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Original poster

Money Management Boot Camp ..... anyone interested?

390 replies

Twiglett · 18/09/2007 13:33

OK the house of twig has been overspending drastically in recent months, so I'm about to start sorting it out again (took my eye off the ball you see)

I know we do style and healthy living makeovers on here

Anybody want to join my Money Boot Camp? Get control of your money and stay in control?

NB this may be well over my head though but I'm pretty good at this normally

sign-up if you wanna try .. we could start next month?

OP posts:
SleeplessInTheStaceym11House · 22/09/2007 13:24

nbg, also you could look into cancelling sky in the name its in and re-registering in another name (only generally works if you're not married acctually) as they have a 3 months free thing going atm. only reason we're not doing it (its registered in dhs name before we got married) is because it then has a 12 month contract and we need to be able to cancel if we have a bad month!

MascaraOHara · 22/09/2007 13:24

Right, can get my Buildings and contents insurance from Kik Fit for £12 tha is a savin of £9 per month/£108 pr year!

SleeplessInTheStaceym11House · 22/09/2007 13:25

might look at switching my contents insurance (dont need buildings as a flat) as thats £14.67 a month atm, might be able to get cheaper!

Nbg · 22/09/2007 13:27

blimey thats a bit good!!!!

Sadly have the same name as dh. We did lay it on thick with them last year when we moved and said we couldnt afford them anymore so they gave us 3 months free and free installation into 2 rooms.
Could give it another go.

popsycal · 22/09/2007 13:33

just bit the bullet and did the budget thing

at first it said we spend 500 quid a month more than we earn
but then i rewalised i had put full cost of xmas and birthdays in hte monthly column!!!

so 30 quid more a month than we earn
the most telling thing was the savings section
£0.00

we need to budget as we are always overdrawn (and lately, creeping up to overdraft limits by the end of the month)

popsycal · 22/09/2007 13:36

both our cars need work on them
dh's is off the road and mine needs a service and undoubtedly some work on it
we need a new tumble drier
we need to do loads of decorating

Nbg · 22/09/2007 13:37

I think we could be you popsy!

popsycal · 22/09/2007 14:18
Hmm
popsycal · 22/09/2007 14:33

I am going to look into childcare vouchers through work. Basically, you buying them with your salary (so it is taken off your salary). So basically you save on tax

MOneysavingexpert has info.

Does anyone do this already?

SleeplessInTheStaceym11House · 22/09/2007 14:36

popsycal, i have no idea about it but if it comes out before tax its obv. gunna save money!

WideWebWitch · 22/09/2007 14:41

Popsy, I do childcare vouchers. £243 is deducted from my pre tax salary and paid direct to the nursery. If dh's company did the same we'd have the benefit from his company, But they don't.
Anyway, apparently it saves c£100 a month.

popsycal · 22/09/2007 14:42

most employers d them.....ring your HR/personel dept and ask if they have a childcare voucher scheme and what it entails

i also am going to claim back tax on the last 6 years of union subs
I have meant to do this for ages (yeasr!!!!)

I am going to have a sort out for eBay.

popsycal · 22/09/2007 14:43

WWW thanks thats brill.

I just read that it can go towards playgroup fees too (which ds2 is going to go to once or twice a week soon).

SleeplessInTheStaceym11House · 22/09/2007 14:43

popsy, i dont work and dd is only paying for rpe-school until jan, so its only £150.

SleeplessInTheStaceym11House · 22/09/2007 14:44

ok that was meant to be we're only paying for dd till jan, not that shes paying it for herself!

Doodledootoo · 22/09/2007 19:33

Message withdrawn

SleeplessInTheStaceym11House · 22/09/2007 20:21

doodle i would say stay away from value bog roll, although the normal tesco own brand is ok!

Nemo2007 · 22/09/2007 21:05

yes dont do value toilet paper as it really really isnt worth it!!!!

Today I have spent £4.68 in the newsagents although £2 of that was on milk for the next 2 days!

MascaraOHara · 22/09/2007 21:52

I'm so sick of looking for a new mortgage.. so many seem like good deals and you go through entering all your detail just to see all the hidden charges in the actual quote. fed up! ARGH!

Will look again tomorrow. Seriously considering paying an IFA.

chocolateteapot · 23/09/2007 07:43

Mascara, we have always used a broker. He got us a rate of 2 years at 5.39% with a fee of £999, but no fee for legal work or valuation. This was back in June when all the fixes were going up. We didn't pay him anything as he got his fee from the mortgage company.

Original poster
Twiglett · 23/09/2007 10:28

Mascara try an online mortgage broker like charcol ..we got 4.25 fix with no fees

OP posts:
chocolateteapot · 23/09/2007 10:30

Please tell me this wasn't recently Twiglett.....

Original poster
Twiglett · 23/09/2007 10:31

about 4 months ago so before recent price hikes .. but the bloke we used (it wasn't charcol .. will try to find his details) went through the offers and got a fee-free one because the fee ends up wiping off the benefit in most cases

OP posts:
Original poster
Twiglett · 23/09/2007 10:36

I think it was London & Country www.lcplc.co.uk/best_buys_1.aspx?id=0:21998&id=0:21990&icid=

you phone them up go through the questions and they do the search and get back to you with a recommendation .. they are fee free

OP posts:
SleeplessInTheStaceym11House · 23/09/2007 10:36

ours is 4.75% fixed, but that was just over a year ago. fixed for 5 years so im sticking for a while!