Learning to walk before I run

Suffolk_lass

Ours were with Lloyds Bank (donkeys years ago when DS was small) - DH was self employed so his would kick in if he was unable to work for 3 months, mine was after 6 months (when my [then] sick benefits at work would drop down to half salary after 6 months and nil after a year). I just remember the inflator was index linked but with a minimum amount that quickly made the policy unaffordable - but maybe that was because DH changed career and was earning much less. The same was applied to the benefits but promotions made mine out of whack and in the end we cancelled them.

We instead bought a term insurance policy that runs until my 70th birthday - first death, pays £250k. This was to pay off the mortgage and subsidise childcare for the (assumed) remaining parent or guardians. This one is still running. The way I feel with this cold; that's probably a good thing...

edinburgher

@Suffolk_lass - thanks, I'll check the small print 👍

edinburgher

Ah - donkey balls!  Cat #1 is feeling pawly (apparent laryngitis, coughing, lethargic, vomiting, dehydrated, bloated stomach, reduced appetite). Trip to the vet (blood tests, painkilling injection and antacids) set us back £135. Cat budget is bust by about £60, so I'll need to rob car and home maintenance until we can get some money back from the insurer. Unfortunately that will only be £35 or so after the annual excess of £99 is paid. No idea what's up with her, waiting on results of bloods and basically waiting to see what happens over the next 48 hours.

At the risk of being a gloomy Gus, I also bought the most expensive tank of petrol ever today, over £60 and that was just Morrison's, not Mr Smith's Boutique Fuels

Orangetoes

Congratulations on the baby news! I think you are very brave and honest to share you SOA and open yourself up for comments. 
You have already made great headway and are clearly getting on track.
Fingers crossed for the architects! 

edinburgher

So, November has arrived and with it the first costs relating to our extension!

Budget is as follows:

Salaries	£3,837.68
Mortgage	£582.89
Groceries	£430.00
Pocket Money (Mr E)	£200.00
Pocket Money (Mrs E)	£200.00
Council Tax	£226.00
Presents	£170.00
Children	£155.00
Pets	£150.00
Car Maintenance	£100.00
Utilities	£103.00
Home Maintenance	£90.00
Emergency Fund	£75.00
Extension	£632.80
Baby	£75.00
Credit Card (Sainsburys)	£139.64
Electronics Replacement	£50.00
Income Protection (Mrs E)	£48.01
Petrol	£62.42
Car Insurance	£42.30
Income Protection (Mr E)	£41.52
Credit Card (TSB)	£35.89
Pet Insurance	£33.58
Swimming Lessons	£26.50
Virgin	£21.00
Union	£20.30
Life Insurance	£15.31
Road Tax	£13.57
TV Licence	£13.37
Pocket Money (DD)	£12.00
Mobile Phone (Mr E)	£10.14
Parking	£8.00
Window Cleaning	£8.00
Mobile Phone (Mrs E)	£7.60
Home Insurance	£7.51
Netflix	£5.99
Breakdown Cover	£5.25
Dentist	£5.00
Garden Waste	£4.45
Amazon Prime	£3.55
Glasses	£3.48
Account Fee	£2.00
JISA	£1.00
Totum Student Card	£0.61
Expenses	£3,837.68
Balance	£0.00

No holiday budget (£439.31), Groceries down by £70 from October (plus one extra weekly shop required), Pocket Money down by £100 between us, a few other categories trimmed, Petrol up slightly and Income Protection added). That's an improvement of £557.80 overall since October, I can live with that I think I'll be able to cut another £100 in total from Groceries and Pocket Money in December, but haven't found the strength of will to jump in at the deep end. I'd rather make decent changes that we can sustain longer term. Extra money added to the Extension line of the budget. 

edinburgher

@Suffolk_lass - just as well you recommended checking the small print - they hadn't applied Indexation for Mrs E! Fixed now.

Suffolk_lass

Gosh that was fortunate tat you checked! Well done.

Cornish_mum

Brilliant numbers Ed! Hope MrsE is keeping well CM

edinburgher

Cornish_mum said:

Brilliant numbers Ed! Hope MrsE is keeping well CM

Thanks CM, she is doing fab

On a totally unrelated note, it is incredibly hard to get quotes at the moment! I have contacted 12? builders and have had 2 replies (quotes next January and March), one who will look at the plans and get back to us and one who couldn't open a zip file I just keep telling myself that every month we delay is a month where we can afford it better

Karmacat

edinburgher said:

it is incredibly hard to get quotes at the moment! I have contacted 12? builders and have had 2 replies (quotes next January and March), one who will look at the plans and get back to us and one who couldn't open a zip file I just keep telling myself that every month we delay is a month where we can afford it better

Noooo!  I'm really near to being ready to find double glazing installers to come quote ... I'm going to pretend that since you live at the other end of the country/in another country, it's not the same situation