Little by little, and with love

RosaBernicia

Not really little saving things today...

Spending on the van - could possibly have been avoided/ lessened with a trip back to previous garage as there's a warranty involved, but frankly I couldn't face the hassle as it would not only waste a day's leave but be a really irritating day stuck waiting for hours in a supermarket cafe and/ or still risk paying in full as well as for a cab home and back.  Local guys are doing it instead.  I did have the money in the budget anyway. 

Further efforts at celebratory spending as I finally got the calculations through today.  A bit of a lump sum as well as sorting my salary.  So relieved.  I had a guilt free M&S food shop including stocking the freezer with things I can't get elsewhere, and bought... oh the extravagance... a proper labelled box for the house first aid stuff as I'm fed up with it being a mess piled on a shelf .  More effort required, clearly .  Also planning to make some donations, probably to CAB and the local food bank. 

kerri_gt

@RosaBernicia if the spend makes you feel good then there's nothing wrong with it if that's what you want to call a celebratory spend. Better than something you look at and regret. 

RosaBernicia

kerri_gt said:

@RosaBernicia if the spend makes you feel good then there's nothing wrong with it if that's what you want to call a celebratory spend. Better than something you look at and regret. 

That's true - and it does fit with spending on things I love, not things I resent.  I'm still really happy I did that, so it was clearly more important to me to save my sanity and free time. 

RosaBernicia

Updates!

Pay and back pay finally confirmed and already 'hidden' in the budget in the hope I won't be tempted to do less sensible things with it! 

£1K emergency fund topped up and will now be staying.  I hadn't really bothered with one of these before as I've always had 0% credit access, but feel happier knowing that's it's there for any urgent work on the house that may need cash.  Feeling slightly awed at how grown up I am having one of these...

Horrible loan for house stuff allocated to clear - there's another couple of months for it to run on 0% yet and I refuse to contribute to their profits sooner than I have to, but will pay it a couple of weeks before its due date so that it is safely got rid of within the 0% year.

Money added to pot for work on the garden. Need to have a think about plans at the weekend and start to get quotes.

Thinking about which charities to donate to, so far thinking a local charity programme for family days out, the local food bank, and a favourite campaigning organisation. 

Had been ignoring the vet insurance issue as couldn't face going through the invoicing for euthanasia line by line (which is what seemed necessary as I couldn't get any sense out of the vet's office), but had a call from the insurance company complaints department yesterday and the claim will now be reassessed by them.  Hopefully that will be a bit more money back and can go towards the garden work.  Also clarified that I need to send in a separate form for the death benefit payment, which isn't a massive amount but may as well be in my bank account as theirs - and I might give it to a cat charity anyway, in her memory. 

Remortgage options are currently waiting on a response from the adviser, but from the MSE best buys it looks like going up by about £50 a month.    Not delighted but it could be a whole lot worse, so if I can get that, that will be fine. 

This will be the last paycheque that has a van payment come out of it and I am so pleased that will be sorted and off my file, as well as to have the extra money going forwards. 

I need to clear the older 0% card in the next couple of months as its offer expires - this shouldn't be an issue as the money is in the budget line, I've just been holding onto cash until I knew what would happen with my pay.  After that I can work on getting rid of the new one. 

So a couple of bounds made along with the plodding onwards 

RosaBernicia

Shuffle catch up as I will be out on Sunday... 

Vet insurance finally, hopefully sorted - they had charged me the excess at both the day and emergency vet which was not appropriate so that has now been confirmed as repaid and I just need to get the vet to actually refund it to me.  Plus £50 in goodwill offered by complaints team.  Will be so glad to get that resolved as it's taken far too long. 

Mortgage application went in yesterday as apparently there was a 5pm deadline for the one they recommended.  Haven't seen a yes or no, but have been asked for documents so hopefully that has got to the next stage.  Still an extra £50/month but am glad to hopefully lock in an offer now - I will revisit things when my current lender allows but am not optimistic that the market will go in the right direction so a case of safe rather than sorry. 

Food budget is appallingly over, as I have restocked the freezer and not been at all careful this month... that will need to calm down a bit.  Otoh, I have been using freezer stuff and buying prepped meals instead of my budgeted takeaway, so that also accounts for some of it and the takeaway budget has been reallocated.  One of the local places has stopped doing my favorite dish, one I am suspicious of whether it really is allergen free and a third has been disappointing the last couple of times (late, greasy and cold) so there is no point spending money on them. 

I've now cleared the 'old' 0% card, I figured I might as well since I have cash available in both the emergency fund and for the next couple of months there is the cash awaiting paying off the house stuff loan as well.  I don't expect to touch either except in an emergency but it made me feel a bit more comfortable about sorting the small CC.  Having that cleared means that both it and the van loan will be clear on my credit report this coming month and there is only the other 0% CC to tackle, yay! 

Feels like progress 

Buffythedebtslayer

It feels like progress cos it is progress!  and vets can be gits for the whole excess thing. Really good the 0% has gone too! I really do admire your organisation. 

XX

RosaBernicia

Buffythedebtslayer said:

It feels like progress cos it is progress!  and vets can be gits for the whole excess thing. Really good the 0% has gone too! I really do admire your organisation. 

XX

It's been a total PITA with both vets and the insurance company all being useless at different points!  Just glad to have it over.  I'm going to have a chat with a different local vet and think about registering the dog there instead. 

Dog related spends are also going to be mad this month as we've started some training and will need a bit of equipment - but it will also keep me fit and meeting people so it's all good.  However, I just filled the car and it cost me £60! so must remember that as we get to go out more the travel costs will go up. 

Buffythedebtslayer

RosaBernicia said:

Buffythedebtslayer said:

It feels like progress cos it is progress!  and vets can be gits for the whole excess thing. Really good the 0% has gone too! I really do admire your organisation. 

XX

It's been a total PITA with both vets and the insurance company all being useless at different points!  Just glad to have it over.  I'm going to have a chat with a different local vet and think about registering the dog there instead. 

Dog related spends are also going to be mad this month as we've started some training and will need a bit of equipment - but it will also keep me fit and meeting people so it's all good.  However, I just filled the car and it cost me £60! so must remember that as we get to go out more the travel costs will go up. 

I filled mine - 44 pounds for 23. something litres. It is a bit scary! 

Finding a good vet is AMAZING. Mine are good - but one of the good ones has left. which is really annoying. 

RosaBernicia

Buffythedebtslayer said:

RosaBernicia said:

It's been a total PITA with both vets and the insurance company all being useless at different points!  Just glad to have it over.  I'm going to have a chat with a different local vet and think about registering the dog there instead. 

Dog related spends are also going to be mad this month as we've started some training and will need a bit of equipment - but it will also keep me fit and meeting people so it's all good.  However, I just filled the car and it cost me £60! so must remember that as we get to go out more the travel costs will go up. 

I filled mine - 44 pounds for 23. something litres. It is a bit scary! 

Finding a good vet is AMAZING. Mine are good - but one of the good ones has left. which is really annoying. 

I haven't been driving much as I'm WFH and during the week I just walk the dog locally, plus I've been mostly managing to combine all my trips to the retail park into once a week.  I habitually think of a tankful as being £40 and I've needed less than one a month, but there will be six return trips of at least a half hour drive most months now I'm doing things with the dog.  It's going to be expensive entertainment but both classes are flexible and once we've learned a bit we can do more by ourselves. 

The vets themselves at that practice have been good but the admin this time has been a nightmare.  Plus it isn't our nearest, so takes up journey time and petrol... time to consider other options. 

RosaBernicia

In other not really news, I finally thought of something I've been wanting and bought some proper underbed storage boxes.  They look so much better than the motley collection of boxes I've been using in the interim and my stuff is kept fully dust and dog hair free, hurrah!