Did not no you could get it in early.
Might get it out of the way now so I can see how much I still need to put away.
Does anyone know if you can pay in advance if you have a rough idea what will be owing?
Im crazzy arnt I!!!! :
I set up a bill payment from my bank account to the IR. I pay them a chunk when I am able. It gets deducted from the next bill. I prefer this to a direct debit because the cashflow might not always be sufficient to pay a DD but if I pay £50 or £100+ when I am able, it can make a big hole in the next bill. DO print out the receipt with the transaction number on it. Makes it a lot easier to trace in case of problems (not had any yet though).
I do this. I set up a standing order and pay monthly in advance. Then when I do my return I normally get a rebate 'cos I've overpaid.
I just class it as a normal bill, like the gas and electric.
It's not the best way to do it, I guess my money isn't gaining interest in some ISA (though I don't think the rates are much good these days anyway), but it stops me from flapping like Squeaks does year-after-year.
Of course it would be better to save it and earn a bit of interest on it (not that you would get much at the moment) but my finances are so "hand to mouth" due to my high debt levels that I prefer to pay as I go as much as possible.
I actually set up a spreadsheet a while back listing all the debts and although I knew it was bad, I was shocked. It's always more than you expect in these situations. However, I couldn't start to resolve the situation until I knew exactly what the situation was. I now make a payment by BACS every day to my debts over and above the minimum payments - even if it's only a few pence. This might sound petty but since the start of the year, I've reduced my debts by 2 grand (in spite of the Jan/Feb freeze-ups)and I'm now earning more too. I haven't used a credit card since late January. I batch cook several weeks of meals at once and freeze them and rarely forget to make a sandwich instead of getting them at a shop. I eat more healthily than I've ever done in my life for a fraction of the cost. I actually know what some things cost these days.
If this sounds silly, for one month only, write down EVERY penny you spend and add it up. You've been a debt counsellor in the forces Tosh so I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Also, the freezer that I use for my meals I got F.O.C on freecycle.
I earn well but it's the outgoings that I am addressing.
No good earning say (hypothetically) 30 grand a year if you spend 31.
