The 'complete this challenge' challenge...suitable for all!

amethystcash

amethystcash wrote: »

So much for "I will complete this challenge" - I forgot I even signed up for it - OOPS!

Anyway, even though I've not updated on the forum, I've still been making inroads into my challenges. I still have to document in detail what I want to achieve.

Financial - getting rubbish rates on my ISAs so going to convert to bonds with higher interest at the weekend. Been looking for a home for our longer term savings but reluctant to move to fixed rates and tie up to what aren't great rates for a year or 2. Looking for a high interest instant access account to put it in for now and watch to see how interest rates develop. Hope they will start to go up - once that happens we're looking for term bonds or NS&I (although I know people say the rates for them aren't great)
Home - we've made a start on clearing out. I made a list of hotspots and we're tackling them one at a time. It's been a struggle as DH has been doing a lot of overtime so not been around enough to help with this.
Friends etc - nothing to report here.
Medical - think I've taken a bit of a step back here but I'm blaming it on the 1-year anniversary of me becoming ill just making me a bit sad. I've had words with my boss about developing my job and we're trying to do positive stuff with hobbies, sports and just getting out more, so I don't have that much time to sit about and feel sorry for myself. Also got Paul McKenna self help book and Louis Hay Affirmation Kit - not sure how that will work out, I'll let you know.

OK enough update for now. Off to do some work on the challenge.

PS - Decided that one of my major goals for this year is I MUST STOP EMOTIONAL SPENDING - just spent over £200 on a watch then felt so guilty for wasting money I had to take it back!

Just a quick update on finances - opened 2 new bonds (1 for a year and 1 for 6 months) to deposit funds for longer term savings - was getting fed up knowing we were only accumulating 1.56% and an instant access account getting better interest than N'Wide eSavings for savings for new car/kitchen. Posted reminders to open new ISAs 6/4 and when can get a chance to get into branch, still to convert current ISAs to better deal.

Updated my sig with my long (LONG) term savings goal and set myself a target - not sure how realistic a target it is, but for now I'm pretty determined to beat the target each month. Also had a look at our finances for 2008 and discovered that since we started paying attention to the finances in the summer we're saving approx £900 a month more than before. I'm very motivated to keep that average up.

Been busy with work so not much progress elsewhere but glad I can stop worrying about rubbish interest rates for a wee while!

clayremonkey

Hi All,

Seems like it's all been quiet on the challenge front recently! I have been trying my best to stick to mine and am sort of on track but other things keep getting in the way!

C

Mudbath

How is everyone? :wave:

1) Decorate the children's bedrooms
2) Stick to the monthly budget
3) Do my 2008-2009 tax return whilst i'm off work
4) Complete coursework for cancer care diploma

Added - 5) Save for a caravan

I've completed - homework for hospice course, found a mortgage, paid of credit card. Present buying is going to happen all year round so i've taken that one off as i'm focussed on it anyway.

I'll pop on next week with the aim of completing 3 + 4 by then - scary!! xx

Mudbath

Oooh postingalwaysposting I like the way you've done your list so I hope you don't mind me doing that to;

2009 targets
1) stick to monthly budgets

January targets
1) Decide how we're going to decorate children's rooms
2) Do 2008-2009 accounts ready for April
3) Complete coursework for cancer care diploma

February targets
1) Buy a caravan
2) Prepare children's bedrooms for decorating
3) Put down new kitchen floor
4) Empty some more of the attic

That will do for now, thanks for the idea! xx

Hales

Right I'm off tomorrow so my to do list is:-

1) Do 20 Qype reviews
2) List the bag of stuff that i've been falling over all week on ebay!!
3) Hoover & Polish Front room & kitchen
4) Earn enough points on Bingoport to get a redeem
5) Arrange first driving lesson :eek:

Think that'll do for now!!!
Hope you all have a good day and i will report back later!!!

yukkibear

Morning everyone. Only got this morning free but want to

- package 2 ebay parcels
- write 2 reviews
- write 10 qype reviews
- redeem on bport

Hmm that's a big list but we'll see.

Pooky

Pooky wrote: »

I've realised that all my goals are pretty long term which doesn't help in the "wanting to have something to show for the effort now" feeling that I want.....so to that end.. alongside my long term goals...here's the short term/daily/weekly ones

1. Sealed pot - I don't tend to use cash much but I did get DH a sealed pot for xmas and we've dug out all the spare change/emptied purse/wallet and managed to put in just over £15......this WILL continue. Going well - not sure how much has gone in but anything's a bonus.

2. Empty 2 draws a week around the house and sort them properly. Done over half the drawers, even dedicated an entire one to torches and candles after several power cuts of late.

3. Sort the filing cabinet and get shredding, using the oppertunity to sort/close any cards/accounts that have been missed. Shreded 2 black sacks of stuff and even discarded the old manuals for appliances we no long have.

4. Make an inventory of the bathroom cabinets and actually stop buying stuff until the rest is used. This has saved me a fortune this month....amazing how quickly you forget what's in the back of a cupboard.

5. MS is a no-go for me as I don't have transport and live to far out, can't get my head around MB, daily clicks bore me to tears so need to focus on what I can do which is comping...aim to enter at least 10 a day. Blugh....failed miserably...started well but it just bores me to tears.

6. Ebay/freecycle at least 10 items a month to clear clutter. Been freecycling/charity shopping like a demon - found a few bits for ebay but will wait till I have more before listing.

7. Aim to shave £10 per week off the food budget. Been doing the Store cupboard challenge this month so haven't spent nearly as much as normal....time will tell next month when I see if I can keep it up. [/quote]

Well it's getting there....

Longer term goals......request for a rent reduction was ignored - how polite...we are looking to move in the next few months anyway so that's not too much of an issue.

Debt payments are going out each month, have managed to make a couple of overpayments too which is fab.

DH has booked study time for April, exams are April, May and June and should bring in nearly £1500 in bonuses once they're passed (he'll pass them no probs - he's geeky like that)

A few more short term ones to work at....

1. Try and find some money towards DD2's school trip to France....£205 needed....I'd like to try and fund it out of quidco and ebay money if poss.

2. Alter some of DD's clothes so that they'll last the summer....i.e. cut of jeans that are too short, alter waist bands, maybe make some skirts from some lovely fabric I have sitting doing nothing.

3. Price up a new freezer and find a way of buying it through extra money - mine's over 10 years old now and is a bit hit and miss at times....I'd like to have the money ready to buy it when I need to.

4. Transfer DD's from one bank to another to make life a little easier.

5. Concentrate on clearing the 2 lowest balance cards - both on 0% but end in August, don't want to keep applying for new credit, the rest of the debt is lowrate life of balance so they'll tick over (with regular over payments)...I know it doesn't make sense money wise but clearing 2 cards would be such a boost...IYKWIM

Hope you're all doing well....

scubaangel

Another one who forgot she'd signed up so for now I'll add my OU assignment dates that I remember - I'll add the others tonight when I have my planner in front of me.

Volcanos - Thursday 29th January (panic!!!!!!! I've only done one question so far)
Forensics - Thursday 29th January (pmsl no chance) or end of April (much more like it)
Environmental Science assignment 1 - 9th March
Environmental Science assignment 2 - ??
Environmental Science assignment 3 - ??
Environmental Science assignment 4 - ??
Environmental Science assignment 5 - ??
Environmental Science assignment 6 - ??

Complete my Divemaster paperwork and get the qualification - erm yup one day (so far I've put it off for almost 6 years).

Financially I still have to pay the balance of my Red Sea trip so need pay another £900 ish (thanks to flight supplements and XL going bust).

Not really a target for the next 4 months but to make full use of my ISA allowance in the next financial year, this years attempts have been somewhat pathetic thanks to changing my job to a much lower paid one (the work/fun balance is shockingly weighted to having fun while working though!).

And I suppose to enable me to make use of the ISA I should add find a second job, looking for a couple of nights a week bar work or something I can do during the day around my current job (so Monday and Wednesday daytimes).

penguin83

Ive been very naughty and not updated for a few days - *slaps wrist* so here is my list for today

Saturday

- clean/tidy living room, hall and kitchen
- carry on with sorting and decluttering DD room
- PAD to MBNA
- update snowball
- update budget
- wash all dishes including the mingy grill pans that I keep putting off
- do at least 3 washes and put out to dry
- update diary

That'll do for now - will update on my monthly challenges as well

boredofbeingathome

That course sounds interesting scubaangel..loved Geology when i did it .oh so many years ago..and forensics..very cool.

Good luck with the list Pingu.x