2010: New Year, New Flat, New Plan.........

Bowski_1011

Hope today went ok!

Looking forward to seeing the pics

babyhead

Hope the move went okay and you didn't break anything else!!

Buffythedebtslayer

Happy New Flat Em Hope you are now really warm and cosy in the new place xxxxx

ehallett

Hi everyone

Thank you for the good wishes :A.

I am at my mum's at the moment but the move into my flat went well with no more breakages!! It's a lovely flat and it's soooo warm! I spent most of last night sorting things out, getting my TV hooked up (although I have no TV stand yet), putting my bed together and sorting the kitchen out.

When I have more reliable internet at home (a week tomorrow), I will get some pictures taken for you all to see. I may wait for my sofa to arrive too which is hopefully going to be delivered next week.

I have got the day off tomorrow and will be sorting out all of the paperwork for my DMP. On Tuesday, when I am back at work, I will get all of the letters sent off and that will be set up. First payment will be in February.

Once I have my internet back, I need to get on with my questions on AQA as £300 of that needs to go to the DMP and I have to pay another £125 to get my phone line fitted.

Emily x

ehallett

Hi everyone

I have managed to make it round to my mum's again - the snow looks like it is finally melting :j. I thought I had better post whilst I can as my internet at home is shocking. Will be so pleased when BT fit my phone line in on Monday so I can get my broadband back.

I am still loving the flat. It already feels like home to me and it will be even better when I can get more furniture in there.

I've got the day off tomorrow as my sofa is being delivered. Glad about that as beanbags are ok for a bit but soon get a bit uncomfortable!

Will post more soon but need to get back home again.

Emily xx

ehallett

Afternoon,

I am back at my mum's again, making use of the internet. My sofa was delivered at 11am this morning which was great as I didn't have to stay in all day. It is lovely, all squashy and comfy, so warm too. Now I just have to pay for it :rolleyes:.

I have been fighting the urge all afternoon to buy a TV stand from Argos. I know that I will have to get one eventually, however it is not a necessity (my TV is fine on the floor for now) and I will not be moving out of the flat for a VERY long time so I need to get frugal again and stop buying stuff! My table and chairs can also wait. I want to try and get them for free if I can, so will be entering comps for money or Argos vouchers like mad and will see if that gets me anywhere .

One thing I am trying to do is save up for next Christmas (sorry to use that word again so early in the year). I am aiming for the following each month for 10 months (to give me time to get presents):

• 1,000 Nectar points a month = £50 to spend
• 1,000 Tesco points a month = £100 to spend
• 1,000 Boots points a month = £100 to spend
• £10 Amazon voucher a month = £100 to spend

That should be more than enough for Christmas, maybe with a bit left over for the sales. I am doing really well with Nectar already, I have 1,805. Aiming to get that to 2,000 by the end of the month.

I have also just ordered a mobile from Tesco for the 1,000 points offer. It only cost £14.97 and my plan is to sell it on for £8-£10. However, even if I only get £5 for it then I haven't really lost anything and am basically just putting £10 away for Christmas instead.

Boots points will be a bit harder to come by I think, will have to make a regular trip there to look for some deals. I have got a couple of vouchers for 250 points with any No7 purchase so was going to get a cleanser and toner (£7.50 each so technically only £5 each and I do use cleanser and toner everyday).

My Amazon vouchers will come from Dooyoo and I already have £16 worth of miles on there.

My weight goal is also coming on nicely as I have put 2lbs on since the beginning of January. Would be great if I could get to 8st before my check-up in February (3lbs to go).

Going to try and enter a few comps tonight if my internet will let me.

Have a good evening and weekend everyone

Emily xx

postingalwaysposting

Hi emily, Its so nice to se everything slowly coming together for your new life. As you say as long as your tv isnt getting damaged then you can hold out for a cheapish one. You could always grab one from freecycle (if you can collect it) and then always buy a new one in a few months. Or how about something like this from ikea just for now, although I am unsure how far ikea is from you

I am with you with the frugal living/saving this year. I have decided I waste far too much money on 'stuff', stuff that usually ends up on ebay or at the charity shop. If however I didnt buy the stuff in the first place :rolleyes:

Lovely to see your weight/health picking up too. Fingers crossed you are at the weight you need to be for your check-up.

Keep going Emily :j

ehallett

postingalwaysposting wrote: »

Hi emily, Its so nice to se everything slowly coming together for your new life. As you say as long as your tv isnt getting damaged then you can hold out for a cheapish one. You could always grab one from freecycle (if you can collect it) and then always buy a new one in a few months. Or how about something like this from ikea just for now, although I am unsure how far ikea is from you

I am with you with the frugal living/saving this year. I have decided I waste far too much money on 'stuff', stuff that usually ends up on ebay or at the charity shop. If however I didnt buy the stuff in the first place :rolleyes:

Lovely to see your weight/health picking up too. Fingers crossed you are at the weight you need to be for your check-up.

Keep going Emily :j

Thanks Pap .

Ikea is in Southampton which isn't too bad if I go when I am visiting OH who lives nearby. I will see what Freecycle has for as long as I can, the TV is fine on the floor. Nothing on there at the moment but will keep an eye on my local ones.

Emily xx

ehallett

Hi everyone

You guessed it, back at my mum's again. It's so frustrating not having a good internet connection at home. The BT line will be up and running tomorrow thank god, and they don't need to send anyone out either (although I still have to pay the £125 :mad:).

I am going to put in my diary how much I spend each day to keep me on track, I know if I have to list it here then I might spend less!! So yesterday, I spent:

• Meals for work (2 days) - £3
• Other food/cleaning stuff for home - £6.63
• No7 cleanser and toner (to get Boots points) - £15
• Paper for my printer - £3.52

Total = £28.15

Not too good. However, I got 500 extra points for the No7 stuff and a free £5 off No7 voucher, so I will probably get another cleanser before that runs out, just to stock up. I find that they are the only products that keeps my skin moisturised (I get very dry skin). I have 770 Boots points now so only need another 230 before the end of January. I will see what offers they have in the machine when I next go.

I needed some paper to get my printer working again and that was the cheapest they had, will last me ages though. I got my printer working so will get on and do my DMP stuff tonight (no, I still haven't done that yet as work has been busy).

I got my cheque back from Southern Water yesterday so will get that in the bank and pay the £60 off my sofa.

On the TV stand front, I have seen a really nice one in my mum's new catalogue. It's £119 for the TV stand and £49 for a matching side table. My mum has got a buy now pay in 2011 code which I could use and I am sure that I could get enough money from nothing to cover that before then. The TV stand has storage in it so I wouldn't need to buy a seperate unit for my DVDs either. After that, all I would need is my table and chairs which is £99.

Tasks for tonight/tomorrow are:

1. Write out letters for DMP, get in envelopes and get CCCS info in envelope too.
2. Put cheque into bank
3. Post off DMP letters first class
4. Do 100 questions on AQA (internet permitting!)
5. Telephone Ford about my faulty seatbelt

Have a great Sunday everyone

Emily x

ehallett

Woohoo!! I have internet at home :j. So so pleased. It was actually working late last night.

I have done well with my to-do list:

1. [STRIKE]Write out letters for DMP, get in envelopes and get CCCS info in envelope too. [/STRIKE]
2. [STRIKE]Put cheque into bank [/STRIKE]
3. [STRIKE]Post off DMP letters first class [/STRIKE]
4. Do 100 questions on AQA (internet permitting!)
5. [STRIKE]Telephone Ford about my faulty seatbelt[/STRIKE]

I couldn't book my car in until 12th February :rolleyes:. However, it's not a serious problem, it's just the back seatbelt has locked and I can't put the seat back up after putting it down for moving house. Just means that I can only carry 2 passengers in my car.

Today I only spent £4.12 and that was on postage for my DMP letters.

So tonight is going to be me sat in front of the TV, answering questions. I am aiming for £300 from it this month as I need to put this towards my first DMP payment.

Will update later with a new to-do list for tomorrow.

Emily xx