The ultimate incentive to get debt free, can I do it by New Years?

Cinny91

If I'm lucky I'll be able to get out on it Wednesday morning, I'll make sure to take my camera with me and get some photos worthy of Country Living! I think Dinahs mentality rubbed off on me a bit when I decided to start saving for it, sempt to happen in an instant! Still planning on saving the £50 per week that I'd planned for it though seeing how I'll be getting a few extra pence starting this week.

Good luck for the interview Poddle! Hope you find a nice dress - I would say don't forget to check the charity shops but they seem to be charging as much as normal shops now. Try not to think of it as April Fools - just a lovely (hopefully sunny) Wednesday!

Tete_en_l'Air

Horrid and overcast here today But had a lovely day yesterday so can't complain too much.

You may as well save what you had planned Cinny, as you enjoy saving so much now - you'll soon reach your holiday target! And even if you're not saving for anything in particular there'll soon be something you want and you'll hgave the money there to buy it!

I'm currently bamboozling myself trying to look at ISAs. My rate is going down to 1.7% which is not very good at all, but looking at the ones on offer at the moment there are very few of the good ones that let you transfer old ISA savings. It's a sign of the times that it was only about this time last year I was setting up my current ISA and all the rates were around 5-6.5%, now they're all between about 1 and 3%. I'm very very tempted just to stay put but I feel that would be some kind of MSE heresy! What rate did you get again Cinny?

Birdie85

LOL at Tete going to a meeting a month early! When people at work do silly things like that we threaten to put it in 'The Book', we keep talking about compiling a book of stupidity to name and shame everyone!

I dragged OH to Halifax today to make an appointment to open a joint account. We've decided to go with them because there's a local branch that actually opens normal hours so we can visit when we need to and we don't have to talk to a call centre in India! Our mortgage is with them too so we may as well try to keep everything in one place! We're going in tomorrow so hopefully our finances will be sorted sooner rather than later! I think I'll open an ISA whilst I'm there too, we may have some pennies to go in there at some point!

I was talking to my friend yesterday and she lives with another one of my friends and she's a little all over the place when it comes to life plans and stuff. She got a very average degree in journalism ( I think she was planning on walking into Vogue and living like Carrie et al all SATC style but that clearly isn't going to happen!) and has been basically temping as a secretary etc since she left uni (3 years ago). Her grandmother died last year and left her a lot of money, I think something like £100k so now she's decided she wants to move to London! She doesn't care that she hasn't got a job to go to there, or that we're in the middle of a recession she just thinks that she'll walk into a great job, a great flat and a rich boyfriend! She's deluded and I feel bad for her grandmother because I'm sure she left her that money to invest in a house, not to !!!! away on pretending to be a fancy city girl when she's not!

Cinny91

2.5% I think! I was a bit silly and didn't really go for the best rate, I just went with Abbey as I'm already with them and just want somewhere to put my money where I won't touch it. I always thought ISAs had amazingly high rates (I used to pick up one of each leaflet from the bank when I was tiny and pour over them not completely understanding them but the numbers always sempt big!) now I've actively looking for one they don't seem much different to normal savers.
You should switch though, just find one with a good interest rate and go for it, I'll act as Dinah and say there's no point staying put just because it's a bit baffling, I almost didn't get my ISA as my eyes kept on crossing over! Glad I did though, got my paperwork through on saturday but I was a pooface and bought the wrong from of ID into work with me this morning to photocopy and send off. Typical!

Tete_en_l'Air

Birdie85 wrote: »

LOL at Tete going to a meeting a month early! When people at work do silly things like that we threaten to put it in 'The Book', we keep talking about compiling a book of stupidity to name and shame everyone!

That doesn't make me feel any better!!

Your friend sounds really irresponsible, if she goes to London and spends all that money she'll be absolutely kicking herself in a couple of years' time when she realises the value of it. £100k doesn't go far in the wrong hands!

Thanks for the Dinah-ism Cinny, you're right of course. I'll try and have a proper look later, jot down some numbers n stuff ... :eek:

Snow_White_5

Afternoon all, been meaning to pop in sooner but it's takes me aaaages to catch up with the thread.

Wish I could advise on the ISAs, but I closed mine a while ago as I technically wasn't allowed to have it as I was paying tax abroad. But it's shocking to see how low the rates are now!

Cinny, I'm looking forward to seeing a photo of your new bike. I know what you mean about the posture! Mine's an upright one too, though not a Pashley, more like a Pashley's Dutch cousin, if you can imagine what that would look like. It's really heavy but I feel so high up and safe on it - like riding a horse :rotfl:. It even has a name - Dorian (sshhh.... that's the first time I've ever told anyone that ).

Snow_White_5

Birdie, interesting story about your friend. I can kind of undertand why she'd want to leave if she's not made any progress with her career in 3 years, and I guess London is the place to be if you want to find work on a magzine. But yeah, in a recession the money's going to be frittered away in no time. I went shopping once with a friend who'd just come into an inheritance. It was scary - she dumped her (perfectly good) leather boots and coat in the middle of the street so she could wear the ones she'd just bought. The money didn't last long, needless to say!

Tete_en_l'Air

I stopped naming my things a while ago thinking it was childish, but I might start it up again!

Snow_White_5

My mum still does it! All her tomato plants have names!

Flower08

Afternoon everyone!

Just thought i would quickly pop in to say hello!

I have soo much to do today, got family visiting and the flat is an absolute tip so need to get tidying.

Birdie - how annoying about the mortgage coming out the wrong account, i would be freaking out aswell!!

Cinny - cant wait to see the pashley!

Sorry i cant stop and chat. so much to do so little time

x