Small steps lead to big changes...

jwil

NeverendingDMP said:

It's difficult isn't it when things are so uncertain. The heart wants you to get the mortgage down as you've been doing so well but the job insecurity makes you rethink doesn't it. Whichever method you choose your mortgage is a lot less than it would have been without the pads! 
Good luck at the dentist. A friend at work became a member of his private dentist scheme as it gave him reduced rates. He signed up for six months got all his work done and then became a person just on the normal private list again. Do work or the dentist or anyone have any plans you can sign up to that might make dentists/opticians etc any cheaper. It can be so expensive can't it. I'm very lucky that we are all still NHS at our house-touch wood it lasts a bit longer. Although two out of three the kids will only have NHS  till they are 16 as that's the only contract the dentists are given now near us. And we are registered at three different dentist surgeries so it's a bit like organised chaos to keep up with it all.

Thank you   

Good idea about the dentist, I'll see what they say tomorrow.  They do have plans, which gives about 10% off I think.  I checked at work a while back and there wasn't anything available there.  I'm tempted to just see if they'll pull it out, there's so little left and it's a back tooth anyway.

It's absolutely disgusting that children can't get NHS treatment any more around here.  It's so unfair on those that just cannot spare the money.  As with everything else, just saving up problems for the future.

teapot2 said:

Sorry to hear about the job uncertainty.  Makes sense to save rather than PAD just at the moment and to put it somewhere with high interest.  It would make a wee buffer fund in case things do go tits up 😥.  As you say, you can always OP it or the interest if things settle.

Thank you.  I'd feel better to have a bigger buffer for sure.

in_need_of_direction said:

Could you put the first half of the month’s pads to overpay your mortgage and the second to a just in case fund.  Maybe set a limit on the just in case at which you will do a transfer to the mortgage.  Having uncertain income, I was happier knowing outgoings were being minimised than money was being saved.  

Thank you.  This is a good idea and I might do that.  Like you, the mortgage is our biggest bill, and so not having it would remove a huge amount of financial pressure and I'd have the security of knowing we have a home regardless!  The other benefit of continuing the pads to the mortgage is that we can borrow them back if things got tough, so we'd have a buffer to help us get through.

ladyholly

I hope your job fears dont come true. It is a scary position to be in and very unsettling. I think your pad plan is a good one and will act as a buffer. If you are made redundant you should get a pay out depending on how long you have worked for the company and it might be worth you checking up on your rights .

EssexHebridean

Job uncertainty really is awful - anything you can do to at least semi-offset the "what if" fears around the financial side can only be worthwhile, and as you say, if you turn out to have nothing to worry about, the money can then be diverted elsewhere. As much as anything else, I think that feeling that you are "doing something" in itself is really helpful. 

jwil

beanielou said:

Sorry to hear about the job uncertainty. 

Nothing worse. 

Hopefully if things come to the worst you would get some sort of payment which you can use to reduce your mortgage. 

Big hugs xx

Thank you.  I did have a look at what my payment might be. It's not too bad, but if I had to take a lower paid job it might be needed to subsidise the income.  It would be nice to not need to though!

jwil

ladyholly said:

I hope your job fears dont come true. It is a scary position to be in and very unsettling. I think your pad plan is a good one and will act as a buffer. If you are made redundant you should get a pay out depending on how long you have worked for the company and it might be worth you checking up on your rights .

Thank you.  I'm nearly 20 years so it would be reasonable but only statutory.  I had a look at the calculator just to see. If I could get another job quickly it would be nice to add to savings or it might have to subsidise for a while if I'm on a lower wage.

EssexHebridean said:

Job uncertainty really is awful - anything you can do to at least semi-offset the "what if" fears around the financial side can only be worthwhile, and as you say, if you turn out to have nothing to worry about, the money can then be diverted elsewhere. As much as anything else, I think that feeling that you are "doing something" in itself is really helpful. 

Thank you.  Yes there's a lot to be said to be doing something.  It helps reduce the feeling of it all being out of my control.

jwil

Today's PAD - £2

Jan - £141
Feb - £139
March - £89
April £149
May - £79
June - £270
July - £253
August - £173
September - £120
October - £139

jwil

I sent my PAD to savings today.  Every little helps!

I've redeemed again from OP, that seems nice and quick since last time!  I've also cashed out on PA so will PAD that tomorrow.

I had the dentist today and they are really nice so I have registered the kids and booked their checkup.  I'm going back to have my tooth pulled tomorrow, which I'm very pleased about as it's very painful today.  That's not 'too' expensive so I don't have to worry about it, particularly as it's payday tomorrow.

DH has come home with the joyous news that his work is making several people redundant .  Thankfully he seems to be ok in this round.  It's yet more uncertainty though as times are clearly tough and this should be one of their busiest times of year. 

jwil

I applied for the Govt's free insulation scheme a while back, it's done through the energy companies.  They called today so we've got someone coming out to survey for cavity wall insulation.  It will be interesting to see what they say, and I'm not committed to anything.  If it works out it will be another thing ticked off the list of things needing done to the house and at hopefully little cost to us!  The insulation should be done by a grant, but they've identified a couple of things that will probably need to be done before they will do it which is fine as it's stuff that needed to be done anyway, so it will depend on the cost.

jwil

Today's PAD - £12

Jan - £141
Feb - £139
March - £89
April £149
May - £79
June - £270
July - £253
August - £173
September - £120
October - £151

beanielou

Great final pad for the month 😊