is I swapped to 02 due to a MSE  advertised sim only deal - the pac code transfer was completed over a week ago  and I have not had any sms since AND my mobile is not accepting calls to the number I have had for decades AND sometimes my mobile will not call or text out - all due to the 02 service -
Phone is fine but 02 is the worst  customer service I have had. They keep saying it is escalated, then the person the next day says this escalation has not been processed. I have had sim replacement - still not helped. This is now a 3 hour a day call and still getting nowhere fast.

My old provider has said the pac transfer has gone through perfectly (that was a further 1hr 40 min on phone) but the combination of 02 lack of network /dodgy service and beyond useless customer service means I am waiting to get the sms and number working and then  I will leave 02. Just  so  difficult as family, work and friends cant get hold of me for a week now (luckily whats app does work and I have another spare old android with a sim calls only) but to lose 25 plus years of having the same number ... and 02 keep saying it will take 5 working days to get back from advanced tech team but oops no one has reported this properly  (even though they were supposed to file this report last Wednesday ..) so 5 days starts tomorrow. 
Having said they can't get a manager to call me - after I lost it after 7 days of no number apparently a manager is now calling within 24 hours... but that was 19 hours ago and heard nothing yet..

So moral of story is 02 customer service and systems do not work.


Grocery Challenge - this tracking  has not gone well just cos of having cash for grocery, bulk and entertainment means I have lost track. Far easier to just swipe my debit card - and move money from pots...


House savings - £105,148.20 passed the £105k mark!
My fidelity isa transfer out to vanguard isa  is nearly complete... just 2 Vanguard funds hanging around for reasons I don't understand for a week now..Plus I have had £505 increase 
due to markets
Still got loads of open invoices waiting to be paid ... but creeping up either way., I have just drawn extra squares on my house building drawing - I have £500 bricks and colour each £500 as I go - and I have drawn an extra £46k so the next big target is £150k house deposit savings. I am also having to add money to my SIPP especially for the tax benefits which is slowing down the house savings - but I am not in a rush to buy, I love where I am it is very affordable and I feel London flat prices will be stagnant at least for the next 6 months if not actually fall more.

Sistergold

Well done @LadyWithAPlan, £105k is a HUGE achievement! 🥳🥳🥳🥳