Noodledoodle's road to riches

noodledoodle78

Hey Guys

Hope you all had a great Valentine's weekend. My budget menu worked out really well - well mostly!
My piece-de-resistance a la chocolate souffle looked fantastic. In fact, I was so pleased with how it looked I spent the full 12 mins that it was in the oven watching it rise in an adoring fashion.

My OH couldn't believe how great it looked. I had even dusted the plate with an imprint of a fork in cocoa powder. It looked nothing short of the nuts. And then he tried it. He started to gag and I laughed, thinking he was joking. Until he put his head in the bin and carried on gagging....:rotfl:

Oh well... there's always next time, but I don't think he's that game to give it another go.

On the up side, 2 NSD being Saturday and Sunday. I also spent Saturday working out affordable monthly instalments on my arrears and debts and if I can stick to it, I will be debt free by April 2010!!! :T

barrys-lass

WOW if you stick to your budget that will be great. Do you have any old toys you can put on ebay or do a carboot?

Radish72

Just wanted to wish you good luck with getting rid of your debt

noodledoodle78

Thanks guys, your support is appreciated.

noodledoodle78

Me again...

Thought I would update you all on the past couple of days and a couple of little tricks that will hopefully help me with my debts.

I have compiled a spreadsheet with all my debts, installments to be paid and am ticking them off proudly one by one as each installment is taking. It is actually proving itself to be very therapeutic.

Had two calls from DCAs today and was able to tell them exactly what they would be paid and when - quite empowering for once. So it is definitely helping having all the information to hand.

Off out tonight to do my weekly shopping and this is usually where I fall off the wagon very quickly. Have written out a menu planner with OH last night and agreed on what we would cook and when. Hopefully this will help me on the food shop to cut down on our usual spend.

Major redundancies going on in work at the moment - approximately a third of the total workforce throughout the UK. Fortunately I have not been put at threat of redundancy. But it does hammer home the need to sort my situation out as I have no emergency back up plan at all.

Have also realised I am entitled to £75 M&S vouchers from a combination of SKY and my insurance company. Chasing that up as we speak.

Car Insurance is up at the end of the month and from the comparison sites it appears I will be able to shave about £200 off my current premium. Crazy to think that a month ago I wouldn't have even thought to compare these prices!

Anyhow must go, work to be done!

barrys-lass

do you aver cut the coupons from magazines? that can save a bomb. even if you dont buy what the voucher is for

noodledoodle78

Hi Barry's Lass

Funny you should say that - I have started to do that and have got some really good deals recently.

Back at work after a trip to the dentist this morning. Feel like I have had a poor persons' botox as I can't move my face at all:rotfl:
On the plus side it didn't cost me a penny as my dentist is also a family member. So probably saved about £800 from today alone. Madness.

Got a weekend of SKY planned as we have recorded a couple of good movies from the movie channel so that should save us spending this weekend. Hopefully my OH will be able to work overtime tomorrow. This is definitely a major plus of his job at the moment, even though he hates it.

Managed to do my weekly shopping for £68 this week. Was a bit disappointed as I wanted to get it down to less than £50 - but it's certainly an improvement on the £100 I used to spend.

Well, I feel I am starting to ramble on a bit now so I hope you all have a great weekend.

noodledoodle78

Feeling really down today. I owe my childminder £100 from last month and only managed to scrape together my last £30. She was not impressed. Now have exactly zero pounds and zero pence until this Thursday - when the whole cycle starts all over again. I don' think people realise how bad my situation actually is.

I need to buy shoes for my little boy and had to convince him that it would be fun to wear his trainers today - he is a stickler for his shoes! I told him his shoes were too small and we would have to buy new ones this week. He was really excited and thought we were going to buy new ones this morning. That really upset me as I don't even have enough to buy a newspaper at the moment.

I just want to get out of this mess and start enjoying my life. Just feel like I am constantly peddling away to nothing!

noodledoodle78

Well I have had a busy few weeks. I managed to rearrange all my debts and monthly payments onto a spreadsheet. I then went through all my debts and my oh debts and sent off various letters to the debtors:

- A&L PPI reclaim £300
Capital One charges - unknown
Halifax CC Charges - unknown
Halifax Bank - £400 - on hold
Northern Bank - Hardship claim £500 charges

I hope it is going to be as easy claiming these back as the last time I did them for our joint debts.

If I manage to get even half of this back it will help towards paying off some of these debts.

Also got an unexpected £50 of M&S vouchers through the door today from my Sky set up so that will go towards some new clothes for my DS.

I also got £7.50 in Tesco points and from looking on the internet was able to cash these in for £30 to use for my ds birthday party on an open farm when he is 3 next month. That will make a real dent in paying for his party.

So, all in all a busy week - and all seems to be going to plan which is a bit worrying for me.!!

Radish72

Don't give up noodledoodle, keep going you have made such a good start just sorting everything out

:T :T :T have a pat on the back :T :T :T