Reach for the stars...

MatyMoo

And there is always a bed for you here if you fancy a break 25 miles from London and 20 minutes from Luton airport

Jesthar

Hey Nicca, how's tricks? You still got sunshine up there? We have loads down here today, and here I am stuck in an office! Gah...

I did get some gardening done at the weekend, though - one of my borders has been massacred of weeds ready for planting.

You seem to be getting lovely and productive, got any exercise DVDs yet? I need to get back on the Wii Fit et al, so you can nag me about that in turn!

*hugs*

niccatw

Butti - you get obsessive about the NSDs! I could hardly manage 5 when I first started, but I've slowly become more organised. I know when my hair appointment is, so I tend to leave my food shop until then (which is easy if you live on your own and have a veg box delivered) and anything else that can wait! I don't include anything that comes out of the bank account on a regular basis (such as the veg box) and I work every other weekend which helps hugely!

I've tweeked it along the way so it suits me too. For example, I realised, if I forgot (or was too lazy) too take lunch to work, I'd skip it rather than ruin an NSD, so now I "allocate" "emergency lunch money" on a day I am spending anyway, so as long as I only spend a set amount at the canteen, I can still claim it as an NSD. It's also an NSD if the only money I pay out is toward my debt.

Though I have to admit that I've only managed as high numbers in the last two months and I've been part of that challenge for a year now.

I forgot to look for the travel lodge deals. But my friend is also off so says she'll come with me. She just bought a wigwam (it was on offer. She hasn't learned the ways of MSE yet, despite me harping on at her constantly ) so we are looking for a cheapish spa deal for a couple of nights and a few nights camping. Probably somewehre around the Peak District as it's not too far a drive. Still nothing booked yet though...

Jesthar, I have a few things on LoveFilm now, including yoga and pilates. Avatar is on it's way to me now so I'll the exercise might be kinda random! :rotfl:

Having said that I'm signing up for the Shine Glasgow walking marathon in September. The physio at work is going to do it with me . So that will help keep me focused on making sure I do exercise properly! I really notice the difference in my mood and energy when I don't! And it's getting lighter at night and there are some lovely, massive parks in and around Glasgow (not to mention Loch Lomand being a 30 minute drive away! In fact, we are going to walk there when we are a bit fitter!)

I don't do running. I won't do running! I won't run when I can simply walk! So it's right up my street (and then round the corner, down the road, off to the left, over the motorway, round the park, across the roundabout, through the other park, bear right, up over past the church, down through the sports complex, over the river, round the bend...)

However tonight I am arguing the merits of curling up on the sofa and eating all the minstrels or actually heading off to body balance!

I'm so tired. Probably an after-effect of spending the weekend at my parents with a wee nephew and a 10 month Black Lab. She likes to howl for her breakfast at 6am! Thus ensuring wee nephew is right there by your side proclaiming it's morning time, it's light outside, it's time to get up! Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! *Curls up and reaches to pull duvet over head*

By the way, the bank got back to me about cancelling my "reward" account. They sent me a ltter saying they'd been trying to get in touch with my to discuss some other points but they couldn't get through but could I phone them (on 0845!) and speak to Julie.

The cheeky blighters! So it's time for a second letter I suppose! Have any of you had this? I did as they asked in the terms and conditions so assume they just want me to call so they can sell me something ewlse or persuade me to stay. I assume if I couldn't transfer to their "free" account, they'd have pointed out all the reasons why in that letter! (My pay doesn't go into that account. My lodger's money does and it's my "spending" account, if there's anything left when everything else is sorted. It's also where the excess money in case I get a bill from the housing is sitting. So right now that account might be giving a very wrong impression of it's normal usage!)

Still not heard anything from the kitchen company. I'm kinda expecting them to ignore me (sent the letter recorded delivery though). Might ask the CAB for a bit of advice on that one. I did leave it very late to ask for my money back. But if it was the other way round, they'd still be able to get the money out of me a year later. I read their terms and conditions too!

I haven't decided which is the lesser of two evils. Reading T&Cs or reading government papers (at work. Not for fun!) with recommendations that are not worth the paper they are printed on in the current financial situation!

But let's not even get me started on that! (Except to say I was absolutely enraged at work last week and it was absolutely nothing to do with anything my boss was or was not doing .)

niccatw

Quick check of RBS loan. Currently £6,017.20. Payment of £27.80 now winging it's way to them in my rounding down game.

Normally I'd only have sent of £7.80 in my rounding down game, But the extra twenty will take it under the 6k mark! Actually, an extra ten would have taken it under, but that would have less tidy in the account it's coming from and less satisfying. :rotfl:

Butti

What's your current total Missus? You give the impression of dropping quite well but I don't have a calculator handy.

I have applied for a census job today to try and tide me over. Will also be doing election duty this year.

I have replaced the photo on the mantlepiece of me and the ex with the animated one of Mike's mob. It makes me smile.

B

niccatw

Do you mean my current running total owed? £16,962.55.

Not counting the £27.80 or the waiting £1,500 or the current Northern Rock total (statement due any minute now).

Which menas I've paid off just over a grand since the end of January (which is when I last updated my total.)

Either that or I am accounting creatively! The rounding down game is working well!

(The student loan totals are confusing though! They change every time you check them, something to do with the interest rates I guess. So my SLC1 loan actually went up by £3 since the last time I checked. Boo)

Butti

Going great guns though. I'm on my second NSD today.

...and the other important question, 'Are you a fan of S Club 7?'

B

niccatw

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: As it happens I can olnly recall the title of one of their songs! You'll never guess which one! :rotfl:

(Wasn't there a hideous dance to go along with it too?)

Butti

niccatw wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
(Wasn't there a hideous dance to go along with it too?)

I think there was ALWAYS a hideous dance to go with any of their songs - only topped by the Birdie song!

psychopathbabble

Can't catch up properly as still no Internet but yu are welcome here nic and if I can helpyou out with flights let me know. Failing that if you end up down this way anywhere I'm sure me and Maty could meet you for dinner.

Maty, what are you doing on April 12th?