We will get this debt down & the savings up

Makingabobor2

Thought it was time I put in an appearance before you all think I have vanished off the face of the earth. Never seems to be much to write about these days, so don't really want to post boring stuff. Life is continuing as normal, but I'm just feeling a bit fed up lately and don't know why. Think the hearing aid thing might still be stressing me TBH. I went for the fitting, and was supposed to pick them up on Tuesday, but they emailed to say they had been delayed and offered me an appointment today, but it was at 4pm, and as it is the B00ts on the big retail park about 6 miles from here and right near the motorway junction and main road into city, (I'm sure a few of you will know where I mean…begins with FP), there was no way I wanted to go over there at that time of day and get stuck in traffic coming back. So they said the next morning appointment wasn't until next Friday, but they will email me if they get any suitable cancellations. I'm still worrying about the price of them, and although I can sort the finances to be able to pay for them, I don't want to spend that sort of money on something like this. We'll see how they go, if I don't feel any benefit from them, then I won't keep them. I have 60 days to make up my mind once I get them.

In shed news….after I called to say they had sent the wrong panel, they then sent the right one, but with no actual window panes. So I rang again and was told they would dispatch the perspex panes. So then DH said had the girl also ordered the fixing packs for them? No idea, as I know nothing about these things….LOL. So another phone call revealed that no she hadn't! So on Monday they told me the panes were already on their way, and should be here by yesterday, and that the fixing packs would be dispatched last Monday! So yesterday I got a text saying both parts had actually not been dispatched until yesterday and would be another 3-5 days! So this whole saga has taken over 2 weeks, when it was supposed to take 3-5 days! I have now worded a strong email to them, saying I think their customer service dept, need to think outside the box and communicate with each other, and considering how much the shed cost, I am very disappointed with their service. We'll wait and see what reply I get.

So whether these things are what is making me fed up, I don't know. The weather doesn't help either, as I have plans for the garden and it has been so cold, wet & windy the last few days. Visited in-laws on Sunday and DMIL gave me several garden pots she no longer needs, so that was very useful. Also after we got home, she messaged to say they forgot to tell us that DFIL has some old wood that may be useful for making another planter/trough. So we'll go over again soon to look at that. We need to go again soon anyway, as we want to borrow DFIL's wheel barrow for a project we have in mind. Finally getting rid of the small piece of lawn that we have and covering it in black & while stone/gravel stuff. DH is just sick of mowing the lawn, and it gives me hayfever, so I won't do it.

Decluttering has been continuing and a lot gone to the tip, and also more listed on V*nt*d and some to CS. I still have more cupboards to do, and DH needs to finish the shed and start on garage, but at least he has started.

In MSE news, I have sold a couple more small items on V*nt*d and had loads of P/fc studies lately. Although some of the AI ones are sooooo boring, but I persevere, as its all about making some extra cash.

Next pension day (May 25th) is the start of the new amount from pay rise, so I will do some more number crunching then and amend a lot of the transfers to saving pots etc. Not sure the amount we pay to the debts will increase if I keep the hearing aids, but if I decide against them, I can do some serious rejigging then. Maybe that's my worry, that is making me feel depressed. Hearing aids mean less money to debts, but then they are supposed to be something I need….we'll see.

Grocery budget is going ok and may even come in under budget this period….fingers crossed. Also I still have £30 left in the petrol pot this month, and certainly won't spend that in the next 10 days, so there will at least be a bit to put to one side towards when we go away for 3 nights in June. Its only about 2 hours north of here, but with the cost of petrol these days, every little helps. I think I am being a lot more cautious about using the car now petrol has gone up so much. I try and tie things in together if I can a lot more now. Like shopping and dancing class on the same day. I'm even considering using the bus to go shopping a bit more now, but my free bus pass isn't useable until after 9.30, and its a right trek into nearest town, by the time its gone through the next village and round the houses, take nearly half hour….car takes 10 mins. But maybe I should take my book and just put up with it. Might give it a try soon and see what I think.

Well its come out nice and sunny now, typical now the day is nearly over. Might get a few jobs done before dinner. Want to make a crumble as well, got some pears that need using up.

Have a nice evening everyone

liselle

Is it definitely 9.30 before you can use your pass? It used to be that time where I live, but it changed to 9.00 (very quietly, I may say, they didn’t advertise it…..)

Makingabobor2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81998796#Comment_81998796

Yes definitely 9.30 here. I'd use it a lot more if it was earlier

Makingabobor2

Well the panes for the shed windows arrived, but still no fixing packs to actually attach them. Still not had a reply from the company either, after my email to them. I must say I am really disappointed with them. We chose this one based on the good reviews that they had, plus DH wanted me to get one with a longer warranty and where the wood had been treated, so would last longer, so we ended up paying more than I originally thought we would. I have communicated this in my email to them, so we'll see what reply I get.

Been a funny sort of day today, cold this morning, but now sunny again. Walked to the village this morning and posted another parcel I had sold on V*nt*d. Still waiting for one woman to pay for another item she desperately wanted and I agreed a cheaper price, and now she is ignoring me. Why do people do this? I wouldn't have lowered the price if she hadn't wanted it. Decluttering is still continuing, so hoping there will be more to list over the weekend.

Had a few P/fc studies this afternoon, got about £13 waiting to cash out later and another £30 waiting to approve. Its turning out to be another good month.

Now need to go and peel some veggies ready for dinner and see if anything needs watering in the greenhouse. Still covering it all up with bubble wrap at night, as nights still about 4c here at the moment. Looking better next week though….about time!

Plans for the weekend are to do stuff in the garden if the weather is ok, and Sunday afternoon we are off out to a concert, paid for from my Fun Pot….I sift odd amounts from the main account into it every day, it soon mounts up, 50p here and £1 here, then I put a small amount from my survey earnings into it as well. Bought the cheapest seats, so we are way at the back….good job is musical and not something I need to actually see too well, as I'd never focus on the stage from that far back…its row U! Can't remember the last time we actually went out to anything, so will be a nice change.

Sun_Addict

You’re doing amazingly well with the surveys! Enjoy the concert 🙂

Makingabobor2

Anyone else not getting notifications for their bookmarked threads? I'm having to go into them to look. Not had any for 2 days now. Tried logging out and back in again, in case that helped, but it didn't

Anyway, sorry for the radio silence lately. Been plodding on and busy and very hot!

Still awaiting the rest of the fixing packs for the shed, they sent the metal parts, but not the wooden parts that they attach to. I've rung twice and emailed twice. So they sent yet another packet of metal parts, even though the girl on the phone assured me it was the wooden parts that had been dispatched! I have now asked what compensation they are going to offer me as this has been going on for a month now and has been abysmal service. At least the shed is up, and DH has put polythene over the windows. He says if they don't send the right parts by the end of the week, he will have to make some up with some wood he has. I just can't believe they can be so bad. I know others have had good experience with them, so it seems they are ok till something goes wrong and then their customer service dept is awful

Hearing aids were picked up last Friday to trial, will have to post more about that another day as I just noticed the time and need to get on with some clearing up and dinner. Been doing P/fc studies all afternoon, they are going well at the moment.

Baileys_Babe

@Makingabobor2 said:

Anyone else not getting notifications for their bookmarked threads? I'm having to go into them to look. Not had any for 2 days now. Tried logging out and back in again, in case that helped, but it didn't

I've not received any notifications since the 20th of May, I have read of a lot of people mentioning it.

The problems with your shed are ridiculous, I hope the are resolved quickly and you get a good will gesture

Makingabobor2

Well I am still not getting notifications of my bookmarked threads, tried logging out and back in, then I tried un bookmarking them and then book marking them again. No idea what is going on. Will have to look at how I can message and ask for help.

So I have spent the morning with spreadsheets, online banking, pen and notebook and worked out a few new transfers to savings pots etc, in light of me now having the hearing aids. I have paid a deposit, and taking the rest over 12 months interest free, with the option to pay more/pay it all off if & when I can. I didn't want to take it over 12 months, but just didn't have that kind of spare cash, and was not going to use credit card or dip into the "new Car savings pot", or EF pot. I already had to dip into EF as my phone decided to stop holding its charge and taking forever to charge. All these things are sent to try us. But on the bright side, I now have pension rise and DH has pay rise, so was able to throw all that into the mix and work a few things out.

So new phone is purchased, its a cheap one, but one with good reviews and some friends and family have one, and say they are good. Its a S*ms*ng A54, my current model is an A50. It arrived this morning and DH will transfer all my stuff over later/tomorrow.

I have now put the New Car savings back to £100 a month, I had lowered it to £30 while I saved for my hearing aid deposit. So that pot will never be touched for anything else, and is in a NW savings account at 6.5% until Oct, then will look at starting another one. Would like to get the EF into a higher rate account as well, so that is on my list of things to do. Currently £40 a week goes into that one, as DH gets paid weekly. Then there are the other pots which are House/Garden, Annual Bills, Teeth & Eyes, Car Maintenance. Then there is the one I am calling F&F (Full & Final Settlements) which I am saving extra on top of what we are already paying to the debts, so we can try and get a settlement figure.

My pension pays for groceries, petrol, hair cuts, holidays, Christmas & birthdays, a buffer pot in case I go over on the housekeeping, clothes and what I call my "self care pot", which is dance classes, gym and massage. That pot is basically my personal spending money, as I don't really buy myself much else, apart from the odd bar of chocolate. Then I have a pot called "My garden stuff" which is for stuff that's not essential but that I would like in the garden…so that is built up slowly and not on a regular basis. I have also started a pot called "DH's 60th", which isn't until 2029, but I thought if I put £1 a day from surveys etc, then I would have a good haul by the time I want to book something nice for him. I also have a Fun Pot", which is funded from tidying the current accounts each day, and the odd bit from surveys. That is used for coffees out and things like when we went to that concert the other week.

I have thought of starting a savings pot for "tax", I worked it out and if P/fc studies continue at the rate they are for me, then I would end up over my £1000 at the end of the tax year and have to declare it. Not saying I will go over, but maybe best to be prepared. I am already taxed on my pension, as I have a small private pension as well as state pension. So I will work out what the amount is likely to be, based on the last couple of months, and see how much tax I would likely pay, and put the odd bit to one side. If P/fc all slows down again, then I can use it for paying towards something else.

We are currently £148 in credit with the tentacled ones, so that will build nicely towards the winter, as we currently pay £130 a month, even though they suggested £135. Our tariff ends in August, so will be interesting to see what the best deal is they can offer us then. We never went in the red once this last winter, which must be the first time that has ever happened. Our mobile phones are on really cheap deals, and house/car/motorbike insurance are all the cheapest I can find. Not much we can do about the price of petrol or council tax, so looks like we are stuck with those …LOL And now we are on a water meter, we are saving a lot more than we were on normal rates, so just trying to save even more in the hope they might put it down when the next bill comes in September. Currently we are paying £38

Oh there is one other thing I am thinking of saving for. Been saying for ages that we should do our LPA's. I understand that they are £90 each now, so with 2 each to do, that is £360! I think its an important thing to do, even though I know it will drive me mad doing it. I remember doing my dad's a few years ago and having to print a copy as a Master, so we could highlight where different people had to sign and which bits needed filling in etc. But I really should get on with it….no one knows what's round the corner do they?

So that is how my day has panned out so far. Now I need to get some ironing done and unpack my new phone which arrived this morning, then a couple of bits in the garden, a shower and dinner!

Makingabobor2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82015742#Comment_82015742

Glad its not just me then with the notifications!

The shed saga is continuing! I had an email from the supervisor, as my complaint had been passed on. She said that they had dispatched some "wooden" bits to me, but she could now see from my email, that they were not the correct parts, and she would dispatch yet another order of the right parts!! She sent her apologies again. I replied that her apology meant nothing now, and that the whole customer service dept was a complete joke!!

Makingabobor2

So the weekend passed in the blink of an eye, and still DH couldn't finish the shed, as the correct parts hadn't turned up. I got home this morning to find some wooden strips by the front door, so fingers crossed that these are the correct one. This has now been ongoing since April 13th, and all I can get out of them, is "sorry". Twice I have mentioned compensation of some sort, as I think the service is dire, but they just ignore that and say "sorry". I even asked for my email to be sent on the complaints dept, but there has been no mention of that either. I might see if I can find an email for them online, as I think they should know what their customer service dept is like.

Saw on FB a few weeks ago, a place called The C0mp*ny Sh0p. The sell food and a few non food items, that would normally go to waste, at cheaper prices. I was eligible to apply for a members card as I came under the bracket of "getting a pension". There were other criteria as well, like being on certain benefits, being a member of NHS, Emergency services etc. So I went along today to pick up my card and have a look. Quite good, not the sort of place you would get your whole weeks shopping, but worth a visit every few weeks to see if there is anything you need and stock up maybe. A few brand names….Mr T, MNS, W*lk*rs, B*tch*l*rs, H**nz, etc, but also a lot of unbranded stuff. Got some pickled Beetroot for 30p a jar, Soy sauce for 40p, Cranberry for 45p (or 2 for 75p), some good value broken biscuits, few frozen bits, Loo rolls were £6 for 24, which seemed good value as I pay £4 for 9. Some of the stuff was obviously left over from Christmas as a lot of Gingerbread flavour stuff, frozen pigs in blankets etc. So all in all, definitely worth a visit. I think it will depend on what they have on the day really, but as it was just up the road from where I go to the gym, it was worth it. Very cold in there though as its a big warehouse type of place….dread to think what its like in winter. There's quite a few through the country apparently.

Finished the month on £277 from P/fc studies, so onward and upwards now into June and see what that brings.

Picked my first strawberries of the year yesterday, can't believe we had ripe ones already. Got a few strawberry plants that don't actually look like they are going to do much, just growing big green leaves and that's it. Might get a couple more plants if its not too late. Also have had 2 pickings from the rhubarb now, and made more crumble yesterday. Made double the crumble topping and put half in the freezer. Also made a chilli yesterday, and half of that has been frozen.

Debated about whether to water the garden this morning. Glad I didn't, its absolutely pouring down now.

Well I need to get in with some ironing now and a couple of other jobs, then maybe time for some piano and maybe even some jigsaw puzzle.