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Original poster

Fearless Frugaleers Finding Their Feet in February

999 replies

SpottyTeacakes · 10/02/2016 12:54

Smile I've got fruflu Sad

OP posts:
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13
5minutestobed · 18/02/2016 14:26

Wreck we did that a few years ago. We got a loan and paid off my overdraft, credit card plus bought a car. Its a 4year loan, our car died after a year so we had to borrow more money to buy a new one and we have pretty much filled up the credit card again, doh!
So if your going to do it make sure you cut up the credit card and get the best car you can with the money you've got!

WreckTangled · 18/02/2016 14:31

The cars we are looking at have less than 50k on the clock and about six years old. Id be really surprised if it didn't last the five years.

colliepirate · 18/02/2016 14:35

wreck we did that last year! We got a loan over 5 years to cover credit cards, overdraft and a new car. As our old car was so knackered. If you do it - make sure you get a car that's reliable and economical.

The old car cost £20 something in tax per month and fuel economy was awful. Our new car had a £30 a year tax and fuel economy is amazing. It's saved us loads!

I don't look back. But I agree with 5minutes. make sure you cut up those credit cards.

We also squirrelled £500 away for car emergencies. Which we still have!

Touches wood, touches ALL the wood. Grin

CremeEggThief · 18/02/2016 14:35

On my way home from our couple of days away. Yesterday was spendy enough, but worth it. £10 for tobogganing for DS, £3.50 for a pair of gloves for him, £24.70 for dinner in Nandos and about £6 for coffee and cakes earlier in the day. Today has been £3 so far and the bus fare to get home will be £5.50.
Laska, good news about your GD.Smile

I hope the rest of us are all well.

colliepirate · 18/02/2016 14:37

wreck the car that we bought was only 6 years old. It's fab.

I think you should go for it Smile

NK5BM3 · 18/02/2016 14:38

a quick one - can anyone recommend a 0% interest CC?? We took one out for our holiday last year and are paying that off. I've almost always paid off my CC every month anyway, so it's not an issue.

We want to sort out the fireplace and it's going to cost £2500!!! thanks v much. xx

Wolfcub · 18/02/2016 14:39

Spendy day today with ds £3 parking £14 entry fee and £7 for a drink and a snack this afternoon. We bought our own picnic lunch but ds wanted to play in the indoor area so I feel obliged to buy coffee etc. Also stupidly forgot to get the chicken out of the freezer for tea so need to come up with an altetnative which is likely to mean a little extra spending

lilacclery · 18/02/2016 14:39

Wreck how long will 0% rate last on card? Is £175 the min payment?

5minutestobed · 18/02/2016 14:57

I would still say go for it wreck, I think we were just unlucky with our car, something went wrong that involved taking the engine out to fix it and it would have cost £600+ to fix.
Our current car is 10 years old and was bought for £1600. Just have to cross our fingers it lasts until we finish paying off the loan next year or we're stuffed!
Maybe keeping a car fund like Collie is a good idea!
Two NSD days here as I've been ill. Will be a spendy weekend hiring a van to move house and paying for carpets to get cleaned. Really wanted to pay someone to clean the oven but it costs £50! Better get the oven pride out!

lilacclery · 18/02/2016 15:00

I've been running through figures regarding my proposed change of car in 2018 if current offer of trade in allowance is still in force a brand new car will only cost €600 more than one a year old so it would make sense to buy one.

If I save €100 a week from when my current car loan finishes until then I'll have €6800 of a deposit and could pay back the car in 3 years but I had another thought then.

If I don't wait until 2018 and buy in Jan 17 I'll have less of a deposit and it will take 4 years to pay back but I will not have the expense of my own car then next year which will be 12 years old at that stage it will cost €710 to tax and €55 for nct plus tyres @ €80 avg each and repairs new car would be €190 for tax and the tyres would be new saving minimum €895 but having a bigger loan initially, this is the biggest disadvantage for me.

lilacclery · 18/02/2016 15:01

5 are you moving far?

lilacclery · 18/02/2016 15:05

allguns that's brilliant well done
mse looks great, not applicable to roiSad I still enjoy reading and seeing what I can take advantage of.

Yesterday I wanted to buy lunch but I made myself bring some and today I considered buying it as it's payday instead I went to shop and spent €1 on a yogurt, we were out of low fat ones at home and the full fat ones were forest fruit flavour which I detestGrin Mon Tues and Wed were NSDs.

Pointlessfan · 18/02/2016 15:26

I've been trying to check in all day but every time I catch up on the thread I'm interrupted before I can post anything!
Just waiting for bloke to call back re - life insurance. Our existing cover is very expensive and only covers the decreasing balance on the mortgage. Hoping to find cheaper cover that would leave more money for DD if anything were to happen to us.
Going out for another meal tonight. With being a teacher and a lot of my friends also being teachers we tend to catch up in the holidays which makes them an expensive time but I suppose it's offset in term time when I just stay in marking books!

WreckTangled · 18/02/2016 15:28

We only have the one credit card and haven't put anything on it for ages. It's about £5k the minimum is £50 a month but we are paying more. Dh has another credit card which we would use for emergencies. Ours is 0% for quite a while as we only recently moved it over but there's no 0% on purchases on it.

Looking at cars we can actually get one that's four years old with less than 40k on the clock for about £4.5k.

fuzzpig · 18/02/2016 15:41

DH and I talked properly about the housing thing today. We've agreed to forget about it until DD turns 10 (June 2017). We would not move up a priority band (we are already short by one bedroom, due to the size of the DCs' room - they are overcrowded regardless of age/gender) BUT we would then be eligible for help with 3 bedrooms under HB rules. I hate relying on that, but given the situation it's good to know it's there if DH's wages don't cover it. But I feel better now that we've discussed it and have a set date in mind, and now that I know exactly where we stand with the age/gender rules etc. So we need to spend the next year properly getting this place sorted so that when we are able to move, we will be ready.

I got my report from the occupational health people. They've said officially that I am not well enough to my role. They're recommending redeployment to a desk based job. Not holding out much hope for a suitable role TBH, but I am absolutely open to it!

So yeah. It's official now I guess. It's all there on paper - I am not going back to my job :( :(

lilacclery · 18/02/2016 15:50

Only wondering wreck if it was possible to keep moving your credit card debt to a 0% one would it be possible for you to get a loan for the car as well and pay the min to credit card and save on interest?

lilacclery · 18/02/2016 15:51

oh fuzz this has got to be an emotional day for you if they do come up with a desk based job how will this affect your home ed status? You said they might find you a desk based job that's not local what happens then?
[hugs]FlowersChocolate

5minutestobed · 18/02/2016 15:55

Just along the road Lilaclery its a new build mid market rent flat so £50 a month cheaper which will be a big help!

Fluffycloudland77 · 18/02/2016 16:01

Wreck

How about a new car on finance? Any breakdowns from mechanical fault are under warranty and you won't have to mot it if you hand it back after 3 years.

[http://www.lookers.co.uk/citroen/new-offers/new-citroen-c1/] you can order off any dealership in the uk and have it delivered.

I have one of these, it does 350-400 miles on £30 of fuel.

Plus March madness (dh is motor trade and my god it's likes the end of the world right now) is here and if a salesman needs to hit target you get a better deal. Their bonuses can can be £2k plus so they are keen.

Next month they'll all be back to being lazy.

fuzzpig · 18/02/2016 16:13

We have childcare available (our lovely CM, who we were using when I was working, is not charging us a holding fee) so that's not a problem. My hours were minimal anyway so it wasn't an issue for HE. :)

Basically I work for the county council but the only council building in my town is the one I'm in, with no office work available. There is one in another town, which would be short bus ride, short train ride and short walk - could be doable if there's something available, but I would have to consider if the travel would be too much for me on top of the job itself.

Although actually there may be something in schools... they are CC run I guess? I'm sure I've seen things like school receptionist vacancies on the council website. So there may be something like that which could still be in this town.

WreckTangled · 18/02/2016 16:31

If we only pay the minimum then we will never pay it off. I've never been keen on cars on finance tbh plus where we live it'll have scratches down the side before I know it!

WreckTangled · 18/02/2016 16:35

Fuzz that must be pretty shit. It's always worse seeing it written down even if you already knew it.

WreckTangled · 18/02/2016 16:39

Dd is swimming on her front!! She can only do a bit and only with her face in the water Grin

Pointlessfan · 18/02/2016 16:49

Hope you are ok fuzz.
Well done Wreck's DD!
Have found life insurance £30 a month cheaper than what we currently pay and with much better cover. Should be sorted by middle of next week. Hooray!

fuzzpig · 18/02/2016 16:51

Yeah I've known it was coming for ages but seeing it written there it can no longer be avoided! I know it's for the best really. I shouldn't have to do a job that makes me ill (even on my best days, I am still in a lot of pain after a 4hr shift).