Debt Free by the New Decade! HallamLad's DMP

HallamLad

4th January

Today I'm finally feeling much, much better! My new year has begun! Celebrated by spending £7.94 at Tesco on a few things. Doesn't look like I'm gonna get some work while I'm off so I've put a couple of items on ebay and will look around the house tomorrow and put whatever I can on ebay as well.

My mates are talking about a summer trip to Ayia Napa this year and it is something I'd like to do as well. Need some sun after the last few years misery of a summer in the UK.

We're all looking at doing it as cheap as possible so hopefully will be able to find some hints on here.

Silaqui

Hello HallamLad!

I'm glad you managed to sort out the thing with ebay, some people are such !!!!!! using other peoples details.

I think there are people on the travel board who re dab hands at the old cheap holidays and flights thing, you might want to try asking the question? You ain't half picked an expensive time to go on holiday though what with the pound being so carp at the minute. It wouldn't be my thing but a couple of mates of mine went on a clubbing holiday on the train a couple of years ago, worked out pretty cheap for them and they went to some nice cities and did beaches too! I guess it was a bit like what they are doing in the film Hostel (not trying to put you off lol) but they only went for 2 weeks.

Hope that helps (I'm not an expert on holidays though, I've been abroad once in the last 4 years and that was to visit family! Maybe next year!)

HallamLad

Hey Silaqui, yeah there certainly are, thankfully they didn't cause any damage that couldn't be sorted.

Think I'll be over on that board soon, been having a look around at Ayia Napa but I can't find anything cheaper than £450 for a fortnight, think it might be a bit too expensive for me and we should look to places a bit closer, Ibiza maybe?

Know about the exchange rates all too well, I work in a foreign exchange office at the airport so I've seen the rate crash and take the grief that comes with it!

Sounds like a good idea that you suggest, always fancied travelling and taking in different places, think my mates will just fancy the one place though. Hostel doesn't scare me! :eek:

5th January

Last night had a good look around on this site and I've signed up to a few survey for cash sites, should give me some money in the future if I get the surveys to do!

I spent £4.69 on food this afternoon but that's all for my spending today.

Fire_Fox

Although you aren't spending a lot on your weekly/ monthly food shop, you seem to be purchasing a fizzy drink or take away food on an almost daily basis. I reckon if you added it up over the course of a year you'd be quite shocked!

If you really can't give it all up, at least buy your chewing gum, crisps, pop etc. at a discount store or supermarket rather than at the garage or airport. If you carry some food in your car at all times (nuts/ dried fruit/ cerreal bars/ crisps) you won't be so tempted.:money:

Silaqui

Ah you're an expert on the cash thing then hehe. Yeah Ibiza might be a bit cheaper, I saw some good deals to Kos last year to but obviously thing are probably different this year.

Survey sites are good, I am with LOADS of them lol. It doesn't seem much but it all adds up. I got £15 quids worth of boots vouchers through pigsback in the last couple of months of 2008, also another £30 boots through lightspeed. Onepoll is good too because the surveys are quite short.

Another thing that was recommended to me (and now I'm obsessed!) is Quidco and topcashback - amazing! You get money just for buying stuff you would have anyway! Do it!

Def agree with Fire Fox about the food thing - take stuff with you, honestly. I work in a school and I used to buy my lunch for the same price as the kids (hide my teacher ID badge and go to the 6th form canteen, amazing what I'll do in the quest for moneysaving!!) but even at a full dinner for £1.65, thats still way over a fiver a week - and you spend that most days! Try buying stuff like multipacks of walkers crisps, or cereal bars (dead simple to make too if you can be arseed) to snack on and buy pop in bulk at tesco when its on offer. I keep a bottle of coke in the fridge at work because sometimes I just really fancy it but we are a 'healthy school' so they don't sell it Grrr!

HallamLad

I agree with you both on the food, I haven't been as organised with that at all. Really I shouldn't be buying any food at all while I'm at the airport and it would save me a small fortune!

It's a bit different with drinks though, I work airside a lot and you're not allowed to take liquids through security over 100ml. Work do stock some of the branches with water but not all and there's only so much water you can drink from a cooler in 12 hours.

Think there's a copule of survey sites there I haven't signed up for yet so I'll get on them. Like the sound of quidco and topcashback. I'll get signed up on them as well. Thanks very much!

Silaqui

Oooh that must be difficult with the drinks thing, I never thought of that. Still, at least the food thing would save a bit. I agree though you do have to be organised, sometimes its such a faff having to get sandwiches ready. Your doing well though, keep it up

HallamLad

Thank you!

Yeah it is a bit of a pain with the drinks but I should be more organised with the food, not in work now until the 16th so I've got plenty of time to sort myself out!

I've had a NSD today so happy about that, went to pump the tyres on my grandads car this afternoon and searched out for a place that gave free air, sad I know but saves me a bit of money at least.

My mate has been on about getting rid of my car at the moment and buying a cheaper car. I'm not sure about this, what do you all think?

HallamLad

Had a bit of a nightmare day today, woke up to find that a water pipe had burst outside the house and water was gushing everywhere on the driveway, didn't help that it was snowing either.

Eventually was defeated so phoned for a plumber to come sort it out. The pipe has been capped for now, going to fix it properly when the weather gets a bit better!

Was my aunts birthday today so went up there earlier on, got her a card for £1.44, mum had bought the present so was ok with that.

Went to the gym as well, did a bit but I can normally do more, didn't take much to knacker me out today!

Silaqui

Hiya!

Well done on your NSD and nearly NSD!

I definitely thing about the car thing that your mate suggested. Only problem I could think of is whether you'd actually be able to sell it with the way thing are at the minute. Have you got it on finance at the min? I don't know much about car finance, I got my car 2 years ago and used a 2.5k inheritance to pay for it. You can get some good little runabouts at the min for not very much if you can manage to get rid of your old on. Someone at work is selling a Ford Puma 1.6, 02reg for 600quid perfect condition. I'd have it if the insurance wouldn't cripple me!

Bloody hell I wouldn't know what to do if that happened to me! Guess thats the good thing about living in rented I could call the agency and let them deal with it lol.

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