Debt, Endo and Reno

birdsfoottrefoil

One thing that has really depressed me/ given me a kick up the bum, is working out how little of the capital of my loan I pay off…. Since May I’ve paid over £1,200 but the amount has only gone down by about £600. 

It's been puzzling me why when I add my debt up after paying it goes down so little, but I think it’s partly because the interest is added onto the loan throughout the month. I’ve been noting down the amount it says I owe every few days for the last month. 

I have checked though and I can over pay which reduces the term, so that is the plan to tackle first! 

birdsfoottrefoil

Morning all,

I’ve so nearly had a no spend week this week. However as with my luck of getting my third cold of winter while the boyfriend has had none (how is this fair haha!). All my none spending has disappeared as my NHS dentist has chucked me off their list, for spurious reasons - apparently the dentist they’d “assigned” me to (which I wasn’t aware of) is going private later in the year so they’ve taken me off their list as a patient… May have had a cry down the phone at the poor receptionist. Have emailed our local health board as I don’t think it’s fair but they don’t think they’ll be re-recruiting or that I’ll be re-admitted in the short term.
 

Really quite annoyed honestly as there is no other NHS provision where I live or within a few hours. So the only option is to go private, I know you could wait for an emergency to be seen on the NHS but I think that costs you more in the long run and I am petrified of the dentist beyond a scrape and polish so do not want to risk more extensive dental work. So it’s £120 for the initial consult and then I’ve the option of joining Denplan? Does anyone do this and is it worth it?? As my wisdom teeth have been grumbling a bit I don’t think I’ve another option. 

Again this is hammering home the need to save up a proper emergency fund. 

One positive was I found £20 in a draw yesterday so that covered shopping (milk, eggs as the hens aren’t laying, corsodyl for the sore gums). So until the Dentist disaster I was thinking I was doing quite well! 

birdsfoottrefoil

On a frugal note made a gorgeous winter veg crumble. Using up Christmas cheese and all the odd veg that always lingers in the bottom of the box. So with that a the free pheasants we’ve had this week (which I’ve also made stock from), it’s been a really cheap week food wise. 

Do feel a bit frustrated that with all the veg we eat and how everything is cooked from scratch, I still am plagued with mouth ulcers and catch every cold going. 

We still have snow here which is making the light beautiful but gosh it’s so cold!!

birdsfoottrefoil

Hi everyone,

Just having a late lunch break so thought I’d check in. 

Have about £150 quid to last me to the end of the month. So that’s a wee bit depressing! On the positive side apart from some petrol (£20) and a small shop (7.55) it’s been a no spend weekend. Today and tomorrow will also be no spend except for Pilates tonight which is £7. Hopefully should be able to get to Friday with no spending except Milk and Petrol. 

Checked the loan and it’s gone up by about £7!! Quite depressing as it’s over £1 per day. I was wanting to pay off more, but as things are a little tight this month I’ve transferred £5 across to it. I think I’ve worked out even just £5 per month over payment would be £100 less in interest over the term. So I’m going to try and do an over payment each month to it.  I did a small one onto one of my cards last month so let’s hope this is the start of a good habit.

Leftovers for lunch today and then the same tonight. One of the neighbours has dropped in some pheasants they’ve been given as they don’t want to deal with them. I used to be quite squeamish but it’s funny how quickly you get over that when foods free. We’ve already got two, so I might suggest to the boyfriend we vat pack and freeze the breasts off them for another time. 

We’ve an announcement at work this week, so I’ve a funny feeling we might be in for a restructure….. 

vampirotoothus

Hi there, number 1 in your to do list is GET THE HOUSE SORTED. No more excuses from either you, the electrician or the joiner. If you rent it out for £450 pcm it is costing you £15 EVERY DAY that it is not finished.
Sorry for the caps, I just wanted to focus you a bit. Good luck V x (please don't be mad at me!)

birdsfoottrefoil

Hi @vampirotoothus I’m not mad at you at all!! I definitely need a kick on sometimes. I think I get a bit overwhelmed with it at times. 

I’ve started hassling the electrician more…. Spent the weekend getting jobs done at the house that I could do without him. It’s a bit of a nightmare as I need him back as he’s half way through, so it’ll need him to sign it off. I’ve rung a friend that knows him and asked if they can prod him as well. Had to explain it’s as I'm
going to be utterly skint soon (if not already).

In other matters:

- been really low spend this month but gosh it’s been a long one!!! If it wasn’t for Christmas I’d have extra left in the budget. Need to stick to this going forward!! I was a bit worried a week ago but thankfully I’ve only really had the car bill and I’d already paid some bills I had estimated were yet to go out, so it’s better then expected. 

- need a filling and wisdom tooth out. Not good especially as I’m no longer NHS. This has put my plans to see a specialist about my endo privately on hold. So a bit rubbish all round!! 

- a positive one that set off less so… exhaust fell off so was expecting a mega garage bill. £40!! Was so relieved!! 

-have achieved the “moist January” just had a pint on the weekend, but not during the week. 

-having a bit of a mare with Top Cashback, they haven’t linked my broadband order and say the order number I’ve been given isn’t in the normal format. I’ve rung up Plusnet to check and they’ve said it’s right so who knows!!!

- the work announcement was that they’re moving teams around. Apparently it’s not a formal restructure…. But the letter they’ve sent out states that they aren’t ruling this out depending on Gov budgets. So we shall see. 

Otherwise have been very antisocial recently, so meeting some friends this evening for a catch up. This fits in the budget and will be a nice treat. 

All this aside we don’t get paid till next Friday. Which cannot come soon enough!!

 

birdsfoottrefoil

Morning all, hope no one’s had too much damage or disruption with the weather. We seem to have escaped with a few fence panels down so far, but I haven’t been to check my house yet. 

Definitely a no spend day to day as I won’t be going anywhere with the weather. Spending this week has been limited to £5 yesterday on a meal deal as I had to unexpectedly go on a long visit with work yesterday and had no lunch, £46 physio appointment on Tuesday and £19 on Tuesday night as met up with some friends.

Had a look through my spending spreadsheet this morning before work. Just looking at my spending this calendar month and ignoring that my pay was in mid December (so yes I did fall into the Jan pay trap), my spending this calendar month is still £120 under my pay for the calendar month. This is the first time I’ve got to this point in the month with out overspending!! I realise I should have got here soooo much earlier in my diary (I didn’t realise how much I was spending till I started the spreadsheet) but for me it’s an achievement.

Looking at my spending spreadsheet I have overspent (by £115) in the grocery category, I can put this down to having quite a few friends round for a meal and drinks on New Years Day. So this should go back to normal next month. Going out, petrol and the odd stuff (a set amount to cover the weird things that don’t happen each month ie printer inc to work CPD courses) category are all well under budget.

No plans for the weekend and should get an extra £40 as have my last morning covering cleaning. 

As mentioned I won’t have council tax next month, however I need to be very mindful of my spending as I have 2 dental appointments which according to estimate will be £350 in total 🫠. This is budgetable if I keep the petrol, going out and odd stuff spends down, something to focus the mind! I’ve debated putting in a dental category but as it’s wisdom tooth related, once they’re gone they’re gone!

Still no news from the electrician, I could cry on that point.

birdsfoottrefoil

Hope everyone’s had a good weekend.

Mixed one here! 

• Fell down a ladder (as in between the rungs) so my left leg is black and blue up the back of my thigh. Very painful and awkward, also was on my own so had the slight pathetic frustration of no sympathy and having to just “get on with it” while feeling quite embarrassed!!. Was hanging onto the top of the ladder as well, so shoulder feel like I’ve been on one of those medieval rack torture devices. Anyway self pity aside, can’t kneel or squat with the swelling, so no Pilates this week. A positive is that’s £7 saved and didn’t land on my head so the sore shoulders are worth it.
• Brighter note took the boyfriend out for Sunday dinner, as he covers most the bills (and puts up with me lurking at his) I try to do this monthly. That was £57 for 2 of us, which I’m content with and there was too much so took that home as leftovers. I used to eat out faaaar too much as it’s something I love, so pleased I’ve cut it down. I had two starter's instead of a main, including truffle and honey dumplings which were amazing!!
• Had a lovely meal on Saturday as well with some bits a French friend had brought us back from France as a present. Really yummy cheeses and meats so feel very grateful.
• No other spending this weekend or today. Planning tomorrow to be no spend as well.
• Emailed electrician this morning to chase up. Spoke to joiner who reminded me he’ll have a bill for me after he comes back to do the last bits.
• Plan to do work at house Tuesday and Thursday night, as well as Sunday all day.
• Heard on the radio today that debt charities have seen a major increase in enquiries this month, this seems to mirror I think on here with the amount of posts on the DFW section. Does make you worry about everyone really. Then the next section was on Rolls-Royce setting up a special service so people can match their car colour to their yachts! What a funny world is all I can say as I don’t want to be political!
• One of the government agencies we work with at work has had their budgets slashed, so quite worried about out budget at work. Checked the redundancy pay calculator and with my age and service I’d only be owned 3 weeks pay! Gosh that’s depressing!!! More emergency fund needed!!!
• Remembered it’s my middle nephews birthday in a week or two so need to work out a present for a grumpy teen (slightly less grumpy than previous but still well in the grunting for words stage).

I’ll work on some aims for February as well this week.

Bye!!!

SuzeQStan

Sorry to hear about the ladder fall - that sounds SO PAINFUL 😓😖 - suppose your injury would be a lot worse were it not for the suppleness you have achieved through Pilates - silver linings hope the pain goes off very quickly x

birdsfoottrefoil

Thanks @SuzeQStan, I’m not sure I feel at all supple hahaha! Just very clumsy.

Last expected bill of the month went out this morning. So just need to keep things low/no spend till Friday and we’re all good. 

Did 2 prolific surveys last night so that’s an extra £2.35. I’m just over £6 but I try not to withdraw from it till it’s over £20.

Still not heard back from Top Cashback on the broadband that hadn’t tracked. They were saying they didn’t think the reference Plusnet gave me was a Plusnet reference!! Frustrating as it’s the most expensive purchase I’ve had through them. 

Same radio silence from the electrician.  

Supper was soup from some leftover from the veg box parsnips and apples with some cheese and biscuits. I’ve got leftover moussaka for lunch and some pork chops the boyfriend got from the butchers for supper. I think there’s some mushrooms in the fridge, so I’ll probably do a sauce with them to go with the pork. I’m not a massive mushroom fan, so quite like hiding them in sauces or mince. I do wonder if I focus a bit much on food!!

Anyway need to start work now, so hope everyone has a good day.