Time to act like an adult...

RisingPhoenix1

Sarahwithlove said:

Pocket money is a must, just not doable to expect yourself not to do anything or spend any money. Maybe what you make this month could be the spends for October. Good incentive to get back on prolific then 

That's the plan

I knew this month was going to be a long, tough one with my very silly and expensive decisions last month, once I'm through it the budget for the following months is a lot more manageable as I won't be catching up on any arrears on anything. 

RisingPhoenix1

All debt repayments for the month have now gone out, signature updated to show I've paid off a whopping 2.86% of my debt since I started this diary it is however a marathon and not a sprint...

£13ish cashed out of Prolific and set aside for anything that might crop up this month. 

Accidentally managed to have a 4.5 hour nap rather than one hour nap when I got in from work (I don't sleep very well before early starts, had about 2 hours last night I think) so looking forward to not getting much more sleep before work tomorrow, never mind. Also meant rather than a nice jacket potato for dinner I ended up having a tin of sausages and beans on toast 

On the plus side, because I did so much cooking yesterday my breakfast and lunch for tomorrow are already in the fridge sorted so don't have to worry about that. Going to catch up on some diaries then try and get some more sleep. X

RisingPhoenix1

Booked some TOIL to finish after my morning break today, only got another 2 hours last night so was feeling very not human. 

Spent all of this morning and some time yesterday looking for some stamps I know I've got, to send off an important letter, in doing so all I found was a stash of pound coins I didn't know I had in a handbag I haven't used for a while. Which covered the cost for some stamps today plus some coolant I need to get for my car (this I was supposed to get yesterday evening and the nap foiled my plans for). So had to spend some money, but 'free' money in my mind as I didn't know I had it

Had an appropriate length nap today and about to catch up the housework I also couldn't do yesterday evening. 

Need to speak to the water company tomorrow as I got a letter through asking for payment (I've made two payments) and to set up a DD for sewerage as well. When I signed up, their website categorically told me that they don't do my sewerage and so did the only other company here that might have done. They also seem to think that my average usage is going to be more than a household with three people on average - it's definitely just me with a shower a day, washing up normally once a day and 2-3 washes a week. I'm wondering if my address hasn't come up right as when I log on it has my correct address on one part and a different address onanother party that shares my postcode that has the same property number but it's actually a different property name. I'll see if they'll come and do a reading too, to show I'm not using as much as they estimate - maybe the other address is a much bigger house! I pay £27 a month just for actual water use without sewerage charges I don't know if that's a lot for a 2 bed with 1 person in it, it's my first time paying it haha. 

Not much else to report, giving blood tomorrow before work so need to make sure I am well rested and well fed before that

Sarahwithlove

My sewage is £23 a month and water £8 for a 2 bed flat. Do you have a meter or an assessed charge? 

RisingPhoenix1

Sarahwithlove said:

My sewage is £23 a month and water £8 for a 2 bed flat. Do you have a meter or an assessed charge? 

My online account says its a meter, however looking at my bills the billing address is definitely the wrong one only my postal address is the right one so I'll get in touch with them today. The serial number is different to the one on my tenancy agreement too - arghh 

RisingPhoenix1

Today is a good day!

Went into work yesterday and found out that nationally our industry is getting just short of a 5% payrise which will be backdated and should reflect hopefully in our pay at the end of this month. I've done the maths and after tax this should be around an extra £150 per month thanks to the high allowances we get for unsocial hours (percentage based on salary rather than a fixed amount). I have sat down and worked out my new hourly rate for overtime and bank holiday payments

Onto what this means for my finances:
- Sorting Christmas gifts for this year will be a lot more comfortable and I shouldn't have to dip into my weekly pocket money for the next couple of months to buy anything
- I should be able to have a £500 Emergency Fund by 28/03/2025 at the very latest*
- I will absolutely have the money set aside by mid-April to pay my car insurance in full for the first time ever 
- From 28/05/2025 I should be able to start making debt overpayments of at least £200-£300 a month at the very least* whilst still having a comfortable amount of pocket money each week. I'm confident that by the time I get to this point also I can make some full & final offers for a couple of debts and will start low with offering 25-30%. 

*These are based purely on the basic wage I should get each month. Any overtime or other survey money etc will make these happen quicker/more money will be thrown at the debts. If I've read my contract right I think I'll go up a point on my employers pay scale in April and should get another small pay rise but will see about that when it happens. 

This is all whilst putting decent amounts away for savings for events next year each month also. By June 2025 I would have all of the money set aside for a festival next year, all of the money set aside for a family holiday, a few hundred pounds each put away for car stuff (MOT/Service/Etc) and Christmas 2025 and be starting to set aside money for my car insurance for 2026 

When I mention to my family I've got a spreadsheet that has my rough finances mapped out for the next year, they look at me like I'm a bit sad but this has now allowed me to sit down and realise how much of a good position I could be in this time next year. I have a big excited knot in my stomach looking at how doable all of this is, all whilst not having to restrict myself to staying in all of the time. 

This forum will be invaluable to keeping me accountable though as I am very prone to self-sabotaging when I think things may actually work out for a change (I've done it in every area of my life at one point or another and I suspect this is why I gambled my rent money), but I can do this if I don't mess it up for myself. 

Hoping to get picked for some OT in a couple of weeks with another department, from what I've heard its quite a low effort day helping out with some bits so would be easy money and something a bit different

RisingPhoenix1

Not much to check in with today. 

Managed a few NSD, picked up my click & collect food shop and next one booked for next weekend - as I'm off I managed to nab one of the 25p slots

Interrupted sleep today, got in early hours of this morning from work, got up about 5 hours later to drop a family member off somewhere, got another hour or so then picked them up a bit later on, now I need to try in squeeze in a couple of hours before work tonight. Got something out of the freezer to take to work so at least I don't have to worry about cooking.

Did a couple of Prolific surveys, should hopefully get the £10 bonus come through soon for doing my shops with Tesco. This came at the perfect time actually to encourage me to plan ahead and stick to a shopping list. Tomorrow I think I'll have to pick up some pasta at some point to use up some bits and pieces in the cupboards but 41p won't break the bank  

I am very much wishing the month away so I can finally get to the months where I've got the money where I can start making headway with some overpayments and savings. The plan going fowards is £100 pocket money per week/whatever time period I can split into four segments depending on the month - I don't expect to spend anywhere near that every single week but leaves plenty of wiggle room and anything left over can go to debt or savings. 

Switched my salary to get paid into Monzo, think I saw something about getting paid a day early? But other than the end of this month I can't see any reason I would use that feature but handy to have there I guess  

Sarahwithlove

Have you sorted your water yet? 

Good news about the payrise especially if you can get overtime as well then seems like you will be in a much better position by next year. 

Monzo make it available from 4pm the working day before. Was a surprise to me to get September's on the Friday before the Monday it was due 🙃 

RisingPhoenix1

Sarahwithlove said:

Have you sorted your water yet? 

Good news about the payrise especially if you can get overtime as well then seems like you will be in a much better position by next year. 

Monzo make it available from 4pm the working day before. Was a surprise to me to get September's on the Friday before the Monday it was due 🙃 

I started a WhatsApp chat with them as I couldn’t get through between other bits I needed to do. They acknowledged it but only do office hours Monday to Friday on there I believe so I should hear something tomorrow! 

Ooh a Monday is when I’m due to get paid so that’s handy to know. Just need to be sure to split my money evenly to cover the month as it’d be more than 4 weeks even if I didn’t take it early so will make sure that is factored in  

RisingPhoenix1

Water company replied about the address issue, should be resolved soon. Just replied about their estimated water usage on the letter I got so I'll see what they say about that as well. 

Sent two emails the other day about balances, first to my car finance to confirm my payment on 1st November is my final payment - they confirmed this morning it is. Second was to one of the DCA's as on my spreadsheet and online my remaining balance is £14.96 but shows two more payments on my payment plan totalling just over £25 so queried that and just waiting to hear back from them. 

Last night shift tonight, then doing a few hours overtime on Wednesday which I'm hoping I can get approved before the cut off date for this months pay. Shouldn't be a problem it's encouraged on every bulletin we get for whoever is on shift to approve it before the cutoff to help employees so fingers crossed. Then I have some well-deserved time off! I should hear this week hopefully if I get picked for the other overtime so fingers crossed on the other hand as well if I do, I'll earmark that money for some visiting back home the week before Christmas which will cover the fuel and allow me to budget for a couple of inevitable meals out without having to touch my pocket money. 

5 No Spend Days this month, I decided not to count fuel and groceries as 'Spends' if they're within my budget. Speaking of which, need to remember to stop and get fuel on the way into work this evening.