Not Tiny, Not Courageous, but definitely in debt

tiny_courageous

I don't know what's come over me but I'm feeling very positive at the moment. I feel like I'm getting somewhere moneywise and that I'm in control of my finances at last. Went out last night and didn't spend as much as I thought I would, had a good night though, very relaxing. Am tired today but keep getting spurts of energy. Need to have a sort out of paperwork in a bit. Have got a big file thing but everything just gets shoved in it so a sort out is long overdue.

Have also managed to persuade OH to have a sort out of his wardrobe this week as there are so many clothes in there that just won't fit him or he never wears. I'll ebay what I can and send the rest to the charity shop. Have also got a car radio and broken sat nav to ebay (you never know what crap people will buy!)

Got some sausages in the oven for lunch and just got some mince out to make a lasagne for tomorrows tea, as a pack of whoopsied mushrooms has appeared in the fridge from the MIL and they need making use of.

tiny_courageous

Checking in for the end of Feb, 12 NSDs and 16 AFDs which isn't bad. Had to buy more work lunches than I'd have liked but that was the only downside really. Apart from that quite happy with things. Got some time off coming up which will be lovely. Am soooo busy at the moment though!

tiny_courageous

Plan for this weekend is pretty much not to leave the house, which means no spending and not a huge amount of drinking. 10 days til payday, all bills have gone out of the bank, am basically just trying to pay off the money used to buy the car as soon as possible to get the debt back under £8k.

We're also seriously considering if we need 2 cars. OH only really uses his to get to and from work, and we need to sit down and work out how much difference it would make to just have the one car - he's insured on mine anyway. His is also pretty old and may well cost a few hundred to get through the MOT so that has to be considered a factor

I've had a netbook off vodafone which was £20 a month (worked out as £15 after cashback) and the contract is up this month, so letter will be fired off today to cancel the contract (which was for the dongle with free netbook), so that'll be £20 a month less I'm paying out. I think my phone contract is up in October.

Not brought any new clothes recently, obviously am doing the £100 clothes challenge but also I can't find anything I like! Have spent £15 so far for the year and we're in to march so not doing too bad.
Work lunches is up and down really, not doing too bad but I'd have preferred to not be spending anything at all on work lunches! Nobody's perfect though. Got some time off coming up though and I really can't wait. Work is beyond manic at present.

Need to sort out a few bits and bobs today. Bedroom looks like a bombsite because the bed fell to bits (haha no comment on that one!), not really sure where to start in there.
Well, first lot of washing has finished, not sure there's going to be much point putting it out looking at the sky (awfully grey) so radiators it is.

tiny_courageous

Yesterday was a NSD and today will be the same (mostly because I'm not going out). Need to do a shopping list as have run out of a few things, but it'll be a short one probably as I raided the reduced section at tesco the other day and got lots of reduced meat which is in the freezer and I'd really like to empty and defrost the freezer at some point. Actually that reminds me I need to get something out to prepare for work lunches this week.

Operation 'clear the spare room' has started today, as I've just put some old exercise equipment on freecycle. Had previously listed it on ebay but no joy, and by now I just want rid! I can't even think what else is in that room - a lot of my old uni stuff which can be binned - I'm never going to read those assignments or journal articles again realistically am I? I would like the spare room to be a nice place for guests to stay, and a bit of an office for us, but is this ever going to happen? Who knows! Can't think what else is in there.. bits and bobs that OH insists will come in useful one day, and I'm sure more stuff that we can get rid of! After it's clear we can decorate, get a new carpet down (as the current one is horrible) and the room might be livable again.

tiny_courageous

Lovely relaxing day today (although back to the madhouse tomorrow) took a walk into the town and got a nice new blouse from the charity shop (have declared in the clothing challenge thread), a few bits and bobs for tea.
Pancakes tonight, which I love. Got sugar and lemon and lots of golden syrup. Might do a few savoury ones too. Mind you, I don't limit my pancake intake to one day a year, they're a regular thing in this house.
Need to get listing on ebay, it's a load of crap but you never know. The airwalker has now been collected off freecycle, which is good. Slowly but surely we are starting to see the floor in the spare room. A trip to the tip will be forthcoming, I feel.

tiny_courageous

Debtbusting is officially on hold as we're getting married in December. Well I say on hold, that's not strictly true, but I doubt it'll be reducing by much over the next year. If I'm still in the same debt position (c. £8k debt) in December I'll be very happy. Plan is that wedding will be budgeted carefully (not because of the debt, because I cannot bear spending so much money on one day). Church has been arranged, reception venue chosen (it's a place we know well, it's fairly cheap, and the food is fine). Next step is registrar and guest list.

So anyway, it's going to be a busy few months!

In other news, today was a NSD. Work is still busy, diet is not going fantastic, alcohol use has been a little bit naughty this week but I'm determined not to have any tonight. And I still love the car.

tiny_courageous

Had a few unexpected nights out this week, but two days to payday and things are fine. At least the nights out were paid for in cash and not on the credit card. Next month is going to be busy with a few trips away but I should still manage at least an extra £100 off the credit card. Hopefully more if I can be sensible on the trips away.

The nights out were fun though!
Got a fairly quiet week this week. At least that's the plan (and we all know what they say about the best laid plans...). Plodding my way through housework at the moment.

tiny_courageous

I've been naughty, spending wise, but have had some fantastic times which I don't regret for a moment. Anyway, back on track now. Behaving myself from now on. Mostly. Just found a band for the wedding so looking at paying for that next month. Should probably start looking at stuff like wedding dresses but really can't be bothered.

tiny_courageous

Wow I didn't realise it had been quite so long since I had last posted. The last few months have been fairly manic, debt has gone up a bit due to wedding expenses (with more to come no doubt), but I have reduced the mobile phone bill by £20, not made any clothes purchases, calmed down on the going out front and have made some level of determination to get fit and eat less. The eat less thing isn't really working this weekend but apart from that it's doing will with the work lunches thing.

Wedding plans are coming on, have seen a dress I love but haven't tried it on yet. I don't want to try anything on yet until I've lost a bit of weight - it's not a massive rush as I'm having a high street dress anyway - can't think of anything worse than a proper wedding dress! So not me. Band, venue and church are booked, guest list is done.

Work gets busier and busier. It's annoying because there are 4 teams doing the same thing and because we seem to be coping better, we're getting work from the other teams because they're not coping. And the work we're getting is absolute rubbish. And we've had three managers in 2 months which doesn't help either.

Off out this afternoon, then back to a mates for beer (as it's a bank holiday!). Stocked up in the tesco 3 crates for £20 offer so shouldn't spend much. No plans for tomorrow, apart from ironing and tidying.

tiny_courageous

So I have £6odd in my purse, car is 3/4 full of petrol, plenty of food in the fridge and cupboards, wonder if I can make that last the week? There's loads of soup bagged up in the freezer so I'll probably get some of those out to take to work. I think it's carrot and lentil but I'm not entirely sure. I know it's orange coloured!

The street seems awfully quiet, probably because it's raining. Fortunately haven't got much washing, just plenty of ironing to do. Am putting together a shopping list to do a big shop maybe next weekend, as we've got some money off vouchers with OH's clubcard. Also have a £10 tesco voucher from Valued Opinions.

I can see a couple of GTM surveys in my inbox, so will do those later (hopefully won't get screened out!). Got a few bits and bobs that need ebaying, so will get the camera out. Got Come Dine With Me on telly (including the classic Annette from Cardiff), which should help with the ironing motivation.