Fresh Start At Fox Towers.

foxandflowers

Buyers solicitors are now requesting a mining report. I have a copy of this from June 2023. The buyers have seen a copy of this in October last year. I have emailed my solicitor this copy. I am not spending £200 on a bloody report that I already have. This whole thing is dragging out unbearably. 

Chased the warranty place yesterday and they said it could take up to 30 (!!!!!!) days to pay out. I've asked for it to be escalated to a manager. I will ring again on lunchtime today. 

Mr Fox is not in a good mood. I sympathise, as the delays are making me want to cry, but equally there is only so much I can do. 

Mini Fox and I had Brussel sprouts, smashed baby potatoes and chopped up bacon yesterday for dinner. It's four days until payday and the meals are getting weirder and weirder as I try to a) not food shop and b) use up the contents of my freezer. I'm quite lucky in that she will eat most things. The only protein we currently have left is tuna tins and 6 fish fingers. 

Debt busting wise I have nothing to report. I started the 1p savings challenge late via Monzo, so I am 8 days in and have a grand total of 36p saved. Should help with the last two weeks of January next year at least.

I've crashed and burned with one of my resolutions and borrowed £5 off my friend to get to work. I withdrew £5 from InboxPounds but it hasn't arrived yet - as soon as it does I will pay her back. 

Local by-Election looks to be going ahead next month, so I have agreed to do that, providing it does. Its £204.80 for a day's work and this is the first time that I will not be up against it when I do it. I have spent an hour or so daydreaming about what I could spend £200 on, but have ultimately decided I will probably invest half of it and then put the rest into the bills pot as a buffer. 

How Fox has changed. 

_Dolly_Rocker_

What a nightmare - hope they accept the report you've already provided them. I mean what could have changed in that time!

Cherryfudge

Keep your head up Fox, you are doing well and even January can only go on so long.

Good luck with the phone call this lunchtime. It's taken unacceptably long and you can leave that in your feedback.

Re the foods: it's amazing what workable combinations there are when you try to finish up stores. I wouldn't worry too much about the protein over a few days: your body will find the components of protein in your diet provided they are there, they don't all have to come in one piece of food. If you search the net for 'food combinations that make complete protein' you will see how it works. For instance if you combine grains and beans (beans on toast), that gives you the combination of amino acids that make complete protein, as well as fibre to keep your guts happy. In the short term - and I'm not qualified so you'd have to do your own research! - I'd try to ensure you have some of the water-soluble vitamins each day. For instance (sorry if you know this already), vitamin C is water soluble so it goes through the body quite fast. Vitamins like A and D are stored in fat so the body can hold stores of them for longer and you are less likely to run low over a few days. So try to get some vitamin C. 

But as already said, January will come to an end. Great that you may get that extra £200+. Have you looked into invigilating exams as a source of income? Our local authority sometimes has adverts for this, and also, depending on your skill set, Clerk to school Governors.

kayannie

You say you have tinned tuna - have you tried tuna hash? Just mash boiled potatoes & tuna together & fry, like you would corned beef hash. Fry some chopped onions in the pan first for extra flavour if you have them, otherwise leave out. I make a baked bean lasagne, really cheap & healthy too. 
KA

Purplelady65

Re the van warranty it just seems ridiculous it’s taking so long to sort out. You have been beyond patient waiting all this time. I would escalate it to the highest level possible within the company to get it resolved as soon as possible. Failing that could you report the company to trading  standards  - some advice in this Citizen’s Advice link. 

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/report-to-trading-standards/

Another option could be to contact the consumer advice section of a national newspaper. Many of them feature each week a selection of issues where consumers have been trying to get a resolution for months even years. It’s amazing how once the newspaper takes up their case how issues are solved overnight. Even the threat of it may lead to some action. 

foxandflowers

Warranty has paid!! Hopefully van will be back on the road by the weekend. 

I got the £5 I withdrew from Inbox Pounds and sent it straight back to my friend, and that made me feel good. 
My boiler should be fixed by close of play today as well - hurrah. That is the only thing we are waiting for now, so I am on the verge of getting a date. 

I increased my AVC contributions this morning, so that will take effect next payroll. It's only an additional £17.78 a month I am contributing, but it means that instead of it being worth £4,717 at age 55, it will be worth £13,104 instead. Once we move I will also revert to full contributions rather than 50/50 for my main pension, as I don't want to miss out. The day to day of my job means I see a lot of people that have neglected their pension contributions and therefore are retiring on very little money. I would like to have a lump sum to lock away to leave for Mini Fox. I need to transfer in my other little pensions so they are all in one place.

Pay day tomorrow could not come soon enough. I am going to take some time on lunch to automate all my payments for the next month, and put aside the money for the gig I am going to with my Stepdaughter this weekend. If I book the train in advance it will only cost me £5. I'd like to go to Schuh when I'm in town on Sunday, and try on some Dr Martens, as there are some I'm eyeing up on Vinted for work - but I don't want to buy them until I know they are going to fit! 

This time last year I had spent £264.44 on buying things, for myself, Mr Fox, Mini Fox & the household. This year, I am pleased to report I have only spent £31.18. 

Take_a_hike_Elon_and_Jeff

Well done Mrs F on the AVC's good decision you are younger than me and I wish I had started them earlier ! Glad to hear the warranty is paying out and again well done on not giving up on that one may the van behave itself from now on !!!!!

Take_a_hike_Elon_and_Jeff

foxandflowers said:

Finally braving finishing last years financial summary and posting it on here. Horrendous amount of wasted money in 2024. I have been frustrated at every turn last year, feeling like I was making absolutely no progress, and now I can see why. This is for the whole household, and I probably could have tidied up my categories a bit more, but it will do.

I will definitely be tracking my spends again this year, as I think its invaluable to have the perspective.

Lessons learned after a brief stare at the Graph of Horrors - 
- Meal planning is an invaluable resource
- I need to categorise better in terms of "General" spends 
- Team No Takeaways 2025!
- Shopping doesn't cure any bad feelings you are trying to supress
- Dogs are really expensive
- So are vehicles
- I do not need to buy any more clothes.

The graph of horrors that made me laugh out loud !!! Re shopping have you heard of the hedonic treadmill? It's amazing what one learns on here I read about it somewhere can't remember exactly where but basically it's the high we get from new things which then disappears quickly. 
https://www.developgoodhabits.com/hedonic-treadmill/

birdsfoottrefoil

Hi Foxes,

Just checking in, hope alls ok with the sale and fab news on the warranty!

Love the graph!!

foxandflowers

I have fallen off the wagon with a resounding thump, and upon checking, the wagon appears to have completely derailed and broken its axle... 

Mr Fox and I had Saturday all to ourselves and went to the local town to pick up a couple of bits, which quickly spiralled and we got a couple more bits than anticipated, followed by lunch in Wetherspoons... Oops. Mr Fox has lost lots of weight and needed some clothes that actually fit him and are a little more age appropriate. It's done his confidence the world of good so I can't resent it too much, but I have brought some stuff with me to work today to return it. 

I was in Cardiff on Sunday night for a gig, and was very restrained comparatively - £50 on food and drinks for the night and no merchandise purchased. Lots of memories made and lots of fun was had. First real adventure of the year, and I'd say it was a success. Had a wander round on Monday morning and looked at really expensive art in galleries, and then came home, had a scalding hot bath, a kebab and was asleep by 8.30pm. 

Going to be inputting all my transactions from the weekend, and am full of shame. I will also be making a stop at the wagon-fixing shop at lunch. Sorry to let down anyone that was rooting for me. 

PS. 
Moving wise: Finally got boiler fixed and sorted. Sent off certificate. Got an auto reply that my solicitor is out of office ALL WEEK and her emails are not being monitored in that time. Rang to see who was dealing with my case, nobody rang me back. 
PPS.
Warranty wise: One of the parts for the van is on back order. We still don't have it back. 
PPPS.
Have spent £95 paying off debts too, so not all is lost.