The Quest - 2

Lula-Hula

Just a quick end of the month type of update :

I only just came in under my grocery budget -was lured into temptation by a big pot of greek yoghurt so ended up spending £7.42 in the co op - cheeky bag of nuts cost £2.99 :eek: in there rather than bag twice the size in tatco with fruity bits too for only £1.75.

The electricians have been round to modify the immersion which means one job removed from the paperwork mountain, I also filled in the form I've been meaning to for weeks & posted it too, filed the bank statements & council tax info which were also lurking & now hey presto Paper Mountain has gone :j

I also paid the £150 back into the saving/emergency/hol account today so feel very virtuous. After the sewing machine escapade at the week end I feel it's safer not to have too much cash in the house

I'm disappointed that I couldnt pay any more off Barstycard this week but will make double the effort next month. The plan is to get that debt under £3,000 asap & then attempt a new card application for balance transfer. Rather than going for a 0% I think I might try my own bank. Must write & ask for interest rate to be reduced. I'm considering being a pain & writing every week just so they have to write back every week

lula

Horace

Hi Lula

Hope you didnt actually buy a sewing machine? You need to join freecycle and acquire one for free. There was one on the birmingham one the other day for a huge treadle one from 1910 but it had bits like bobbins missing and needles but it had feet apparently and was heavy by all accounts.

So keep an eye out - why pay when you can get a freebie.

Hope DD starts to feel better soon. As for the truancy police tell them that she is ill and you are taking her to the doctors. Mind I do think they are a good idea - keeping the mischeivous brats off the street I say (not that your DD is a brat).

Well done on getting through your paper mountain - do you want to tackle the one on top of my shredder? Its all for shredding:rotfl:

S'pose I had better go and sniff out some trolls and dribble over Clio's cheese on toast (hope he's saved me a bit).

Hollyberry

Allo all

Glad to hear DD is on the mend, and safe from the child catcher. At least you can sensibly point out that you would be daft to leave her at home. And possibly up for a visit from another segment of the public services. Btw, those rice crispies in the bed can always count as emergency supplies.

Yay Lula on the shopping budget and the loss of the paper mountain.:T Like Horace, I have one of my own that I am determined to tackle, not least because I have lost the card reader for my online banking somewhere beneath the pile.

I should have added to the cautionary tale of wundaweb by noting that the incident began with a very loud rending sound, followed by me glaring at the OH in an accusatory manner, believing that he was generating what is sometimes referred to in this house as marsh gas. I then realised that I was sharing my M&S funky pink and mauve heart bikinis (oh the shame) with a road full of tourists, a couple of small boats, three crabbing children and a double decker bus.

Shoe_Gal

Hollyberry wrote: »

I should have added to the cautionary tale of wundaweb by noting that the incident began with a very loud rending sound, followed by me glaring at the OH in an accusatory manner, believing that he was generating what is sometimes referred to in this house as marsh gas. I then realised that I was sharing my M&S funky pink and mauve heart bikinis (oh the shame) with a road full of tourists, a couple of small boats, three crabbing children and a double decker bus.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Lula-Hula

Happy April to all

Horace - I'm ashamed to say that I did pay for the machine, I dont even really want it, it was just a moment of madness

Hollyberry - those bikinis sound fab to me - why shouldnt everyone see

Well, I am absolutely shattered as I went on my bike for the first time in months & it bluddy hurts & most annoyingly my thighs did not immediately reduce themselves to 16 inches :mad: I did spend an hour at the allotment digging up weeds so that's more exercise, surely I'll be thin again soon :rolleyes:

I had plenty of work to keep me busy this afternoon & have enough to top up all the funds & put some petrol in the car :j.

DD came home & anounced that she doesnt want to do recorder lessons next term which will save me £30 ... but that she'd like to do another club instead :rolleyes:

I've had a NSD which is a positive start to the month & also an email from Quidco to say that they'll be paying £70 into my account very soon :j

I'm shattered so have to head off for bed now

G'nite
lula
xx

Lula-Hula

First spend of the month to declare :

£76.73

A rather unpleasant £ 42.93 in Tatco, of which only £17.69 was on food, I had to buy loads of eggs for DDs friends but fortunately there were loads on bogoff so I did manage to save £10.25 on the total. I also had to buy some more household & toiletry bits & also the gel saddle whick last week was £5 & the ticket said it was a t that price until 5/4th ... apparently not though as I had to pay the full £8 :mad: . Never mind, the main thing is I will be able to ride my bike without hobbling afterwards - most inelegant I also put £10 of fuel in the car.

No sign of mini eggs for a hunt so I then traipsed to waitrose - £ 10.62 & was immediately furious that I hadnt done all my shopping there - as always :rolleyes: , then popped into the co op - £3.18 on my way home to top up the gas & electric cards only to discover that the gas card had disappeared :mad: . Have a feeling I may be charged for a replacement card so I suppose this is the impetus to swap back to normal metering :rolleyes:

I'm feeing very grumpy due to lack of sleep - woken up by birdy songsters at 5.45 & pretty sure that DD has passed on her cold/cough to me :rolleyes: However DD & I did have discussion this morning about wheter she was going to go on the summer playscheme again this year ... as I've now had my work days squashed into 3 & to book a place on the scheme in advance you have to pay for 5 a week :mad: I'm a bit loath to splash out £90 at the moment.

I just want to stop spending money - heeeeeeelp

Lula-Hula

Rang the fuel suppliers & have booked a date to have new meters installed ... it was easy & has only taken me a year since joining MSE to pluck up the courage to do it

The man did say it would all depend on my credit check ... :eek: I dont have any bad debts so hoping for a positive result & can then be like a normal person - will still avoid the direct debits though :rolleyes:

Hollyberry

I think I would be calling the gel saddle a medical necessity, and also needed to reduce the amount of extra bath products you would otherwise be buying.:eek: Plus avoiding any imitations of that John Wayne walk. I may be needing a bike soon myself, as the car has just had a new exhaust at a princely £120 (first quote was £270, so I suppose it's not that bad). OH went to fill her up today, and instead of putting £20 in, I got a "sorry babes, I was miles away" :rolleyes: and she swallowed a fine £35 worth of liquid refreshment. At least she won't need any more for a month or two.

I know what you mean about Waitrose; they do my favourite ever drink - lemon and lime bitters - but I try not to do the shopping there too often as the temptation is just too great.

Is the gas card somewhere in that paper mountain you were climbing? It sounds good to get back on the meters though, and at least you can read them to keep ahead of the bills.

Hope DD is looking after you in your state of cough & cold. Sounds like a good opportunity to feed DD early, then retire with many citrus products and several books (which will stop any spending too ). Take care of yourself.

Lula-Hula

Thank Hollyberry,

I seem to be staving off the cold for now; just that tingly sensation in the throat & nose that warns you that if one is imminent if precautions are not taken immediately. Rest assured that precautions in the form of Green & Blacks butterscotch mini chocolate has been taken :rotfl: I managed to walk past the 2 for £3 offers for the large bar in tatco ( too self conscious about the John Wayne 'swagger' ) but was foiled by the mini bars in waitrose - pain too much to bear any longer :rolleyes:

Shame about your car, £150 in a day is not good I stood at the pump & did wonder whether to just fill it up as per the old days ( on the CC of course ) but have managed to turn getting it to stop exactly on £10 into a game. I was quite pleased to also collect a wad of the schools vouchers that peeps had left behind

I really do hope I can get back on to normal meters - it will be so much easier to switch suppliers when necessary & I plan to save the same amount each week that I top up with anyway so will always have the funds to pay the bill.

DD breaks up from school at 1.30 tomorrow & I've promised her a bike ride in the afternoon before swimming so intend to spend the morning doing household chores, will post a list in the morning then cross off when done. I love the holidays & now that spring & light evenings are here it's just great to be alive :j

Reading a riveting book right now, will let you know my final verdict & a brief overview when I'm done.

bye for now
Lula
xx

Lula-Hula

Morning,

a very brief visit just to declare my intentions for the day :

Check online banking
Strip & air beds then remake
Sort out washing
Clean bathroom
Wash kitchen & bathroom floors & hall & stairs
[strike]Hoover[/strike] Carpet sweeperer (sp ?) the living room & bedrooms
Dust & polish everywhere

will check in later to cross off achievements ...