The Mental Debt Struggle...

LittleMissDetermined

That sounds like a good plan Keedie. In the mean time, I’m certain you could find some chair yoga videos on YouTube to get you started 
LMD x

beanielou

Chair yoga is fab.
Can recommend.

conkerlad

Scrap the service then, it can wait. I wouldn’t let Halfords change a bulb for me let alone do a service.

Use an independent garage but certainly put it on hold. Halfords are trying to make money out of people for sure.

peb

Car, service wise shouldn't depend on time but usage.  I don't think you do a lot of miles?  Check how many you've done since the last one and see what the handbook recommends.   Do check oil, water levels tyre pressures though.  Try to schedule these once every other month or so.....

Hope all goes well with work.

badmemory

I wouldn't use a "household name" for either a service or MOT.  A lot of the employees are on commission & guess what happens when they are not making commission that month.  For the MOT Martin's advice is to use an MOT only place, they will usually fit things like wiper blades & bulbs.

LittleMissDetermined

badmemory said:

I wouldn't use a "household name" for either a service or MOT.  A lot of the employees are on commission & guess what happens when they are not making commission that month.  For the MOT Martin's advice is to use an MOT only place, they will usually fit things like wiper blades & bulbs.

I use an MOT only place and I agree, anywhere that does repairs will always try and get more work (aka money) out of you. 

I stopped using a well known dealer because they were charging £110 an hour labour and you can guarantee they don’t pay their technicians even half of that! 

Keedie

Thank you so much everyone, you've really made me have a proper think about all of this car stuff. This forum is amazing!

The independent garage that I used to fix my car last summer is quite reasonable, and they don't do MOTs, they partner with an MOT only place, but they do the service. So I might go to that MOT centre and get them to do the MOT and then when I have more money do the service without putting it on credit I'll do that.

I think I've got into the habit of always doing the two together and not really considered whether or not I even needed to do a service. And you're all right, there's always a list of things that needs to be done with Halfords. 

I feel better about just booking the MOT for now, and once I know where I stand with my working hours, return to work etc, I can then get it serviced. I think focussing on the timescale instead of usage in terms of a service, means that I've spent more than I probably needed to over the years. Oops. I do need to top up the windscreen washer fluid, as I've brought it but can't find my funnel and keep forgetting to top it up, so I need to do that before it's taken for an MOT.

I think in the last 2 years since I've had the car I've done about 5,000-6,000 miles maximum, so it's not getting excessive use. I don't drive much, but I've done a few long journeys. I've reduced my driving mainly because it's manual and I'm finding that more and more tiring but I don't have the money to get an automatic car. My son's going to start driving lessons when he turns 17 later this year, so at least when he gets on the road I won't have to drive as much. 

Keedie

Oh I forgot to say that I put £10.75 in the penny challenge. 

conkerlad

Definitely a win on the service front there, while it is a good habit to get into i.e service with MOT, it’s not necessary. As with what others have commented, it’s certainly dictated by annual mileage but yours is so very low. 

Sounds like you’ve got use of a decent independent garage etc, so please stay away from Halfords, your car will thank you!

Good habits as mentioned already again are to pop the bonnet once a month and check oil dipstick and coolant level. May aswell fill washer bottle while you’re in there. 

Tyre pressures was a good point raised as unequal pressures and low pressures will drop your MPG and in this climate, we need our fuel to give us the best return!

Keedie

Thanks for the advice @conkerlad, it's much appreciated! I must admit I don't really check anything under the bonnet, but I tend to do my tyre pressure when I've brought petrol. I do need to get more car savvy.

I had a look at my odometer and realised that I've actually done 11,000 miles in the last 2 years and so I'm averaging 5,500 a year. I think I got confused because I was thinking of last year's mileage when I did my last MOT etc. I had a little google and saw that services are usually annually or every 10-12,000 miles, and I've done 6,000 in the last year. So I'm happy to wait until I can definitely afford it. I should be able to do this by June once I know what is happening with my sick leave and my pay. But I definitely won't be going to Halfords or anywhere else like that.

My standing order of £50 to my mum came out today, and £10 from my brother went into my Noose PAD Pot. I've decided to keep putting whatever money I am owed in there, so that it accumulates and I can pay it off my MBNA card in August and then do a balance transfer for the rest. The lower the balance/money transfer needed, the easier it is to clear it and the lower the handling fee.

I went to Poundland today, and was surprised by how small the packages have become for snacks and stuff and how many things were no longer £1. I went to get two money tins, as the one that I have been using for the penny challenge is nearly full. I don't want it to get too full and so it's jammed as I won't be able to open it. I got some snacks anyway, and my son will demolish them in record time, but I couldn't believe how light the bag was in comparison to the £15 I spent. It's cheaper to get cleaning products in Lidl, and even that is jumping up in price.

I'm really hoping that I get the cost of living payment, as that will enable me to do a really large food shop, as I feel like I'm wasting money doing little weekly shops. I think I need to do a massive shop and get everything I need and buy some stuff in bulk, and then have a smaller amount that I spend weekly as a top up shop. I can never carry too much, and my carer and my son do some shopping but neither of them drive, so they tend to get smaller amounts as well. But I think a big reset will make a big difference.