Flying solo

twiggy86

I had an update re balance transfer application to say that my payslips hadn't been accepted (don't show my address!). However, I have uploaded my P60 instead - thankfully was able to get boss to print out latest one as couldn't find it. Fingers crossed it goes through this time - swear they've asked for more info than any other company has in the past!!! 

I've also had a thought about a crochet project that I had abandoned, as I'm feeling like I'm getting my mojo back fro crocheting again! Probably the evenings getting darker and feeling cosier! It will mean un-doing some of my work but think it will mean I will actually work on it - had kind of fallen out of love with it as it wasn't quite right! It will allow me to use up some scraps - although I think maybe I should go through my stash and get rid of some... although maybe I should see how much crochet I do this winter before I do that! 

Humdinger1

@twiggy86 can I strongly advise you to take out puppy insurance.   I have a spaniel and at 18 months old he was in hospital for a month! The miracle pup but it would have cost £20k- yes, not fat fingers; literally twenty thousand pounds!!  Enjoying your diary love Humdinger x 

FacelessNumber

Just adding on to the insurance issue - make sure you get lifetime insurance, this is where they will continue to cover for things that may be ongoing, for example if they need meds every month. You do get tied into an insurer once they have any kind of illness or injury but often that doesn't happen for a long time! We got our current dog insured with Waggle.

Also once your vet finds something it would then potentially not be covered by any insurance, so you really need the insurance first.

twiggy86

Thanks @Humdinger1 and @FacelessNumber - but wow to £20k!!!! 

I had to get a bulb for my tortoises on my way home yesterday as it blew in the morning and I didn't have a spare! So that was £9, followed by £22 in Aldi. Didn't need to grab much as I have acro tonight and bf is going to the pub to meet some friends, then tomorrow I have netball and he has a networking event, then Friday we are off to visit his dad for the weekend. I did buy some chicken breasts and cooked one last night when I was making dinner for me to have in a wrap for my lunch - meaning I have a slightly bigger lunch today as won't have time for dinner. I have bought the pooch to work with me today so she isn't left all day and evening! Tomorrow I will be working from home, so again she'll have company. 

No word re balance transfer yet! 

Today's bits and pieces...

• Make lunch to take to work
• Take old picture frame to work - it came off the wall when I dusted it and decided I don't like it any more, but boss wanted it 
• Update spreadsheet 
• Consider making CC payment - don't need to and planned to pay one big chunk when statement comes in but I'm twitchy and want to see progress! 
• Charge phone at work 
• Sort home insurance 
• Consider chasing up a refund that hasn't appeared yet - they emailed to say they had received on 14 Sept and to allow 10 working days for refund
• Work on crochet project at lunch - although will take pooch out too so may not have time
• Pop into town on way home for something I need
• Check "stock" and list re-items on Etsy 
• Pay lowest amount at acro
• Possibly just have some toast when I get back from acro

twiggy86

Couple of little updates...

I emailed re refund and have had an apology and that it will be actioned asap! It will go back into a "pot" so not a huge deal for the budget but obviously want my money back!

I re-activated my ISA and moved my £1k EF into there - will have a look and see if I can switch to a higher interest rate ISA. Previously my ISA was completely empty and the EF sat in a separate savings account - moving it into the ISA won't make a huge difference but every penny helps! 

Made a £10 CC payment - which takes the balance on the HSBC card to £350. Ideally want there cleared by 19th October when the interest free period ends - according the spreadsheet this is potentially doable! Will wait until balance transfer goes through, statements come in etc in case anything changes as a result (it shouldn't!)

Re-activated a couple of my etsy listings that I know I still have. Cost me a small amount to re-list (only a couple of pounds) but hoping it's worth it! 

Floss

I agree with pet insurance - my son's cat is on daily medication for diabetes and gets all his medication & blood tests covered. I did have my cat covered, but had to let it lapse due to cost and she now has arthritis 🙄

twiggy86

Great acro class last night! So happy classes are back on! I paid the lower amount and was able to take a pack of 6 rolls from the "bread bin" - a local supermarket now brings all the bread that is going out of date that day for people to take to free. I had one as a quick snack when I got home last night! 

Received an email saying that my refund is finally processed so will receive shortly... however it was for £1 less than I think it should be! So email sent about that this morning! 

Working from home today and bf is at home "sick". He is ill but not ill enough that he couldn't work, but the issue is that he's pretty much lost his voice and his job requires him to be on the phone a lot! So he's at home on voice rest in the hopes it comes back soon! Will be annoying if it doesn't as we're going to visit his family for the weekend, so won't be great if he can't actually talk to them!!! 

Anyway, on to today's list...

• Email re refund 
• Load of washing on 30 degree quick wash 
• Update spreadsheet 
• Snap a receipt 
• Consider whether to go to the festival again next year - I have a £50 off voucher which expires today 
• Hang washing on airer 
• Lunch and dinner from stores
• Check "stock" and list re-items on Etsy 
• Park for free at netball 

twiggy86

Ended up signing up for an extra game of netball last night AND had to pay for parking as there was no free parking available and a traffic warden sniffing around! However, we won both games and I probably played the best I ever have in the first game! 

I also signed up for that festival! I said to bf about it and his response was "why are you debating it, you loved it"! Very true but it cost £319! I paid £50 deposit and will pay £30 each month, so just need to work that into the budget! I got a £50 amazon voucher from my bosses for my birthday which I spent yesterday on some tortoise food and a fancy dress costume - so what I will do is effectively move the money from the relevant pots, so that (at least in my head) it works that they paid the deposit! Make sense to anyone else?! Probably not! 

Working from home again today and then off to Doncaster (about 5 hour drive!) after work to visit bf's dad and family. We're coming back on Sunday, so only a couple of days away. We're taking the pooch and my mum will pop in tomorrow to feed the tortoises! So today's list looks like...

• Update spreadsheet 
• Lunch from stores
• Make £25 CC payment... makes me feel better about booking the festival and means I can colour in a square in my "100 steps" goal for this year*
• Freeze two chicken breasts (won't be here to use them over the weekend) 
• Take some drinks/ snacks for the car 

* However, since typing this I have checked my MBNA CC to see if the balance transfer has gone through yet... it hasn't, but my interest has gone up from £10 a month previously to £40!!! Hoping the transfer goes through asap, if not I guess I'll have to arrange a different balance transfer! 

twiggy86

Lovely weekend spent with bf's dad and meeting some of bf's family. Bf drove (5ish hours) but will double check if he wants any money for petrol. I did some of the driving on the way back to give him a break and we stopped at the Diddly Squat Farm Shop which was only a bit of a detour - I couldn't go in the shop as had the pooch but bf did and bought a few bits. Overpriced but oh well, we enjoyed our trip! I did buy us some food on the way up and a takeaway last night as was feeling too lazy and tired - also coming down with something, which was my excuse! Spreadsheet all updated to reflect these naughty treats! 

Bad news was that I heard from ex and his dog is really poorly with kidney failure and won't last much longer. I say "his dog" as he got him a few weeks before we got together, and then it worked best for ex to take him when we split - but pooch was in my life for 16 years (10 of which was us living together). So I'm still very sad. Need to decide if I want to see pooch whilst I have the chance - think I will regret it if I don't. 

Took me a couple of emails but I did manage to get my £1 back on my refund! Also got £1.04 interest on one of my accounts! Need to check my list from last week to see if there was anything I didn't complete. One thing that wasn't on there that I did was waxing my legs myself! Already had the strips so no cost! At some point this week I really need to try get to a bank - have £100 cash that I withdrew for my tattoo that I didn't need (wasn't sure how much it would cost) that I need to pay back in! Oh and frustratingly, I still haven't heard any more re the balance transfer! Will need to consider my options if I don't hear something soon as obviously now it is incurring interest and I want to keep that as low as possible!!! 

Back in the office today, so my list is as follows...

• Load of washing on 30 degree was
• Make lunch to take to work 
• Update spreadsheet 
• Make small CC payment - my "save the change" pot had reached £5 so I sent that to CC (this is also where I temporarily put any extras, such as TCB amounts) 
• Work on crochet project at lunch 
• Dinner from stores - took some mince out of freezer last night 

kayannie

So sad to hear about your ex's pooch - I lost my first dog to kidney failure & although I've had several dogs since, I think you never forget the first. My personal thoughts are that you should see him, he won't have forgotten you & seeing you will bring him happiness. 
KA