Live on £4000 for a Year, 2009 Challenge, part 1

Frugaldom

redglass wrote: »

Hi Nyk, just read yours and yes, it's a depressing time for us stoozers.
But if you've paid a one-off fee for a balance transfer (as I did not so long ago) you might as well leave the money on the card at 0% as long as possible and continue to stooze it, right? And then pay back everything on the card at the end of the interest-free period and hang up your stoozing hat from that day onwards. That's what I intend to do, do you see any problems with that?

Hi Redglass, I'm probably going to do the same - I can't see the point in applying for any further transfers when there's no guarantee the money can be kept safely until the exact time we need it back. However, I won't be too hasty in cancelling cards as there is always the possibility of further offers being made by the companies to encourage us to 'take the debt'. AmEx will probably be the only one I'll let go as the 5% cashback on spending has finished and I made cashback on application for that one. I just need to wait for the cashback on spending payment to go through before closing it.

Hi The_Cat, there is a post somewhere about the M€cca offer, I think I got my £30 from Gr€a$ypalm or Free £5's. Thanks for reminding anyone else who may have missed it. I also go email about £40 worth of !points in return for £26 sign up to Man$!0n P0ker but haven't checked that out yet. Was thinking along the lines of A$da vouchers for that one if I decide to risk going for it. Haven't checked what else it's worth from elsewhere yet.

purplevamp

nykmedia wrote: »

Not sure who mentioned the boards coming down on their new Ald! store but it's same here, store due to open on 18th Feb

:wave: That was me!! I hope my store is opening then, It's right next to the bus stop to go home after work, used to be Mr S but they opened a sparkly new store a little way up the road but too far to just 'pop in'

I haven't posted for a couple of days as I've had nothing to report , only £10 for my Uncles b/day, already had the card in Woolies closing down sale and reused an unstamped stamp!! I haven't spent anything on impulses which for me is very good. I have also managed to save an extra £250 this month due to the challenge, so thank you Nyk :T . It's payday tomorrow and I still have money left, think I'll sweep it over into my esaver.

My Dad has managed to get a laptop for my DS1's 18th birthday and we're splitting it between us, he's only asked for £100 which is brilliant, taking the family out for dinner on 15/2 and I've said I'll pay for everyone (11 of us :eek: ), I must be mad!!!!

mama67 - I don't like liver either. when I was in infant school we had "green" liver for school dinner and I was sick the next day, missing the class Christmas party - funny the things you remember!

DdraigGoch - :grouphug: so sorry to hear about your loss. It's never easy losing close family.

lilac_lady the song was "Streets of London"

xnatalie81x - well done, you'll be paying off those debts in no time :T

Janey51

xnatalie81x wrote: »

Hi

You guys are always so helpful so please can you take a look at my post re: debt managers f&f settlement!!!!! I need advie please

I have just read your other thread and I have to say I agree with the replies you have received across there.
I am hoping to offer F&Fs to all my creditors this year and know I have to have their response in writing with no wishy washy comments.

I have already sent CCA requests to nearly all my creditors which I see you are going to.
Depending on your creditors' responses, you may be in a good position to bargain on what you can offer.
In the current financial climate, it seems silly that a creditor would refuse a genuine offer to clear a debt with a lump sum. It will cost more in admin charges to keep chasing it.

lingojingo

Hi veryone, haven't been on for a couple of days, what a lot to read!!!
Hugs to all who need them, especially Lilo & Dhraig (((((((((())))))))))

Went to the cinema with DD yesterday (orange Wednesday)to celebrate the end of this batch of exams and saw Slumdog Millionaire - if you haven't been yet it's well worht watching.

Tonight I'm going out again, it's my work Christmas meal :rotfl:
We've paid for starters and main courses before Xmas, and some wine has been gifted from our boss, so shouldn't need to spend too much.

fizzel81

just popping my nose through the door so to speak

urm i have been a tad naughty in boots but i guess ive offset the cost with points

and also brought myself a new bag (sorry i know i know)

will edit this later when i have some more time, but trying not to totally desert you all

Blairweech

Hello all,

Just popping in to say that I am still here and definantly still doing this challenge! Only 10 pages behind you all now, almost caught up!

The challenge is going really well - currently at my parents for a weeks holiday so am not spending any money Do have to update my signature but need my other computer for that, so will do that later.

I think I really am getting tight - I actually don't like spending money anymore (everything is too expensive!) Of course, I am lavish on gifts for everyone else but spending money unnecessarily on myself nooooooooo!

Just wanted to post a site which is good for all those doing virtual shopping

www.dreamofthis.com

It is an online wishlist, like Amazon but you can add to it from every site on the net. It adds a button to your toolbar, which you just click when you want to add something, then they are all on the same wishlist. I had stuff on mine from 4 years ago and it is so interesting looking at it all and thinking 'Thank God I didn't buy that!' (I had several pairs of New Rock Boots on there from when I was going through my Goth phase :rolleyes:

DdraigGoch

What temperature do you keep/manage to get up to in your homes? Currently our main living room is, 3' away from the fire, 11.9'C [53.42'F]. This is with a half filled wood burner burning all day, although the room is huge, I'll confess. I just wondered what other people regard as acceptable as I know the government seems to think we should all be wandering around in T-shirts and shorts most days ......

purplevamp

Blairweech - I'm still in my Goth stage, going on for 20 years plus

DdraigGoch - I keep my thermostat at around 16C, which we find comfortable, except me but I just put an extra jumper on and sit with a huge knitted blanket on my lap (it's really old - I made it when I was a Girl Guide a billion years ago)

I asked DH to get some bananas, plus some custard powder and he came home with a tin of ready made Ambrosia custard, not even the shops own :mad: . If he'd listened he would have heard me say powder. I'll have to pick some up tomorrow. I also asked him to get a receipt - he "forgot". Men, eh?!

cw18

DdraigGoch wrote: »

I just wondered what other people regard as acceptable as I know the government seems to think we should all be wandering around in T-shirts and shorts most days ......

I'm on gas C/H, and whilst the radiators almost all have thermostatic valves they don't seem to make any difference regardless of where we put them (other than the 'off' position). So I reckon we're totally controlled by the room thermostat which is in the hallway (but not in direct 'sight' of an external door).

I have the thermostat set to about 17 degrees, and the thermometer I've sat on the top of it normally says between 17 & 17.5. But (as hot air rises and our computers are upstairs) the rooms upstairs tend to register at least 19 degrees if I bring the thermometer up

We keep the doors to a number of rooms open which probably doesn't help matters -- the living room 'cos I can't close it with the stairgate in place (until I replace it with a new one outside the frame), the kitchen as the dalmatian likes to be able to get in there, the bathroom (as this provides natural light onto the landing, hence meaning I don't need the landing light on as much), and my craft/computer room as the yorkie wanders in and out (plus it means I here what's going on it the house - and actually get an almost claustrophic feeling when I do shut it!)

I could cope with cooler upstairs, but I'm not prepared to drop the temperature downstairs any further in order to do this as I have my GDs here most days (before/after school), and the Dalmatian spends most of his time downstairs too.

DdraigGoch wrote: »

I just wondered what other people regard as acceptable as I know the government seems to think we should all be wandering around in T-shirts and shorts most days ......

It's not uncommon for me to have 2 sweatshirts on at times though (often leave the heating off if I'm the only one in, and it turns off at 9pm, but I'm rarely in bed before 11pm!)

dND

Just a quick check in to say hi to all and send hugs to all those who need one. :grouphug:

I took a friend to the airport today so thought I'd get the odd bits of shopping I needed :eek: well I've now spent all next week's cash. I still need to go through the receipts and allocate the spends which I'll do tonight and update spends later. Tonight is a tv night, James May followed by what I think will be an interesting programme on how Porche has made money then a programme on 'the real cost of cheap food', (channel 4 8pm) followed by the Victorian farm on Beeb 2. It will then be 11pm here (I'm an hour ahead) and will definitely be bed time by then.

Have a good evening all.