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

savingholmes

sistercas wrote: »

Brrrr I'm cold but I am not putting the heating on yet , got thick socks on ,kids sitting under a fleecey blanket. think i will succumb to putting the heating on soon though
did everybody get their £60 tax rebate? I did plus £41 from electric so have put that in to my xmas fund.
got 3 more xmas presents today (for men)- hurrah I find men really hard to buy for)
it has taken me ages to write this I am drooling over mark foster on strictly-it takes 2:D
hope everyone is ok

I've put the heating so if it goes below 12 degrees on the thermostat it will come on - not come on so far. We are huddling in dressing gowns over clothes and fleeces today. Someone who knows about my debts said why don't you just turn the heating on or pay for more help at home? It's like hello - did you not hear what I said - I'm trying to pay stuff off! My D asked me how long it would take to pay off our debts - he said Oh I thought you'd got better than that.... It's no wonder I don't want to tell them anything. I didn't tell them how much we owed but he may be able to work it out...

I'm still having fun on finished baskets even tho I should be cutting back. I found some for £1.99 in Dunelm last night - nice small bamboo ones with cream lining. Perfect for making your present look more impressive tho as it can be full easily Anyway I'm off to take DD swimming as I've managed to get her a new place more local to me saving on fuel.... another benefit to my change of hours.

irishchick_3

Honestly SH, I know what you mean, people can take the wind out of your sails just when you think you have things in hand and are feeling good about it!
I have just spent £180 of my VV commission on Heating Oil and am gutted cuz it was the first time I had any savings and now have had to spend them! I never seem to get ahead.
Its like the world is against you sometimes! So I have to start saving for Edinburgh, Xmas and credit cards all over again!
Totally Gutted!

skysky69

I turned our heating on about 2 weeks ago now. We don't have mains gas in our house and have relatively new storage heaters. The big thing I hate about them is that you have to predict what you want the heating to do tomorrow. Oh those were the days I could think "ooh, I might just put the heating on for an hour...". We had a quote to have oil installed and it would cost about £5,000 :eek: but the oil was also more expensive so it was absolutely not a viable option.

I work in a hotel and restaurant and it is my weekend to work this weekend :mad: so Saturday night and Sunday night, work for me. And my three hours tonight too - thats a point, I need to go and start getting ready!!

rubydoiwannabee

We put our heating on about 20 minutes ago!! I'm going to leave it on for a couple of hours then turn it off again and get the throws out if need be.

I have a very tired and subdued house this evening. Everyone has had a busy, tiring week.

DD lost her first tooth today!! She is growing up, so I mustn't forget to be tooth fairy later this evening. What's the going rate do you think? 50p??

xxxxx

savingholmes

Hi everyone - I am sat here shivering! Yes Irish Chick people always seem able to find your weak spot and go here if I press it does it hurt! Sorry to hear you had an unplanned bill - look at it positively tho - it is something you haven't had to go into debt to get... and if you do have all those parties booked your trip is still possible....

Hi sky!

Ruby - my children get £1 for a tooth - Rustyflanges get £2 although she is regreting that now. I know kids who get 20p. Whatever rate you are comfortable with - just remember some children lose a lot of teeth very quickly..

Hello everyone else!

sistercas

rubydoiwannabee wrote: »

We put our heating on about 20 minutes ago!! I'm going to leave it on for a couple of hours then turn it off again and get the throws out if need be.

I have a very tired and subdued house this evening. Everyone has had a busy, tiring week.

DD lost her first tooth today!! She is growing up, so I mustn't forget to be tooth fairy later this evening. What's the going rate do you think? 50p??

xxxxx

IC I know what you mean- I have no savings now as we have had to replace so far this year: tele, laptop,washing machine , hoover, bathroom:eek: ( old one had cracked cystern and a crack developed in the bath-was very old though) a spring has just gone on the sofa so will have to get that repaired and between me and OH we have spent £800 in car bills:eek:
SH demoralising isnt it when you are putting 100% effort into reducing debt and using all your effort thinking up ingenious ways of saving and someone can just take it all away from you with a single sentence. well dont worry because we- your friends on here know how hard you are working ( all of us are working) and what a good job you are doing
Ruby I'm afraid its £1 per tooth in my house too although I think we only have one tooth left (and thats hanging by a thread) and we are all done:D
dont fall for the scam thats its £2 for a double tooth DD1 tried to pull that one:rotfl:
I have been inspired to make a few baskets for xmas. I have bought my mum and step dad panto tickets and I thought I would put them in a basket with some fairtrade choccies and things ( my mum is very hot on fairtrade and organises fairtade events through church for the town where they live)
I am doing a baby basket ( might have already told you that) for the babys sister i am doing a baking basket I have got so far, bun mixes, lolly making kit,bun cases, cookie cutters, sprinkles decorations , and am going to buy an apron and a rolling pin set ) I'm not sure if I have stolen that idea from SH but I am very grateful:D
DD2 has gone to alton towers with a school trip and she has been up all night with a cold but was insistant on going so I wrapped her up dosed her up and sent her off. I'm sure she will have a lovely day I will be home wondering how she is all day- thats what being a mum is all about.

~Yorkshire_Belle~

Hi Ruby, Cas, SH, IC and Sky
Been v cold here today and the heating went on last night for the first time. Still chilly after watching football this am, brrrr.
Am not having a very productive day but haven't been about for a while so wanted to check back in. I am trying to drum up courage to buy some Christmas presents online. Not that I need courage to buy you understand :rotfl:. It's more that I have got so used to NOT buying that I find it quite hard to do now for big things (chocolate no problem :rotfl:), and yet I have put aside the money for the Christmas things so I am allowed to do this.
I am forever expecting disasters - eg boiler breaking down. I am also very anxious about remortgage as they seem to want to take interest in advance which could mean a double payment - and that is going to be difficult, especially if I've bought the Christmas stuff already.
Ruby - hope the tooth fairy came - it's £1 here
Cas - hope DD enjoyed Alton Towers

Off to make tea ready to watch Strictly. Bye for now
Belle
x

skysky69

Morning all :j

I had to buy dog food yesterday which was £39.99 :eek: but that should last her about 6 - 7 weeks. I probably spend more on the dog than I do on DD!

Had to work last night but tips were £16.00 :j :T so definitely worthwhile! Can't see tonight being as good but hey ho.....

Don't feel like doing much today, weather is shocking - could be a NSD for me then.

rubydoiwannabee

Dear Diary,
For the love of god.... I need to stop spending on these blooming xmas baskets, I have spent £90 already on the six I am planning and still have some stuff to buy to personalise them!!! Two for SIL's are finished except for the mini bottles of wine I would like to put in. But I have just added to them tonight with an online M&S purchase (such a bargain though I got £45 worth of stuff for £24 because of 3 for 2, bogof and 50% discounts on books). When finished I will have spent about £17 on each of these.

My sister I am planning on adding another couple of items book and full bottle of wine, so hers is likely to come in at £22. Two nieces approx £21 each and my BF £26!!!
:eek:
I NEED TO STOP!!!! This was supposed to be a cheap way.

Still on a positive note, it is earlier Oct and I haven't even normally started by my xmas shopping by now, so hopefully the costs being absorbed this early on will take some of the bite out!!

They will be really lovely baskets and out of the six I know three of them will really, really, love the idea and the thought. The other three probably will think it is a bit weird!!! but hey ho.

Anyway gang, if you are buying online at the moment (YB) be sure to have at look at the M&S website, free delivery and 3 for 2's are excellent. I got six packs of facial wipes for the price of three.

Enough ramblings.....
xxx

irishchick_3

Hi Girls,
Sunday night and I am alone - Great! OH and kids at church and just Milly and I! I usually chat in work so this is strange to have peace enough to chat from home.
Another hectic weekend almost over. Made $80 at party yesterday so back on track again! Isnt it amazing tho how it doesnt take much to throw you off your step?
Feel like Im never going to get out from under this cloud tho! It takes up every thot in your head and every minute in your day! Does anyone else feel like this?