Nothing to do with anything frugal but our MP has decided to opt out of the Conservative party and into Labour - I think it's wrong that they are allowed to stay on as an MP when they change parties. Dr. Dan Poulter says he can't carry on as a Conservative MP with the state of the NHS being so bad that he can't face his patients and colleagues. I was always told the way to change something is from the inside. He is standing down at the next election anyway (as are many other Conservative MPs who are afraid they might be on the losing side!)but this village will be in a different constituency for the next election and could have a Green MP - not that it will make an iota of difference to us common folk!.
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image from google freepik
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In my end of March financial round-up I said April's projected expenses were horrible and came to £870 without eating or spending on anything extra. So I was very happy to make my biggest saving by moving my Home and Contents Insurance from a local broker to a well known company but online only - a saving of nearly £200 compared to the local brokers quote. (I only started with the the local broker because they were a new business and giving away a £50 Amazon voucher, but that was about 6 years ago so it was time I checked and changed!)
The Dentist did a check up and x-ray and I was only in the chair for about 15 minutes but still it cost me £74! There have been no NHS dentists taking patients in Suffolk for many years and the lack in Suffolk and Norfolk has made the national news several times. Years ago we would have struggled to pay for private care so I'm glad I'm able to now.
No way of saving on the TV licence -£169.50 this year - except to go without a TV but that's not going to happen, especially as I've been enjoying the snooker world championship for the last couple of weeks.
Then the bill arrived for the boiler repair in March.- I'd nearly forgotten about it.
Other than those big chunks of cash going out there were all the usual monthly direct debits - Council Tax, Charity, Phones and Broadband. Plus the monthly electric bill, food and diesel for the car of course and wild bird feed and £5 on new underwear.
I spent a few pounds on the garden at car boot sales by buying 3 strawberry plants, 2 butternut squash plants(I only had two seeds left and they've not germinated) and a couple of bags of cheap multi-purpose compost from Aldi.
Having already bought a new sandpit for the two nearest Grandchildren as a joint birthday present, I was able find to a few craft things in the cupboard - from boot sales- for YGD's 6th birthday. (As yet the weather hasn't been good enough since February for son to put the sand pit together and fill it up!) Finally I sent the ED her birthday present ready for next week.
I get an A* for personal spending this month! - as there's been virtually nothing found at boot sales and just a second-hand Donna Leon book from charity shop. Haven't been swimming either as they've altered all the session times again and it's so busy. So only other spending was entrance to an antique fair (spent nothing there) and the £1.50 a week for exercise group - and we had enough in the kitty for a free week .
Income was the usual two pensions but the savings bond I had has stopped paying monthly interest into my bank - I was using it to top up the monthly pensions, so now will have to wait until year end to get the interest.
The small savings I can think of
- Only using dishwasher every other day
- Using more of my batch made meals from the freezer
- Using the two bags of last years fruit from the freezer for a crumble
- Home made bread and malt loaf
- Finding greetings cards at boot sale
- One present for next Christmas found at boot sale
- Presents for Granddaughter found at boot sales previously
- Found £1.01 pence in the Asda car park
- Reading library books for free and books from my shelves
- Small garden mister/sprayer ½ price from the discount hardware shop because it's closing- sadly.
- Bulk purchase of 1kg of Bicarb for cleaning sinks and basins - will last a year.
- Batch made Salmon, broccoli and pasta bake to freeze - made 8 meals for approx. £6
- Only ever use second-class postage stamps
- No make up etc bought
Out of the house this month went................ 4 bags of things to charity shops. Gone are a small book rack, some odds and ends from the garden shed, some toys and books including all 7 of the huge C.J.Sansom Mathew Shardlake historical series. The first written in 2003 and the 7th - Tombland in 2018. I've been hanging onto them just in case he writes another but decided they might as well go. (Coincidentally the first book/s have been made into a TV series - it's on Disney+, although I won't get to see it until it moves to somewhere free!)
Into the bin have gone some rusty garden tools (why did I still have the small completely rusted up pruning saw! since I bought a new one last year) and old photo albums.
May has fewer big expenses thank goodness - the car breakdown insurance is the only definite extra .
Back in a few days with the May library book photo after I've collected my reservations from the library van. (Now I've said that it - hope it's not off the road for some reason!)
Sue
Sad to hear that C.J.Sansom has recently passed away, I loved the Shardlake series.
ReplyDeleteOh that is sad to hear, and not very old either and before the series is on TV.
DeleteI can't help but wonder how Dr Poulter has failed to notice any problems in the NHS till now. I imagine patients turning up to his A&E unit with an axe embedded in their skulls and him saying "What seems to be the trouble?"
ReplyDeleteAt least he might go back to working all week in hospital rather than just the two days he has been doing.
DeleteYou have done well! I had to pay for new specs yesterday, which is more extra than I would normally expect in a month. I was pleased that the visiting optician took away all my old specs to send to Africa, a thing they do.
ReplyDeleteIt was an expensive month so I was glad my personal spending was small
DeleteYes, I agree that if MPs change parties it seems wrong that they get to stay on (and get paid!) Empathising with you over dental bills. And very sad about C J Sansom (he was partway through another book - I wonder if someone else will be drafted in to complete it?) I shall look forward to seeing Shardlake on TV, but feel sorry for his family that he died just a few days before it's release.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind going to the dentist every six months as long as nothing needs doing!
DeleteI never put on my dishwasher until it's full. That takes about ten days. It doesn't get grotty if you leave the door unlatched to keep it ventilated. You do need a fair supply of plates, cups, cutlery, etc, but I wash kitchen knives, large casseroles, etc in the sink.
ReplyDeleteI would need 40 mugs for 10 days!
DeleteSanson was probably alive when you wrote the post. I think UEA has had a dental school approved so that we get more dentists here. I hope they don't all move away when they finish their training. We also have a medical school but no more GPs than anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteHis death hasn't been noted on the Fantastic Fiction website which is where I'd looked often to see if he had written more.
DeleteHope your are right about dentist and doctor training - we certainly need both - and pharmacists. Our health centre has a pharmacist shortage again - slows things down by about 5 days for a repeat prescription.
Considering the list of extras you couldn't avoid, I think you did so well with your budget. I would really miss the library if it closed down........ such a money saver isn't it?
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
I would be bankrupt without the library!
DeleteYou did pretty well considering what you were forecasting for this month last time you wrote your budget out.
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough I thought of you last week when we were working out my Mum's incoming and outgoings to see how her new care package would affect her finances. She is going to be running at a monthly deficit of at least £500, so it shows that you need to have savings and good plans for your later years!
Some months do seem unusually expensive. Things add up quickly. April is higher than expected for me too. My dryer broke and I replaced both washer and dryer with a LG single unit. Then I remodeled the laundry room to accommodate the new washer/dryer. Next, I arranged for home window frame refresh using Sikkens Cetol Stain for mahogany. Let's just say we are keeping busy and managing well. Next month is bound to be less expensive. That's the hope!
ReplyDeleteLove that you found some money in the car park! Years ago, when still a child (many years ago LOL), my grandmother used to growl at me for walking along with my head down - I was searching the ground for money, and often found it too, but that was no excuse apparently :)
ReplyDeleteI was really worried about this month and what seemed to be pretty reckless spending. We did manage to actually come in under budget, but not by much. I agree, I will keep my TV as I can manage to get some free streaming services with it, and it is our main source of entertainment (well Harvey's). Reading consists of free online books for me and my bookshelves.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
My budget this month was pretty terrible. Sigh. I really, really need to knuckle down and watch pennies. Well done on your frugal month!
ReplyDelete