Can Edinburgher be debt free and a mortgage holder by 30?

Little_Maya

doodledo wrote: »

Yeah I know what you mean, I hate going to work in the dark and coming out in the dark. I escape at lunchtime and it pees down on me :mad:

I don't want to rub it in or anything but I have to say that's one of the things I really enjoy now that I'm not locked away in an office all day... daylight, glorious daylight lol

edinburgher

It's alright for some Little Maya I think if it came down to: enjoying sunlight but being made redundant, or missing it and keeping my job I'd go for option B every time (even if I do think my job sucks!)

I've now booked up and paid for our trip to Brussels for February, so we can start looking forward to some new sights, chocolate and beer. Ended up being just under £280 for the Eurostar tickets and two nights in a reasonable looking four star hotel near the centre of the city, with c. £17 cashback :money:

edinburgher

Quick question for any of the lovely ladies who pop in on this thread from time to time:

Are there any rules about what constitutes an engagement ring? I would like to propose to the GF at some point in the not too distant future, but really don't have the resources for a ££££ ring!

We both saw a very nice ring at the weekend (chunky table/emerald cut aquamarine with small diamond 'shoulders' set in white gold) and I got a momentary feeling that she was very gently hinting that it might have been suited. I may have imagined this, I was full of coffee at the time... My 'problem' is the fact that it was only ~£300 and in my limited man knowledge it looked more like a cocktail ring than an engagement ring.

Are there rules for what makes an engagement ring? Will my girlfriend of three years leave me if I don't spend a months' wage? Tune in to answer these and other vital questions in another exciting episode of 'bored at work, the Edinburgher adventure'.

beer_tins

edinburgher wrote: »

Quick question for any of the lovely ladies who pop in on this thread from time to time:

Are there any rules about what constitutes an engagement ring? I would like to propose to the GF at some point in the not too distant future, but really don't have the resources for a ££££ ring!

We both saw a very nice ring at the weekend (chunky table/emerald cut aquamarine with small diamond 'shoulders' set in white gold) and I got a momentary feeling that she was very gently hinting that it might have been suited. I may have imagined this, I was full of coffee at the time... My 'problem' is the fact that it was only ~£300 and in my limited man knowledge it looked more like a cocktail ring than an engagement ring.

Are there rules for what makes an engagement ring? Will my girlfriend of three years leave me if I don't spend a months' wage? Tune in to answer these and other vital questions in another exciting episode of 'bored at work, the Edinburgher adventure'.

Hi. I happened accross your post, so didn't want to leave without answering. I don't think there's any "official" rules! The origins of the "6 weeks salary" guide (as I think it was) has been traced back to De Beer's marketing (true!). And they have an ulterior motive!

I got an £xxxx ring for my wife. I figured she'd wear and look at it every day for the rest of her life (I hope!) so it should be nice. From my point of view, it should be nice but fairly simple, so it doesn't go out of style. Don't feel you should spend more than you can afford, if your GF loves you, she'll say yes if you present her an onion ring. I'm sure she knows and appreciates your financial situation.

Besides, you can always get her some serious bling if your financial situation improves in a few years!


P.S. Sure she wasn't hinting at a Christmas present?! I've been so wrong about this stuff in the past!

edinburgher

P.S. Sure she wasn't hinting at a Christmas present?! I've been so wrong about this stuff in the past!

Thanks for those comments mate I'm fairly sure that she wasn't hinting at a Christmas present - £300 would be blowing my budget out of the water and she's already had a £150 early Christmas pressie!

beer_tins

Good! Always best to double check these things, though!

edinburgher

Finally withdrew my last £15 from Dooyoo (well, I would have done, but the pillocks raised the minimum payment for Amazon vouchers to £20!) One of the charities I support got an early Christmas present, so at least someone got the advantage of my time and effort

Also calling it quits with Ciao, as I don't have the time to master its many complicated traits and the rewards are pretty poor too. Hoping that I'll maybe get a last tenner when they divvy up the prize fund for this month, but not overly optimistic.

Checked my Valued Opinions account and I've made £30 in 2009 - again, a waste of effort as far as I'm concerned. I only need to earn 5p to get my next voucher and then I'll be giving it up as well.

2010 will be all about sensible budgeting, living with my means, saving and continuing to batter down the debt. I remain on reasonably good terms with my DCA, and I should have enough money from my real job to avoid the time intensive 'free money' sites etc. (bar the free scratches - those are staying!)

Don't get me wrong - I made £3-400 this year for sitting in front of the old laptop, but it was hardly money for nothing. I wonder if MSE Martin ever considers the cost in time and effort when he informs us all of 'the big freebie opporchoonitees'? When I think of all the afternoons and evenings I've effectively lost, I don't think it was worth it....

Wow - this post sounds gloomier than it was meant to. Rest assured there's a happy ending, with more QT spent with my GF and less RSI in my mouse hand!

Little_Maya

It's alright for some Little Maya I think if it came down to: enjoying sunlight but being made redundant, or missing it and keeping my job I'd go for option B every time (even if I do think my job sucks!)

yeah but they gave me enough to go on for over 2 years if I'm really careful and that should be enough time to get my business to generate enough so, I'll take the sunlight any time :rotfl:

I've now booked up and paid for our trip to Brussels for February, so we can start looking forward to some new sights, chocolate and beer. Ended up being just under £280 for the Eurostar tickets and two nights in a reasonable looking four star hotel near the centre of the city, with c. £17 cashback :money:

Cool, brussel's really nice. If you fancy a day trip to other places, in case you didn't know, your eurostar ticket is valid for 24h after you get there on the Belgian national rail network (so not valid on Thalys) and your return ticket is valid for 24h before your departure time

Little_Maya

edinburgher wrote: »

Are there any rules about what constitutes an engagement ring? I would like to propose to the GF at some point in the not too distant future, but really don't have the resources for a ££££ ring!

I'd say any ring would do lol, better to save up for the wedding rings instead, hopefully you'll both be wearing them for a long time while an engagement ring is merely a declaration of intent :rotfl:

edinburgher

Little_Maya wrote: »

I'd say any ring would do lol, better to save up for the wedding rings instead, hopefully you'll both be wearing them for a long time while an engagement ring is merely a declaration of intent :rotfl:

Thanks Little Maya :beer: