Clawing back - the second half

Claw_back_money

It has not been a good week for NSDs, I've only managed 2. Will try harder next week!

I was meant to be going out today but plans fell through last night. Not such a terrible thing as there is, as always, lots to be doing round here.

There is not a lot to report on the DFW front. I've got just one survey to do this weekend, hopefully it will be assessed quite quickly then I will have about £75 survey money to come towards the end of the month. The training course that I was meant to be doing next week has been cancelled, and I said in advance that if they cancelled with less than a week to go I would expect to be paid for my time. They have accepted that this is the case, and to be fair I took a day's leave from job #1 to do it, but I feel very guilty that I will be paid 'for nothing'. They want a day's training later in the month so I could do some of the development in that time, I suppose.

I got the cadbury's scarf this week, and the boots order, and have found that with some of the things I mystery shopped through the year there is actually quite a bit tucked away that will be good for christmas presents. I'd like to make a batch of quickie cards sometime soon.

Cbm

Lemon_Tree

i need to make some cards as well. but i also need to get started on the next batch of scrapbooked calendars that i'm making as chrissy pressies, need one for the post and 3 others.

milann

Hi Cbm - just read through your diary.

3 kids at uni together :eek: - it is a while ago since mine were there - I had the two of them overlapping at one time. It is part of the reason I ended up in so much debt - helping them out - one of the other main reasons was - 'whispers very quietly incase dh is listening' - was buying card making and scrapbooking gadgets and stash, especially from a certain craft programme I used to watch :rolleyes: - most of which is still upstairs in dd's old room, now laughingly called my craft room. I bought loads of stuff and hardly ever have time to do it now cos I spend most of my free time on here :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Well done on getting the overdraft down - even if it blips up again - you are aware and won't let it get as bad again - I'm hoping the same about mine too.

Better go - just thoought I say Hi - still got loads of ironing to do before tomorrow!!

Milann

Claw_back_money

Hi Milann and thanks for dropping by... I think this diary is incredibly boring so thanks for sticking with it and posting!

Only two of the three are at uni, the eldest, DD, dropped out after a year and is currently working at a uni. She has got plans to go back next year, but I think she'll get loan + grant as she'll be assessed on her own income, so although we'll help it won't be quite as much.

Craft stuff is an area where I could spend a fortune too! I never got into the TV progs (thank goodness) but always wanted more. I tended to go for 'bargains' - ebay, craft shops etc. I am much better disciplined about this now though. I love making them and am looking forward to putting a day in the diary to make a whole load of christmas cards - will you be making any?

Cheers
Cbm

Claw_back_money

DS2 went back to uni last night, so it is very quiet here today. On the DF front there is nothing much going on. No surveys to do, about £80 to invoice for in a couple of days. Butlins bingo has a promotion going so I spent 30p on bingo and won £3 which made me quite happy - what a sad bunny!

I am working for about 4 hours at job #2 this afternoon, so this morning will:-

Go to body balance class, first time in months, now I've 'got my life back' as job #2 is finishing.
Make some bread and yoghurt.
Change sheets in DS room, and clean it. :rolleyes:
Change our sheets too, and tidy bedroom.
Put the Christmas presents that I sorted out away until its time to wrap them.
NO paperwork whatsover for the voluntary work that I do - I spent most of yesterday delivering training for them and I'm all charitied out!
Mooch through MSE competitions and freebies without feeling guilty that I should be doing something else!

Have a good day everyone

Cbm

Edited to add: all done :A apart from the yoghurt as that is best done overnight!

Claw_back_money

Lemon_Tree wrote: »

hi, i think i'm going to have to be on a very strict long term nsd regime. need to reduce my df date by 6 months which is £6k so a mighty challenge. gotta hope for some real bingo wins, and that my luck changes cos in truth i don't seem to have had as much luck as others on here.

Hi Lemon Tree
I'm just curious why you need to reduce your df date by 6 months - personal target or prior to an 'event'?? (please feel free to tell me to mind my own business....)
Bingo wins - hmm, I got one today - £3! Others seem to do so much better don't they - I think its because they may well spend more than I'm prepared to.
Cheers
Cbm

Lemon_Tree

I'm aiming to bring it forwards because came back to work off my sick bed only to find that all the jobs are under review, with Apr 2011 being the last date by which i'm assuming if i'm going i will be gone (if that makes sense). Won't know for about 6 mths what the actual plan is for my section, after which i will know whether i need to panic real time or just for practice. But i figure out if i start now then at least either way i'll be a little more ahead than i would be if i sit and wait.

You're probably right, as i'm not prepared to risk my own money i'm not likely to actually win as much as others do.

Claw_back_money

:eek: for Lemon Tree. What a welcome back to work! 'Reorganisation' should be rationed I think, only a few times a decade!

Maybe it will give you that bit of incentive needed, what is your new target date?

I was threatened with redundancy in Feb 08 and it proved to be the kick in the pants needed to get on with this DF lark! We looked at all of the areas we could cut down (utilities etc) and decided that paying
at least £200 in bank charges each month was an area that should be addressed! In Dec it will be down to £14 and I'm hoping that with the overdraft gone in Jan 2010 everything will be in a 0% account and therefore bank charges and interest will be £0.

OH and I are both govt employees in one way and another, which does not feel a very safe place to be working at the mo. :rolleyes:

Cbm

Lemon_Tree

tell me about it, public sector is very dodgy at the minute. I get frustrated by people who say oh it's never gonna happen, they've tried it before and we're all still here. I think they forget that this time it has to happen, and as i've been on the receiving end of redundancy before i know no one is indispensable.
I had got my DF date down to October 2011 (from about 2020 in all honesty) but now have to try and take another 6 months off of it by hook or by crook.

Claw_back_money

Our place is also looking into 'scaling down' redundancy payments - as well as recruitment freeze, pay freeze etc etc. Ridiculously this has led to lots of people jumping ship, knock on effect that those that are left are doing 1 1/2 jobs each - or more. I'm glad my job is only part time, I'm able to do other bits and pieces in the rest of my time so don't feel that we are completely all eggs in one basket. Job #2 was with a charity, covering while they recruited a new manager, and I was offered the permanent job; which was full time and didn't feel very secure at the time and I declined.
Fortunately OH is not in local govt so although not secure he is less at the whim of locally elected members!

I think the quicker we're debt free the better!

Cbm