Robbing Peter to save Paul . . .

Sometimes the month just gets away from me.

Other times so much happens, it is impossible to believe another month is over.

That was July ~ it was immensely productive, mundane to a degree, but a heap of things happened, were planned and discussed and implemented ~ and I am accepting all the help offered and available to utilise.

Oh why did I not get home help earlier in the piece!?! While not a lot of an entitlement - only 1.5hrs a fortnight ~ it is just so terribly wonderful having the floors mopped, vacc'd, swept, the bathroom done and the kitchen given the once over properly. To walk on floors mopped by 'Vicki', compared to those done by MudGuts, is an absolute dream.

Started doing hydro - therapy that is! Been having fun with that one. When I worked at emergency services and the wear on my back started becoming evident, a few of the medics would recommend hydro - not of the water therapy variety. Well, not sure if that is where I want to play again - knowing that the pain relief would be significant, temporarily! Any how - the water therapy is great, challenging and at times leaving me a little sore. Note to self - when the pool is extra warm - remember it will effect the 'patch' 8o) Bit trippy one time! Funny a little, lucky no driving required most of the day.

Did the budget - again. Tax refunds have been a godsend. Only in as much that this has enabled us to be on target rather than behind which we seem to be at the start of the month when all the mortgage, credit sweeps go through . . . and payday is still 15 days away. Every month we had the funds for all the mortgage transfers - just not always at the time they were need or due.

Must say thanks to Simple Savings (again) for providing the insight to negotiating with utilities and debtors. With the knowledge gained, we are now almost up to date with every single bill - and those with a debt have had a budget payment plan negotiated and in place. Heating is going to be HUGE this winter as with fractures in the spine the cold is really quite intolerable and we have found keeping the temperature at 'normal QLD' has been working well. :o)
Funny that, eh?!

But also a big thank you to all the utilities that did help out ease the stress and burden. Every month now, regardless of the amount used, gas is $60, electricity is $120, and it will be looked at in 12 months to see how it is going. Funnily enough, the only company who wont come to the party is good old Telstra. How odd (not!) Never mind - I have got the tax refund through, it will be paid in full today! Wonderful.

Over the weekend we covered the budget, how the refunds are being used (oh, we have grown up when a whizz bang fandangled 'toy' did not factor once), declutter, things to do in the veggie garden and more. But it was fun, not a chore. I am sure I have said that before. I recently started with the closets and have been handing on clothes to people I know. Few dollars here and there, especially when posting 3kgs of clothes!! Might even use a courier to QLD as it is cheaper!

Financially speaking

Interesting month really ~ we have been following interest, listening to the doom and gloom and taking things on board. Anyway - July ended, August commenced = here is how we look:

July 30
Morty (our mortgage : 2005-$190k) : $169,212.63
LOC (our life : max $21k) : $16,926.76
CeeCee (our credit card : current max: $7k : 2004-$21k) : $5,722.82
All bills paid and up to date.

And Friday, interest was applied . . . so now we look like this for the start of August :

Morty (our mortgage : 2005-$190k) : $170,542.01 (interest $1329.38) : $70 in redraw
LOC (our life : max $21k) : $16,741.53
CeeCee (our credit card : current max: $7k : 2004-$21k) : $5,241.80


Mortgage Extra Payments
July: $90 ~ interest saved: $1,306 *~* Time reduced: 1 month
August: extra paid: $20 ~ interest saved: $287 *~* Time reduced:
Interest saved to date: $1592

$10 each Monday and Friday to Morty
$10 each Wednesday to ING Savings Maximiser (shall we call that Max!?) Current Balance : $59.15

Yes, the tax cheques do make it look a little healthier ~ hubby's is in, mine is clearing. I was a little disappointed in DH's return - but doing regular office role as opposed to his prior ad hoc, all hours / no hours, overtime I guess the claimables do change in PPE especially.
MyMan is into the whole 'add in what we didnt spend that we usually would' approach to the credit card and he has backed of CeeCee since the purchasing of monthly travel - that alone give CeeCee an extra $400 a month. *CeeCee leans back and sees the slimming effects*

Getting better at staying under budget, just the timing has been stressful - robbing peter to pay paul before payday. We both agree with the tax refund in the LOC the stress will be gone. It is up to us to maintain that surplus and keep increasing it now. We've looked for other 'slimming' methods and buying bulk, online are part of that.

Might take a break - back is aching and I am sitting not laying at the moment (naughty me, I know ~ so smack me! Please?) Time for cereal, a few juicy prunes (yeah for codiene, not), check for eggs and do my Harper Collins book review ~ really enjoyed the book! Will pop a link in if the review is published!