Third time's a charm!

twiggy86

Morning! 

I realised that I haven't heard anything about something I returned on 12 February so I checked the status and it's still with Hermes! However I chatted with the company online (who initially said they couldn't see anything about that return) and they have agreed to refund me as they can see that it's stuck for some reason! So that's £18 back to me! As it was spent at the beginning of Feb I have paid the £18 straight off Next. 

I also realised I hadn't had an energy bill despite them saying it was monthly (transferred from Eon to Eon Next - whatever that means). They have also confirmed that my bill was stuck and have now issued one... unfortunately it shows a debit of £220! I'm not putting my direct debit up any more though as already pay £152 a month!! But I will be harrassing OH more about energy usage as I'm not always sure he appreciates the ever rising costs! 

In other good news I finally had £30 become payable in TCB from when I did my car insurance back in September! So that made £31.32 payable which I have claimed and will use towards Next once it appears! So that will take the total outstanding on Next to approx £50 - which should (fingers crossed no more issues with OH work) be able to clear this month. I am yet to pay my parents anything yet this month as waiting to double check everything gets back to normal before I do that - they are very relaxed about it and are not putting any pressure on me thankfully (they're absolute diamonds!) 

I am still very anxious about OH's work (despite what my advent purchase may tell you!) but I really am praying we are back to normal now! It has been an unusual start to the year as it isn't always so flakey with his work, so hopefully that's the last of this turn of bad luck!  

twiggy86

Oh and my friend and her daughter loved the thing I made for her daughter's birthday today!!! 

twiggy86

Wow, this really is the worst start to the year financially for us. OH has an appointment later for an emergency dentist - just the appointment fee is £150!!! He will probably have to have a tooth out which will obviously be charged on top - which will probably wipe out anything he's earnt this week. Needless to say, his mood it as a serious all time low and I'm quite concerned. I don't know how to deal with him when he's this low, and totally selfishly it makes me angry that he doesn't seem to appreciate that it impacts both of us financially, not just him. I nearly lost it when he said he was working for "nothing" as everything will go to the dentist - I really wanted to scream "where do you think all the money I've worked for this year has gone!" 

If anyone reads this not sure who they'll think worse of, me or him. 

Amber1980

Ah the joys of partnership!😂
I feel like I’m barely treading water so far financially this year too,it’s one thing after another and definitely feeling a bit anxious about the cost of absolutely everything creeping up….
let us know how he gets on at the dentist….
I have regrets that I didn’t become a dentist or marry one,all the ones I know around here are loaded,mine turned up for an emergency appointment one Sunday in a brand new Ferrari and I left an hour later £860 poorer…😩😕😟

twiggy86

Thanks @Amber1980 - feel like it's one step forward, three steps back this year! I definitely think I should retrain as a dentist as clearly there's a shortage as you can never see one (well unless you pay through the nose like we are today!) and they make a packet!!! I'm fortunate in that I'm still with the same practice my mum took me to when I had my first baby teeth ( )  so I'm under NHS. This dentist OH is seeing is £75 if they see you before 8pm... first appointment they had today was 8:15 so it's £150! However, at least he's getting to see one today as he's in agony! 

twiggy86

So the dentist bill yesterday came to £345! Not as bad as I thought it might be. However, it did have to go on my CC as OH didn't have it and it needed sorting. I have told him not to panic and we will pay it off over the next few weeks rather than wipe out all his earnings this week. However, I really don't want to add it back into my spreadsheet as currently the total is in 16's and also I've cleared over £1k this year - if I add this back in it takes me back to the 17's and reduces amount cleared to under £1k! However that is silly - so I just need to add it back in and then that will be motivation to make sure it really does get cleared as quickly as possible! 

I did however receive £31.32 from TCB yesterday which I paid straight off Next - meaning there's only just over £50 left to pay off that. I also decided that for the purposes of my spreadsheet/ bank account to "pay" my parents £100 - but rather than actually transfer it to them I have simply moved it to my savings account (i.e. where all my "pots" are). That way it is still accessible if absolutely necessary (like arguably to pay for emergency dental work) but it's not in my main account. 

Right, time I got on with some work! 

twiggy86

Just had an email to say my Eon direct debit is increasing to £214 a month!!! It's currently at £152 which is already ridiculous but we've still managed to end up in debit by £220. So to account for that and the price increase it's going up £62 a month! Thank god I cancelled our TV package and just have the broadband instead as that's about the amount I'm saving from that change so fortunately that will cover it. Although with all the other bills going up to, it's ridiculous! 

Amber1980

Isn’t it scary how expensive everything has got….
It sounds bad but I’ve never really payed attention to how much petrol and electric etc cost, it was just something you had to pay for but we have just had an estimate that the yearly bill will be £5500,which is completely unaffordable,husband looking into what we can do!😩

twiggy86

Oh my goodness @Amber1980 - that is crazy! Although it's made realised I need to check what they estimate my yearly bill will be! Today I have turned the thermostat down 1/2 a degrees on the control panel and will try to keep it off as much as possible but I'm working from home today so will have it on a bit. I am turning the radiator right down in my office when I finish work too, so we're not heating an unused room when the heating is on! 

Amber1980

I’m doing similar,the cats will just have to be a bit less snug in their favourite rooms as I’m turning most of the radiators off!
Not sure how much difference the little changes will make but have to try!
😊😊