30 small steps

cookie9 · 18 July 2014 at 12:09PM

Hello. After making OP here and there and being on track life has thrown me a few curveballs. I am now married and have a little boy which has lead us to converting the loft. Savings have paid for half but the remainder has increased the mortgage by 30k hence the diary title. I want to make some small OPs whilst I build up my emergency savings.

Small steps taken: Cost reduction
1. Switching power off at plugs and switching lights off. Not sure if this has had a major effect but EON have reduced my monthly payment so must be helping.
2. Switching to low energy light bulbs.
3. Menu planning and sticking to it. DH fairly good natured about this although is missing meat.
4. Not buying new clothes for myself. Alas was doing well but have been tempted by sales and bought new jacket for work.
5. Free days out. Lots of walking and visiting parks.

To do :
1. Haggle with BT re broadband.

Small steps taken. Making money.
1. Make OP with money made from tutoring.
2. Sell unwanted items from loft.

To do:
1. Write more reviews so can cash in points.

Small steps taken: Mortgage
1. Considering paying for new bank survey to reduce LTV and get a better deal.
2. Have set up OP of £50 per month.

jodles16 · 18 July 2014 at 12:55PM

Hello! Sounds like your really on the ball here! Just wanted to wish you luck and check out your ideas as we are about to buy a property with a much bigger mortgage and I am already trying to figure out how to cut it down!

Good luck!

Jodles :j

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc · 22 July 2014 at 4:23PM

cookie9 wrote: »

Small steps taken: Cost reduction
1. Switching power off at plugs and switching lights off. Not sure if this has had a major effect but EON have reduced my monthly payment so must be helping.
2. Switching to low energy light bulbs.

Hi cookie9

Sorry to jump in here but thought I might be able to help you save a bit more.

There's a lot of really useful tips on our website to help you cut back. Check out the 'Saving Energy Toolkit.' Some great ideas to help you save.

If you've a minute, have a go at the 'Energy Use Quiz.' It's a bit of fun and could throw up some useful insights.

Did you know things like TVs, DVDs, chargers and microwaves use a surprising amount of electricity whilst on standby?

Have a look at how these energy sucking vampires might be contained. See about putting a stake through their hearts. Sorry! Couldn't resist the pun.

Well done on the savings made so far. How does the saying go, 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.'

Also, have you seen the 'Direct Debit Manager' on our website?

This is relatively new and gives you more control over your monthly payments. Particularly useful should your circumstances change or the energy savings you're making start to kick in.

Provided you've entered up to date meter readings, this tool lets you change your monthly payments by up to 20 per cent up or down. By up to 5 per cent up or down without readings.

Before you confirm the change, we'll let you know how much we anticipate the account will be in credit/debit if the change is confirmed but usage doesn't change as expected.

Hope this is of interest cookie9. Let me know if I can help further as always happy to do so.

Good luck with the savings.

Malc

cookie9 · 28 July 2014 at 12:22PM

£50 overpayment has come off my account so pleased I have made a small step to being MF.

As I am on holiday I am making small steps to decluttering the house. A box of toys for charity and have looked out some bigger items to photograph and try to sell. Will do this after lunch. Any money raised is to go straight to overpayment.

My tutoring has come to an end but received a lovely email from my student.

Needed some mascara so downgraded from my normal brand to Boots No7. Still cant believe it cost almost £10 with a discount voucher. :eek:Oh well even a small saving can help reach my goal.

Next task to to look out the spare change pots and bank those. These would go into my son's account but am going to use them for OP as my aunt gave me money for him when I visited her so not feeling too guilty.

cookie9 · 29 July 2014 at 2:07PM

Glad to say counted out the loose change and have a grand total of .....£16. Have also put our Take along Swing up for sale so hopefully can add to this before making my OP.

Thank you Malc for the advice. Have unplugged chargers and discovered that my printer has been on all the time just wasting electricity. Have changed my direct debit so OP should be easier and I just need to make sure the electricity usage continues to go down.

Off to get a box of things ready for the charity shop. Hope everyone else's day going well.

Alchemilla · 30 July 2014 at 8:36AM

Welcome and sounds a good start.
Another worker at the chalkface?

cookie9 · 4 August 2014 at 10:05AM

Hi Alchemilla yes another teacher here. I am trying to make use of the holidays to get all my finances sorted as I will have very little time once term starts.

On today's list my "Making More Money" item is taking pictures of my nicest maternity dresses to sell on my local recycling website. I will be sad to let them go but it is unlikely we will have another child and we need to declutter. By posting this on here I feel obligated to get it done.

The next item on this list is dealing with some old shares of mine which were bought out so I am due some money. I don't think this will be much but every little helps.

Unfortunately the rest of the day is taken up with "Home Improvement" items which all cost money. The main ones being sourcing lights and garden paving.

[Deleted User] · 4 August 2014 at 3:28PM

cookie9 wrote: »

To do :
1. Haggle with BT re broadband.

Don't bother phoning them, if out of contract simply request your MAC code online for a dramatic discount...

Cheers

cookie9 · 5 August 2014 at 10:51AM

No interest in my items for sale yet. If no takers by Friday will put them to the local charity shop. Can go to the bank at the same time to pay in my loose change. Off to add a few more items for sale just in case someone is interested in them.

Good news on the shares front as had lost the certificate but because the holding so small not being charged and so have another £16 to add to OP.

cookie9 · 9 August 2014 at 12:48PM

Asking for the MAC code did the trick. £10 better off per month and phone bills should be lower too. Getting a new hub and caller ID for free so good result. DH would have liked to upgrade to infinity but I'd rather save some money for the present.

No takers on my baby/maternity things so looks like they will be going to the charity shop.

Got a 0% credit card so stoozing. Also spent some time checking interest rates on my savings. Horrified to see one ISA is paying 0.25%!:eek: It really pays to keep your eyes on these things.

Mortgage comes off fixed deal this month and going to have new survey so can get the best LTV deal.

cookie9 · 11 August 2014 at 9:29PM

Washing machine has been leaking a little so was thinking of calling a plumber but just received a letter to say my insurance runs out at the end of September. Sad to say I didn't even know that I had this insurance but this does mean it looks like it will be repaired for free.

30 small steps

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