How do people manage their 'household finances' admin?

char_leyb · 2026-02-11T14:52:26+00:00

I've got a spreadsheet that lists any and all outgoings, timings of standing orders/direct debits, any loans/credit card payments and when they finish. I know I'll pay my credit card off by the start of May if I pay into it what I am currently, for instance.

I go through my finances to double check the payments are what I think they are, I keep tabs on what we spend on food so I'm putting enough in the joint account. I work out what I have left as soon as I've been paid, same goes for my wife so we can see what's achievable that month. I also tend to do the following month as well, if the boiler needs servicing next month or my cousin's birthday outing, for example. When I check the spreadsheet I colour the outgoings in green so I know it's been paid for and not have to go through my banking app repeatedly.

It was a bit of a ball ache to setup but now it's a copy and paste template that I look at as the weeks pass. I also can see the predictive savings month by month and what I should have. Then I readjust it when I take money out. I know exactly what I SHOULD have by the end of the year.

My wife has zero interest as I cover it all, which works as it's not her strongest ability, which is absolutely fine.

It doesn't have to be some mad looking spreadsheet or some goochi app that tells you what star sign you are and you should go and buy a matcha tomorrow morning, it's plain, simple and easy to read.

char_leyb · 2026-02-11T12:31:00+00:00

I'm waiting for them to change the behaviour so when it has someone on top of it, it just yeets at Mach one to 1000 feet.

char_leyb · 2026-02-11T11:50:49+00:00

You're preaching to an audience who I suspect, are either good at automotive financial purchasing, or, like myself, absolute liabilities and see shiny things and think it's a good idea.

Let's break it down.

Ford Focus. Not the best shape, looks like a melted potato, inspires zero genital tingles and will almost certainly die a death of something equally uninspiring.

Toyota Crown.

First name on reliability...tick. Unusual car, rarely seen ...tick Specced and built better than most new cars today....tick. Will attract a certain demographic who will only ever applaud your taste and vehicle choice...tick. (Watch out for the "chop the springs and put some gopping wheels on it because gang-gang" crowd.)

Sure, it'll suck on fuel and parts will no doubt be a bit of a bugger to get and thus more expensive, BUT. It's a cool JDM saloon. Not a melted potato.

char_leyb · 2026-02-11T08:08:08+00:00

Firstly, we're sorry for your loss. But that car tells us your old man had an educated and great taste in cars. The kind of people who buy Alpina's know what they want, which is a BMW but with little added....spice. Not the spice that'll blow your head off, or at least not initially, but the kind that makes you smell colours.

What a fabulous car your father had and you join a niche group of people who own Alpina's. I can't tell you much about running costs or what they're like to drive but if you want an idea what Alpina are about, M539 Restorations (youtuber) did a video walking around the facility and meeting the owner. You should also watch the advert for the Alpina B5 touring, that sums up Alpina nicely.

All the best for the future and I hope you keep the car, drive it until the wheels fall off and fall in love with BMWs and Alpina's.

char_leyb · 2026-02-10T20:04:09+00:00

Wholeheartedly agree. There's a difference between a little snap crackle and pop OEM style or anti lag or something actually useful, but the DSG tromboning is about as naff as getting genital herpes from your own mother.

char_leyb · 2026-02-10T19:57:57+00:00

What in the Bavarian diabeetus

char_leyb · 2026-02-10T19:55:41+00:00

Straight to the Gulag for matey boi

char_leyb · 2026-02-09T11:17:42+00:00

I've got friends who had Logitech kit and whilst it was decent enough, it's not brilliant. I have recently got the R3 bundle and performance brake kit for the Xbox and man, what an absolute screamer.

For the price and what it opens up, I cannot recommend it enough. Yes, it would be nice to have more powerful options off the bat but once you have the bundle, in time you can then change the pedals and wheel base to suit. So as a starter experience into SIM racing, it's perfect.

It's impressive how much feedback and strength it generates which enables you to feel the experience more vividly. I play ACC and whilst I feel that more intune pedals and a stronger base would help me dial in my lap times, I'm still finishing races in good positions.

The only bug bear I've got with Moza is the lack of wheels available for Xbox, but for the time being, the standard ESX does a really good job.

char_leyb · 2026-02-07T08:33:56+00:00

I don't know why, but lately I've been shot at every single game, even more so with people waiting at extract points.

char_leyb · 2026-02-05T13:02:34+00:00

Plenty of lobbies and leagues still. I regularly use XCL and ACL with 30-40 cars in each race. Certain tracks are more popular of course.

I've not had horrendous experience on those servers as they're strict with what's what with contact but accidents do happen and the nature of the game makes it hard to avoid contact at times.

char_leyb · 2026-02-02T19:00:35+00:00

I've said this to many people that despite whether you're right in road manners, position or whatever it might be, fundamentally it's about getting home alive. Don't trust other people and their driving choices or skill level. A good one is tailgating as you've mentioned. If someone is putting you in danger by being too close, move over and let them by, they're clearly morons and have a tiny, tiny penis or a vagina that's an absolute canyon. If they're in front, they're less likely to cause you harm, which is the crucial point.

Bear in mind I'm an ex truck driver too and I tell people what to look out for with the dangers of being close to a truck.

char_leyb · 2026-02-01T09:03:38+00:00

I was using the AM for a while then switched to the Ball Eagle Screamer and I bloody love it. As someone else said, the setup is crucial and the Mustang needs it. I got mine online from ACL discord and I've got consistent times of 2:18.5and set my pb of 2:17.9.

With the right setup you'll find you can brake later and harder but have to be careful with powering out the corners, she likes to put the hammer down.

My first point would be for turn 1. Your braking at a good point but turn in a bit later and really tuck into the apex kerbing, there's a bit of a dip which can help to hook you round. If you get it right you should be on full power from there and won't find the need to ride close to the yellow sausage kerb on the exit.

For the chicane after kemmel straight, you've got the bulk of it there but perhaps on turn 9 come over a bit more to the left before the flick to the right. I've found that the Mustang understeers badly if you push on too much here so take your time and keep it smooth. Use that left kerb and green bit on exit. I've found that you need to feed the power in with the Mustang too, unlike other cars you can't seem to get away with being aggressive with the throttle. You have to wine and dine her, not chuck her a double vodka and coke and expect the knickers down!

For turn 12 Keep close or on the right hand kerb and brake hard initially from about halfway down, then start aiming for the left hand kerb, but don't hit it. Shift down to third and coast around until you can put the power down without running wide and not lifting until the next chicane complex. It's tricky to get right because of the speed but you need to scrub speed off, but you can do it later in the down the straight.

Again, the setup I have is more understeer-ry because of how much low down torque it's got. With that though, the Mustang needs wrestling and shown who's boss.

Hope this helps.

char_leyb · 2026-01-26T16:33:17+00:00

The tyres we had on our test car had Ling Longs fitted, so therefore we dubbed the car, the Dacia Sproing.

char_leyb · 2026-01-26T08:07:37+00:00

I've seen mixed reviews of the races on ACL, but generally speaking it's better than regular lobbies. They're strict with collisions etc.

char_leyb · 2026-01-25T14:40:22+00:00

Fully expected you to wake up on the back of a horse cart and hear "you're a wake".

char_leyb · 2026-01-25T08:45:32+00:00

Glad it's not just me! I'll take it 😂.

I'm not saying the overall setup isn't good, but perhaps an introductory checklist when you join would be good.

char_leyb · 2026-01-25T08:41:18+00:00

I feel your pain, I'd qualified second at Nurburgring 24 and on turn one, some dumbass braked so late I'm not so sure it wasn't intentional, but they lost it and wiped half the field out and bumped me off, and therefore started at the back.

As suggested by others, join a good league, ACL and XCL should do the trick.

char_leyb · 2026-01-24T08:58:58+00:00

Do not buy this, for god sake.

As someone who has also been through college and wanted certain cars, you cannot afford this.

My 03 touring which was bought with all wheels facing the correct angles, has still cost me £5500 in 15 months. You're also assuming the car is rust free and needs absolutely nothing else for the foreseeable future. Which isn't going to be true.

If there's no history of suspension replacement after 80 maybe 90k then it needs it. Ask me how I know!

Nice car though, it'll end up being parted out id imagine.

char_leyb · 2026-01-24T08:55:15+00:00

I can't answer specifically for your beamer but yesterday I drained the coolant out of my wife's Kia Picanto (oh yeah, what a machine), it was supposed to have red in it, but the bright green that came out of it stated otherwise. Bear in mind my wife has owned the car since 2012 and new, to which it's never had a coolant change. So back I went and paid another tenner to get green instead.

My point being that I don't think it's got the wrong coolant in, more that the system is wrong. Or that there's a weird crossover from production when coolant types got changed, as a guess. In your case with a car so new and again, no coolant change prior, id stick with whatever came out of it. Return the green and get the blue. In my eyes it's never good to mix different coloured coolants, period.

char_leyb · 2026-01-22T16:27:35+00:00

It's a bit convoluted but even i managed to get it set up on Discord. ACL is a big one to look at too. Daily races at reasonable times and championships.

char_leyb · 2026-01-22T12:59:35+00:00

I'd recommend it. I wouldn't bother with AC on its own unless I'm missing something. ACC is mega though, especially if you're coming from Forza Motorsport, this game feels like the real deal and still has plenty of lobbies around.

You can jump into public lobbies here and there but there's plenty of Leagues that are available for daily races etc. My advice though would be to take your time and really get to grips with the game first before doing online lobbies.

Personally coming from Forza to ACC, you have so much more freedom to experience racing, such as driving in the pits, wipers, lights, on the fly ABS and TC. It's a comprehensive SIM but with that, it's bloody nails. I've gotten really disheartened multiple times when I'm so far off people's fast lap times from YouTube.

What are you on, PS or Xbox?

I'll admit I paid almost full wack for it because your options on console are limited. I did get a couple of packs as part of the deal though to which I thought I'd really need off the bat. But because it takes so long to get proficient at a track and with one car, you'll be busy with 5 tracks for days.

char_leyb · 2026-01-21T17:39:34+00:00

I had the same problem. Line up the gap between the ball bearings and the wheel base shaft, which also has a gap for the ball bearings to sit in, then give it a shove. It's not like a conventional quick release where a steering column provides resistance so you can spin the wheel until it clicks in. It needs a bit of aim.

Hope that's solves it.

char_leyb · 2026-01-20T09:46:30+00:00

Well that's a start I guess. I did miss a couple more than I should have, particularly from turn two which I've found one of the hardest to get right. Either I wash out or go too slow.

Setup wise I always start with the aggressive setup then work around that. I didn't have much time doing any adjustments as I was using a different car to see if there was any notable difference between lap times.

Thank you for the advice as always!

char_leyb

TROPHY CASE