Not Tiny, Not Courageous, but definitely in debt

tiny_courageous

Might have spent £40 in Primark. In my defence I did stock up on leggings which I'm anticipating living in while pregnant (have lots of long floaty tops and dresses) and shoes to replace the ones I have had for years (ballet pumps mostly and some uber comfortable sandals).

Started a little bit of a clear out again this morning. Old magazines and bits of paper, cleared out my purse and found a pile of car park tickets I need to claim back from work.

tiny_courageous

I was thinking about how much debt I've had over the years. First loan age 22, was for £7000. Paid that off, got another for £15000. Paid that off, another for £10000, then another for £15000, then the current one which was £10000 at the start. That's a ridiculous amount of money and doesn't even start on the credit cards that have been up and down over the years.

But, what's done is done. Can't change what I've borrowed, or indeed what I've done with it (which, being honest, was having some amazing times) but I can, eventually, learn from it. And I think I have. Because it's been loan after loan after loan, I've kind of got used to just paying that money out every month. In a sense, I don't miss it because I've never had it.

tiny_courageous

Have a bit of a to do list for today:
1. 3 loads of washing
2. shift winter coats into the wardrobe (is this slightly optimistic?)
3. sort out kitchen cupboards
4. get something out of the freezer for tea (need to do this now actually)
5. ironing
6. pack stuff for trip away tomorrow
7. charge camera batteries

There's a festival on this weekend near us, so am listening to the soundchecking while putting washing out. It's nice to be able to hear the bands without actually having to pay to go!

Babywise, I've been given a steriliser and some baby clothes, as well as bedding and baby clothes. We need to buy a cot and mattress and some storage for baby's room and then that's mostly it I think.

Work is so ridiculously busy at the moment, I'm exhausted. Hopefully it'll get a bit easier in a few weeks time. It's a case of too many chiefs wanting to make unnecessary changes, and not enough indians to carry out the changes, at the moment.
At least, moneywise, I'm not getting time to get out of the office and therefore am not spending anything.

Day out tomorrow with an overnight stay and day off monday (lovely!). Will probably be fairly cheap, just tube fare and something for lunch needed. If the weather is nice we might well just grab some butties and sit in a park.

tiny_courageous

I have a plan. I have lots of plans, but this one is an actual plan. It will be a hard plan to achieve but needs must.
I am aiming to save £400 out of each of the next 4 wages I get. This will give me £2000 which will help supplement maternity pay and let me have longer off with the baby. I will have to be quite frugal, but I can try to make it work. I've got a few weeks of annual leave that will need to be fitted in around mat leave as well. Soooooo, plan will be minimum payments on the credit card, regular loan payments (I can ask for a payment holiday but I don't want to unless I have to).

tiny_courageous

Payday is next Friday, and so far out of this month's wages I have saved £350. Still got about £150 in my account so should make it to £400. That's one month done! It hasn't been too bad so fingers crossed. Am debating doing a bit of ebaying as the wardrobe needs a sort out (again).
Also need to get more disciplined food wise and stop buying lunch! Made pasta for a couple of days last week and it was really nice so there's no excuse.

tiny_courageous

Starting up the NSDs again as I was getting very lazy with work lunches etc. So far 2/2. Madly saving as much as possible, had a very frugal weekend in London where I only spent £20 which has to be a record of some kind! No more weekends away this month/year.
20 days to payday and counting. Now I'm pregnant my job has changed so I'm not having to use my car to do visits, and although I'm losing out on mileage, I'm not having to spend half as much on petrol so I think I work out better off. It's been a week since I filled up and I haven't even used 1/8 of a tank yet. Usually I'd fill up twice a month.
Got nearly everything for baby now. Just need a baby monitor and little bits and bobs. There's a car boot sale local on Sunday so may go and have a look around there.
Baby's making himself known by kicking on every occasion, which is lovely.
Forms sent off at work for Mat leave, now just need to have a chat with HR about carrying my annual leave over to next year. Savings pot is creeping up slowly. Haven't done any ebaying but there's not much left to ebay! Worked out I've paid off about £4000 off the debt since Xmas though which is ace.

tiny_courageous

Haven't spent anything all week yet! So that's 4 NSDs so far. Not too shabby. If I don't leave the office I won't spend anything, I've found. Need to get back into surveys as haven't done any in a few weeks.

Quite enjoying life being boring at the moment.

tiny_courageous

Got a letter from Lloyds about "the PPI I had on an old loan". Well, as far as I was aware, I've never taken out PPI so therefore I reckon I've got a good case for mis-selling etc so will have to see where that takes me. I've sent the forms back so fingers crossed. Have had maybe 3 or 4 loans from Lloyds over the years so can't think which one it might have been on. Definitely not the current one.

Got a big pile of clothes but I'm not going to ebay them because postage costs are just ridiculous and it really isn't worth while. Will put them into bundles and advertise them on a local selling page I think, and if they don't go then, charity shop. Wardrobe looks better though! I think I can be more ruthless yet as well so there may be more.

Went out for a meal last night, only spent £30 between us so that was good.

Just cleared one side of the kitchen which made me feel a lot better as well. It's not de-cluttering as such, more "organising" but either way I can see the work surface again! Need to be on a mission to use stuff up now as well. There's lots of pasta and rice type things.

Just watched the end of the F1, now will watch a bit of tennis before contemplating the ironing. Hospital appointment in the morning.

tiny_courageous

12 days until payday! Got some maternity leave paperwork through the post today, so will have to get that signed and sent off. Counting down now.
2 successful surveys out of 2 on GTM which makes a pleasant change. Coming up to another payout with them. Seem to be coming a bit more quickly at the moment, whereas ValuedOpinions has slowed down.

tiny_courageous

Valued Opinions may have slowed down but I got my cashed out voucher within a week which is excellent. Will save that for Xmas (sainsbobs voucher).
Have bitten the bullet and am googling maternity dresses. If we're having another few weeks of sunshine I can't live in leggings. I can't quite work out why most of the dresses on sale seem to be mini dresses - I'd love some nice knee length dresses I can wear to work!
Not spent much this weekend. Went to a carboot sale earlier, got a lovely baby blanket. Very relaxing weekend. Just waiting for OH to get home so I can go to bed now!