Adventures and Overpayments

chicker

Thanks for dropping in @grassroots_2 @savingholmes and @debtfreeoneday Happy new year to you all!

chicker

Goals for 2022

Financial goals:

1.      Sort out accounts

Switch old current accounts for bonus

Check TSB account has closed

Close my credit card

Open new credit card for DH

Open new credit card for me

Close DD's regular saver

  

2.      Investing

Open junior ISA for DD

Open SIPP/LISA/ISA for my pension (after working out which one of course)

 

3.      Begin matched betting for me and DH as I've researched this several times but the time hasn't been right to start

4.      Contact agent to discuss increase of rent on BT

 

 Family/home:

Enjoy our first holiday abroad as a family of three!

Renovate/decorate hallway, stairs and landing including new front door

New kitchen!

Flooring downstairs

Personal goals:

Remember to look after my own health - don't put things off because they feel too much to deal with. Seek out counselling to help me come to terms with and accept the way things are now.

Keep seeing the physio when needed and continue with pilates to avoid back pain as much as possible. 

See a dentist (private as our nhs one has closed) and get my discoloured root canal sorted. 

Reduce sugar in January and see how I feel about it.

Buy a few new items of clothing so that I don't feel like such a scruff.

debtfreeoneday

You’ve reminded me I must gets kids bank accounts and savings accounts sorted this year. 

chicker

debtfreeoneday said:

You’ve reminded me I must gets kids bank accounts and savings accounts sorted this year. 

Glad I've reminded you! I opened a regular saver last Christmas as I didn't have the brain power to work out anything more complicated 🤣

chicker

Afternoon/evening all 👋

It's the last day of DH's holiday and I'm feeling a bit flat. I'm looking forward to getting back into our normal routine as well but it's going to be a big adjustment being 100% responsible for a toddler everyday again. I have got quite used to sharing the parenting load 😂😂

We've done a couple of nice walks over the last three days and I'm feeling quite worn-out after todays 5 miles but a good start to our healthier year. I haven't made any progress with reducing sugar yet as I decided to finish the few bits that are already open. Will put the other chocolates away for later in the year.

Our low spend/frugal January is going well. On New years day we spent £5.80 on a couple of cokes in a pub on our walk (mainly so I could use the loo...) but we were still in 'holiday mode'. All other spends since then have come from various pots and budgets:

• £62 paid for a term of toddler classes from child benefit
• £70 Christmas money paid in. £10 to DDs savings and £30 each to DH and me. I've put mine towards my 'pamper' savings ahead of our holiday.
• Two jumpers and a headband bought in the F@Face sale from our coin jar savings. Very much needed as my clothes are looking rather tatty. Also one cheap pair of jeans bought as old ones were getting holey. They're not great but will do for now.
• Re-started our national trust membership for £120 through topcashback. It ran out in October so we've saved ourselves two months when we didn't have time to use it. Glad to have it though as we definitely get far more than we pay for.
• Bought a £7.99 book for DD from the NT shop after checking I couldn't get it cheaper online. Will transfer the money from her child benefit to cover it.

Soooo basically we've only spent £5.80 as everything else has been accounted for 😂😂😂

savingholmes

Looks a good list. I've recently invested in new trainers and they are so much better I regret waiting. May look for some boots next...

chicker

Anyone know anything about junior ISA's???

I've opened one for DD with Fidelity and put £30 cash in but have NO IDEA what to invest it in. I need to do a lot more research as I don't want to end up paying loads of charges through not having a clue what I'm doing 😂


I've set up the regular payment as a direct debit from my old current account so I can use that account to qualify for a switching bonus.

chicker

First day at 'work' done  

I know it sounds silly but I was actually feeling quite nervous about being on my own all day with DD after the holidays but it was OK. 

I decided to jump straight in and have invested DD's first £30 in a global bund with discounted charges that I had read about in a post on the forum. Will now see what happens as this is my first adventure with investing! It's already gone up by 1p 

Only spend today has been a new set of reusable face wipes for DD from her child benefit account. 

I managed to have quite a productive day with a short pilates workout, some housework and a very cold, muddy walk with DD. Now continuing to declutter the Christmas biscuits... then I can start my low sugar goal...

savingholmes

Love the declutter of the biscuits before starting the low sugar goal... Sounds tasty. 

Well done on the investment.

chicker

savingholmes said:

Love the declutter of the biscuits before starting the low sugar goal... Sounds tasty. 

Well done on the investment.

Haha 😆 well I don’t like waste! We had way too much chocolate so I’ve had to stash a tub of heroes, a chocolate orange, a toblerone, some Ferraro rocher and some Lindt truffles in the back of one of the kitchen cupboards…

Hope you’re DD is feeling ok and you stay negative @s@savingholmes