New year, New me (finally)

thrifty_fifty

Thanks Dolly,

I've taken all the 'at risk' items out of the wardrobe and put them in one of the curver plastic boxes with the two clips at each end, and added a lavender satchet for good measure. No moth attacks on the clothes, so not sure what those little larvae had been munching on before they turned into moths.

Makes you feel so dirty though. I do clean, honest

Still in a tizzy about the clothes, do I sell them, don't I? Took them out of the wardrobe and fell in love with them again. Other solution- mystery donor leaves cheque to cover my debt amount.That would be Cool

thrifty_fifty

Morning all

Just had a small lift of the spirits this morning. Looked at my May Virgin statement, and apart from there being no transactions, I'm finally it seems starting to make a dent in the debt. Normally interest is at the £114 mark, but this month it dropped sub £100 -£95.67. It should dropped another £10 next month. How cool is that? Way cool ;0)

Ebay sale money when in today and the other £10 should go in tomorrow, so now i have £80 to my name (oh and the £4.54 in my A&L account-eek!), all be it £80 left of an overdraft.

Getting quite used not to spending now, it's great!

thrifty_fifty

Well a new me is beginning slowly. I have resisted the temptations of chocolate for a full 4 days now, which I'm very please about.

I have not only met, but exceeded my NSD challenge for this month, with plenty of days to go. I am very tempted by many See by Chloe dresses on yoox, but I know I will not spend because debt busting comes first.

I had another absolutely rubbish day yesterday, but for the first time I was assertive, and took no carp. I said no to people and everything.

SATC 2 is not far away now, and there is another film with Sean Bean in coming out soon. Mmmmm Sean Bean.

In another month I can reduce my mobile phone contract to £5 a month from £15 and get a free shiny phone with it too. So more money saving there. If I can sell the old one too that would pay for a few months of the contract -cool.

It has dawned on me, that when I am debt free, I can save £600 in one month and buy 1 pair Louboutins and three See by Chloe gorgeous dresses, and still have £200 left over to put into savings. I know I'm obsessed with clothes and shoes, but it's just exciting to get all glammed up and go out.

So this time next year, I'll be 4 days away from being debt free, I'll just be starting my next OU course, I will have lost my weight. I will definitely have a new job on more money, I will be around two years away from putting a deposit down on a house. Yay

thrifty_fifty

Morning all,

It's friday, it's going to be warm, ooh so better quickly epilate the pins before work (ouch).

Muscles are all achy, I haven't done any excercise. Could it be the weightloss? My body is sucking itself in? Actually I can't see if I've lost any, but I should have done, I've been munching on salad, all week.:)

thrifty_fifty

I think today it has become clear to me what I need to do. There will be many NSD days ahead of me. I'm bunkering down in these times of uncertainty.

Now I may be over reacting, but one on the top guys where I work is leaving this summer, saying that we have never been in a better financial situation to face times of uncertainty. Now call me cynical but the departure, a bold statement about finances being more than in order in a time of uncertainty, says to me that things are exactly the opposite, and this person may well be getting out before the proverbial hits the fan.

I've learnt to go with my hunches over the years and I'm usually right. Being unemployed with this lot hanging over my head is not an option. So I will be selling every single shoe, bag, coat and dress to get myself an emergency pot saved up, just incase the unwanted should occur. I will also start looking for a better paid job somewhere else, and cut out every non-essential spend that I can muster.

Yes it will be hard, yes it will be a bind. But this is like a big flashing star in the sky, and I shouldn't ignore it. Make hay while the sun shines and so on.

thrifty_fifty

Don't know about you guys, but sometimes this lot just gets me down. It's probably just lady time soon, and I think it is the general feeling of doom and gloom surrounding the economy. Nothing seems very certain at the moment.

Sometimes being a grown up is a ruddy hard job to do. Oh the carefree days of your early twenties, when all you had to think about was which dress from miss selfridges you should get for saturday night down the town, and looking forward to your cheap holiday in the sun.

Now it's trying to keep the food bill under £x, slogging to get better qualifications to get a better job, that always seems that extra little push away, not having a holiday for the last 5 years because you can't afford it. Being stressed at work, feeling guilty for spending a single penny on yourself, and generally trying to keep your head above water.

Bleugh! Where did all the fun go?

Nottoobadyet

your last post made me giggle - Im 22 and trying to keep the food bill under £X, taking on more responsibility at work to get a better job, and working on another qualification too! Bwah where were those years of dress shopping that I must have missed??

Hope things look up soon - I think you're doing really well.

thrifty_fifty

NTBY, this possibly explains why I'm still getting my act together. Went the OU route instead of going to uni, and didn't graduate till I was 26 (6 whole years). It is a bit tricky trying to study and work full time isn't it?

Anyway cookie has a plan now, and it isn't to take over the world, in a pinky and the brain stylee.

I've finished being miserable now. I tell you, I'm sure it's when I drink white wine. I get drunk really easily (1 glass), and then I end up miserable for a day after. I have to say the job thing is praying on my mind, but hey it's the same everywhere at the mo. You can't spend your whole life wondering-what if?

If it happens, I'll have to take action when it does. All I can do in the meantime, is take all the training that is available, keep building on my experience, and so making myself as employable as possible. I'm cutting back on spending in every area. Not spending frivolously. I have an action plan for the next 5 years, and if I stick to it, then everything should be fine. This is continuing in the thrifty vain. To be honest I don't think I'll ever go back to splurging again, I like getting a bargain too much

This year-30

Concentrate on clearing most of the debt, cut personal spending right down, make do and mend.

-I have cut back on spending on all items from toiletries to clothes
-I'm starting to eat better to lose weight, and also improve my skin so that I can go out in the day without any makeup, except for a slick of lipbalm
-I have bought some good quality shoes and workwear cheap from ebay-shoes have good leather bottoms so can be repaired when needed and kept for many years to come.
-I am not planning anything extravagant for my 30th, I'm saving that for my 40th instead
-I have not bought any DVDs, and will not until Christmas time, where I will save any birthday money and stock up in the Play and HMV sales.
-Read more books and take relaxation time-and for free, they are from the library
-Actually finish crime and punishment and read my copy of Voltaire-Candide

Next year-31

-Get a new job, so that I have £1000 spare cash left each month
-spend until June max paying last bit of debt
-save £6000 as my starter personal emergency savings fund
-finish PG Cert and continue and carry on with Masters
-Prince 2, CIPD personal effectiveness course and ILM manager
-Volunteer holiday to help in developing country, learn a new language

Year after-32

-More studying
-Send £500 to OH for helping to clear his student overdraft and CCs-6 months
- Set up joint savings account.Both send £500 to savings account until June 2013
-Other £500 goes into my personal emergency savings-£12,000 by end of year
-Restart piano and violin lessons

Year after-33

-Try and get new job so earning £2,000 per month and can put away £1500
-Send £1000 to savings for house deposit until June- total house deposit £24,000-if OH can add £1000 too.
-Personal savings £15,000 by june £22,000 by Dec

Year after 34

-Finish masters in April-start PHD sept-distance support
-£34,000 in personal savings-now have enough to survive on incase out of work (worst case scenario 1 year, however I would take any kind of work to bring the dollar in-but not that kind!)

Year after-35

-Continue PHD-
-Send £1000 per month each to savings-£24,000
-my savings £43,000

Year after-36

-Continue PHD
- Send £1000 per month each to savings-£48,000 with interest
-my savings £56,000

Year after 37

-Continue PHD
-send £1000 each to savings-£73,000
-My savings £63,000

Year after 38

-Finish PHD
-Send £1000 each to savings -£98,000
-My savings £70,000
- Apply new job £2500 per month

Year after 39

-Send £1000 each to savings-£124,000
-My savings £83,000
-Chill out, learn how to re-upholster old furniture.

Year after 40

-Purchase barn with land, to be converted £150,000 with £133,000 for renovating, purchasing nice old furniture and plates, carpets etc (nice thick wilton ones in cream, so that your feet sink into it). Big old kitchen with aga and terracotta tiles on floor. Mmmm.Mmmm Rococo antiques with lots of marble, plush golden velour chaise long, japanese dressing screen. Aww yeah
-Holiday in Paris-Plaza athenee, De Crillon, Ritz hotels, fine dining, opera, ballet, elegant and sophisticated in my more senior, wiser years.

The next ten-save cash for a place in Tuscany or south of france to do up, and also a small bolt hole in cornwall or devon (Lyme Regis is nice). Lots of saving, good job, and maybe a spot of skiing in the winter.

We're determined enough and hardworking, and if half of that dream is achieved, then that will be awesome.

Enough doom and gloom, lets get on that sheet!

thrifty_fifty

Ok a shorter post this time, because you probably took one look at the post above and said, waaaay tooo long and skipped it. I wouldn't blame you.

To ebay or not to ebay, that is the question?
Ok my rules. If it's for work or for the weekend, and it looks nice try and get for 99p, then it looks smart, you can wear it till it's worn out and you haven't paid much for it.

In terms of selling (here's where my inner hypocrite comes in), if the item would still be of some use (silver rings that I can't even shift for 99p it seems), then just keep them and wear them (take that back. Someone did a job lot for £9.99 and they have a bid, might give that a go)
If the item would cost you the same or more to replace, keep it (shoes say sell for £5, you couldn't even get a pair re-heeled for this amount so it makes sense to hang onto them, as you will need new shoes in the future at some point.

If you have worn it well, are bored of it, and stand a good chance of getting your money back or more, then sell it.

Seem sensible? Re the job, think there are some warning signs there, and really this is a good thing, as I only intended to stay there for 12 months to get my confidence back after the trauma of the other job. I've been there for 18 months now and this is some unseen kick up the behind that is telling me not to stay there not being challenged and get in a rut again like I did in another job for 6 years. It was easy, didn't have to use my brain too much, knew what to expect each day. You know the kind.

Also gave me a kick when we got a lift back from lunch today, had a ride in a very nice, old but well looked after car, beautiful leather seats, it was plush. This is how I want to be. A nice orderly house, tidy garden and a nicely kept car (I'm not saying new), but regularly washed serviced etc. Order is what I crave, and I don't think I've ever had that.

I do admire people who do not buy things on a whim like me, are not interested in fashion, whatever money they earn they are sensible with, so if the car needs a repair, it gets done, if they want a meal out they do it, and its all cash, all upfront, all paid for.

It's one thing that can be rather intimidating living in our village. The grey pound seems to predominate, and whenever there is some fete, or whatever people are throwing their money out the door to give it to the church.

Our budget is so tight, I can't stretch to ingredients to make us cakes, let alone some to just give away. I don't think anyone round here know the meaning of 'we're a bit short this month'

They never bought anything outrageous, all have or had well paid jobs, and sit in their £400,000 houses just keeping the garden ticking over, and making chutneys. There is always money for having the roof repaired if it needs it. Well enough anyway, I just feel like a silly billy.

Here we are. Embarrased that person came in today because they hadn't seen the house. Bra's and smalls over the kitchen floor, waiting to go into the washing machine, recycling not sorted, dirty pots, and then because we ran out of loo roll, we have said sod it to buying any more until payday and use tissues (is that really bad), I had to cringingly pretend that we had just run out. They held on.

A piece of fish is a luxury, as is having 'proper' meals like curry and meat and three veg. Normally it is mixed beans out of a can served with pasta and home made pasta sauce (tin tomatoes, squirt tomato puree, squirt red pepper relish, salt, pepper, browned onions and garlic), squash or water to drink with it, and no pudding.

I do feel like a hapless person sometimes, but I guess while we are cutting back on non essentials then we will be doing better further down the line. I have been lucky enough to have some beautiful outfits, lovely shoes and bags, and some fab old plates and stuff.

I guess we shouldn't compare, but I'd love to come home to a freshly vacuumed house, clean car, orderly finances. I'm so sick of saying, sorry we can't afford it.

thrifty_fifty

Well I'm still as confused as ever. Do you sometimes feel torn between the old you and the new (old) you. I really am. You see old, old me was thrifty, old me was spendy. New me therefore doesn't know whether to resort back to buying cheap stuff, and get rid of the designer stuff (a bit of a poison chalice?), or whether she should just hang onto everything she has got, get some wear out of it, and not spend until she needs stuff.

I only ever bought the designer stuff from places like Yoox in their sale, sale, sale (85% off, so items are between £15-£50). But the old cheap me is wearing a variety of different coloured t-shirts with jeans and comfy shoes.

And costume jewllery isn't that one a pain in the bum? Most of it sits languishing in a drawer, I don't wear it, but then it hasn't tarnished, it won't sell on ebay, and just getting rid of it seems like such a waste when it is in perfectly good order. Oh poo, poo, poo.

Don't you find you get a buzz from selling stuff on ebay though? I think I'm missing that buzz. I'm p'd off with the clutter, but I don't want to sell off stuff for nothing that I could conceivably use. OK. What I need to do is wear and wear out all this stuff that is useful but doesn't have much value, but that would cost to replace.

I know I'm warbling on. What is the right answer though? Most shoes cost around £40 upwards these days right? If I sold the ones I have Kurt Geigers, I'd probably get £10 for them. Get them reheeled and they'd keep going for another year, and I'd have spent £10 on work shoes. Seems right to keep them then.

The easy solution would be that someone dropped a cheque for £28,000 through the door, then I'd have enough to get rid of the debt (the big headache that is there everyday-what I am going to think about when I'm done?), and then a stash o' cash for emergencies (like being able to pay the bills still if I find myself out of work).


Come on, be positive only 1 more day until those totals shrink again. Although June is going to be an incredibly expensive month, birth of babies, birthdays, car mot (hmmm not looking forward to that one)

Seriously if I could have a small plot of land somewhere, where I could grow veg to feed us, and basically have a small holding, and opt out of society by 95% that would be great. Work would be for your own benefit, no 9-5, no worrying about birthdays, bills etc etc.

Hope I sleep ok tonight. Clearly not with all this going round in my head.