Cocktails and Dreams - striving towards debt free days

shrimpy_80

Another long overdue update, just got back from holiday so time to knuckle down and focus on my goal of reaching my DFD by the end of the year. Obviously the holiday didn't help but on the plus side, it was all paid for without using credit, and as soon as I am debt free I want to get a house deposit saved up so will probably be looking at an even more frugal lifestyle!

So, a to-do list to kick today off:

Post Amazon book
Change back currency (sadly very little)
Cash in left over English money (happily, much better amount)
Hoover house
Make shopping list - poss online shop?
Check bank account
Make sure s/sheet & sig up to date
Ebay listings - at least 5
Post lovefilm dvd
Finish washing
Do daily scratchies
Catch up with MSE threads
Do all surveys accumulated in inbox

So, not a bad list I don't think before returning to work tomorrow. Didn't really give the debt-busting/money making the attention it deserved over the last month, so after a week off am feeling very keen to get stuck in again and clear the Egg debt (one debt v 100 days challenge)

7 months left!

shrimpy_80

shrimpy_80 wrote: »

[STRIKE] Post Amazon book
Change back currency (sadly very little)
Cash in left over English money (happily, much better amount)
Hoover house [/STRIKE]
Make shopping list - poss online shop? Next on agenda
[STRIKE]Check bank account
Make sure s/sheet & sig up to date [/STRIKE]Much less scary than I imagined!
Ebay listings - at least 5
Post lovefilm dvd
[STRIKE] Finish washing
Do daily scratchies
Catch up with MSE threads [/STRIKE]
[STRIKE] Do all surveys accumulated in inbox[/STRIKE]

No surprise that I left the ebay til last - but I did take all the measurements and already have some of the photos so will at least aim to get the rest taken and uploaded - if I can work my new camera that is.

And there is no excuse for not posting the DVD as the post box is opposite my house - if only I'd thought, could've got OH to drop it on the way to the pub.(Or if only I'd spent less time catching up on MSE I could've taken it myself!)

Have Phil and Kirstie on in the background for some motivation for future home owning, but it makes me cross to see these insanely picky people criticising beautiful houses - I know they have every right to be picky but still! Supreme envy brings out my mean streak

shrimpy_80

Oh, I posted this morning but it has disappeared? And obviously I can't remember what it said now so it was obviously of utmost importance...

Just re-reading over my previous posts and feeling bad that my CC balance has crept up again, but have decided I really want to get Egg cleared, as I can save 25% by paying off early (it is with their DCA ) and also as it is no longer the card cannot run it up again. It will mean putting a couple of things on the card to free up the cash, but the 25% saving will be considerably more than the interest to pay, and I think I need the psychological boost again of having one less figure to worry about.

I had planned to pay it in full next payday but have just worked out I can just (literally) afford it this month but it will leave me with nothing to spare, other than what I make.

Keep tapping into the spreadsheets for inspiration! Think I will squirrel the bulk away into my e-savings, but leave a little bit just in case, and see what the week brings in terms of extra income.

Anyway, with that in mind, here is the weekend's to do list so far:

- complete postage refund form
- Cancel Lovefilm
- List remaining books on Amazon etc
- Sort through ebay box
- List tickets, skirts, dress and coin on ebay
- Pay TV licence
- Sort a car boot pile
- persuade OH to do a carboot next week

The good news is that I booked three mystery shops today after a long lull - am a bit scared about doing them again actually! But total will be £65 so worth facing the fear for!

shrimpy_80

shrimpy_80 wrote: »

- [STRIKE]complete postage refund form[/STRIKE]
- Cancel Lovefilm Forgot yesterday - think they're closed today but will check now
- List remaining books on Amazon etc One box down, two to go
- Sort through ebay box
- List tickets, skirts, dress and coin on ebay on turbolister, ready to upload later
- Pay TV licence oooh forgot this! Off to do now
- Sort a car boot pile have made a mental start!
- persuade OH to do a carboot next week waiting for an opportune moment...

Halfway through a mammoth book listing session so just popped on for a little refresh break, back to work now...

shrimpy_80

shrimpy_80 wrote: »

- complete postage refund form done and posted
- Cancel Lovefilmforgot! will do Wed
- List remaining books on Amazon etcAll 3 boxes, over 100 books!
- Sort through ebay boxMade a (poor) start
- List tickets, skirts, dress and coin on ebaydone
- Pay TV licenceeeeek!
- Sort a car boot pileanother (poor) start
- persuade OH to do a carboot next week surprisingly he was very keen indeed!

So not too bad. Somewhat depressed to be at work today but have Wed off (taking kitty to the vets) so could be worse. I need around £100 extra this month to pay off Egg and still have a little to spend so am totally preoccupied with little money making ideas at the moment, I'm convinced its very do-able, just need a plan...

Happy Bank Holiday everyone!

shrimpy_80

Morning all,

Super quick update today as just off to do a last minute MS, am supposed to be cleaning the house for our house inspection at 3pm so really don't have time to do it but couldn't say no!

To do list today:
M.S.
Ring old pension people
Sort out stuff for Car Boot
Cancel Lovefilm
Wash work bag after lunch escaped yesterday
Post CTS aplication
Pay money into bank
Print off Saturday's MS notes
Remove 2 sold books from other listings
CLEAN HOUSE!

Eeeek! Better dash I think!
Have a good day all
x

shrimpy_80

shrimpy_80 wrote: »

To do list today:
M.S. done, just need to write up
Ring old pension people done, still on record and can be transferred
Sort out stuff for Car Boot a bit more done, but not all
Cancel Lovefilm done
Wash work bag after lunch escaped yesterday currently in machine
Post CTS aplication done
Pay money into bank done
Print off Saturday's MS notes
Remove 2 sold books from other listings
CLEAN HOUSE! done

Not bad today. Fetched poor neutered kitty from vets and he is still totally KO'd from the anaethestic, he is currently lying in my arms looking v dazed and drooling slightly, bless him.

Not sure how easy it will be typing up the MS report with my one free hand, but I will give it a go!

Good news is, just waiting for £60 to clear into my account then I can pay off Egg in full. Keep checking online banking in case it has cleared. Hurry up and clear!!

shrimpy_80

Yaaaay! Egg card paid off! _party__party_

No money left for the rest of the month though, better get cracking on the Car Boot preparations!

shrimpy_80

Hmmm, well, car boot sale was deferred due to slightly iffy weather forecast. The good news is that I bagged an extra couple of MS for yesterday, which means I will have made an extra £100 from it this week as long as they all pay out. I have also been accepted for the Halifax reward account which will bring in an extra £5 a month - every little helps!

After a little number crunch, I need to pay off £27.28 a day or £791.10 a month to get debt free by my birthday, which I don't think is possible somehow, but I am definitely going to be rid of the Card and O/draft then so its not the end of the world if the loan carries over a little into the new year... we will see, the shrimp may be able to pull something out of the bag yet perhaps!

In a strop with ebay, they have removed my Alton Towers tickets as they apparently breach their T&Cs, even though there are 300+ others currently listed. Having a look at Gumtree instead but haven't quite got to grips with it yet, can't figure out if you have to select a city or whether there is a way to list nationally? Maybe I will try the old-fashioned method, the work noticeboard!

Anyway, better get cracking with figuring out how to make my £27.28 today!

shrimpy_80

Morning all, just a quick post before work. Not really much to report, have done quite a few MS so just in the limbo of waiting (im)patiently for them to pay out now. Only 12 days til payday now though which is always good news as I need to seriously hit the CC and OD balances. I keep walking around at the moment mumbling numbers to myself as I try to figure out when they will be clear! Have deliberately lost track of MS total as I know its rather a lot so am looking forward to a pleasant surprise.

Just a little to do list then:

- Sort out car insurance (remember cashback!!)
- Get to grips with Gumtree and list Alton Towers tickets
- Post eBay parcel
- Buy birthday present for future SIL (hopefully from Amazon)
- Aim for 10 dooyoos written by end of week (eeek)

So a short list with the worst left til last! Sure I've forgotten lots but better make a move, been up 2 hours already so it would be a bit rubbish to then be late for work!

Have a good day all
x