Diary of a 30-something idiot

enthusiasticsaver

I am in the LGPS although retired now and I would urge you not to reduce pension contributions but look at other options like reducing outgoings or increasing income. Prioritise the bills first. The LGPS is one of the few defined benefit schemes still going meaning your pension will be linked to salary rather than contributions and stock market performance. By reducing to 50% you are effectively halving your entitlement so you would need to work for 2 years rather than 1 for the same benefit. Because tax is deducted after your pension contribution you also won’t save as much as you think you will as you will lose the tax incentive and employer contribution. 

foxandflowers

Points about Pension taken duly on board, I shall leave it as it is, I think. 

Was rather annoyed that I paid for the train yesterday (2 singles, cheaper than a return) (£6.80) and neither of the stops are gated, and nobody checked my ticket. And I know that I still need to pay for the good of public transport or whatever, but it really annoyed me that I couldn't save nearly £7. 

Came home, and made dinner, then turned around and went and posted some Vinted parcels. £10.50 away from breaking my first £100 of the year! I have a week left of January and I'd like to break that before the end of it. 

I then decided that a major declutter was in order of the Office Cupboard (aka, hideyhole/Monica's cupboard/shame area) as I cannot seriously call myself an aspiring minimalist if I can't even open a cupboard because it will all collapse on me. I was also hoping to find some money, but no such luck

I did find all my childhood memories, nicely filed away but hidden, so that was really nice because I thought I had lost them. I also found approximately 15 cross stitch kits, a whole file of patterns, and about four kits I've started and given up on. So now I have a big free hobby that will hopefully take up the majority of the next three years. 
I also found a big stash of nightwear? I don't know why that was in there, or why I have so many pyjama sets. At least 20. But at least it's given me more things to list on Vinted haha. 

I need to pay for this month's school lunches sooner rather than later, as there is almost £30 outstanding. I thought I'd topped up the account before Christmas, but obviously only thought about it and didn't actually follow through. 

Today will be a No Spend Day, as I finish off sorting through all the paperwork I discovered yesterday, list a new pile on Vinted, do some laundry, and make myself cheesy jacket potatoes and tomato soup for lunch. The weather is miserable, so comfort food is needed. 

enthusiasticsaver

Haha love it.  Monica's cupboard of shame. Great idea to use up stuff you already have rather than buy more.  I am definitely in the minimalist category.  If the cupboard won't hold the stuff comfortably it gets sorted and stuff gets ditched, given away or sold. I am glad you decided not to reduce pension contributions.  Your future self will thank you. 

foxandflowers

I applied for Marriage Allowance today. It ought to be granted, and hopefully the rebate cheque will arrive and boost the beginnings of my Emergency Fund! I mean realistically, that Emergency Fund will likely go towards the new tyres at the end of February, but its a START. Annoyingly, none of the salary calculators I tried have Marriage Allowance as an option, so I can't forecast if it will affect my wages. 

slm6002

From my memory of having the allowance, it is just the tax code that will change when you put your details in the calculator.  I am not sure we received actual money but I may be wrong.  I think the amount of tax XH then paid was reduced for the next few months up to the end of the tax year. 

Crazycatlady2

It changes your tax code so you earn a bit more before paying tax. I don't work so we applied 

Kim_13

slm6002 said:

From my memory of having the allowance, it is just the tax code that will change when you put your details in the calculator.  I am not sure we received actual money but I may be wrong.  I think the amount of tax XH then paid was reduced for the next few months up to the end of the tax year. 

£252 a year currently. Backdatable to 5 April 2019. I can’t recall if you mentioned how long you’d been married, but seem to remember an anniversary being mentioned so there should be some backdating to be done. 

Remember to cancel it if you become a Higher Rate Taxpayer.

scandimore

When I applied for marriage allowance and backdated it, I got a cheque for each backdated year. It was a backdated only claim as we're no longer entitled but fingers crossed to cheques coming your way very soon!

foxandflowers

Monumental news from the Fox Household - all TV services have been cancelled this morning. Am undecided on if we will keep Netflix, but the general plan is to get a FreeView box at some point, and use free apps in the mean time. 

I will be doing a round up post of January's spends tomorrow, and setting my plan for February. It will be a belt tightening month, as I have £135 left until the 26th February. 

enthusiasticsaver

The marriage allowance will reduce the tax you pay so the first pay after the taxcode change should be higher.  NI has also reduced so that may give you a bit more in your take home pay.  Sensible to cancel all the TV services if money is tight.