Debt, Endo and Reno

Sarahwithlove

Its about finding what works best for you. I have a spreadsheet for a financial overview but found when trying to use it for spends i wasn't filling it in properly. I've recently moved to monzo so I can have different pots which dds come out of and virtual cards for the pots as well. 

birdsfoottrefoil

Thanks both! 

I’m reluctant to move banks as I’ve been with mine for years. I like that they’re always really easy to contact and we’re great with me through Covid etc. 

I’m continuing with the spreadsheet. It’s already made me see areas where I could easily
overspend this month. On that note trying to have a no spend day today which I’m fairly sure I’ll achieve. 

Yesterday not as great. £24 on groceries, I’ve stocked up on tea and coffee for the month as we go through loads. Bf has always had tea leafs and beans over tea bags and ground coffee, which I found a bit of a faff at first but now really got into it. I also like that I can order it in large amounts and then just grind what we need. Then £45 on presents, went to a shop that a friend works in so got her staff discount 🤫 so that’s helpful. I always struggle with this in August as I have loads of family birthdays and my cars MOT due. £2 on postage stuff/ stationary but I’ve got a few Vinted things to post out so that’ll be covered. 

Not got anything spendy planned today, meeting some friends tomorrow after work for a pint. It’s quite touristy where we’re going (my friends just moved house) so won’t be the cheapest but I’ll just have one drink. Need a catch up as I’ve found out a colleague is moving to my friends work and we need a catch up about how it’s going…. They were a little bit of a handful to work with (to put it politely) and aren’t at all experienced, so I was surprised they’d got a job where my friend works…. So an evening off gossip, we sound like a witches coven!

On the Endo front, I’ve had the weekend and period from hell. Not sure what’s triggered things but I’ve hardly slept, so really looking forward to tomorrow night. 

birdsfoottrefoil

Oh paid off me £25 CC balance!! They’ve now offered me 0% on balance transfers before the end of September till October 2026 with a 3% fee.

I was think about transferring my purchases balance but I think the 4.5k one is running out of 0% in September or October. Which might be a better bet in the long run. Also not sure the moving things around juggle is the best…..

birdsfoottrefoil

So had a count up of debt today £15,466.59, so only about £220 down. Frustrating but I’m
going to try and concentrate on sticking to my budget this month so it doesn’t go up again. 

Didn’t do particularly well when I went out the other night. I was just meaning to have a pint (as ever). However I went straight from work and bought a bowl of nachos to share which was tiny and £9.50! Additionally spent around £50 in fuel this week, remembered to put in my mileage on Wednesday. Today is meant to be a no spend day, except £20 which goes into my credit union savings. So I’ve got some bits out of the freezer to have on the BBQ tonight and some courgettes which a friend gave me. I did them the other week with soy sauce which was good, so trying to get some inspo for what to do with them this evening. 

Aiming to have a no/low spend weekend. I have an old bike which is in quite a poor condition, I pumped up the tyres last weekend but I think they may have perished which is frustrating. I’ve physio on Monday night so I was hoping to fix it a bit and bike there instead. 

birdsfoottrefoil

Not amazing on the no/low spend weekend. Went out with friends on Saturday night which was about £25 and then a BBQ on Sunday £15. No spend on Monday except physio, £40 today on petrol. I resisted going to a poultry sale on Saturday but the bf went and we’ve gained a few more birds 🤦‍♀️. So there was some spends on Sunday for new feeders and feed which came to £25. I was a bit miffed at bf going as I think we have enough poultry and I’m conscious of annoying our neighbours. I think he’s tried to butter me up by fetching me two of the bantams of the breed I keep back 🤣. 

We’re currently using the old coal bunker as outside storage, fine for compost, pots, hen feed etc, but there’s no room for bikes or outside furniture. It was here when bf moved in so it’s done the job for a while. We have got the opportunity of a shed out of a friends parents garden as they are downsizing. They don’t want anything for it (I think we’ll take them a bottle of wine) but we need to get it this weekend. Which is really good as we need the storage and it’s given me an excuse to get out of going to a music concert on Saturday afternoon, which I can’t really afford now.  

Really looking forward to getting the shed. I love being in the garden and I’m looking forward to having somewhere to pot up plants and keep my hen stuff. Plan is to have a side for a work bench and the other with some poultry “pens”/boxes so we have somewhere better for the chicks to go. 

Apart from the petrol this morning and my water rates this week I’m aiming for a no-spend days until the weekend. I should be able to work from home 3 days this week which is a big help. 

birdsfoottrefoil

Hi! Hope everyone’s having as good day with the weather as we are down here! 

No spend day yesterday apart from the petrol and should be the same today. Made a Thai red veg curry last night with loads of left over vegetables which was good. Bf always teases me that I’m frugal with food, as I will eat leftovers for ages and will just make stuff out of what’s in the fridge over going to the shops. That sounds very worthy and “humble brag” but I think really I’m just a bit disorganised and hate meal planning. Possibly an attempt to make up for my bad money management out the house as well. 

I’m super conscious of money this month, after realising how much I’ve been over spending  and as my cars MOT next week🫠. I do find it tricky with the Bf as he’s in a much better financial position and very generous. While I’m watching every penny this month and knackered as I’ve been taking on extra work. I think it’s starting to get me down a bit as my eczema’s flared up, I’ve been struggling to sleep and I’ve been getting soo many tension headaches. 

I’m hoping the sunny weather will perk me up a bit. 

Sarahwithlove

It's not worth making yourself poorly over. So make sure to take some time for yourself. 

birdsfoottrefoil

Happy September!  Weather is quite useless down here, hardly feel we’ve had a summer. 

So a bit of an August wash up, whilst I’m the only one in the break room at work…

The good: spending on “going out” and petrol was down on the last two months, actually underspent on petrol… have used that elsewhere though. Groceries also also down but still an over spend of £150 🫠.

Took a week off in the middle of the month and got some work done on the house, still behind but it’s looking a lot better and back in a routine of doing work.

Sold another £45 of stuff on Vinted!

The bad: over £300 to get the car through its MOT, 5! Family birthdays and £200 for my share of accommodation cost for holiday/trip in October have meant my credit card balance is now at £16,025…. Oops is the politest thing to say. Should go to just under £16,000 after my last payment goes out.

October holiday wasn’t entirely planned, but we’re combining a friends wedding in Scotland with a nights stay either side for the journey up. 

Looking forward: Should be a cheaper month (do I say this every month….), also BF has noticed my budgeting and reduction in going out and is putting £200 pm towards groceries till my house is let. Feel grateful but utterly useless and a bit of a burden, as he does so much already.

Need to get the house moved forward this month.

birdsfoottrefoil

Morning! Hope everyone’s months are going well.

Positive month health wise, had an awful period but aside from the standard aches things seem relatively settled now that’s over. Got some new exercises from physio so need to makes sure I stick to them. Feeling generally in a better place than last month. 

Positives: boyf has brought quite a bit of venison back (his work perk/living nr a lot of woodlands) so spent most of Monday night processing that and making sausages. I’m quite squeamish and it’s not my favourite job but the meats great, fresh and free. So it’s really good and I have venison sausage rolls for lunch this week.

The weather has brightened with us. I’m going to plan work at the house this weekend and then maybe a walk on the Sunday if it keeps good. 

Less positives: budget isn’t looking amazing. I’ve moved a few balances round to get new 0% periods but it’s put my balances up with the fee. Hopefully it’ll take the pressure off in the longer term. I was trying to avoid moving this again and just hammer the balances down, but between my council tax/mortgage/car insurance etc etc my cost have gone up a few of hundred quid a month. So I’m taking a longer view to get everything back on 0% and get the budget balanced. 

It’s not as satisfying as paying off big bits, but I keep going back to putting spending on the cards and that needs to stop!!!

So the new plan:

- get things into budget 
- pay just over the minimums BUT do not add spending
- get house sorted and keep small budget ring fenced for that
- once pay rise comes in at work (they’re still negotiating this years pay…🤦‍♀️ so we’re on last years rate) re budget getting 1/2 to debt 1/2 or savings. 

- not sure yet what to do with back pay? Normally comes in just before Christmas, so useful helping with that 

I was thinking about getting a new bike through the cycle to work scheme, but I’ve decided against till the budgets sorted. I was super tempted by an electric bike and kept telling myself I could bike to the shops on it etc and save money. Feel frustrated I can’t as I think it’ll help keep me healthy as well as that the scheme ends this year. A lesson to get the debt sorted and not take on anymore in attempts to sort it out!!! Bought some oil etc from Halfords for £6 and gave the old 2nd hand rust bucket a bit of a service. Not as satisfying but that’s just how it’ll have to be.

birdsfoottrefoil

So it’s gone up so £16,187. But for now all on 0% with the credit cards.

In one way rubbish and feel this is more a debt building then debt clearing diary. On the other hand going forward I’m paying off the CC balances and this will be off my wage, not off draining my tiny house savings which is putting me in more debt as I can’t afford to finish it. 

Right! Now to stick too it…