The Golden Goose's Quest For The Golden Egg - AKA A Debt Free Life!

savingholmes

Hi GG - tightwad me? Hmmmm probably still not as much as I should be... enjoy the sun!

beckseven

I read your diary today after you posted on mine after my daughter had been' in hospital. I can completely identify with getting into debt by spending merrily-before i had my kids i would 'treat' myself all the time with beauty treatments, clothes, holidays all courtesy of mr cc! You are doing really well in reducing your debt and good luck in finding a new job.

The_Golden_Goose

Today's Installment - Part Deux

The sun's a-shining and I had a lovely walk with dog, til we met the dog's favourite tipple..... yep. Poop. Dog loves poop. Dog is not fussy AT all. Dog will roll in it, jump in it, eat it, play with it, the works. Such a joyous sight for all to see. Except for me, thinking - hmmph I have got to put that mangy mutt in the back of the motor and then wash it - the dog, not the motor!

So the dog is freshly shampooed and has been hung on the washing line to dry off, all my clothes are in the washer as I don't fancy spending the rest of the day stinking of poop.

Mr GG bought me a Flake to cheer me up. He says I am in a stroppy mood. He's right. I am. Not sure why really. Guess I am a bit pig sick of the ups and downs of life in its whole entirety but mostly I think I am feeling narked cos in some ways I feel I am wasting my time on a daily basis. By that not using it constructively enough.

In some ways, I think when you have less time available, you are in fact, more productive, cos you know you only have so long to do stuff.

Eg: If someone has three horses to muck out and you only have one, it can take you just as long as to do one as it takes them to do three, does that make any sense whatsoever??

Still craving coffee....

Sitting here looking around me at all the filing and tidying that needs doing. I have made progress in that the filing is in piles. Plus there is a pile or two that Mr GG still needs to go through. Am not holding my breath on that one!!!!

Also have my ebay stuff piled up too, have taken the pics, I need to put them on the PC and then tomorrow get selling.

I need to do my debt signature update for April, its coming down bit by bit!!! Hope to have a job in any form sometime soon as I desperately want to stay out of my overdraft. My redundancy dosh cleared it and I want it to stay that way. Desperately.

Plans for today are:

• Job search online
• Contact agency about temp work or contract or whatever
• Check my emails
• Surf MSE and enter some comps/freebs, do some clicks and any surveys (bit hacked off with Toluna as keep getting rejected.....)
• Update spend diary with real figures rather than using memory
• Have storecupboard lunch and dinner
• Read the MSE weekly mail
• Try and get round to raiding my CD collection to see if MMagpie will trade for some readies
• Refill the car with gas - AGAIN.....

As you can see its all a bit dull in our household at the mo, though, the weekend is coming up and Mr GG plan to spend some time together so that will be nice. You never know we may even crack some household chores.

As I always like to end my posts with a tip or two, though really they are reminders to myself to stay on track and stay MSE savvy and DFW through and through.

So for today all I can think of is, shop smart. Don't be brand loyal, be wallet loyal. Switch away to your heart's content. Get more bang for your buck!! Shop around, but only if its sensible. If your nearest cheapy cheap supermarket is a 15mile drive away in the wrong direction from home or the office, then its probably not really economical to shop there.

I do find that homecooking really does make a big difference to how far you can make your food and your cash stretch, especially once you have your storecupboard basics in stock (a la Nigella Lawson - does the woman EVER stop eating?!).

Until the next installment....

savingholmes

HI GG - It is stories like that one that confirm why we don't have pets!:rotfl:

DS has been sent home sick from school so there go all my plans for the day! I know what you mean about being so unproductive the more time you have. I applied for 30+ jobs while still working and less than 10 since I stopped worked.... Where is the logic? My house is a bigger tip than ever in that I start something but don't finish it!:eek:

I am still waiting for Mary Poppins to arrive to sort it all out for me! Mary, Mary? Where are you?

The_Golden_Goose

I wonder why we do sometimes. Honestly. Its grosse.

After Mary has been to yours, please can you send her (along with her bag of tricks) straight to my place. No need for her to divert to get her own cleaning sundries, we have StarDrops a plenty here, ready willing and able.

Its me that is not ready, willing or able. I need some magic!

mrscmr

sorry girls i have first dibs on mary....
u all sound busy and i have been in bed all day
i poooorly

shaggydoo

Good luck with all those chores

The_Golden_Goose

Today's Installment

What's up Doc?

Hope everyone is well and not experiencing too much of a Bank Holiday anti-climax.

Its been a few days since I last posted. Not a great deal has changed. For sure, the house still needs cleaning! Everytime I make progress someone or something goes and shakes it all up and its back to Square 1 again.

The big news, woah there!!! Don't get too excited is that I have been called back for a second interview. Yes, you are right, I've been passed out from the shock and I have only just regained consciousness now!! LOL. So I'll be spending quite a bit of time prepping for that this week. Its exciting to be called back, yet at the same time I am now slightly stressing about doing the correct prep.

Also, I have refrained from spending on my number one enemy, yep, the MBNA card. So there. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it Mr Branson. I'll only be paying for your loo roll at Necker Island for awhile yet, but an end IS in sight. Prepare to have to wipe thy bot with seaweed. I feel so good about not spending on it. Though am fighting the temptation to NOT buy a laptop.

In terms of the JSA. Well. What can I say. Not a lot. However, the robbing toads are refusing to pay for my backdated claim. They state in their very poor communication, that I do meet the critiera based on my NI contributions and that they do not accept my delay in claiming for said JSA. It would seem the fact that I was trying to actively seek a job, has gone against me and they won't pay me for the last 4 weeks. On the brightside, they will pay me going forward. I am due to sign on again this week, so I'll take their letter in with me and get them to explain it to me. Frankly, I am baffled and rather annoyed about it.

The last couple of days I have been beating myself up. Not literally. That would be daft. I have been cursing myself for not going out and temping right away, instead of living off my redundancy. I feel I have wasted that money when I should have stashed it in the bank. Mr GG has been really cool and told me to not be so stupid. He's been a real trooper about it all. Lifting me up and then giving me a right kicking when I have needed it.

Er er what else, what else, what else, has been happening??! Oh I have been baking, or should I say burning some homemade biccies. Totally scrumptious, even with the eau de charcoal scenting that I specifically infused the cookies with. Ha Ha!

Met an old work colleague for a bite to eat today, she even paid, bless her! Bonus for me.

Still keeping myself busy with riding the nag and walking the mutt, in between sofa sessions of Sky+'d programmes. There is a lot of trash TV about at the mo and its got my name written ALL over it.

The latest indulgence is the second series of Dirty Sexy Money, the new programme called Trophy Wives (though am bit disappointed as all the guys in it are butt ugly - so the McHottiesMcBotties in Grey's Anatomy are still reigning supreme, though I don't think anyone could tip them off their towers of male gorgeousness!!!) and also Mr GG and I are really loving Fringe too.

Oh and I caved into my caffeine cravings. The coffee we normally have was on offer with nearly a £2 saving. Had to buy it. Needed to buy it. Hmmmm. Peace and harmony has been restored in the Goose kitchen as a result.

Hope all you guys 'n' gals are still staying strong with reducing your debt.

Stay strong and continue to stand tall and firm with the fight against credit.

Say NO.

N. O.

That's right. NO NO NO NO NO.


Til the next installment.

boredofbeingathome

Fingers crossed for the second interview. Large Raspberry blowing about JSA.

The_Golden_Goose

Thanks BOB.

I tell you. I was doing a heck of a lot more than raspberry blowing when I got their letter. I was VERY CROSS.

I shall be ready to interrogate them throughly when I have to go in there. The letter says you can call them to ask about it. Guess what? Everytime you call, line says its engaged, tells you to call later and then hangs up on you. Wonderful.