Incoherent Ramblings of a 40 year old...! My diary, my words..

TIME2GROWUP_2

Busy weekend, and managed to keep away from shops apart from Sainsburys and chemist, still spent £9-87..but could have been worse..!

Did lots of house things on Saturday including painting the wooden chairs, just the table to go.. was going to do it on sunday but it kept raining... cleaned the BBQ in readiness for the next 'heatwave'.... Dried my washing MSE style.. in between the bouts of rain..!

Managed my first NSD yesterday, hurrah... hope to have another one tomorrow...

No movement on the money front.. nothing coming in at the moment so no pennies to play with.. roll on next weekend..

Have got 10 items listed on ebay, of which 4 have bids on.. one with 11 watchers so i'm hopeful I should have some pennies by the end of the week.. Have also raided the change pot and got £5 worth of Change for DD's fun nite tonight, save me using any of my weekly challenge money... although I need to top her phone so that will be another £5 down later.. boo... and £4.25 in supermarket, but I did only buy what was on my list and shouldn't need to go until Friday with any luck...

I've never before spent so much time thinking about money, watching what I spend etc.etc.. I should have done this years ago...Am looking forward to the end of the month so I can put some figure into my 10% challenge...

Now onwards and upwards... x

TIME2GROWUP_2

Well i've been drowned numerous times today, and i'm not going out again.. when i'm in, the sun's out, when i'm out the rain comes down.... don't you just love the british summer...!

Still haven't managed another NSD since Sunday, yesterday I had to buy a few bits in the supermarket and put a fiver on DD's phone, and today I needed to buy milk and bought a sarnie for lunch, normally I would eat something at home between jobs but was working with a colleague today so couldn't do that. On the upside i've only spent £12.30 of my £40 weeky challenge money so far.. although it is only Tuesday....

On the upside, I've sold 2 items on Ebay and that has raised £17-50 and I have 5 items still running of which 2 have sold, totalling £6 so far, but one of them has 22 watchers so i'm hopeful it will go up in price..

Hope to do an overtime visit tomorrow and another on Thursday, maybe 2.. i'm aiming at least 2 a week..... next week is really busy though so might not make that target.

Another survey done, still need one more to reach my £25 voucher..no other news to report.. must get going on work project..... tut tut...

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED

Hi Time2GrowUp.

Just been reading your updates and wanted to add my voice of encouragement. I like your to do lists, helps you to feel that you are getting somewhere dont they? I haven't felt able to detail my debts on my diary yet either, warming up to it though, good luck and will follow your progress.

TIME2GROWUP_2

Thanks positive and focused.. good name, let's hope we can all stay that way...!!!

I know I should do the old SOA thing, i've done one myself, but the finances in this house are complicated - some together, some seperate, so it all won't make sense to others. I do enjoy a list and your right I think it helps you stay focused.. if i could just get to grips with the work project.... I seem to be making some headway in all the other directions, its just that one that's my stumbling block..maybe tomorrow...:rolleyes:

I think i've stumbled across your diary on here.. shall pop off and have another look... I do spend far too much time reading posts and diaries...

Good luck on your journey too. x

TIME2GROWUP_2

Well a sort of productive day. I haven't managed to reduce my debt any, but did post off my 2 ebay sales so hopefully they will be happy and I can use that money to throw at CC's. Still have 5 items listed, 3 sold, 1 of which has 28 watchers and is over £10 now.. so i'm hopeful with that one..! They finish Friday I think... (must check...) and then I need to get listing again..

No more NSD's, decided to be sort of MSE and make some cakes but needed caster sugar and eggs, had also run out of yoghurts for DD so did partial MSE by going to Asda, but of course a few other items jumped into my basket when I wasn't looking..:mad: padded envelopes for ebaying and a school skirt (for next new term), so not really unnecessary items, just not listed...! So another £10-17 to add to my challenge money which leaves me with £17-53, but I really shouldn't need to buy anything else until Food shop Friday...

Played with my snowball today, not that I can really afford the monthly payments I make but the overdraft is holding up at the moment.. this spurred me onto ring some of my cc companys and ask about reducing interest rate/offers etc for existing customers.. I did have partial success last time I did this, and Halifax were fab and upped my credit limit and gave me a balance for life of 7.9 and reduced my interest on the rest to 10.9, HSBC reduced me from 22 to 15.9, this was early this year, but then they upped it to 20 !!! This did have the proviso of closing the account and staying at 15.9, so that is what I did with this one. I had no luck with Capital one then or now and Natwest were no help whatsoever :mad: but I may write to them as I hold lots of different accounts with them so you never know..!

Tomorrow I'm going to ring 3 others that all have available credit and see if any of them fancy a life of balance transfer rate or something.. wish me luck..:p

No overtime done today, MUST do some tomorrow...

I have decided that i'm still concentrating on getting rid of 10% by Christmas.. (is this possible..?) which will include minimum payments so fingers crossed as i've retired the cards now.. I'm also rugby tackling that Natwest Mastercard.. I know its under £3000 now, (I sneaked a peak online..) I'd love to lose this one even if its by balance transfer.. let's see what tomorrow brings...

Now onto the more important issue, what shall I have for dinner? It will be out of the freezer.. just for a change... ! Fish Fingers or stuffed plaice?The plaice has been in the freezer so long its probably 'orrible.. maybe i'll save that for the OH..:rotfl:

TIME2GROWUP_2

:j Hurrah its Friday.. very unproductive week on the money making side.. no overtime done, would say i'll do some at the weekend, but that is so not going to happen.. DD's already got me lined up to go to Town... aaaahhh... Have just done week's shopping and again come in under by 3-42 so I shall add that to last week's pot. Am still doing £1 a day when I have a spare one, and trying to keep up with the challenges....

Was successful in small reduction in smoking last week, so will continue on that mission, also still doing Alcohol free days, saves money and the liver..! My weekly challenge went a bit to pot as I have included my top up shops during the week, plus DD's phone voucher, will try better next week... Only 1 NSD, 2 if you include today as the shopping is budgeted for...

Ebay was brill, only had 10 items listed, sold half of them - one went for £11-50 and another for £29-50... yippee:D Money for old rope as they say.. although unfortunately I don't have loads of things that other people will want to buy, but job for next week is to find some more stuff...

Rang 3 CC companies yesterday, limited success. Capital One - no offers, Egg - no offers but I can transfer with no fee at normal rate which is 16% which is lower than some so I may use that later... Halifax again came up trumps, unfortunately I didn't have much space on that one to do much but have moved £800 from nasty Natwest to them at 10.9% with 3% fee. I realise this is not a reduction in debt but at least's its less interest to be paid.... Will pay Ebay money off this one, once its all cleared and purchasers are happy.

Am still working on DD's birthday have managed to remove some notes from OH to assist in paying for this as have presents and party to pay for... another present purchased online yesterday and I shall sneak into Town without her next week to pick up bits & bobs..

Must get to the bank early next week and pay in some money so that I can pay the remaining bills for the month. Come August I will be able to update my sig hopefully with a positive number next to my 0/3500...!

Must dash now, post office and school to get to... TGIF..its the weekend.. :j

TIME2GROWUP_2

Very pleased have just done yet another survey and got enough points to cash in a £25 M & S voucher.. to add to the £10 one, so that's £35 towards Christmas Food.. brilliant.. also done one for another site so earnt a LV, that will pay for a DD lunch sometime!

ClootiesMum

Hi there,

Talk about going great guns.... and having alcohol free days into the bargain

You're almost inspiring me to have a go at eBay - no, you have inspired me - I'll have a go next week as I intend to garden & plant out veggie stuff this weekend.

I've subscribed & look forward to keeping up with your progress.

CM

[Deleted User]

Hiya,

Just wanted to say hello and keep going, you are doing really well especially with the e-bay and credit cards.

I am tempted to get a load more stuff on e-bay, we have masses of junk and toys that are too young for my two now and just see if they will sell.

Tea
x

TIME2GROWUP_2

:wave: Thanks to CM and Tea for joining me over here at my rambling station...!

I have posted out 2 of the 3 items from yesterdays sales on Ebay, the 3rd hasn't paid yet, but that's good as I won't be able to get to the PO till Weds probably so the later the better. I would prefer to hand deliver it really as the buyer is from Barcelona and that is my favourite city in the world.. i've naughtily booked flights back for November, that will be my fifth trip..(not all in one year..) I do save through the year so its not that non-MSE....:p

Very excited won a prize this morning... not so exciting.. it was a £5 voucher for farmfoods...... however me and DD were heading to Town where there is one of these shops... brilliant prices, similar to Iceland but no great choice of dry/chilled goods so you couldn't really do your week's shopping there if you like fresh food...Still we used the voucher in a very MSE way as its DD's b.day next weekend so we bought ice cream cones/sprinkles and sauce.. enough for 40 children, luckily i've only invited 16.... cost to me £0.78.. marvellous...Must remember to pick up ice cream when I do the party shop on friday... dry cone and sprinkles anyone!!!!:D

All quiet otherwise, housework beckoning... yuk.. Ironing pile with my name on top.. why is it always my name and why is it my Iron???? Will try and sort some stuff for Ebaying next week, that's my task for tomorrow... oh and maybe getting on with that work project.....:rotfl:

Will also sit and do comping.. I do so love winning anything.. its soooo exciting.. which reminds me I have one of them little red cards from the RM, its probably something i've ordered for DD for B.day, but you never know......