My diary... becoming debt free whilst still having a life!!!

1_step_closer

I will try that later, thanks!

rubydoiwannabee

YB, First of all, I really haven't, haven't, got a creative bone in my body!! I thought baskets would be nice because they would have the 'personal' touch and might work out cheaper. As it is I am on target to spend over £15 on each of the six and I wouldn't have spent that much on everyone one of them in past years. ho hum. Having said that I have enjoyed the research and think they will all be pleasantly surprised. If you feel in the mood, have a go I'm sure you will surprise yourself. The idea of a 'music' basket for your friends is a really nice one, maybe a book of chords, cake in the shape of an instrument, a homemade cd of favourite tunes, the possibilities are endless.
I for one will be looking forward to seeing if you decide to take the step into creativity.

I feel really glad to have you ladies to come and whine to, it is almost like my own therapy right here on the laptop!!

Sistercas, I hope you enjoyed the swimming gala, what a lovely thing to do on a sunday.

Now remember ladies with SH's OH on here now we may need to watch what we say about men!!! :rotfl:
x

rubydoiwannabee

1step, thanks for popping in. Sorry to hear it is an expensive month for you.
Christmas can be a chore can't it, so refocusing on you and your family seems like a good idea.

Keep posting.

sistercas

the gala was great thanks DD1 did very well and got into the finals on backstroke
ended up having to buy her 2 new racing costumes and some new goggles , costumes only last a few weeks before the chlorine starts to make them baggy and therefore unsuitable for racing cost £77:eek: and £17 for goggles :eek:
had roast pork for tea which was delish
DD1 making a bbq chicken pizza tomorrow at school tomorrow so will have that for tea
early to bed tonight xx

savingholmes

rubydoiwannabee wrote: »

YI feel really glad to have you ladies to come and whine to, it is almost like my own therapy right here on the laptop!!
Now remember ladies with SH's OH on here now we may need to watch what we say about men!!! :rotfl:
x

Hello again I agree with the therapy bit...

I've just been looking at my snowball and my bank account to motivate myself. I've also been able to spot potential problems in advance - so if I don't eat or buy petrol this month we should only be £127 in the red:rotfl: Only need to get to the 20th October!!!! I get paid later in the month, but because my paydate fluctuates, October will be a really long month for me so everything in my pay is accounted for already...

Seriously, last month I accidentally paid one of my CCs too much - so I've bought about £70 worth of food (and some retro sweets for a hamper )that's being delivered Wednesday using that... my car is full of petrol - which if I was really careful I might be able to get 10-14 days out of... Need to go back to £5 limit on personal spends (otherwise known as reindeers and hampers) until my quidco and other cashback money comes back in... My bingo winnings may pay for another £20 worth of food the weekafter:rotfl: what do you think?

I did manage to use some more frozen spinach and asparagus today (as part of my clearing storecupboard effort) together with tomato chunks, frozen chicken (that I've probably had a year) and some frozen mixed peppers, a chicken stock cube, onions, almost out of date mushrooms... I have enough for tomorrow - tho DS and OH ate it but didn't love it... so I may be eating it by myself all week!:rotfl:

:money: If we have a few more omelettes and macacroni milk dishes - some 7p noodles (Asda) some 9p pancake mixes etc we should be able to stretch what we've got a while... :rolleyes: So your role ladies is not just to help Ruby keep on track, but to help me too if you don't mind...

Happytogetdebtfree

hi saving holmes good plan, im at slimming world and it gave some storecupboard cheap meals im attempting them aslong as i eat and its healthy il make do afterall im looking at the bigger picture :P well trying to hehe keep up the good work xxxx

irishchick_3

Hi All,
Not been around for a while as am only back from 5 days in friends holiday house with Husband for 2yr anniversary!!
Lovely having time to ourselves but we spent money on food etc like there was going to be a famine and food would be running short!!
Got some great xmas presents in Asda, for kids and relatives! Feel very smug and sanctimonious having started!!
Also got my cello bags, holly for top of muffins and face cloths! Cant wait to get started!
If anyone is interested in making more money you should consider Virgin Vie! You get 25% commission on party sales and at this tiome of year the parties are fast and furious for girls wanting xmas shopping parties!!
Its great fun and I love getting out of the house to meet new people and make money!! Especially for xmas! You only need to book as many parties as you want to do! Cant loose! Plus you get all the great stuff for free or you can sell it off and make more money!!:j
I work full time during the day and keep my parties to friday and saturday nights if i can! Husband doesnt mind as bringing in extra money!
Got another overdraft account paid off and closed last week so feel am starting to get my head above water, which makes a difference from feeling like Im drowning!

Love all you girls, feel like an Enid Blyton Gang or something!!

KarenWhitelaw

Hi All

Ruby The baskets look lovely, I think some of the ladies in my family would appreciate a gift like that I think I will give it a whirl...

I am also going to start making cards again, at first I was thinking of doing them with DS for the family cards, then I thought I could do a few samples take them to work and see if anyone would like to buy personalised homemade Xmas cards off me.

This week I can start my budgeting properly I get paid midweek Hooray!!! September has been a really bad month as we had a big spend at the beginning, (a friends wedding, at a posh venue) it has skint us for the whole of september. I have prepared myself for the first month of the budget I have wrote down what I should have left after the bills and payments off the debts and worked out what I have to spend weekly, hope I stick to it!!!!

Luckily I enjoy cooking and my OH and DS love homecooked foods rather than premade supermarket stuff. So hopefully should be able to save a bit in unnecessary shopping!!

I have now got some cashback from quidco but have'nt as of yet claimed it. Is it a quick process and do you have to earn a certain amount before you can claim?

Karen x

KarenWhitelaw

Sorry One other thing I cant work out how I change my username, I have gone into the usercp and can see anything to do with user name.

Can anyone help??

Thanks

Karen x

savingholmes

KarenWhitelaw wrote: »

Sorry One other thing I cant work out how I change my username, I have gone into the usercp and can see anything to do with user name.

Can anyone help??

Thanks

Karen x

I don't know if you can. You would probably need to contact a board guide and see what they say. You may need to just rejoin that's what others do... Myself I set myself up with this username and another - as one website I joined wanted my MSE username - which given my financial info on here I didn't want to give them... I have more than one e-mail address so just used a different one... I think I am happy to be free may be able to advise you...

On quidco - you need to set up payment details more than 10 days in advance of any payment run. they pay you when they are ready which can take months:eek: In theory I should be getting some in October that I earned July/Aug so that might help me with the challenge I set myself above! Hope that helps you.