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Drowning, not waving :-(
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How did the interview go? My fingers are crossed for a god outcome for you. Lots of progress on the mortgage front too - great news!🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her0 -
Yes, have got the job :j Will be starting when they've cleared all the security, H & S stuff etc which is enddddlllllllllllesssss. Also found out yesterday I have an interview in December for the 'Childsmile' program. Means going round the schools in Uist and Barra showing helping the dental hygenist to show the kids how to brush their teeth etc. 20 hours a week in term time.
At this rate I'll end up with about 3 jobs - but that's what people tend to do here.
Just been reading about your latest challenge over on your thread. You go for it! Definitely sounds like you have the guts and the tenacity to do it :beer:New CC starting balances for 2014: BC: £2780.00 (2717.45) MBNA: £2185.72 (2160.72)
Repayment a/c: £112.50
Weekly grocery spend:0 -
Thanks, and well done on the job! Fingers crossed for No. 3 too! :beer: In fact, definately good luck if it'll mean going to Barra as well - love that Island! (We walked right round it once on the circular road - that was a brilliant day!)🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her0 -
Not been about for a bit - busy dealing with meter reading jobs to get them finished and get over to Oban on 24th for Christmas with the family.
Didn't get the dental assistant job, but I suspected they wanted someone with a bit more NHS type experience and possibly Gaelic.
Been officially accepted for the cleaning job but not actually had word to start yet - have done their online training. I think things at the range wind down a lot this time of year, so it will probably kick off in the New Year.
Well, there was also a flurry of activity on the remortgage front which kept me busy chasing paperwork. Having lived abroad for 20 years, I don't have a long credit history - kind of dropped off the face of the planet in those terms :rotfl:
When I opened a bank account here when I first came back to years ago they mentioned it. Means I've had to provide lots more proof of who I am! But at the moment, Abbey are winning the race. A & L want contract and payslips etc from the new job which I haven't started yet.
I had paperwork from a conveyancer from Abbey this week and the surveyor has been to see the house and has hinted at a suitable valuation.
Fingers and toes crossed!
On the down side, the company I work for lost a big meter reading contract which was about half my work load so there will possibly be a bit of a cut in income there. Now I understand why people here have lots of jobs and run crofts as well :-)New CC starting balances for 2014: BC: £2780.00 (2717.45) MBNA: £2185.72 (2160.72)
Repayment a/c: £112.50
Weekly grocery spend:0 -
Yes, and there is a lot of those, isn't there! It's something that has always struck us - the multiple job syndrome that abounds up there.
Glad you're OK anyway - I was just browsing through the boards and was then going to go and drag your thread off my subscriptions and post to see how you were, oddly enough!
Sorry you didn't get the Dental job - and also about the meter reading dropping off a bit. Are you able to find out who will be taking over the contract and offer your services there? They will presumably still be needing people so might be worth a try?
Went to Borough Market in London yesterday and found a stall selling hebridean Smokehouse and Charles McLeod produce - so we had peat smoked salmon pate and McLeans oatcakes for tea last night! Very happy we were too! 🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her0 -
The rival company actually tried poaching us!! They somehow got hold of our mobile numbers. It kind of made sense as we're going around doing the other work anyway, but........... they sounded very disorganised and when I googled them, it turns out they expect you to pay £800 in installments out of your salary for a franchise business which they didn't mention on the phone.
Anyway, the company I currently work for got wind of the fact they'd been approaching us and called to say we can't work for a rival company. Might not have been that practical to try and juggle the two anyway.
Have to say I didn't miss the Scottish Power this cycle. A lot of it is Scottish Water meters and a lot of them are up hills and down lochs - not the most accessible in the weather we've been having.
Lots of hailstones in the last two days, but not much snow lying to DS's disappointment.New CC starting balances for 2014: BC: £2780.00 (2717.45) MBNA: £2185.72 (2160.72)
Repayment a/c: £112.50
Weekly grocery spend:0 -
The remortgage is all done and dusted. :j:T:beer:
I am well-impressed with Infinite Mortgages - well worth the broker's fees. They did all the legal stuff through Your Conveyancer, including paying off the Clydesdale Mortgage and Blemain loan ( and how pleased am I to be shot of them???? )
So my New Year's Resolution is to thank my lucky stars and to learn a lesson: no more impulse spending and head in the sand tactics.
Am also trying to stop smoking .......again. Definitely less stressed now that the Festive season is over and that the new mortgage is in place. Started the cleaning job last week, so I figure all the running around hoovering offices, emtying bins etc will help me work off the potential weight I'm putting on from being something akin to the Chewitt's monster and eating everything in my path.New CC starting balances for 2014: BC: £2780.00 (2717.45) MBNA: £2185.72 (2160.72)
Repayment a/c: £112.50
Weekly grocery spend:0 -
Oh my! a year since I did a diary entry. It's that made it through Xmas, let's get back on track time of year.
Have had 12 months of mixed fortunes. money wise the remortgaged has been a real lifesaver. have had some serious outlays tho. my poor micra takes such a battering on the roads and even had to go on the ferry to Inverness for repairs. Also had to go to mainland a few times to see my Mum who has Alzheimers
Gave up cleaning job in July to train for a work from home job which is not working out for various reasons. Had to get new computer and phone equipment etc. So job hunting again hopefully for something full time.
And why, having stopped smoking , have I been sicker than ever? Got labirynthitis just after my last post and was dizzy for 4 months. Then started having stomach problems in Sept. Waiting for a surgical consult at end of the month: might be Crohns :-(
Anyway coming back to the diary as it keeps me focussed :-)New CC starting balances for 2014: BC: £2780.00 (2717.45) MBNA: £2185.72 (2160.72)
Repayment a/c: £112.50
Weekly grocery spend:0 -
Hey - Welcome back! Sorry to hear you've been poorly - I guess it might be your body's reaction to getting rid of the toxins and nasties from the smoking to some extent? Sounds like the car has been suffering too - I know what you mean about the roads - we nearly took a wheel off the Clio at Easter down near the Kildonan museum - had to pull in there and change a badly battered tyre, then drive on the spare until we could get up to Stornoway to get a replacement. I'm hoping that they might have effected some pothole repairs by April, but I have my doubts! :rotfl:🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her0 -
Hellooooooo! Yes you could be right about the toxins. Lots of ex smoking friends experienced the same. Oh well, the tummy trouble means I lost all the weight I put on - lol.
The roads are awful after the snow last month. They'd only just finished fixing last year's so now we have fresh batch!
90 mph gales forecast for Friday. Ah the joys of island living :-)New CC starting balances for 2014: BC: £2780.00 (2717.45) MBNA: £2185.72 (2160.72)
Repayment a/c: £112.50
Weekly grocery spend:0
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