Balancing not just the budget

Buffythedebtslayer · 23 September 2018 at 10:09PM

I also think you should get away, I know exactly what you mean re the summer, I too had big plans but have missed out mostly due to illness and the garden remains a mess for another year despite me spending an tonne of money on it.

I am going to keep pushing on with it this year as long as the weather will let me as it is a real weight on me.

However part of the reason this summer didn't work out was because I said yes to everything - social wise and have some lovely memories so I don't regret it.

You get away. Especially after all your DIY (I too have that drill, it is great!)

XXXX

RosaBernicia · 25 September 2018 at 9:00PM

Thanks everyone

:A
At present the buffer fund about covers things. I am about £900 over budget _pale_:( and going away will cost me probably about another £800 in total, as it has to include the cost of boarding the cats, petrol, and possibly ferries. I need to do some checking about whether I can actually go where I was thinking with the van now that it's off season as I know some of the restaurants etc are now in closed season. So maybe I should also consider going somewhere different.

I could 'pay that back' over about the next 3 paycheques except that there is also a smallish repair that needs doing on the house and I have decided I need to give up on the garden and get help to get it cleared. I just don't have the tools or the time to sort out the big shrubs and that puts me off doing the other stuff I could do with it and enjoy. So I'm thinking of getting that done now, which would mean I can get going really early with growing both flowers and herbs and sort things from seed rather than paying for plants in the garden centre. No idea what either of those will cost yet, so am just getting quotes. But yes you're probably right - the worst likely outcome is that I've wiped out the buffer fund at the end of the calendar year and need to build it back up again, and I am not thinking of major costs til the summer starts again as everything except a bit of furniture replacement would be done.

I think I probably will go, but I do need to ring round to sort the cats and to think a bit more about where.

Rosa xx

RosaBernicia · 25 September 2018 at 9:07PM

Oh, and the other thing coming up is I need to put a bit in to the mortgage - dropped the loan by a few hundred as it got things below a 5% barrier. Just heard that the offer is approved, so if that reflects the original discussions it should have got a good rate for 2 years, got it below another 5% barrier and also taken a year off the term. But does mean I need to also find that money around the end of the year.

Am so glad my friends and family are sensible about Christmas :rotfl:

Rosa xx

RosaBernicia · 7 October 2018 at 8:46PM

Hmmph. This is going to be a grumpy post as things have gone off track and I need to do some thinking about where I want them to go and how.

I didn't go away, for various reasons it just got so complicated it was becoming a stress rather than a joy. I am taking a couple of days off to both catch up on house things that have got out of control and chill.

I got a quote for the garden which is fine but the guy hasn't got back to me :mad: - annoyed at this as was just getting excited at all the things I could do without the drudgery of doing the clearing - so if he doesn't reply tomorrow morning I will be going elsewhere.

Very annoyed at YNAB as somehow within the space of 3 weeks my totals for the accounts I use most don't match the actual balances and I cannot find any missing transactions comparing the two. I've put in adjustments to match everything up but that means I'm now £120 further spent than I thought and I really don't know what went wrong. It's done this before and I suspect something odd goes wrong in its programming. However, I can't face finding another option yet so will just continue and bear it in mind for finding an alternative.

Plus £80 vet bill... and must chase up mortgage process... all else about the same. There is something else I want to do that is likely to take up the holiday money, so am just having a bit of a review phase. Things will get back on track, I just need to figure out in which direction!

Rosa xx

doingitanyway · 8 October 2018 at 6:13PM

I agree about the garden. Whenever I 'lose control' of the garden I call in the gardeners sharpish now. It is such a relief when they have done it, so persevere although yes annoying that the gardener did not follow up.

A few days off to wrestle back control and chill sounds like a good plan too

kerri_gt · 8 October 2018 at 9:25PM

Rosa you have my sympathies with the garden - honestly you would think that tradesmen of any ilk do not want the work. The problem seems to be there is a shortage of decent ones so they can cherry pick the 'best' jobs to suit themselves.

For every job we've had done it seems 50% don't even bother replying to the initial RFQ(I've now taken to blanket emailing vs phoning as I do not have time to phone people who can't be bothered to call or text back). Of the 50% who say they'll quote, at least one won't turn up, one will turn up but not bother to quote and it usually comes down to one or two who actually turn up AND put metaphorical pen to paper.

Then comes the challenge of booking them in and having them turn up when they say they will. :mad: No wonder so many are self employed, if i did that at my company I'd be sacked.

Try and stay positive about getting finances back on track, at least you are planning how to address it, that's a plus xx

RosaBernicia · 11 October 2018 at 10:47PM

Thanks folks

Gardener 1 has now replied and suggested a date but not confirmed when I said yes... so will shortly be emailing another one.

Mortgage still all on track after a minor panic when the documents arrived and said to return them in 7 days, right underneath the paragraph saying the offer lasts 3 months. Spoke to brokers today who said no need to return it immediately, so now just waiting to hear from conveyancing solicitors. They've had everything they should need from me so shouldn't be any issues.

New :money: thing - I've started going to the local Ald1. It's only a few minutes drive and right by a Wa1tro5e, so I go in Ald1s for what I can get there and then cross the car park to Wa1tro5e. Working very nicely so far as I can get British veg and farm assured meat there plus some extras. I spent £35 today but that included a load of veg, sirloin steak, £6 on garden bulbs and £7 on bird food (including a huge tub of fat balls). I'm impressed. They aren't great for gluten free bread etc but they do provide all their info to the Coeliac UK checker and I got quinoa there today. Just went over the road for my preferred chocolate and some gluten free bits. Total of both = my usual Wa1tro5e bill but with the fridge and cupboards full plus garden stuff. I think I'll continue this

particularly as have realised working from home more means I can run over there at lunchtime, so it's nearly as easy as having a delivery.

Otherwise all just happily plodding here

Rosa xx

beanielou · 12 October 2018 at 1:31PM

I am a big fan of Aldi

RosaBernicia · 21 October 2018 at 7:17PM

Shuffle shuffle... and unfortunately whichever way I look at it, I am two months disposable income ahead of myself and that's before I need to find extra for the remortgage. Not moaning about it, I have been spending as I am finally starting to do some exercise and have also bought clothes to replace stuff that really did need replacing. It is all covered by the buffer fund and the time delay on the CC, so not drama, just feeling a bit uncomfortable with it.

But am thinking I do need to get back to well, not scrimping as such maybe, but really prioritising so that money goes to what's most important. There are a lot of things I want to do in the new year and still things I want to do with the house, so the money needs to follow those. There are a few areas where I can cut down, including better grocery spending (go to Ald1), get a monthly gym membership (I got a PAYG this first month as wasn't sure I'd go, but if I am actually going more than twice a week, contract would be cheaper) and travel (more WFH means less driving), and broadband (I am just out of contract so can now get cheaper and possibly better).

So hopefully wibbling back to on track...

Rosa xx

doingitanyway · 21 October 2018 at 7:31PM

Well done on the exercise front.

I like the idea of money following our goals

Balancing not just the budget

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