GAP and LMG, can we become mortgage free?

EssexHebridean

Yep - although I confess that some of my favourites on here tend to be those who were resistant at first, keep saying "that won't work for us because..." but eventually over time realise that we don't say this stuff for fun. When one of those comes back and says "Do you know, this DOES work!" that always makes my day! (And I've learned over time that those who insist on trying to reinvent the debt-clearing wheel, or who fail to take advice when they are sleepwalking into an obvious issue often also tend to resurface some time later albeit strangely enough often under a different username! Seen a few of those over the  years too!) 

girlatplay

Really limping along to payday here (Friday).  Nothing PAD'd since last time I mentioned it.  Going to have to dip into next month's grocery budget for Friday night's tea as my niece is coming for a sleepover and she has requested mac 'n' cheese and we don't have enough cheese left (she's a very fussy eater - her parents' doing, not mine, and it's easier to make something she likes).  On a positive grocery note though, we still have about 4-5 meals left on the meal plan.  We have managed to get two meals each out of most of them so far and I reckon we can get two meals each out of two of the ones that are left.  If the extra portions aren't big enough I'll have one for lunch the next day or LMG can take it to work if she's on a late.

In gas & elec news, I almost tried to take over @EssexHebridean's diary with my nonsense so pulling it back to my own now.  Our new supplier somehow picked up the wrong gas reading and sent it to our old supplier.  Old supplier sent a final bill which I thought was quite low but didn't check properly.  When I submitted our reading for September to new supplier there were a few more units than I expected.  That's when I discovered the error.  It's not huge and not worth my time to argue it (I've wasted more than enough time talking about it on here), it's just a few units being paid for at a higher price than they should have been.  I'll keep an eye on them.  They said they would take a payment right away as a "deposit", first on 13th Sept, then 11th Sept, then 6th Sept but no payment has been taken.  I've received an email saying next payment will be taken 3rd Oct which is the normal monthly payment.  I've sent them £200 for the buffer and I'll watch our account.

In better g&e news though, I calculated what I expected our bill to be and worked it out at around £300.  I have been doing this for years and my calculations are usually quite accurate, just a few pence out either way, sometimes.  This time though I completely miscalculated and the actual bill was £170 so that's a bonus.  I had multiplied the units by the wrong figure when converting to kWh.

No heating on yet but today I put my normal (not heated) blanket over my legs when working which did help.  When the sun comes out, the room warms up so that helps too.  I used birthday money to buy a new duvet and covers for my new bed and I spent way more than I have in the past.  It was a good plan as my bed is so warm and cozy, I've never been so cozy in bed before.  I think when winter properly hits I'll probably just need a blanket on top of the covers instead of the electric blanket of previous years.

One of my best friends is getting married next year and I thought she was going to want to go away for her hen so I started a holiday saving account to be ready (I earn the least out of the four of us and wanted to be prepared) but she has said she doesn't want to go further than about an hour or two's drive and doesn't want us to spend a huge amount of money.  I think I have already saved more than what I'll need but I'm going to keep the account going anyway as then I'll have a bit of money for maybe a weekend away with bf.

I'm not sure what the budgets will look like for October as I've definitely overspent this month.  The holiday fund and the savings will take the hit if I don't have enough.  I have been a bit spendy and I need to rein it in.

LadyWithAPlan

EssexHebridean said:

You know what? That is EXACTLY why hanging around here is such a delight. Seeing people go from a point when a coincidence of expenses coming along at once would quite literally reduce them to desperation -moving to a point where sure, they don’t LIKE that coincidence but that they can take a breath, realise it can be coped with, and move along, while still making plans to build things back. It sums up why we’re here, and quite how valuable these boards are as a resource and educational platform. I know I’ve had the biggest part of my real financial education here, and I know too that I’m not the only one - it’s SUCH a good place, and such an incredible community.

Indeed .. I have been monthly budgeting and having saving pots for years  - no one else in the RW (real world)  I know does this! However the community on here  is inspiring, motivating and also such great tips. I am back to doing the Grocery Challenge again and that is really keeping me on track and giving me great ideas - I even tried making my own crisps this month (and tasty they were too!) 

I also feel so lucky - I have some large  unpaid invoices from two companies but I am not stressed, I have savings, I have a budget, I know how to be frugal so my MH is actually fine and I know it can be coped with.

savingholmes

GAP you are doing really well - especially for someone who has just moved.

girlatplay

savingholmes said:

GAP you are doing really well - especially for someone who has just moved.

Thank you for that x

astrocytic_kitten

Love the sound of the nice cozy bed!

EssexHebridean

That's interesting about the duvet GAP - I've been researching the scarily expensive wool-filled and similar ones and am wondering whether something like that might be worth the investment. I certainly find that better quality duvets seem to be better at helping regulate body temperature - I can sleep fully under a really good one in summer when at home I'd probably throw it off. More investigation needed I think! 

Great news about the hen do - and how sensible of your friend! The current fashion for "holidays" as hen and stag do's really puts pressure on people - not only financially but also socially. I'd be quite happy to go for a night out with some friends for something like that, but the chances are I'd be far less socially comfortable making it several days away with (probably) a good proportion of people I don't know well), never mind the cost involved which quite often must be huge. 

girlatplay

The duvet has a synthetic filling but it seems to be good quality.

As for the hen do, this is a second marriage for both of them so it's a bit more low key than perhaps a first would be.  My friend earns a very good salary and likes the finer things in life but she just seems to want to keep this simple.  It's just the four of us going and she'll have a city hen with a meal, etc, for anyone/everyone else who wants to join.

girlatplay

I'm working away at PA surveys trying to get a little extra cash.  Waiting for about 4 to be approved.  I'm over the £5 threshold but trying EH's idea of cashing out at the end of the week instead of now.  At least I know that even if the others aren't approved by Friday, I do have enough to cash out.

LMG is going to get bread and milk later as we won't make it to Friday without them.  I'll get her to pick up cheese as well then I won't have to go tomorrow.

Only one full day to go to P-day.

savingholmes

I never had a hen do - but got married super young and my bridesmaids were family who were younger than me!

Nearly there on pay day.