Reach for the stars...

Butti

Thanks Nic. Sometimes you know. I knew I wanted to buy my house when I got the details from the estate agent and certainly before I got though the door (which was just as well given the decor!!!)

Glad you can see where you are going!:T

B

MrsMoo2U

Completely agree with the buying the glasses and houses. I take forever to buy glasses. In fact my current glasses are one prescription out and I still cant find any. Still I will know them as soon as I see them. Also did the same thing as Butti with the house in Austria, saw it on internet and knew I wanted to buy it before I even set foot in Austria to view it.

Thanks for thinking about me. That is a lovely feeling to think that somebody was thinking about me in the place that I consider to be my heaven on earth (Loch Lomond)

Another coincidence (other than the quotes, being a perfectionist/worrier) I love elephants and have recently been very good by reducing their numbers (humanely I quickly add) to the point I can now move around the living room!!
It took me a while to cotton on to having a notebook with me for quotes (weird as I am I also use it to write things I notice in my people watching mode). My theory is that when i finally write that novel I am planning on doing I will have lots of characters to pull from. I do attract rather strange glances when I stand in the shops writing the verses and quotes from cards. One assistant once asked me if I was planning on buying any. Oh the shame.

psychopathbabble

I hardly post but do quite often pop onto your thread and love your posts Nic

Good work on the glasses, I'm sure they are perfect for you!

niccatw

cherisong wrote: »

I also use it to write things I notice in my people watching mode). My theory is that when i finally write that novel I am planning on doing I will have lots of characters to pull from.

:rotfl: I could quite easily have written this! Spooky. Though admittedly I haven't done it for a while and I realise my self discipline to actually sit down and write a novel might be a bit of an issue .

My friend gave me a novel for my birthday that was written by her friend and coleague. My first thought was how ever did she find the time! (I haven't read it yet so I can't comment on whether it reads as though she was pressed for time .)

I think if I write a novel, I'll need to use the 15 minute bursts rule and sign up for that procrasdonate website! (I should admit to changing the tense past to present there, just in case .)

Checked online banking. The extra money hasn't cleared on the RBS loan yet. And the money for my glasses has still to come off. So I only manged to send another £2.85 ("spending" account) and £7.34 (bills account) off to the loan. Though that's still £10.19.

I'm feeling grumpy still so I'm off to sort through clothes in my room. I think it's the clutter. Although I gutted the place, the clutter is still packed away so there's two big boxes and a massive and a wee suitcase full of stuff that need to not be in my house any more!

I kept thinking I'd put it on ebay. But it's mostly clothes, and mostly clothes that won't fetch a lot on ebay or at a car boot, so when I balance that up with the time it takes, I don't have the energy or motivation. I think I'd rather give (most) of it to charity so they can utilise it and use what little spare time I have a little more wisely (i.e. doing things that I love and will relax me).

Psycho, it;s good to know your are keeping an eye on me and can pop up and keep me in line when needed!

Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again? AA Milne The inevitable effects of too many meetings in a day!

MrsMoo2U

Oh I do like that quote. Sums me up perfectly.
I agree on the clothes/clutter issue. I kept lots of stuff with a view to ebaying but could not summon up the motivation. In the end I took it all to the charity shop. Felt so much better but still have loads.

niccatw

I know. Why do we keep it? It sits, petulant and unrepentant in every corner and it follows me wherever I go, taunting me and keeping me in an ever constant feeling of guilt; yet another thing I've not quite got around to.

Have you seen the National Debtline advert (it might just be a Scotland one?) with the debt monster? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icc1AER-n1k I've done it with my debts, now I need to do it with my clutter. I need to turn around and face it.

Three of my friends asked me at the weekend if I'd sit down with them and go through their finances with them. :eek: I'm flattered and I know I could help - if they truly want to hear what I'll say!!!! If I do it, it'll be tough love!

But I'm a bit reticent. I've posted two SOAs on here and remember how I felt as people ripped them to shreds. It's quite a lot to take on board as you are tentatively taking your first steps to face it. I wonder if they know just how difficult that's going to be and if it'll be easier or more difficult to take that advice from a friend? And if I'll deal with it well if I give advice and it's not listened to! I guess that's the real crux! It needs to be their light bulb moment. Though by asking for my help, at least the bulb is flickering. And I know I can relate to that!!!

They have, of course, all been told about the existance of this site! But they don't seem up for that. Which, in a way, is a bit of a relief. I think if some-one who knows me fairly well found this diary, they could probably work out it was me. And if some who knew me and was looking for me, they'd definitely work out it was me.

Not that I'm worried about my debt ramblings. More what (or who!) I might have ranted about over the last year or so that I've completely forgotten about! :eek: I guess that thought should maybe make me think before I spout forth!

Butti

I think probably Mike's Mob is the biggest clue! Maybe break your friends in gently, maybe use a traffic light system. Or encourage them to put a SOA up and then step back!

B

MrsMoo2U

Why not get them to do an SOA and then instead of you telling them where to save you show them this site and how to do price comparisons. For example, if they have a mobile phone or with their utility bills. You could say something along the lines of "Lets see where you can save money on................" That way you are just providing the bulb, its up to them to press the light switch. It might also be a little venture into the sight will help them. After all, I came on here because a girl in work told me that she had saved £20 a month by buying her contact lenses on line. Then I ventured into the forum and that was it. Hooked on saving money.

niccatw

:mad: Just wrote a big long post and when I submitted it, it said I wasn't logged in and now it is lost somewhere in the ether and I've not the energy left to write it again.

I've told my friend's I'm more than happy to help, but they have to be completely honest abut all their incomings and outgoings and they have to come to me if they're sure they want to do it. They do know how much I paid off last year and inevitably they hear me exclaim when I hear they are paying over the odds for things they could get more cheaply, so I think they're aware of how I can help. I just don't think they've necessarily realised it's hard work! And slow!

I think we need to exchange strengths. They can teach me to be more assertive with cold callers!

psychopathbabble

That's great though that they want to try and learn... MrS doesn't realise yet that if you look after the pennies, the pounds look after themselves... he isn't bothered about saving 30p on a jar of sauce... he only wants to save money in large sums at once!