Diary of an Ex-Spendaholic - Sorting it out in 2010

carlos*the*mackem

I know what you mean about M&S food, but OMG is it tasty!

Ex-Spendaholic

Debtbusting has come to a bit of a halt at the moment. I'm poorly at the moment with cold/flu symptoms so I'm just doing the necessary things regarding kids and work and nothing else.

On a brighter note it means I'm not really spending any money which has to be a good thing.

Got my refund of car tax today on the car I traded in - £102.75. Its sitting in my bag until I get a clear head to decide what to do with it.

OH has agreed to sell his car and has even taken a photo for the advert. Will get onto that by the end of this week.

Took delivery of the O2 Money prepaid cards and OH has been told to use it in future for ebay.

Targets for this week

2 No Spend Days

Advertise OH's car

Get the cot and highchair ready for selling

Enter some comps - don't think it will be many though as I haven't the energy

carlos*the*mackem

Hope you feel better soon. Cold & flu bugs have been doing the rounds in our house lately too! Fingers crossed I'm just about over it (thankfully never missed work or anything); our 14-year old twins are loaded with it now though

Ex-Spendaholic

Still feeling rubbish as is my youngest child.

On a more positive note today was a No Spend Day and I put £2 in my sealed tin.

Half term beckons and with the kids being off for 3 days I reckon I could be out a small fortune. Would be great to have some decent weather so we could get out and about and do parks etc.

Ex-Spendaholic

Havent updated in a while - have been poorly. Still am to a certain extent.

No positive things happening at the minute in debt busting land. All quite negative to be honest.


Mint have sent a CCA but it is illegible - have been taking advice on what to do about this.

Egg have wrote back saying they will not be repaying charges. No word from them on the CCA request.

My target of having Full and Finals for Mint and Egg by the end of February is looking seriously unlikely now.

Today I had a letter from Robinson Way re the studio debt which I cleared last month. They claimed I owed them £2.87. Would have been easier to write a cheque and get rid of them but it was the principle of the thing. So I phoned them had a go at them they cleared and closed the account and I took a note of the guys name. I put the £2.87 in the tin.

Haven't got around to listing the car or other stuff but hope to do this at the weekend.

At least though with not feeling the best I haven't been anywhere to spend money. :A

carlos*the*mackem

Just wanted to wish you well; hope you're able to come back and post soon

Ex-Spendaholic

Its time to get serious again.

Today I have:


Sent a letter to Mint regarding their illegible CCA.

Sent a reminder letter to Egg about their lack of CCA.

Referred the Egg charges case to the Financial Ombudsman.


Not a lot else to report. I haven't used my debit card in 3 weeks or being to an ATM. I've had the money out in cash and it is lasting a lot longer.

Tonight I'm going to advertise the car. :cool:

Ex-Spendaholic

Well the Mint CC is now down to £4008 thanks to the charges reclaim. :j Still fighting them about the CCA. All I want is to be able to offer a full and final settlement on this and Egg. It is running on forever though. :eek:


Son's deposit on the school trip due in this week. The total cost is £270. I have already got £200 put by from ebay sales etc. They want £100 deposit this week so will send that. £27.83 is due in from Quidco so I will add that too. That means I have only £42.17 to find for the rest of the trip. :j Well pleased about this.


OH's work is starting to slow down a bit which is a bit of a worry. I've been doing a bit of advertising for him.


Still haven't advertised that car. I don't know why I just don't get around to it. We don't need it and its taken up space and the money would be so handy.


Not much else happening. The debit card is a thing of the past. Its amazing how you use these things several times a day for years and then realise that cash is the way to go. :A


Really must get some competition entries in and see if I can win something for the forthcoming birthdays or to sell.

Ex-Spendaholic

Letter today from Mint re the CCA. Basically they have told me to sod off and they won't be arguing with me any further. They say they want the full amount owing. I've posted on the main board for advice on what to do next.

I wish the weather would change so I could reduce the heating bills and have a few quid to throw at something else each week.

I've been doing well with the shopping and stuff to the extent that I've become a stranger to the corner shop. :rotfl: Its great though as I'm not wasting money in the same way. However by being organised and doing a big shop once a week I'm finding that the kids are just eating and drinking for the pure hell of it. Not sure what to do about them.

Have decided that the shopping will be delivered from now on. No more spending my day off walking round Asda with a toddler in the trolley standing on the Nutty Krust :rotfl:and fighting me for sweets. I've just placed an online order using a free delivery code from Quidco. Quite a good move as I've spent less, bought what I needed, saved diesel and about 2 hours of my time. :j

carlos*the*mackem

Ex-Spendaholic wrote: »

I've been doing well with the shopping and stuff to the extent that I've become a stranger to the corner shop. :rotfl: Its great though as I'm not wasting money in the same way. However by being organised and doing a big shop once a week I'm finding that the kids are just eating and drinking for the pure hell of it. Not sure what to do about them.

I know what you mean! No sooner do I get back from Asda, Tesco, Aldi, or wherever, than the kids descend like locusts on the fridge and cupboards :rotfl:. Food that was supposed to last the week is gone in a day or two (I don't replace it until next time I shop though). May have to lock goodies away in a 'treasure chest' or something