Carry on Questing

ZTD

Lula-Hula wrote: »

Just watching Newsnight & according to some bod, 'the desire to reduce debt' could well send the country spiralling back into recession :huh:, 'we'need to keep the econcomy moving.

Oh well in that case, let's just all keep spending like crazy, keep paying that interest on our loans & CCs so the banks - who got us into this mess in the first place :mad: - can earn more money to pay those huge bonuses.

!!!!!! - *insert roll eyes & confused smileys right here* god forbid that the already-overpaid, should have to drop their standard of living :eek:

I am all out of words so suffice to say : :mad::p:mad::p

It's the Keynesian "Paradox of Thrift". It basically says that if you don't spend on consumption then other people don't earn. "Investment" is a bad word, and the world of stagflation is a hated one, because his theories say it is impossible.

Debt and consuption led us here, and it will lead us into much darker places before the end.

ZTD

Lula-Hula wrote: »

Not all bad though, as it appears my recent baking escapades have led DD to consider safety in the home. After school today she asked why we dont have a fire extinguisher :rotfl:.

Sometimes, it's best to just let the flames consume the biscuits...

Lula-Hula

ZTD wrote: »

It's the Keynesian "Paradox of Thrift". It basically says that if you don't spend on consumption then other people don't earn. "Investment" is a bad word, and the world of stagflation is a hated one, because his theories say it is impossible.

Debt and consuption led us here, and it will lead us into much darker places before the end.[/QUOTE

Hmmm a fellow social Scientist or perhaps Economist ? Either way I would be very grateful if the local authority would put some of John Maynard's road building concepts into practise & start filling in the pot holes that are killing my car :mad:

Other news is that I'm now feeling just a tad anxious; just had my ebill for Gas ... £240.96 :eek:_pale_:eek:

Ok, this is estimated but am now caught in the catch 22 of hoping that it's less than that, yet also scared that it's perhaps more, which then presents me with the next dilemma. If 'tis is more do I just :shhh: & pay up the £240.96 & save frantically for the next bill, or own up to it being more & hope that the electricity is much less :undecided. Dammit, where's a confused smilie when you need one :huh:.

I have £240 in the Gas & Electricity fund & was going to bung in another £20 tomorrow.

Chances of Electricity bill being a mere £20 ... :think:

As if :rotfl:

ZTD

Lula-Hula wrote: »

ZTD wrote: »

It's the Keynesian "Paradox of Thrift". It basically says that if you don't spend on consumption then other people don't earn. "Investment" is a bad word, and the world of stagflation is a hated one, because his theories say it is impossible.

Debt and consuption led us here, and it will lead us into much darker places before the end.

Hmmm a fellow social Scientist or perhaps Economist ? Either way I would be very grateful if the local authority would put some of John Maynard's road building concepts into practise & start filling in the pot holes that are killing my car :mad:

Ah no, the idea behind that is that you have to pay to replace the suspension on your car, which makes everyone rich.

Apart from you.

Lula-Hula wrote: »

Other news is that I'm now feeling just a tad anxious; just had my ebill for Gas ... £240.96 :eek:_pale_:eek:

Ok, this is estimated but am now caught in the catch 22 of hoping that it's less than that, yet also scared that it's perhaps more, which then presents me with the next dilemma. If 'tis is more do I just :shhh: & pay up the £240.96 & save frantically for the next bill, or own up to it being more & hope that the electricity is much less :undecided. Dammit, where's a confused smilie when you need one :huh:.

I have £240 in the Gas & Electricity fund & was going to bung in another £20 tomorrow.

Chances of Electricity bill being a mere £20 ... :think:

As if :rotfl:

Read your meter. If it is less that the units estimated, then your bill will be less. If more, then more.

Simples...

SarahNeedle1872

Lula-Hula wrote: »

ZTD wrote: »

It's the Keynesian "Paradox of Thrift". It basically says that if you don't spend on consumption then other people don't earn. "Investment" is a bad word, and the world of stagflation is a hated one, because his theories say it is impossible.

Debt and consuption led us here, and it will lead us into much darker places before the end.[/QUOTE

Hmmm a fellow social Scientist or perhaps Economist ? Either way I would be very grateful if the local authority would put some of John Maynard's road building concepts into practise & start filling in the pot holes that are killing my car :mad:

Other news is that I'm now feeling just a tad anxious; just had my ebill for Gas ... £240.96 :eek:_pale_:eek:

Ok, this is estimated but am now caught in the catch 22 of hoping that it's less than that, yet also scared that it's perhaps more, which then presents me with the next dilemma. If 'tis is more do I just :shhh: & pay up the £240.96 & save frantically for the next bill, or own up to it being more & hope that the electricity is much less :undecided. Dammit, where's a confused smilie when you need one :huh:.

I have £240 in the Gas & Electricity fund & was going to bung in another £20 tomorrow.

Chances of Electricity bill being a mere £20 ... :think:

As if :rotfl:

Wow that a big one Lula, is it quarterly? Like Z said, read the meter and see what the readings are. Do you have the option to enter meter reading online? I do with mine, and keep it up to date by entering a reading every month

Sx

Lula-Hula

Calm down, calm down, panic over, it's all goin to be fine

Braced myself to read the meter ... & discovered that silly people had overestimated my bill by a wishful-thinkingly 160 units :eek: I have indeedy now entered MY reading SarahNeedle as I do the whole shebang online, but I hadnt thought about putting a monthly reading in, great idea :T:A.

Just had a man from Scottish power trying (yet again) to tempt me back & I was a bit tempted by the £50 Quidco cashback & the thought of earing 3% interest on any Direct Debit overpayment but they scored a rubbish customer service rating, although when I was with them I have to say they were excellent & I much prefer to save the money in my account & then get £5 off for paying my quarterly bills within 10 days . Also it seems that many suppliers are now charging a 'leaving fee' & I dont like that :mad: What a nerve, lets hope that idea doesnt spread to toehr services. Checked out the comparison site & I'm fine where I am for now.

Work job was busy today, but now have a plant & candle on my desk to calm the stressful atmosphere - actually it's just to wind boss up who cant bear the idea of feng shui etc :rotfl:

Dont feel too good very cold & a bit sensitive so may head off for an early bath soon. DD has in set day tomorrow so she's going to help me with some shopping .

I havent had any notification in the form of email or letter but when I just checked my online banking, I noticed that I have a new savings account set up . Tomorrow I will be paying in whatever cash I have in my funds. Goodness knows how I am going to manage 4 separate accounts, but it needs to be done, so will have to buy a new notebook tomorrow to record & track each separate fund.

My head aches so I'm going to wallow in the bath for a bit ....

bye for now
xx

PS - NSD 17

Lula-Hula

Hmmmm, there has been a SpendFest chez Lula today & its' pretty scary.

We braved Tatco & spent a lot of money, however, I do admit that I got a lot of bang for my bucks. This was a shopping trip to stock up on household goodies & toiletries & tinned stuff etc.

£97.89 :eek: in the shop & another £32.67 on fuel

Of the £97.89, £81.75 was on groceries & household bits leaving me with £68.25 for the next 4 weeks _pale_ although to be honest I wont need washing powder or fabric softener or washing up liquid or loo rolls or loo cleaner or shampoo or handwash or toothpaste or foam bath or pasta sauces or foil for a couple of months. There were offers on all of those products including Managers Special offers on own brand natural washing up liquid at 10p per bottle. I did take 2 as it was on my list anyway but for keeping my Karma flowing, I wasnt greedy & did point out the offer to a woman who lurking nearby & wondering what the scrummage was all about .

Having dispensed enough of my money to Tatco we retreated home for coffee ( me) & cake (DD) stopping off at the post office on the way so I could pay the £340 funds in to my current account

After a suitable break we headed into town for sme more shopoing, DD was most concerned at my willigness to spend so I had to explain that it was payday & all budgeted for so therefore perfectly permissable. We spent £39 in primarni on a dress & jacket for me for work, a fab pink cardi for me for home clothes, a couple of tops & undies for DD 7 some teatowels & a couple of cushions for the sofa ( it felt left out )

Next stop was bookshop so DD could spend the book token she lost after christmas & only today remembered where it was. Good job Polly Pocket & her ski lodge didnt get to the charity shop

On to TkMaxx where, before I was allowed to enter I had to solemnly swear to only look for trainers for DD & not say "oooooh bags" & then wander off on my own as if in a trance . We found a fab pair of skechers for a mere £12.99 & then before I knew what was happeing a pair of purple ankle strap shoes were in my hand :eek:I have no idea how they got there & also no idea how DD managed to remove them & steer me to the till & then all the way back to the car :huh:. She's good. But sadly not so good that she remembered that our original reason for going to town that particular day was to collect my contact lenses Not my fault I didnt remember - I was in a trance at the time :rotfl:.

Will have to make a return journey soon, but probably not this weekend.

Came home & collapsed in shock at all the shopping done.

Jumped on t'internet to play with new bank account & found revised gas bill for £176.16 - much better so have paid that. Have left the remaining £84 from the saved fund in my current account as the electricity bill is now imminent.

I have however, transferred £250 into the new saving account

£ 80 that was already saved towards the car tax
£100 towards next quarters utility bill
£ 10 for this months car tax saving
£ 20 towards car spares & servicing (always the first fund to be borrowed
so much safer in the bank)
£40 towards presents - need to add to it tho as saved nothing in January

A positive & determined start for my first full months salary & this is how I plan to deal with my finances from now on.

Have still got the other savings account with old bank but this is purely drip fed by Quidco & coins savings - any 'free' money. I've just requested a payment of £3 from topcashback so that should appear soon

I've received a few £2 coins this week but am not counting them. Will either open when cat container full or am debt free - whichever happens first.

I havent forgotten the debts & have paid £50 to CC2 & £100.88p to tidy up the Barclaycard account. According to the snowball if I want to be DF by end of December this year, based on the amount I am paying each month, I'll need to find another £1600 from somewhere :think:

Souk08

Well done on getting organised Lula X

Shoe_Gal

Wow Lula :j well done on being so organised and getting so much done, you are an inspiration :A

Lula-Hula

As January comes to an end I can declare that it was probably my most frugal month ever & that February will not be.

I have already spent a whopping £246.65 :eek:

This morning we whizzed into town to collect my contact lenses & I had to buy some more cleaning solution which was £17.50 but the parking was free as I didnt go into car park thereby reducing temptation to shop for other stuff

Waitrose is a slight detour on the way home so it seemd logical to pop in & stock up on non Tatco stuff for the week. £45.44 :whistle: later we emerged & headed for home. So, another £32.05 of my Household & Grocery budget gone ( the other £ 13.39 was on a wok & cake treat for DD) & I now have only £36.20 left for the rest of the month. It is actually more than that as some of the household items I bought wont get used this month - I just bought them to avoid another trip to Tatco any time soon - so I'll have to go through the list & work out which items & then deduct them from the total spend. Yawn, how boring, might be more fun trying to live on the £36.20 instead :rotfl:

Other than that have been very lazy; made some soup & done washing. Need to do some ironing & also tackel the pile of paperwork which is now 2 inches high .

Other news is that thanks to some very strict eating plans this week I have managed to lose the whole 5lbs that I aimed for this month :j. Have had to come to terms with not being able to eat like a peeg unless I am going to exercise it off again & I havent done much of that this week so rations it is.

I have made another £100 payment to Barclaycard tonight as I worked out all the direct debts due out & found I had enough left so the total debt outstanding as of 1st Feb is £5,000 exactly.

Off to update my sig, so bye for now

xx