'don't put if off another day' diary

homegrown_life

I've signed up to bingoport tonight and hoping to earn some amazon vouchers through them. I'm also going to try my best to find survey sites that do amazon vouchers and use them for bigger items that we need / want. Our toaster is really on the way out (still useable just!) and I've always wanted a fancy dualit one. Maybe this will be a good way to get one.

homegrown_life

Well that's the first milestone passed! The total debt is now under £6k :j It's not a huge amount that we've paid off so far, but I think little goals is the way to go.

Will have to think of the next milestone (well except the CC1 being in 3 figures as that is in the process of happening). I was thinking about unofficially joining the 1 debt vs 100 days, except I think it's 50 days left tomorrow. So maybe a 1 debt vs 50 days. Shall concentrate on my CC1. Hmmmm. Well I'm trying the make £5 a day challenge so if I combine the 2 and try and pay off the £5 a day that I'm making then I should be able to clear £250 by Dec 9th. That combined with the regular payment I should hopefully take £300 off the debt. We'll see anyway!! Got to have a bit of a challenge!! Then I can officially join in next time

I went for a run this morning. First time in years. I'm hoping to get fit and lose some weight. Aiming for half a stone before Christmas. I'm not going to diet though, just try and eat a bit healthier and learn to say no to choccies. Not easy for me!!

homegrown_life

Ok - have rung halifax and changed the account to a reward account that pays us £5 every month we put in £1000.

Have changed child benefit payments to go into said account so def will pass the £1k mark each month.

Have transferred gas and electric to same supplier that OH works for. Should mean some benefits I think and also cheaper than what we were on, but not loads and actually DD will be similar. Hope it all changes smoothly. Have positive balances on both accounts too as being extra tight with heating lately!! Went through quidco. Hope it tracks.

I need to take some photos of things to ebay. Must not get complacent since I met my £5 a day challenge early.

Did some surveys, so hopefully I'll reach payout soon on Valued opinions. I've been ignoring them all for ages, but had £6 something in that account. Not long and I'll be able to get my first amazon voucher to put toward the expensive toaster!!! You know I'm not sure I'll ever be able to part with that much for a toaster lol!!

Erm... think I need a cuppa. I'm freezing!!! Our little halogen heater broke the other day and I'm so missing it. Had to put the proper heating on!! Going to try and get a new fuse later on for it.

mrs_robinson_3

Hello HGL

You're doing so well. Keep it up. I'm doing OK and have had some success with eBay lately, which I find such a hassle to do. My current lot finished last night so now into paying and posting stage. It seems to take so long but the money coming in is good. Would like to join that £5 a day challenge myself but am rubbish with surveys - have a job, 3 DSs, a big old house, my life and my body to maintain!! There's not a lot of time left over. My inbox is flooded with surveys but carving out the time to do those is hard, let alone try things like scratchcards, reviews and bingo - but inspired by your efforts am going to try harder! Maybe surveys later.....

All best

Mrs R

homegrown_life

Thanks for the reply Mrs R. If you don't have much time then I'd def recommend the scratchcards as they literally take a couple of minutes each day. I have a love hate relationship with ebay. Love getting rid of stuff and anything coming in cashwise but hate hate hate the packing up and queuing to post. I haven't done anything yet this week. Think I might try and upload sometime on Thursday as a 10 day listing to end on Sunday. Will see.

Surveys - ugh. I only used to do pinecone as I knew I'd be accepted and get the £4. Just restarted trying lightspeed and valued opinions and remembering about telling them my life story just in time for them to say they don't need me anymore. Grrrrr! Oh well. If I have time I'll do them, but won't beat myself up about it.

Take care

homegrown_life

don't feel like there's much to report at the moment. Had a NSD day yesterday, might get one tomorrow too.

Been doing a little slice the pie, might get £5 by the weekend. Also liking bingoport so far, half way to first voucher if they pay out, see some peeps have had problems. Fingers crossed.

Shall try and have a more exciting couple of days to report back on next time!!

homegrown_life

ok a proper update

I've been feeling a little down lately. I haven't heard anything about that job so assuming I've not even got to the interview stage I just feel like I ought to at least be able to get an interview with these apparantly basic and low paid jobs and I can't even get that. It's harder because I can only apply to things that I know will fit round childcare and really that is few and far between. Oh well. It's not like overall I would have been better off, but would have been nice to feel like I was good enough iykwim.

I've made a decision about the next debt to tackle. It should be the CC1 I suppose, but if I'm honest, it's not that one that worries me most. The one I dislike the most and want gone the most is the overdraft. Especially as it's so hard to get rid of that as it just doesn't go down. The good news is that it's been renewed for the next year and as I was worrying about wether it would be recalled.

Anyway I've decided to try and attack the overdraft instead of the CC. At the moment it is constantly overdrawn as we don't even earn £2k a month and that is the limit which we're at. If I can get it to £1k then when our wages and tax credits hit it it will be in the black and no longer getting charged £1 a day. Ok might only be for a week to half the month, but better than getting charged for every day.

So new challenge over the next 50 days is to reduce the overdraft by £300. Any more is a bonus I'll put the payments into a savings account and then decrease it at £50 intervals as an when I hit it. Clear as mud?

Had a NSD today so along with last Wednesday that should bring me to 8 out of 10 :T

Hoping for a couple of weeks of low spending at the shops so I can put a little extra away for Christmas. Have some accounted for in Nov and Dec, but not really enough I don't think. Need to be creative!

mrs_robinson_3

Agree with you re overdraft - am tackling mine last after CCs, as they aren't growing as don't use them anymore, whereas my o/d wobbles round. Know this isn't sensible, as my o/d costs me money whereas the CCs are all 0%, but think it's all about what works for you. Anyway, just to say, keep it up, you sound v focused, am sure you'll get there...enjoy your w/e

Mrs R

penguin83

Well done so far Homegrown and an extra well done on getting below 6k - first target reached.

Good luck for your challenge, I find they help loads to keep me on track - your overdraft will soon be gone x x

homegrown_life

thanks MrsR and Penguin.

I'm a bit lost this weekend as lots of money has been paid in the account and transferred and then we've spent money in the supermarket that came from a couple of different budgets and argh! I get so confused with it all. I NEED a spending diary I think.

Had a little brainwave just now. Think I'm going to try and get hubby to sign up for a sole reward account with halifax which, if he get accepted, will give us a further £5 per month which will offset the overdraft charges.

That's about the extent of my moneysaving this weekend! Although did do a rather fab and stretched spag bol with hardly any real mince