My debt free wannabe diary.....

mum2one

My dd is 6, but going on 18......... if theres anything ur stuck on with cashback sites, or survey sites just shout and if I can guide you through the process just shout.

Next time u have a night in, make it bring a bottle or bring a plate of nick nacks.

Thats gd the dreaded xmas budget.......... our xmas budget, (I sort out the xmas prezzies in house, adding in mum and dads, mines and dds xmas list, the estimate this year was £1,200, with all the bargain hunting etc, actually spent about £500.)
If you do use Halfcost, one quick tip, once youve placed an order in the "incentives box" pit in FF15 that knocks 15% off ur order, even if you havent spent the £100 discount level. I have to confess I ordered the Playboy suitcase (I know its sad but..........), it was £19.99 on half-cost, previuosly seem silimar at £70.00. I have done about 6 orders and recommended to others, and everything been ok. xx

Crap_with_money.com

Ok - so the list.....


Mum
Cameron (boyfriend)
Arlene (Sister) Toiletry set (£1.69), Gimmick Coffee Mug (85p), Hand Lotion (42p) = £2.96
Stephen (Bro-In-Law) Gimmick Coffe Mug (85p)
Debi (Sister) Toiletry set (£1.69), Gimmick Coffe Mug (85p), Hand Lotion (42p) = £2.96
Andrew (Bro-In-Law) Gimmick Coffee Mug (85p)
Hayley (Niece) Play boy Tote Bag (£0) - a bag I bought 2 years for someone and never gave them it cost £25 new and still has tags on
Jamie (nephew) Metal Vehicle Construction Kit £2.99 - £2.99
Cara (Niece) 123 Piece Art set in a wooden box (£4.99) = £4.99
Rosa (Niece)

Now for the budget :eek:

Crap_with_money.com

mum2one wrote: »

My dd is 6, That's still a nice age - I have a few nieces and a nephew, the youngest is 4, but 3 of them are at the stage where they don't believe in Santa now, I think I'm more gutted than they are!! but going on 18......... if theres anything ur stuck on with cashback sites, or survey sites just shout and if I can guide you through the process just shout.

I will do - thanks very much! :beer: I just kinda thought I probably don't buy anything that I'd get cashback on, as i don't buy much on-line - I should look at it properly before discounting it though!

Next time u have a night in, make it bring a bottle or bring a plate of nick nacks.

Good idea! - I'm sure the girls'll get a bit of a shock though!!
Thats gd the dreaded xmas budget.......... our xmas budget, (I sort out the xmas prezzies in house, adding in mum and dads, mines and dds xmas list, the estimate this year was £1,200, My god!!! I don't know how anyone ever affords to have kids - when they cost so much!! :eek: with all the bargain hunting etc, actually spent about £500. You did well to bring it down to that much!!)
If you do use Halfcost, one quick tip, once youve placed an order in the "incentives box" pit in FF15 that knocks 15% off ur order, even if you havent spent the £100 discount level. I have to confess I ordered the Playboy suitcase (I know its sad but..........), it was £19.99 on half-cost, previuosly seem silimar at £70.00. I have done about 6 orders and recommended to others, and everything been ok. xx Thanks very much again for that tip! Even better if you can get a little bit extra off! I might even start the Christmas shopping tonight and see what I can save!!

I'm off now to start trawling the internet and see if I can can come up with any (Cheap) ideas for xmas pressies!! I keep threatening to start e-baying at some point as well - but just never quite seem to get round to it!!

xx

mum2one

The best bet with ebay is sell, sell, sell, that way you have the money for presents.

Re cashback sites, I swear by
quidco - www.quidco.com - very profitable!
mutual points - www.mutualpoints.com - without buying anything, and clicking I get £60 a yr, all helps out

mum2one

mum2one wrote: »

The best bet with ebay is sell, sell, sell, that way you have the money for presents.

Re cashback sites, I swear by
quidco - www.quidco.com - very profitable!
mutual points - www.mutualpoints.com - without buying anything, and clicking I get £60 a yr, all helps out

PS -Just checked Quidco and the Alliance and Leicester offer still on, £50 for opening a current account, and also £20 for opening a savings account again with Alliance + Leicester..........Basically open the account, get the chq book and basic debit card, put a £1.00 into account, once quidco pays up, average 1 to 2 months, then unless you want the account, close it down.......£70 for 10 minutes work!! x

Crap_with_money.com

mum2one - I think I'm gonna have to add you to my Christmas list!

I just went through the halfcost site, and now have 4 presents taken care, plus a few extras to put in to another 3, all for a grand total of £20 (inc P&P!!)

I'm probably gonna be the stingiest I've ever been this year - but the main pressie's I buy are my niece's and nephew, and they get so much - they hardly even appreciate anything you get them anyway!!

xx

Crap_with_money.com

Well..... it's been a busy few days!!

Don't know that I've done a huge deal in money saving terms, but I'm still plugging away!!

I did buy myself a gym membership, which set me back a whopping £220!! I paid 6 months up front, maybes not very DW on some fronts, but doing it this way means I didn't have to pay a joining fee (£40 saved), plus, since I can't bear to sit about at night with not much to do, I'm hoping it'll save me money, since it gives me something to do where the cost's already taken care of!!

The other benefits, it should help me along with my weight loss - and get me nice and slim and trim for Mexico!!

I've been doing much better this month with my NSD's - and should hopefully hit target!!

My big boost, is that the way things are shaping up, this will be the first year in a very (very) long-time where I'll finish the year not a penny overdrawn, and with a completely clear credit card!! - I'll not celebrate too loudly just yet - I still need to get through December relatively unscathed to get to where I need to be!!

xx

mum2one

Thats gd news re gym, if afta the 1st month, you find you like it, then for the next 5 mths, put money up towards the next 6 mths, that way cash in waiting, you mgt get a better deal with the gym.

Congratulations with the OD, your doig brilliantly, any chance you want to take my od for me!!

Sounds like your getting organised from the xmas front as well, just started sorting mine out ready to wrap, and get all the odds and sods in one place. The 1st yr my dd was in nursery, I went away 2 weeks, (naughty I know but...), got a message from my parents, letter from school, you have to buy presents for all the kids (22 of them), mum offered to go to pound shop, but thought each child would have to have 2 presents......no way......got a taxi headed to local medina and got all kids prezzies, (inc taxi both ways £16.), got back saw the letter it was the names of all the children, so they can send each other cards!

Now I put a box of odds and sods on side, so that I have presents, for 8 girls and 8 boys, (nothing over £1.00), that way the emergency present is covered.

Crap_with_money.com

mum2one wrote: »

Thats gd news re gym, if afta the 1st month, you find you like it, then for the next 5 mths, put money up towards the next 6 mths, that way cash in waiting, you mgt get a better deal with the gym.

Congratulations with the OD, your doig brilliantly, any chance you want to take my od for me!!

Sounds like your getting organised from the xmas front as well, just started sorting mine out ready to wrap, and get all the odds and sods in one place. The 1st yr my dd was in nursery, I went away 2 weeks, (naughty I know but...), got a message from my parents, letter from school, you have to buy presents for all the kids (22 of them), mum offered to go to pound shop, but thought each child would have to have 2 presents......no way......got a taxi headed to local medina and got all kids prezzies, (inc taxi both ways £16.), got back saw the letter it was the names of all the children, so they can send each other cards!

Now I put a box of odds and sods on side, so that I have presents, for 8 girls and 8 boys, (nothing over £1.00), that way the emergency present is covered.

Well hello mum2one!!!

They actually insist on you buying them all presents?! That's ridiculous!! The fact that kids "buy" pressie's for each other at all is nuts!! My sis is currently on the hunt for presents for 7 of my niece's friends - none of them costing less than about £7.50!!

I'm getting there money-wise! I just wish I had been born as on of these people who are naturally good with money!

Good idea on saving for the next 6 months too - although the big question? Am I really that organised with my finances yet?! I don't think I've ever had any savings at all - for anything!! In the past it's always gone on the credit card and been paid later - a habit I've not quite broken!! The good thing about the gym though, (if I pass the interview on the 9th of Dec), I'll be going back to uni by the time the 6 months are up - so I'll get a lovely student discount - which works out about 50%!!

I earn a (little) bit of commission through my job, so rather than cashing it monthly and spending it, I've been letting it build up - I checked the other day and to the end of October (from July) I have about £700 - so I'm hoping that come January 1st, I'll not only have cleared my OD and CC - I'll also have approx £700 (If I add on November and then take away the tax) saved towards el mejico!!!

But I shouldn't get complacent before it's actually happened!! December is usually a very busy social month for me - but I'm really trying to limit it this year! As well as not being able to afford it - I just don't enjoy partying as much as I used - it's like I woke up one day, and suddenly I was old!!

xx

mum2one

Keep fingers crossed re Uni, what are you studying, I start again in Feb, through the Open Uni, did have this bright idea to study for a degree in Business with Law.......I have these brain box ideas, did the equivalent of yr 1 and passed, but took a break this yr.

Grab that students uni card, its the best thing in my purse.

Keep that commission coming, your credit card wont know whats hit it, at least ur be going to Uni with a clear slate and more money for Mexico....I am so envious, I was out there in 2001, it was out of this world, I swam with dolphins, went on a jet ski (that was an experience!),snorkled on the coral reef, went on a submarine boat, old fashioned steam boats, it was the best holiday I ever had. I would be back there 2mor if I had the chance. Thou dd wants to go there and swim the dolphins, shes saving 50ps (thou 9 times out of 10 theyve !!! from my purse!!), Shes got £500 saved. Better than me... Thou shes only 6, you can not pull the wool over her eyes where money is concerned! X