Happy Friday! Hope your week has been good? Mine’s been good, although it’s been a funny old week for our brand spanking new budget I have to say. I’ve been tracking our spending down to the penny and am already amazed that we’ve had to go to the shop four times because we forgetting certain groceries! But we’re not spending anything out of the ordinary yet which is great.
We’ve had some costs crop up this week though that we weren’t expecting. Our dog has a sore leg!! We took him straight to the vets yesterday when we noticed him limping and they confirmed that luckily it isn’t broken but looks like he’s twisted it. One consultation and some painkillers later and the budget has been hit with £40. Secondly, the gas fire in our old home which we’re renting out has packed up, so we need to repair this – not sure how much it will be yet!
I think I’ll have to take the gas fire bill out of the emergency fund but we’ve covered the vet bill out of the usual budget because our fund for emergencies is dwindling each month at the moment. It will mean £40 less for debt repayment, however, I’m not going to worry too much yet as I’m on the case with earning some kind of extra income this month. I don’t know what that will be yet, but I’m damned sure there will be some!
I’ve not had lots of time this week to read as many blogs as I’d like, as I’ve been trying to dedicate more time to writing which I really love doing especially just to clear my head. But I hope to catch up on more wonderful blogs this weekend!
Here’s some great personal finance posts I’ve enjoyed so far this week:
Shannon from The Heavy Purse wrote about Phrases to Avoid when Talking about Money with Kids. Looking at this helpful post, I can see I’ve made a few mistakes with using the right language and phrases around money with my own daughter – hopefully no lasting damage though! Talking about money positively can really help influence your child to make the right decisions around finances when they grow up.
Girl Meets Debt posted her End of September 2013 Debt Repayment Update! She has done so well and has now cleared her consumer debt of $12,000 completely! Congratulations to GMD on her nomination as a finalist in the Plutus Awards for Best Debt-Focused Personal Finance Blog.
Budgeting in the Fun Stuff posted a great guest article from Lyle at The Joy of Simple on How Being A Credit Card Delinquent Saved Me Thousands Of Dollars. Lyle’s story of how he paid back his debt and turned his finances and lifestyle around is really inspirational. He has some really good advice for those people looking to stop spending on credit cards.
Steve from The Silver Maple Leaf wrote a great post on What Rabbit Do You Chase? Steve writes about the definition of success and how in our society, the way we perceive success is often warped.
Laurie over at The Frugal Farmer wrote Are You Afraid To Be Debt Free? Laurie explains some of the reasons people fear their debt and struggle to get out of it. I’ve definitely been in at least one of these situations before. Laurie has some good advice for tackling those issues and helping you to face up to your debt.
I hope you enjoy these reads as much as I did! Have a lovely weekend all. 🙂
Posts I’ve written this week:
Related posts:
Image © A Disease Called Debt
Hope your puppy gets better soon. 🙁
Taynia | The Fiscal Flamingo recently posted…An Accountability Partner – Why You Need One If You’re In Debt
Thanks Taynia! He seems brighter today thank goodness. No walks for 5 days, so he’ll be going stir crazy soon!
Glad your dog is okay, Hayley! It’s so scary when they’re not feeling well. We had our gas oven go out this week, and we had to get our furnace tuned up, so I know what you mean about those appliance repair bills- they’re not fun!!! Thanks for the mention, friend, and have a great weekend. 🙂
Laurie @thefrugalfarmer recently posted…How to Save Money: Love Your Pets, Just Not at Full Price
Thanks Laurie! I really enjoyed your post. 🙂 Sorry to hear about your gas oven, such repairs are an annoyance for the budget aren’t they – but much needed!
Hey Hayley and thanks for including my guest post in your fab links…it is greatly appreciated 🙂
I also wish your pup a speedy recovery. I have a cat and thankfully she’s OK…but if there was anything wrong with her, like you, I would immediately head to the vet, which thankfully is right down the street from me!
Good luck on the gas fire…it’s a drag when things like that kind of just happen unexpectedly. At least you have an emergency fund to deal with it!
Take care and thanks again. Enjoy your weekend and all the best.
Lyle
lyle @ the Joy of Simple recently posted…My First Guest Blog Post And My First Reader Q & A 🙂
Hi Lyle! No worries, it was a great post, I particularly liked the advice you gave out in your post to other people who are looking to stop using their cards. My dog is getting better thank you! 🙂 I love cats, they really are great companions and so intelligent too. 🙂 Have a lovely weekend!
Glad to hear your puppy is doing well and glad to know the week is almost over.
Free Money Minute recently posted…What is Worse than an Unbeliever?
Thanks so much, I don’t know what I’d do with my pup now, he’s part of the family! Hope you’re having a great weekend!
That’s good that your dog’s leg wasn’t broken. Hope everything gets better!
Michelle recently posted…October Goals and Life Update
Thanks Michelle! My dog’s doing great, the budget not so great, but it’s early in the month so plenty of time to help things along!
Thanks for mentioning my post, Hayley! I truly appreciate it! Sorry to hear about your puppy and hope he is doing better. Have a great weekend!
Shannon @ The Heavy Purse recently posted…Blog Round-Up: Week of September 30, 2013
It’s a pleasure Shannon. Your post really made me think about what I’ve been saying to my little girl. I’m guilty of far too many “Mummy and Daddy can’t afford that toy!” statements.
Aww, I hope your dog is okay! Emergencies happen sometimes and I wouldn’t worry about it too much either. It’s great that you have an emergency fund in place to help you deal with these little irregularities! xo
Eva @ Girl Counting Pennies recently posted…My Recent Travel Adventures – Part Three
Thanks Eva, he’s getting much better already! The emergency fund is great for the odd little thing to crop up, I could do with topping up the fund though in case of a major emergency!
Wishing your dog a speedy recovery Hayley! Thank you for including my post. Your support means so much to me 🙂 have a wonderful weekend! Xo
Girl Meets Debt recently posted…When is YOUR Debt Payoff Date?
Thanks GMD! You’re welcome, as always, I’m really inspired by your debt repayment updates! Hope you have a lovely weekend! 🙂 xo
awe sorry about the dog. Hope he gets better soon. Vet bills can really add up. Hope you have a great weekend!
Budget and the Beach recently posted…A letter to my future self
He’s feeling much better thank you, although he’s still not allowed to go out for walks yet. He’s been tearing around the house though, so I’m guessing his leg isn’t so bad right now!
Poor doggie, hope he feels better!
Lisa E. @ Lisa Vs. The Loans recently posted…Lisa Vs. the Lbs. – Changes
Thanks Lisa! He’s been pining for his daily walks but today we managed to get him out so he’s a very happy dog!