So here's to you, Mrs R....

mrs_robinson_3

In which MRs R goes on the offensive......

Hello any readers

Did a post last night, but it didn't appear, was so cross! So this one is shorter but an update. Decided am being too passive, too slowly slowly catchy monkey with the debt. And Mrs R aint a pasive kind of a girl, oh no. So over the weekend, here's what I did:

Did my ebay listings - nothing much happening, 6 watchers, 2 bids and some are books which would be better on amazon but as ebay was on a free list day, tried that first. Still 5 days to go so ever hopeful.

Sent off reclaim bank charges letters - for me, OH and our joint a/c. Yeah, time to get tough. Funnily, OH got an invite yesterday to a "cheese and wine" at our branch, must've crossed with our letters, LOL. Bet they rescind that!

Got my optician to do a letter explaining how much have paid for contacts this year. Am in the HSA scheme, but as they exclude monthly lens schemes, is a bit like chucking that money away. Tried buying them on-line which was cheaper, but then got stung for the check ups you have to have, so opted back into a monthly scheme as all in, is a bit more expensive but soooo much easier. Anyway, trying it on with HSA this way to see if they'll go for it, and if they do, I'll pay it off my Tesco.

Registered to loads of survey sites, spent hours doing them and so far earnt princely sum of £3 in Pay Pal. Well, it's a start.

Got more ebay and surveys to do tonight. Got invite to participate in household interview about skincare - right up my street, but sadly not, literally, as they want London/Leicester/Birmingham addresses. Sent back the questionnaire anway as like to get my views known, ha ha.

On more passive front, bit chuffed as had NSD yesterday, spent 53p today and over wekend spent not much at all. Had cheap night out/in at friends watching Towering Inferno, god Faye Dunaway rocks in that! If can keep it up, o/d may even scrape in sub £1000 this month - yeehah.

Also accumulating change nicely and think there's enough to warrant changing it up and paying off my Tesco next month.

So, some news, none of it very sexy but all progress is good progress in the world of debt-busting, methinks

Cha cha for now

Mrs R

BEAT_THE_DEBT

Well done. Go drink the wine eat the cheese!:rotfl:

mrs_robinson_3

Yeah, right on sister, ahm'a goin'. Time they paid me back, looking forward to discussing how much they owe us over a nice glass of something! And being very MSE these days, think will take me a little doggie bag along too, then that'll be next day's lunch sorted too. Got to get my money's worth, after all.

Thank you for your post, hopping off to check on you now, hope it's been a good BTD day for you.

Mrs R

mrs_robinson_3

In Mrs R finds the thrift offensive is starting to pay off.....

Well, nothing much to say yesterday, and no time anyway, so no posting.

But now, am thrilled beyond reason to say, that the letter from my optician confirming how much I've spent on my contacts this year so far, has resulted in a credit to bank of £86. How good is that?? Explained above why I thought I might not be allowed to claim, and why I never have so far (monthly disposables which are supposed to be excluded), but all above board as is money have genuinely spent which is genuinely for my lenses. So paid it stratight off my Tesco card! Honestly, am completely thrilled by this small victory.

Have also cancelled my DD for my small monthly personal saving, as intend to put that into Tesco, and, with some small pay arrears due next month, and with what am intending to pay anyway, think my Tesco should be hovering around £560 by the middle of next month. Would be ecstatic if could clear by end of year.

To which end, have more stuff to put on ebay, but going to wait to see if current stuff sells first - and have bids there too! No news yet on the bank charge claims, but early days.

Also clocking up personal minimal spend days at rate of knots (Monday 53p, Tuesday NSD, Wednesday 55p, to day £2.30 but that was for a small good deed am trying to do each week at present, so not for me - oh, and £3 dinner money for DS2 but not sure that counts?).

Did supermarket shop yesterday and the big T was bargainously endowed - e.g. organic rocket, 29p, fresh coriander plant 25p, and 24 pansy plants £1.55. Latter were on reduced veg shelf, had visions of people taking home and cooking - well, they do edible nastursiums sometimes, don't they? Food shop is area feel we could do better - not monitoring as actively as should be, think normally comes in around £500 p.m. Know that's a lot but there are 5 of us for 3 meals a day, so figure that's £100 a head so not too bad? Do cook from scratch a lot and go to LIDL as love it anyway, but with 3 football/rugby/sailing types to feed, they need a lot of nourishing.

Also, forgot to say, pitched a column on my thrift journey to my local rag this week - nothing may come of it, but applying my entrprenuerial streak to my debt is fun, so thought maybe others would like to read - and I could be paid too.

So, all in all, a perky day for Mrs R - hope it is for others too. Now off to update my sig......

Mrs R

Mrs

BEAT_THE_DEBT

Hi Mrs R writing a column sounds fab i think you def have a flair for writing!:T

mrs_robinson_3

BTD, too kind. Have done a little writing in the past, and have to write stuff at work every day, but that is tres dull, so think it would be fun to have a go. You never know, they have inches to fill, so might take a punt on me.

Anyway, news from BTD's front line of thrift and economy?

Mrs R

BEAT_THE_DEBT

All good! more book sales on amazon and lots of christmas presents bought may start wrapping soon!!:rolleyes:

BEAT_THE_DEBT

RE: Chick lit i have been taking books into work and selling for £1 each in our staff area on break time.x:D you tend not to get a lot on amazon on ebay for them!

mrs_robinson_3

BTD, so organised! so focused!

personally always try to pretend xmas isn't coming - find it soooooo v v stressful, what with the nativity plays, the shopping, the parties, the hangovers....always have a xmas meltdown.

and am always always wrapping at 1am.

will know am fully reformed MSE-type person when have all that under control - but it ain't gonna be this year!!

Mrs R

mrs_robinson_3

In which Mrs R thinks that trying to get DF is like having another job.....

Hot from the coal face of thrift and economy, this is what I did today:

Listed my books on amazon

Checked my ebays items relentlessly - creeping up - high hopes for the w/e

Printed off MSE vouchers for La Tasca, Las Iguanas and Gap - planned purchase of jeans upcoming so 30% off v welcome, and nights out with OH and girlfriends soon, so good to save

Planned a gift for my BF's BD next week- a cake made by own fair hands - and now looking for a nice tin on Ebay

Did loads and loads and oodles and oodles of surveys and comps online

Used up old plums and apples in a crumble, and used some elderly sweetcorn for tea

It took all day - but then, I was "working from home"!! Sure was hard work though, if I ever attain DF-status, I will truly have earned it!

Over and out - now off for wine supplies for w/e, 3 for a tenner in the big T........can't wait to slip into something cool white and dry

Mrs R