Here Goes

Slowlydoesit

Last post of the night, it looks like I'll be keeping the funeral plan, there's a cancellation fee of £250! 

[Deleted User]

Surely the funeral plan has a set amount to pay off? You choose a funeral for a certain price? I have a co-op funeral plan. I paid a deposit and my payment plan is for 5 years and finishes when I am 70. It is a manageable amount each month. The good thing is that after two years of payments if I pass away the funeral plan pays out the full amount of the funeral I decided upon. I have now paid more than two years of payments but hopefully will not be going anywhere just yet lol.

Scott_Weiland79

Try top cashback i have used it years and years and since I have started using it i have just checked its made my 1800 richer.

Just get into the habit of thinking right i am buying something online,  where can i shop that rewards me.

I took my older son on holiday in June, its was booked through top cashback/jet2 holidays.

Just to give you an idea of what you can earn look at these 4 transactions i did earlier in the year.

50quid cashback for the holiday from Jet2

5 quid cashback for a travel insurance policy for me and my son from the post office

4 quid cashback as I bought a load of sun cream/toiletries/on superdrugs website

3 quid for airport parking via expedia.

62 quid 



re the dog food, one of our huskies was very very fussy have a try of a brand called simpsons premium.

ace re the FP pardon the pun but its dead money. I dont agree with paying for funeral plans as yes fair play if anything happens to you they pay out but covers usually 5000-15000 and the money you pay in doesnt grow. 


I would seriously look at Atom Bank re savings or Revolut too. Brilliant re monzo they are great re pots etc but just consider once you get your pots above 100 quid there are better options out there re rates.

My monzo pots pay 3%

but I have a saving with Revolut that pays 3.51 as an emergency fund.

And an account for my daughter that pays 3.91 with atom

etc etc

Scott_Weiland79

rogues re the FP

I know what i would do but if i was paying that i would be thinking hmmmmm what impact would paying 35-40 quid extra per month have off my overdraft/credit card.

And saving 10-15 pm

Ring them and try and get out of the 250

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/minimum-repayments-credit-card/

Slowlydoesit

All brilliant ideas, thank you. I will definitely use a cashback site as i have missed a trick.

It's with the coop, the funeral plan, I took it out in 2020, over twenty years so fifteen left. I'll give them a ring today, try and wiggle out of the cancellation fee. I'm only 38 but I think covid panicking got me, a lot of people probably did it! 

And I'll look into Simpsons for the dog food, ours is a maltese he seems to tolerate food for maybe four months max then just won't touch that one again. It drives me mad! 

I have cancelled two life insurances so that's a £25 saving as i do have death benefits and critical illness cover with work having checked and a swimming lesson for my daughter, shes started with school and said once a week swimming will be enough, that's a fiver a week. I know it's only small but it all adds up. 

Im committed to doing this, credit cards have been cut up and Google pay disabled. That has made a difference, and you definitely think twice. 

Im off to costco to see if bulk buying toiletries makes a difference, then my mum has treated us to tickets to look around a spanish galleon which has docked locally. It should be a low spend day - aside from the shopping. Here's hoping it doesn't rain!

katsu

Definitely look into the water meter. We have a meter for 2 adults and are paying less than half what you are a month. 

What's the "daughter 's pension"£60 ? Can you cancel that?

If you have a credit union near you, see if they do a funeral cover. Where my relatives live they double your savings if you die, up to £5k.  Better than paying for a funeral plan as if you've saved £5k and die, there's 10k available.  If you need money in an emergency you can anyway withdraw some. 

Slowlydoesit

I've been laying low because I've had some horrific flu. It's been good on the no spend days which are becoming quite addictive!

I've bulk bought toiletries, meat, pasta, essentials from costco and been living off things in the freezer, only needing to buy fresh. The freezer needed emptying and doing that has reduced the food costs temporarily. 

Current debts after all the payments have gone out are:-

Overdraft 850
Cc1 58067
Loan 3055
Cc2 3883
Total 13595

If I can get the Overdraft down to 800 before payday in two weeks I'll be happy with that. I've put 200 away as an emergency fund, and I really want to end the month with that still in, my fence posts were damaged in the winds last week so I can see that on the cards. 

Water meter is in, so I am hoping that may save. The next thing is possibly switching to a bill rather than the pay as you go gas and electric. 

I've looked into a credit union, the liverpool one doesn't do funeral plans, at least not on their website so I've emailed. 

The daughters pension is a pension for her, I set it up when she was born, thinking it may help her later in life, i could cancel it whilst i dig myself out of this hole.

I think half of my mess is the complete lack of financial ignorance, you're not taught it in school, my parents never discussed money it's always seemed taboo. Or maybe I'm just making excuses for my poor decisions! 

Slowlydoesit

I only spent my train fare to work, £4.70 today. Home, walked the dog, homework with DD, and an early night with a book and a herbal tea. Repeat tomorrow, although I've got some serious hours to clock tomorrow, I may have to work the weekend....at least it keeps me from spending. 

Anything left is getting knocked off the Overdraft I really want that gone by the end of December but in reality it may be a little longer.