Deep breath and count to 10

yummymommy

Hi Guys

Its about time I stopped burying my head in the sand and started a diary.

Hopefully this will not only motivate me but i will pick up some handy tips along the way.

The main bulk of my debt is due to legal fees. (Through no fault of my own, but I refuse to get all bitter and twisted about it - well most of the time!!:mad:)

I still have two ongoing splinter battles but am hoping that I will not have to shell out any more money! Fingers crossed. I have, however, got alot of work to do for this which will limit my time over the next few weeks.

So any tips, time and money saving or other advise would be hugely welcome.


So far I am doing the following:

• Topcashback
• Competitions
• I have requested the clicks spreadsheet from EagerLearner.
• I look at the freebies on a regular basis
• I have done the money makeover.
• Bring my own lunch to work

Any advise about the free scratches would be hugely appreciated. I signed up to Virgin Bingo but realised that you have to deposit money first. Is this the norm ?

I seem to have a problem with time management and often procrastinate.

I have bought a "page a day" diary, (in the sale of course). Each day I have pencilled in direct debits, spends, cashback and any little thing I have done aswell as to do lists.

Of course the diary is good but it doesn't give advise and support !

Thanks guys x:beer:
Will now go and face the reality and update my signature !

tirlittan

Hi yummymommy!

Welcome to the diaryland!

Yes, it normal to have to deposit first, and you don't actually have to use your own money at all. Just deposit the minimum, do a daily scratchie and you should get at least 10p, leave that money in, but withdraw your deposit and then carry on doing the daily scratchies. Just remember you have to leave at least 10p in your account when you withdraw.

Good luck!

yummymommy

Thanks Tirlittaoan - that makes more sense now. :beer:

Who would you recommend joining?

yummymommy

Managed to get a couple of bits done tonight, but DD not well and the heating has packed up.

• requested payment from topcashback £7.29
• Did clicks
• entered 4 competitions
• Ordered some free yeast. - I thought I might give baking some bread a go. Will search for recipe on the internet. Might be wishful thinking but by logging it here might actually do it !! It might be theraputic - you never know !!:D
• Bank spreadsheet up to date
• Diary up to date

I plan to look into the bingo and see what I can put on ebay. This will have to wait though until i've waded through my paperwork.

yummymommy

Well DD is better now and the heating is back on.

I have now finished half my paperwork. Feeling a little stressed, (well alot if i'm honest), and very tired. I have completed my spending, balance, to do etc daily diary.

I am finding it really hard to sleep still. I thought by being proactive I would be able to start getting some sleep.:eek:

Today I Have

done clicks

Entered 15 ccompetitions

I have done the shopping today and although I don't yet have the time to meal plan and cook from scratch, I picked up all the bargains and nearly halved my shopping bill. Used a couple of vouchers aswell. I bought the product but it worked out cheaper with the voucher.


I took a couple of unwanted gifts back and got vouchers.

My car is going in for an MOT on saturday so please God let it pass 1st time. Fingers crossed.

I'm just off now to bring my bank account up to day.

Also last week I bought all my Christmas paper and cards in the sale. I also stocked up on plain silver and pink paper for birthday present wrapping for all the parties that my dd's go to.

After reading a thread in the "old style" I immediately filled up all shampoo, washing up liquid, liquid soap etc bottle up with water. No one has noticed!

There is so much info on here it is a little daunting. So I was thinking of trying to introduce one new thing a week. That way hopefully I will form habbits.


Hope everyone has had a good day.x

hypno06

You seem to have your head in the right place for all this - my main tip is to stick with these boards - you will get loads of excellent tips, like the one about the shampoo etc....some you will try and hate, never to do again, some you will love.....and some you will compromise on, but if you don't try, you will never know!

yummymommy

Thanks Hypno and huge thanks for your reply to my pm. :beer:

I have been reading it ever since. (really must go to bed now!!) I have a note pad and pen and am making notes.

I could do with a month off work to work on all this stuff.

I get so excited when i see another tip/suggestion. unfortunately DH is not so keen at the moment. Tough though - I will eventually drum it into him!

yummymommy

Hope the weekend is going well for you all.

Today has been a mixed bag. £9.00 on DD's dancing.
£80 on the dreaded MOT (could have been worse).

£7.39 came in from Topcashback and after much persuading dh took a thermostat thingy back to the plumbers and got a £54.00 refund. (It took 3 weeks of nagging!):j

Finally did daily diary and bank reconcilliation after reading more of Hypno's 1st diary. Picking up more tips gradually. Have done clicks and managed 5 comps.

DH seems to be agreeing with everything I say and he's only taking his allocated amount out of the bank etc but he doesnt seem to be coming up with any ideas or have the drive. This I will have to work on!!

Had talk with dd's about being responisble and turning their lights, music etc off. Not sure whether it's sunk in !!

whilst looking through paperwork I have found a £5 no 7 voucher from boots. I intend to spend this tomorrow and put whatever I buy in the pressie box.

I love Sundays - no nasty letter can drop through the letterbox!:T

Feeling guilty because for the last three years we have only had one holiday which was in uk. Told dd's might be able to get some sun this year and we've got no chance with legal case dragging on and the amount we've had to pay out.(might be in for some more aswell but doing everything in my power not to be). Looked at the sun today and it seems the deals are not in the school holidays.

I have had to turn down two events this week because of the cost. However all of this mess is not the childrens fault so I feel that we will have to somehow stretch to a week away in this country.

DD's are still doing their activities but now they want guitar lessons aswell.

yummymommy

Ok deep breath. DH taken DD's out swimming, (free of course) and I am just about to sit down and do three hours of prep for solicitors meeting. I cherish the day when all this is over. :mad:

Plumber has been this morning to fix the leak.

Bye for now.

yummymommy

Well no progress to debts today. I have just finished prep work and am absolutely shattered. Nite nite.

yummymommy

Haven't posted for a while because of all the paperwork. I have also been feeling very low and sorry for myself. Such is life !

I have done the following:

• clicks on topcashback quidco. Pigsback seem to have disappeared?
• Thought about every single puchase
• freebies
• Trying to read as many forums as possible
• competitions, (no wins though)
• Lost 2.5 1bs this week. :j
• Cut my shopping budget right down.

I have paid off £728.32 this month against all my debts. (includes £25 to mbna), which is not in my sig yet. still on 0% though.:beer: Being focused is the name of the game. The help on here is invaluable.

I paid £150 off Barclaycard but had to pay it off overdraft two as I don't get charged until I exceed 1,000k .

I have applied for the amazon credit card to get the free £15 off. I have my eyes on the Ministry of Food (J Oliver). I intend to take up cooking again, (when I have finished with solicitors etc) and this seems to have been recommended many times. Anyway if I get the cc it will be free. So fingers crossed.