Month end number crunching

(image from en.wikipedia.org)

It is hard to see where July has gone as it seems to have disappeared in the blink of an eye and already we are heading into the second half of the year, and beginning the road towards Christmas.  Yes - that "C" word already - but it shouldn't come upon us as a surprise as it happens every year, and the sooner we start our preparations, the better, I think.

With so much happening this month, it has been a challenge in itself to keep track of all the comings and goings in the finances.  We have renewed our tax credits claim, and lost £20 a month in the process but I have also sent in my tax return and have hopes of a small refund - I live in hope!  

The night that the FH had in hospital this month cost me little this time, apart from sleep!  There were two journeys back and forth to Peterborough, and one car park charge, but that is little compared with the expenses associated with the extended stays earlier in the year.  

The lightning strike has cost me at least £80 so far for a mobile internet dongle and a new telephone system.  There will be a new tv and dvd combo to buy at some point but I am in no rush for that upstairs as I am relishing the peace and quiet.  I do recognise that with the FH's ill health, a tv in the bedroom for him is almost a necessity, so I will buy one, just not quite yet...

We have had our cesspit emptied as well this month, at a cost of £70.

We have continued to make purchases for the girls' holiday, scouring the charity shops and the more affordable shops in town, as well as the sale rails when we went to Peterborough last week.  The girls both have birthdays in August so purchases have also had to be made for those.  My credit card has offered me a 0% interest period from 1st July for six months, so I have taken advantage of that to spread the cost of the YFG's Acer tablet over several months, rather than taking the hit all in one month, or raiding the savings account to pay for it.  I also used £50 of my Shop and Scan vouchers towards it, so that means that the scanning of our shopping has been profitable, and isn't really too much hassle.

The savings figure for the month is higher than I had anticipated.  I was beginning to think that we weren't going to manage to save much at all as all the costs started to escalate, but we have managed to come out £562 better off than we were last month.  Not quite what we needed to stay on target, but so much better than I had thought!  When life is challenging, the best you can do is good enough indeed.

And that other number?  No, I haven't managed to lose anywhere near what I had wanted to lose - I think I can claim one whole pound lost off my backside this month.  Must try harder...