We will get this debt down & the savings up

dawnybabes

What lovely DGS’s you have. 

My mum has recently got HA from the NHS - she was referred to a high street shop (I think Spec S but can’t be sure) given the test and immediately given HA to take home.  She’s been back in a few times  for adjustments as she’s getting used to them.  I’d be tempted to try the NHS ones as you’ve nothing to loose and lots to gain if they work, 

Makingabobor2

Afternoon all. 
@dawnybabes, We do have a local SS's, but I wouldn't go near it if it was the last optician left in the country....lol.  The stories I have heard about how rubbish they are, and the number of people I know personally that have had problems with them, is ridiculous.  As I have said before, I did have the NHS test, which was no where near as thorough as the ones done privately. But I am still weighing up the options, to decide if I actually do really need them right away or not.  I have an appointment to go back to B00t* next week for the long 75 min free test where they do the speech test, and see what accents, ranges etc you are struggling with.   I need to talk to audiologist a lot more, and ask many questions. Although I am struggling to get some of the words, I can actually hear, and in fact sometimes I want the sound turned down as it just seems to loud an echoey for me.  But they were saying how sometimes this is the case, an the HAs will help to actually just make the bit you are trying to listen to clearer. But what I don't want is for everything to be amplified, 'cause it would drive me mad.  You know sometimes when music is on a tv program? And you can hear the music but not hear what they are saying exactly?  Well I don't want the music amplified, as I am already turning it down as it sounds too loud. Same with the radio. Can't stand having it on half the time now TBH,  it just sounds too loud, even though I can't make out exactly what they are saying.    Anyway, I'll see what happens when I talk to them. Then decide what to do.  I would prefer NHS to save money, but from what I understand, they are quite basic ones and not as good as some others.  

Anyway, onto other things. 
Been a strange day today, got up late as was very tired after our babysitting night, even though we were back at 10....normally we go to be at 9. So it just threw me out completely.   
This morning's housework tasks were cleaning the glass display cabinet, hoovering downstairs and steaming kitchen floor, cleaning all the kitchen sides, and cleaning sink with green bleach, as well as loos etc. 

I've just checked banks/ledgers and altered one of the transfers that goes in from DH's pay each week.  Making the EF £10 less each week, and increasing the House pot.  Still a lot of trial and error at the moment. 

Today was another NSD. Didn't make my monthly target, but did end up on 14/15, so not too bad. 
Still not heard back from debt companies re making final payments. They are very slow. 

Tonight's dinner is using up bits from the freezer and then Monday is the start of new budget period. So will get my shopping list done over the weekend and see what we need.  Ended up with £15 left in the petrol pot, won't need anymore over the weekend, so will leave that in there so there is a surplus when we do need it, and there was £3.08 left in Housekeeping pot, which I have moved to the Refill/Stock up pot.  I haven't been to the refill shop this month, but I know I will have to make a visit next month

So that's about it. Have a good evening. 

Makingabobor2

Morning all

Been busy the last few days and not had a chance for a long sit down and a real good catch up.  Monday was the start of the next 4 week budget period, pension day, so money has been sent, here, there and everywhere to various pots and accounts. All looking ok so far
I did a freezer/cupboard inventory and then wrote a lovely long shopping list, and went off to L*d! & quick pop in Mr S for couple of bits I can't get in L.  But what did I do?  Left my shopping list on the side in the kitchen!!  I could remember most of it, and actually didn't forget anything urgent that was on there, but I did however end up buying a couple of bits that weren't on the list.  All things we will eat though and actually I don't think I'll need to do a big shop next week, just bit of fruit & veg and couple of bits  from butcher. Also I am planning on a trip to the zero waste refill shop next week, as I have an appt in the same village. So that will be a good stock up of hand wash, ketchup, coffee,  nuts, sultanas, noodles, cocoa, etc etc  and they will last a long while. Also apparently I have won a prize for purchasing some face scrub the last time I visited before Christmas, so that is worth collecting. 

Oh, I also nipped into Mr M yesterday on my way home, as ours always has some excellent yellow sticker deals if you get there at the right time of day.  Got 2 red cabbage for 20p!  So one is going to be shredded and put in freezer, but I need to nip to village for some more freezer bags, didn't realise I had run out.  Also got a yellow stickered loaf, and some hot dog rolls. 

On the debt busting front, another creditor has been wiped off the list and the total amount owed is now reduced by almost £400. Felt really good paying it off yesterday.  Its a slow process, but we are getting there and the debt saving pot is mounting as well, ready to pay some more soon. As long as its going in the right direction, that is the main thing, and as long as our savings are going up. 

Went to DD's yesterday to drop off a book that DH has just finished and thought DGS1 might like to read. He is almost 16 but reads so much....unlike his twin brother, who hates books with a passion!  So while I was there DD offered me 5 novels she has just finished.  Not one to turn down a freebie, I accepted, but then realised that's not helping my decluttering....lol.  They will get passed on or taken to CS once read though, so its not as if they are in the house forever.  Decluttering is still going well. 

Cashed out £5 from TCB yesterday, but won't count it on my signature until it arrives in the bank. Still got over £100 awaiting approval. We used it for insurance and also I always go through them when I order vitamins, but some companies just take forever to track it seems.  Still, its a way of saving. 

January was a good month for studies and surveys, as well as selling a couple of bits on FBMP, so ended up with over £100 all in all.  More than happy with that. Although I need to keep an eye on what I get from studies, as will have to to a SA to tax man if I get over £1K in a tax year. Will make sure I don't get that much, as its not worth it I don't think. 

Washing is on the line as the sun is shining. Not much wind though, so not sure how dry it will get, but anything is better than nothing. 

On the spending front, we need to buy a new kitchen tap!  DH fixed ours a couple of times in the past few years, but the leak now is so bad and apparently the size of the washer is hard to find as the tap is very old.   So we have seen the one we like, not too dear, but not the cheapest, as can sometimes be a false economy, and our lovely plumber/gas engineer, ( who is also DH's 2nd cousin), will fit it when he comes to service the boiler in a couple of weeks.  Going to order the tap in a bit, but will do another quick whizz online first to make sure it is the best one to get. At least we have savings pots for these things now.  

Car insurance has been renewed. Not much increase at all really, and we were able to pay in one lump sum this year as well, now that we have our "annual bills pot",  which saved even more.  Annual bills pot will hopefully cover car insurance, house insurance, breakdown insurance, DH's motorbike insurance and annual servicing of boiler and gas fire.  DH actually paid the bike tax in a lump sum this year as well, as its such a minimal amount.  We do still pay car tax monthly and also TV licence, but might change them as time goes by. 

On the subject of monthly bills, we are waiting with baited breath to see how much the water rates and council tax will go up this time.  I have been reading that some councils are increasing by 10% !!!  Hope ours isn't one of them. In the past we have always been one of the lowest in the country apparently, and we are only in a band B house. 

So that's it for now, need to get the dishes done and then nip to the village for a walk and get some freezer bags. I hate using plastic, but not much else I can use for freezing veg, and at least I can wash and  reuse them.  Walk might  warm me up a bit as well, as I turned the heating down and am just starting to get cold feet sat in the kitchen.  

Have a good day everyone. 

EssexHebridean

Our water bill hasn't increased as much as I was expecting - just an extra £2 I think it was on the DD taking it to £20 a month - i was fully expecting that but I think if it hadn't been for the across the board hike in prices we'd have seen a drop, as they are still getting to grips with our use, so that offset things a bit I reckon. 

You're going great guns with the decluttering! I probably need to have a little review of the stuff we've accumulated since we've been in the house to be honest - books we often keep now, but they do have to tick the box of something that one or both of us will definitely want to read again. Others get passed to Mum or sent on to the charity shop again - often the same one they came from originally! 

Makingabobor2

Wow, £20 a month @EssexHebridean,  that's amazingly cheap. Ours was £79 last year, but we only pay over 8 months, but still dearer than yours.   We don't have a meter, keep thinking about it, but as DH uses quite a lot with hose pipe cleaning car and motor bike and we also have a fish pond that we have to clean out and refill  sometimes in the spring/summer, I'm not sure if it would be a lot cheaper TBH.  I am worried that if we had one, I would be forever telling Dh off, as he tends to run the tap quite a bit rinsing things when he washes up. I already tell him not to, as he's wasting water, but think if we were paying for each ml he ran down the sink, I'd be really having a go at him...lol.  Its is something I keep thinking of looking into again, so we'll see. 

Makingabobor2

Well just a quick update. Not much excitement here really.  The weekend was lovely, DH went to his sister's on Saturday to do some DIY for her, and I stayed home and did some reading, puzzle and studies.  Then on Sunday we went for a walk to drop off a parcel to be returned and then I made fruit crumble & a coconut/almond cake and decided to have roast veggies and sausages for dinner while I had the oven on, and not the spag bol that we were intending to have. So will have that today.  Watched a film in the afternoon while sampling the cake with a cup of ginger tea....very nice way to spend an hour and half. 
Been wearing lots of layers today as it seems to have got a lot colder and I don't want the heat on more than really needed. We used enough last month, not sure I want to see this month's bill.  Reading is due to be sent in a few days. Then next month we are away for 4 days, so that might help keep next month's down a bit. 

Had to do some washing today, as saved it from yesterday, hoping for a nice day, but it didn't happen, so had to dry it on the radiator airers, apart from a bit which had no choice but to go in the TD on eco setting.  Just ran out of room, and hate damp washing everywhere.  Need to keep some space for when DH gets in from work as his motorbike gear will be wet, and he always puts it on the big airer in the kitchen....oh how I wish we had a utility room. 

Bank accounts and spread sheets, all checked and signature updated. Today was another NSD, which is good. 

I need a new mouse for my laptop, and I did order a really cheap one from the Big River site, but it was far too small and flimsy feeling, so sent it back...very impressed with how quickly they refunded me, so that has gone back into the Appliance/Tech replacement pot. DH has now said that he actually has one in his desk at work that he can bring home for me to try. Apparently it is one of those vertical, ergonomic ones, so supposed to be more comfy if you have arthritis in wrists, fingers etc. So hoping it will be ok, and that is some money saved. 

Had a few P/fc studies over the weekend, and a couple today, so just waiting for them to all approve. Looks like being a good month so far for surveys. 

Well, think that's about all for now. Best get started on the spag bol and should be enough mince to save some for doing something for tomorrow's dinner as well.  
Stay warm everybody. 

badmemory

My water rates have gone up 27.5%,  They even sent a leaflet with it explaining what they are supposed to be doing with it, but no mention of the CEOs bonus going up.

Have you got a mouse mat that has the raised bit to rest the heel of your hand on, I'm sure mine does help.

Makingabobor2

Wow, that's a lot @badmemory, hoping ours doesn't go up that much.  Yes, I do have a mouse mat, but it turns out that the upright mouse DH brought me home from work, is perfect, and much better than a normal one....and didn't cost a penny.  

Makingabobor2

Afternoon all. What another dreary day. Sun decided to come out for half an hour, just as I hopped in the shower, after spending the day doing chores in my pjs.  Don't often do that, but as I had no plans to go out today, I thought I'd start with my exercises this morning, then stripped the bedding, got it washed and hung over the airers,  did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen sides and MW, AF etc. Hoovered through downstairs and then took the Vax upstairs to do the same and put the clean sheets on before having a shower and cleaning the bath and loo.  Whilst hoovering in the spare bedroom I got fed up seeing a storage box on the floor, full of "memories".  Actually when I went through it, only half of it was stuff we really wanted to keep, so my number of decluttering items has risen quite a bit today. I also did some shredding of old financial documents we no longer need.  I am determined to sort the whole house out this year so that there is not going to be too much for the kids to sort, when we are gone. Even things that seemed sentimental a few years ago, no longer do. I am currently in the process of filling another bag for charity shop, which hopefully will fill up over the weekend. 

In between those jobs I managed a nice P/fc study and now have a small amount to cash out today, with some more pending. 

Dinner tonight is DH's favourite pie, chips and peas, he loves on a Friday. I try not to do it every Friday now, but as its Valentines Day, I suppose I should let him have it. Its about the only time he has something UP and not cooked from scratch.  I need to do a quick freezer dive to see what I can find for myself, as I'm not a pie and chips fan at all.  Think there is a portion of soup left in there, so that would do. 

I gave him his recycled/reused card this morning in a recycled bag with a voucher I got him. He said he was in a rush and would look at it tonight. I think that means he forgot what day it was and wants to nip out for chocolate or something...lol..  We don't normally do Valentines, but he does often buy me my favourite chocolate and I thought he deserved a treat after he had used his small old pension pot to pay off the mortgage last year. 

Today was also a NSD, so another win there. 

So time to cash out today's earnings I think and pull the curtains and tidy up. Might get a half hour on my puzzle or reading my latest book before DH gets in. 
Have a good evening all.  

Blackcats

Sounds like you had a busy PJ day.   Let us know what your DH gets you for Valentines.