Prosperous soul embraces creativity & mortgage neutrality

savingholmes

Thanks @elantan and @Mickyh-s

I set up one instant saver last night for up to 1% a year. Apparently I can have as many as I want so I'm thinking of separating out my current and future savings into different pots. Your rate goes down each month you access any money - hence separate pots:

£250 Car insurance due around October
£450 Car servicing and mot due Dec/Jan
£120 Boiler service due Dec - I think it's a 5 year service so allowed extra this time (normally £65)
£250-300 Christmas
£400 Holidays - I'd like at least one more this year
£300-450 Optician (the original quote was £600 but I can get £150 from work cashback scheme)
Home Improvement / Repairs pot
etc

If I don't need to access them when the time comes - I can just leave them for next year - but it will take pressure off. 

I am planning a new reward pot - and putting in £10 for each pound I lose. That way when I get to target weight (which could take years) I can buy myself a 'long term' wardrobe of higher quality clothes and treat myself to a mini holiday or something. So I'd start it off with £140.

I am also signing up to a higher level of medical cashback scheme at work - and am planning to go and see a chiropractor for the first time ever. I will be able to get £350 worth of sessions and claim that back - but the cashback scheme will only cost £120 per year as work subsidise a small percentage of it.

I've filled in a form for AVCs at work. I investigated them with a friend a while back so know what I want. Need to actually post it now though.

So I suppose I ought to shower and dress for work now! Seeing counsellor later. It's finally sinking in that I'm actually going to have some money to play with rather than feeling quite close to the wire at times compared to when I was part of a dual income household.

elantan

I'm loving the sound of this reward pot, i would ask if i could nick it but goodness knows where i would even attempt to find money for that     

I opened a Starling account last year sometime and love the wee pots i can name, it makes life so much easier, your pot idea sounds just like it, it saves me working out how much is in each pot, i now just go to it and take out what i need for the bill, although to be fair it gets to the end of the month and i just say what one isnt coming up soon so i can take money out of that till i can afford to save again  

savingholmes

HI Elantan - because in the past I have pretty much had a single savings pot - and just use a spreadsheet to track annual bills - I know what you mean in terms of nicking from other notional pots. I am hoping though this time if I set up pots in advance and name them it will trick my brain into not over-spending and saving instead. I can but hope! I do want to promote the idea of 'guilt-free' spends though and having pots helps with that. I also want to try to learn the habit of filling annual bill pots before the bill arrives. Novel for me.

I went out for a meal after my counselling session (off plan & off budget - oops) but it was a nice quiet pub so worth it. Food was tasty and they had my fave soft drink. I then went to the shop and spent £60 on a possible outfit for DS graduation. I couldn't try it on there but have now. I'm going to return it as it didn't make me feel better than my existing clothes and I am hoping to shrink sizes so don't want too many new things in a bigger (my current) size. You know when you buy a silky material top and it kind of looks nice and expensive but keeps sliding everywhere and won't stay still - that... It was a pretty top with a very bold paisley type pattern from Mr T but still - no. I'd bought a green silky cami to wear underneath it - and pretty emerald green trousers - but still no.  

I was only able to set up 2 instant savers online. Will have to see if it lets me set up more next week. I've put £140 in my reward pot to start and feel lucky to be able to do so. When I got my mortgage last November - I wasn't sure I'd be able to even afford the mortgage never mind have spare money. I put £10 in a pot named holiday. It's a start. Get paid tomorrow including my backpay from my regrade and then first p1p on Monday. Exciting financially even if I'd rather not need the latter.

I've posted my AVC form - which feels like a dream come true - as it would have been out of reach without the new £ coming in. I talked with my counsellor about my mixed feelings and anxiety and how I could avoid catastrophising... Also the jam-packed month I've had since we last met with seeing my wider family twice, a funeral, covid, Ex's antics, DD etc. An impending wider family get together for a birthday this weekend (love my little nephew but hate socials!). Impending graduation for DS... Feels like a lot going on. Today was only the second time I'd left the house this week but I then packed loads in. I've booked the day off after DS's graduation to recover so I'm only working 3 days next week which will be nice.

I got a new fitness watch in yesterday's big river sale to try and encourage me to get fitter. A cheaper one than the one EH recommended but the same brand. The good news is my resting BP in about 62, the bad news is that just going up stairs pushing it to 120 or the tiniest walk to 100. Not sure what it means. Will see how the results go in the coming weeks.

I definitely spend too much at Am**** - I'm nearly at the next £10 gift card already. My second this year. I should get at least £40 from MnS in August as my reward for taking the card out at Xmas. I've also used my new Mr T card this week - so should trigger a payout of £22.50 from £co at some point - just had to raise a claim. It all helps. My pet insurance that hadn't originally tracked now has.  Looks like it could be xmas before £co pays out but that's good timing too. 

Not a lot more I can do today £ wise. DD returns tomorrow. I need to wash DS's bedding and make his room ready for him before Tuesday. He's due to stay one night. DD has dumped loads of her old clothes in there... etc

Hope you are all having a nice night.

My voice keeps cracking since I had covid - and I seem to be at a low volume. Was anyone else like that or is it just me? I don't have a sore throat any more.

leftatthetrafficlights

Glad you've got a positive decision on pip! 🙌

MovingForwards

Having dedicated pots does provide the separation and you do learn they're off limits. Is there a low Apr savings account with your regular current account you could open and build up a £100 float to dip in and top back up if you have an unplanned spend day. That way there's no panic on the run up to payday and no need to touch the pots.

BP rises during exercise and that's what stairs are, track it when doing other regular things like walking to the park, cooking, tidying up etc and you'll build an overall picture.

Hope the counselor has given you some hints and tips, coping mechanisms etc.

You're doing really well!

lucielle

I have a Lloyds account where you can set up different savings accounts and name them.  I love topping them up but dread having to use the money for whatever it was set up for.
L

savingholmes

Thanks @leftatthetrafficlights @lucielle and MF

I too hate emptying pots.

I set up another regular saver with San at 2.5% - I am ear marking that for future car replacement - as I want to try and steer clear of loans if I can.
I set up an instant saver with Nwde at 1.4% - I may make that my health reward one instead of the B one - as it is a better rate - and I'm expecting it to be a more long term saver.

None of the banks seem to like you setting up too many savers at once - they've all crashed if I tried to do a second or third.

Will see how I go on. Roll on Monday!! Really looking forward to gradually filling my pots.

I think fixing my stairs is becoming urgent. Texted one friend but they couldn't recommend anyone. Texted someone who has done paid work for me in the past (a friend) - will see if they come back to me any time soon.

I am going to keep some legging material trousers with pockets that I got yesterday. £14. They are so comfortable! May see what other patterns they have and get more when I return the other items. Even better - I accidentally went down a size - and it fit fine.

savingholmes

Struggling to focus on work today.

Spoke to DS - we can have an hour or two together in the morning after graduation but then he needs to get on the train.

I've been able to amend one of my existing regular saver amounts. Had to use the chat function to get them to help. 

Complained to Mr A re non-delivery the other week and the lack of refund. They have now refunded and gave me a £5 voucher. I had to ask.

I have asked a friend to quote for the stairs and he will come the back end of next week. I've asked if he can put up a shelf and roman blind while he's there. Here's hoping I trust him. He did our patio and kitchen counter on my previous diary.

Anyone want to write a report for me??? So bored! 

powerspowers

Glad to hear about the PIP savingholmes, that must be a relief. Sounds like you’re doing well. I don’t know how anyone can focus at the minute with the heat x

L9XSS

Just caught up with your diary (again). So much good has happened! Well done. Big progress on the weight loss and your PIP in particular. I’m about to post on my MF journey. Had so much in my head, which way to go etc etc. Been using calculators for pension planning, mortgage planning, FIRE etc I think I couldn’t see the wood from the trees! Therefore had decision paralysis!