LBM in 2003.. What have I been doing since??!

jwil · 13 January 2012 at 8:15AM

I'm on Somerset Facebay and it's pretty busy. I think though, that although ebay is a faff and a pain, you can't knock the fact that you have a worldwide audience and you won't get that many places. I think I might use Facebay if I ever have something bulky though.

Good luck with your listings! I'm planning on digging some stuff out over the weekend too.

satchmo1 · 13 January 2012 at 8:58AM

Hi Brizzle

*subscribed* Good luck with your DF journey! Clearing your Co-*p cc should be first target, so chuck the ISA pot at that, before any extra mortgage overpayments

You can resume mortgage overpayments once all the cc card debt and the OD is cleared.

Then try to get into the habit of asking if you "need" rather than "want" anything you are considering buying. Sounds like you have been succumbing to thinking you work hard so you deserve it school of thought. But does that purchase make the pain of the current debt worthwhile?

I

brizzledfw · 13 January 2012 at 11:15AM

Wise words Satchmo1.. I know that's what I should do..I just love seeing the OP pot on the mortgage grow. Big numbers I guess, makes me feel better..but you're right. Will get a balance on the C@op card ( have been doing lots of PADs so want to just check and not overpay) and then pay the total amount across. Too blooming high an interest rate as well. I got loads of loyalty points which I exchanged for cash and shopping but that was only good when I actually paid it all off each month...that slipped and then it's just a millstone around our necks.

Thanks for subscribing and dropping by. Have set out a few goals in the small DFW things thread but then went back to bed for a sneaky read of the newspapers online..haven't surfaced again yet, tut tut:o

So need to get going! Byeee for now

DedicatedDFW · 13 January 2012 at 3:36PM

Hi brizzle and everyone

I must say brizzle your weekend plans sound lovely - pancakes and allotment :T:T:T - my aim is to eventually be able to move house and have a garden big enough for some raised beds

- its nigh on impossible to get an allotment round here - even though some people have several - and the ease of having it all on my doorstep will help though i'll miss having the neighbourlyness of a proper allotment :cool:

Looking forward to hear your plans for reducing debt and growing income

PinotGrigio41 · 13 January 2012 at 5:07PM

Ooh pancakes on Sunday sound lovely !! Funnily enough I always make them for the girls after sleepovers ! Had a disaster a few years ago as I managed to flip the pancakes along with a load of hot oil and burnt my arm very badly .The plan was to take the girls all to the movies after pancakes and not wanting to upset them by going to hospital ,I decided to try and self remedy. An aloe Vera plant a friends mum had given me was duly shoved in my handbag to slap on during the movies if needed ( I have a tendency to burn myself) and a cold soggy tea towel was wrapped around my arm to stop the burning. It didnt help so in a panic I grabbed one of those foil wine jackets from the freezer and slid that onto my arm and went to the cinema with four very embarrassed girls and a wine cooler on my arm! Stupid fool that I am didnt think that the frozen cooler may then get stuck to my arm and cause even more damage ! I still have the scars to tell the tale ! :rotfl:

Hope you get some rest on Saturday night with the sleepover and enjoy your weekend x

brizzledfw · 14 January 2012 at 9:03PM

Hi all

PG, that's horrid. I can sympathise. Had serious burn on my arms about 10 years ago from an exploding cafetiere, it shattered as I pushed the plunger.. still have the scars although less noticeable and tend to forget they are there. Luckily the face and upper chest healed very well ( with lavender oil, vitamin E capsules opened and smeared on it and loads of cold compresses) but was at the burn clinic for months afterwards. Kinda scary. I am always wary of plunging those things now! (sorry to hear about the wine cooler though..I would have thought that would have worked too!)

Allotments are great. There is a huge queue at our site but we were lucky and also took on a complete nightmare one that no one else wanted, it was full of brambles. DDFW you could ask and see what's on offer, you might be surprised. (MSE style we also got offered a reduced rent for a period too.. hmm. Must check if that deal goes into this year;) ) OH has been great at clearing it and it's great fun even though we don't make as much use of it as we should..it's a bit of a flurry in the spring and then other things get in the way and we don't go there for weeks. But it's worth it, even just for salad, potatoes, apples, soft fruit. Mixed results with sweet corn and strawberries but raspberries and blackberries ( we left a few!) more than make up for it. We have also planted some fruit trees so hopeful for the future for those.

Good day yesterday.. I took up stachmo1's advice...don't tell anyone who knows me in 'real life!'...but I needed someone to tell me to do the sensible thing... And then I obediently do it!..;) if left to myself well I wouldn't! So have updated sig accordingly and am pleased to report that I have cleared the OD and the nasty high interest CC. Real shame though that it's not from MSE and cutting back..but oh well this new life can be used to make savings that will go against the 0% ones..Just because they are zero percent I must not forget they are there..it's a breathing space Brizzle..NOT free money...:o

I also made HM pizza and a batch of spag Bol sauce for lasagne today and for Monday. washing went on dryers and all that sort of thing. Even used the washing balls which I don't really get on with so as not to go and spend in the usual sm.. Currently I am soaking some newspapers to try out the log maker.

I did have a glass of wine with a friend in the pub before collecting the kids from school yesterday but that was my only vice:o( how many of my vices revolve around alcohol..it's a wee bit worrying :rotfl: at least I do have 2 days free each week, well most weeks :rotfl:

Today tried AL@I. Think it's worth it. Stuck to a list and it came to £36 which is probably at least £10 less than the usual sm. So will be returning. Also it's on the way back from taking DDs to swimming so no extra petrol.

The low point today was OH spending £50 on hats...lord £50:eek: it's incredible. Well he wears them so we can turn the heating down more etc and he doesnt often lose them but £50. As someone said on the small dfw things thread he needs to stop losing them...well I second that! I had a plan for a budget of £100 for O&S this weekend, groceries, extra meat for guests tomorrow, allotment rent, DVD hire. Well he blew that...so onwards and upwards. And he won't be doing it again

Currently have switched off heating and only heating one room..the front room with the wood burner in it. We can do this:D.. after all we managed to not switch the heating on at all until 5 December this year. Also its not costing us anything as alll winter we have been burning free wood from a neighbour who has done a loft conversion. Rafters etc. any old stuff. Am sure it will tar the chimney but oh well we will just get it swept regularly. I do love having a stove. It was a treat this year but one, together with the solar panels, that has enabled us to be frugal and save money in other ways..spend to save perhaps :rotfl:Obviously being able to go without heating in a draughty house mainly due to the warm weather but even so am sure it was one of the reasons our gas DD s dropped by £20 pm and we got a £300 refund about 2 months ago. Went somewhere into the depths of the current account/OD...I got my second LBM moment just a bit too late.. but I comfort myself that it must have helped with Xmas:o

Next week OH loses his extra day a week OT. But...on balance I'll be pleased. We could make good use of the money

but it's better to have him doing stuff at the moment. Like my eBay ..:mad:..he hasn't done the photos yet but he has been helping on other chores around the house..so shouldn't grumble:rotfl:

Anyway that's it for now. Will catch up on other diaries tomorrow..have a great weekend everyone!!

brizzledfw · 14 January 2012 at 9:35PM

PS sorry for long long post...hope you managed to get through it!!

Was also going to mention that my DDs sometimes surprise me..I said this morning that I wasn't prepared to buy any more tres expensive special K cereal..which they love. DD1 then replied that perhaps we could just have it as 'Sunday cereal' like one of her friends does. Basically they can have their favourite cereal on Sundays and no other day so it lasts longer ( and presumably they appreciate it as a treat too). Great idea and when the packets in the store cupboard are gone that's what we will do..

Very pleased she came up with it and thanks to her friend bringing up some great MSE ideas..may have to ask for some more! Maybe she is on here...and I just dont know!!

satchmo1 · 15 January 2012 at 12:08AM

Well done on the progress so far, although it doesn't sound like OH has had his lightbulb moment yet! I was thinking about it this afternoon and how he had done cooked breakfasts for DDs twice this week... not really cheaper than the expensive cereal tho???

As someone else says on another diary, baby steps, and in the right direction. Great stuff.

I'm flattered that you took my advice, thanks! I have gone from a massive on paper income to counting every penny and still not covering the cost of loo rolls, and now I'm in a good financial place. It means I can empathise

Hugs, Satchmo x

brizzledfw · 15 January 2012 at 10:14AM

Satchmo1 Ah interesting about what you say about high paper income...it seems that way in the Brizzle household too. Where does it all go? Any tips for how you got from there to here and the hallowed ground of a 'good financial place'?! Would love to hear.

Hope all are having a good weekend

Work up this morning having a quick panic today about the tax people asking me to complete a self assessment for last year. Completely out of the blue as have always been employed, pay PAYE etc, no second jobs or pension etc. also not sure I have all my pay slips or even a P60 which I had meant to chase anyway as it was all online at my last place and I can't remember if I printed them off...does anyone kow if I write to them do they have to issue duplicates or print them off for me??

debtfreewannabe321 · 15 January 2012 at 10:45AM

m0rning brizzled

have seen you on other diaries so settled down with a cuppa to read yours this morning

Well done on the second LBM ( i think i had one or two before it switched on fully lol)

Sorry i can't be of any help on the tax question...hope you sort it out

Have you tried ald* or L*dl for their cereals? My son loves cheerios but i've always grumbled about the price (he can eat half a box in one sitting) and i found one in ald* that tastes almost identical and is even in the same sort of box ...you may be able to find one similar to special K

have a great sunday and i will subscribe to see how you're getting on, dfw x

LBM in 2003.. What have I been doing since??!

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free