Wannabedebtfree's GUNNAGETDEBTFREE!!

wannabedebtfree_2

Cheers guys!:o You do know how to make a girl feel good about herself!

I have received full funding for my final two OU courses :jand will get a £260 grant (which will pay off my Natwest overdraft!!!:T) leaving me with about £40 to buy the set books with - so I will be frequenting charity shops armed with a list, I might have a search online later - I can get most of them from the library at work but I don't know how long I am going to need them for so once I receive the tutor details I might email and ask if borrowed copies will be good enough.....there's 12 books to buy (all children's literature) we have a few of them already so thats ok!!

On a less positive note - I have had a letter back from Nationwide saying I am not getting a refund of charges as I am not in 'financial hardship' as I am not in arrears with any payments:mad: it cheese me right off that we (were) living on credit because I am trying so hard to to keep up to date with everything - so no I am not arrears - but I have absolutely no money after paying the bills - is that not financial hardship?? I'd be better off defaulting on everything - then they would take notice!

Anyway - back to positive WBDF - I started my cleaning last night (I will be putting the tax money in a little account I never use) and I am going back in a bit to finish off - I don't know how their last cleaner was taking their money with integrity, I spent 3 hours cleaning just the upstairs - there was cobwebs everywhere, none of the furniture had been moved so it was thick dust under everything, the skirting boards and doors too..........I was horrified that someone could call themselves a cleaner when she was obviously just hoovering the bits you can see - the window sills had dead bugs in them - but at least now I know whats been done and in theory I can keep on top of it now!!

Right, off I go, in my french maid outfit :rotfl:

xx

Happytogetdebtfree

excellent hope the pay is good, just off to la nest i am back at work tonight x

wannabedebtfree_2

Well, I went shopping yesterday for the final time in September, so I need to sit down and work out how much I spent in total, I'm feeling confident that I stuck to my £200 budget - in fact I know I have, just not sure of the exact figure yet will sit down with my spending diary and add it all up!!! :A

Was very excited yesterday - pause for dramatic purposes - British Gas sent me an electricty monitor (freebie), a little sensor goes on the wire that goes into my meter and a little box sits in my lounge telling me how much we're spending throughout the day - so I can see where we need to cut down - which time is our peak time etc etc.....very MSE!! :money:

I also got my course stuff through - the materials should be here next week, I am currently reading 'Northern Lights' and making a colourful mindmap of themes, characters and plot - its nice to be doing a course that involves some exciting reading instead of boring old research papers!! (mind you the other course I'm doing involves that - so it will balance out!)

Anyways - best go clean and tidy something - my house looks ready to call Anthea Turner in - I blame my OU courses :rotfl:

xx

wannabedebtfree_2

Damn my overconfidence about my food shopping - I have just totted up my September spending (as there should be no need for spends for the rest of the month!!) and it looks like this;

Food - £201.93 - I pledged £200 for the GC - am GUTTED........_pale_
Elec - £43
Gas - £9 - only being used to heat the water twice a day atm, it will go up in the cold weather!!
Petrol - £100.02
Kids 'stuff' - £114.28 (this has been school stuff for DS's GCSE courses, trips for both DS & DD etc)
Magazines - £13.57 :eek: this is shocking........I will cut this back, but I have to spend £2.24 per week else I'll go nuts........
Mobile - £5
Canteen @ work - £13.90 - this has really gotta go (must be more organised)
Misc - £31.75 - this is all sorts, postage of essays etc, extra stuff that isn't in any other category!!! Will be cut right back next month......I promise!!!

Right, I am going to continue with the spending diary so I can see where I can cut back more, its not going to look as bad next month (I hope) as I will be better at taking lunch to work, am making a big veggie soup later and will freeze the portions, there shouldn't be as much kids stuff, half what is was this month, and the misc will be cut back, a lot of that (probably half) has been sweeties just for me (didn't feel right to include it in the food budget) while I have been stressed but now I have seen in black and white how much it has cost me AND I've not lost weight its been a kick up the bum in more ways than one.

So thats been a total spend of £532.45 of what I consider 'day-to-day' stuff, I pledge next months spends to be £450.........

I feel much more in control than I was - just need to stop falling back on sweeties when I feel like pap.........

claire0788

The magazine bit you can fix and still get them. Somebody (im sorry I cant remember who it was off the top of my head !) told me about http://www.!!!!!!.uk/ or you can read online magazines.

Also the canteen at work, if you can why dont you limit yourself to a treat once a week and leave your purse or card at home so you cant over spend ?

wannabedebtfree_2

I have a big slow cooker bubbling away making soup atm so thats lunch for this week (there should be enough!!) and yeah - I need to stop taking money with me, trouble is I know they will put it on 'tick' for me........perhaps I should ask them to not allow me!!!

The mags I HAVE to buy each week are Take a Break, Chat & Thats Life, cos I like the puzzles so I justify it by saying "I might win a prize!!" its the extra's I need to stop buying, all the trashy celeb ones that have glossy covers and exciting stories that entice me!!!! I figure £2.34 isn't too bad considering I don't drink or smoke or go out!!!

I'm just glad I wrote everything down, its been a rude awakening into where I am 'wasting' money, I don't think I'm 'wasting' loads, but it can certainly be cut back!!!

x

missymoo81

i hear you on the misc expenses hun, I worked out I spent nearly ten pound a week on chocolate and sweets and the odd sandwich, when I have hundreds of things I could have eaten at home!!! And I too use it as a pick me up when I'm feeling rubbish.

I think I'm going to make soup for my dinner next week, cheap and easy.

keep up the good work hun you are doing so amazingly well. x

mel19632

claire0788 wrote: »

The magazine bit you can fix and still get them. Somebody (im sorry I cant remember who it was off the top of my head !) told me about http://www.!!!!!!.uk/ or you can read online magazines.

Also the canteen at work, if you can why dont you limit yourself to a treat once a week and leave your purse or card at home so you cant over spend ?

That was me! There are quite a few suscriptions where you can get 3 issues for £1, or at least a big discount.

I know how you feel about the electricial moniter thing - I almost wet myself with excitement. I love checking it to see how much per hour the electricity costs...very MSE/loser of me!

xx

claire0788

So it was ! Thank you mel

missymoo81

noooo not loser mel, I want one, so what does that make me..... where can I get one from??!!!! I'm almost jumping up and down at the thought!!!