****Littlekel's diary - Getting on the right track :-) ****

OrangeFairy

WOOHOO!!!!

The Next canvas print has been picked up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 7 months that box has been propped up against the wall in my lounge!!!!

It was huge! I am only 5 foot tall but even still it was my height and the width of my arm span!!! Hopefully the £70 will be creditted to my account quickly so i don't owe them anything ;):)

Such a good feeling!

Also the person on ebay has paid for my uni books...£30...just got to sort out sending them and hope the postage isn't too high!!!

OrangeFairy

Me and DF have been together 8 years today!!! Going to have a quiet meal at home tonight and then go out for a meal next week on tesco vouchers!

:(:(:(:(

Back to work today.......really have not got the energy or the patience to put up with my colleague today! Lets hope the day flies by!

We have a mouse at work so will be interesting to see if he has been caught in our humane trap!!! They guys wouldn't let me put an easter egg in the trap for it!

Well yesterday good news with the returning of the Next canvas print and also finding out Littlewoods have credited me with £14 for some 'sexy' undies i returned last week that have been sitting in my work drawer since December!! :eek: Also a NSD as i didn't leave the house!!!

Also sorted out my DD's craft cupboard which was a HUGE task!! Found about 5-7 things to ebay...a few birthday presents for people and a bin bag to throw out! So not bad going!

Today i have 7 ebay items to send. Love to get those big boxes out of my bedroom!!

HAVE to ring tax credits today though first day their system is up and running this financial year so may not even get through!!!!!!

Here goes me off to work.....................:(:(:(:(:(

anonymoose_3

Just popping in to say hello :wave: *subscribes*

Choc-addict

Wow you're SO organised at the moment - hoping some rubs off on me

Congrats on your anniversary :Dx

OrangeFairy

Doing pretty well at the moment.

Cooked a beef casserole in the slow cooker yesterday...managed to make 2.5 meals!!! Wanted 3 meals but not quite enough....needed a little more beef. OH eats separately to me on a monday so that is him sorted for one meal next month!

Also really sorted out some finances yesterday!!! Sorted out my EON to a direct debit of £98 a month. This is a big deal as we have NEVER budgeted for utility bills...we just seem to sorta find the money when they come up. Now i need not fear a big gas/electric bill!!!

Also set up extra online instant access saver accounts with lloyds. Given them nicknames to act as money pots. Set up one for childrens clubs as i never budget for these and DD's dance bills are expensive. To cover swimming and ballet and tap for the two of them i need to put £67 a month into this account. I have put £30 at the moment as a start as i have worked out i need to start £67 from May onwards. DD1 has a ballet bill of £91 to be paid this month but my ebay money will pay for that and i will be on track. The newly superorganised me has also worked out DD1's ballet goes up to £104 a term rather than £91 in sept as she moves up a grade...so i have factored this in. Plus i pay for DD2's ballet weekly as she isnt in school yet....in sept this changes when she starts school as i will then get bills in advance. So i am saving for this to be ready for my first bill!!

Just got to sort a monthly payment for water and i will be well underway!!!

Got a lovely tax credits extra amount of £72 yesterday! :j My wage was £500 lower last year so this was the amount they underpaid me!! (this is how i paid 30 into clubs account!!!)

Got to attempt tax credits again in a moment!! :mad:

Yesterday i found out they caught two mice at work in our humane trap! Trouble is they used hot choc powder as bait and this killed the mice as it fizzed up inside them and made them ballon out.

Today i had lunch at mums...very DFW. THough went to the soft play area which cost £9.50 and i bought a tea for £1.45. However this is the only thing i have paid out for this holidays so far so not too drastic!

Then girls went swimming lessons and got home to find OH has cleaned the kitchen and painted the kitchen walls that needed doing and is now hoovering!! This is his first week of a dropped day at work!!! I'm liking it is not spent completely on the computer and TV!!

Off to look at weddings abroad online this evening....my mum is sure we can save to do it next may!!! I REALLY hope so!!!!

OrangeFairy

Since tax credits weekly amount and extra.....

Bank £144 (this is after i have paid £30 into clubs account)
Pending money from ebay + £100
Cheque which hasn't cashed yet for nursery fees -£92
Cousins birthdays - £20
Ballet fees -£91
Tax credits payments still to come 3 x £55 = +£165
Bills - insurance -£11

Total left for food £195 so far. Still hoping to pay an extra payment of at least £100 off a debt. Though i think sww bill is due anytime.

So that is me financially at the moment!

Edited to add i have £6.50 in my purse!!! Though have skittles tonight which is £1.50 so will see how long the remaining £5 lasts!!

Choc-addict

Wow, you are super organised at the mo :T I really hope you can save for your wedding, i'm happy to keep you motivated...will just keep posting 'think wedding' on your diary every day if you like :rotfl:

I have some fun/fab stuff coming up, we're in process of buying our very first home :j Just waiting really, solicitors are doing there thing, people we are buying off have just found somewhere and had offer accepted and now just waiting to find out status of those that they are buying off re chain etc - we stop the chain being first time buyers - grrrr hate waiting :mad: All the same, very exciting and we've been lucky as OH's parents gave us (OH) lovely lump sum for deposit etc....they're lovely.

Anyhow, hope you manage a day in the sunshine today - it's soooooooooooo lovely out there

OrangeFairy

Thanks Choc-addict....been a long time coming to get organised with finances! Glad i am finally here! ;):) Commented on your house situation on your diary....i bet you are extremely excited!

Don't need to sort something for dinner anymore. OH just rung up to say his parents are doing a bbq for us all tonight! Well i think they have been made to by SIL and BIL!!!!

We are hoping to buy our first bbq as our anniversay present this weekend!!! We are big bbq fans but in 8 years of being together have never bought a bbq!!! The one we like is £40! Not very DFW of us but we have been very good with money lately!

Linzi89

*subscribed* Loving your diary Littlekel x

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

littlekel wrote: »

Also really sorted out some finances yesterday!!! Sorted out my EON to a direct debit of £98 a month. This is a big deal as we have NEVER budgeted for utility bills...we just seem to sorta find the money when they come up. Now i need not fear a big gas/electric bill!!!

Hi littlekel

Seems you are really sorting things out. Can I just offer a bit of advice which might help with your energy account?

If you have cleared the outstanding balance, the Direct Debit should now be covering your ongoing usage only. It is best to keep an eye on this by regularly checking meter readings.

The £98 will be based on your past usage. If this changes significantly, either up or down, then your payments will need to be adjusted accordingly.

We review Direct Debit arrangements after each quarterly bill and will let you know if the payments are too high or too low. However, by keeping an eye on your usage you can avoid any sudden shocks.

Make sure you are on a tariff which best suits your needs. For instance, there are extra discounts available for managing your account online. Details are on our website.

I would also pop your annual usage in kWh on to one of the comparison sites to see how we stack up against other suppliers. Your usage will be on the bills but give us a call if you are unsure. We will be happy to tell you.

Another way of keeping energy costs in check is by cutting back on your usage. We can help here, too.

Have a chat with our Energy Efficiency team. Give them a list of your appliances and they will be happy to advise of ways you may be able to cut back.

Ask for a copy of a booklet called '100 ways to save money by saving energy.' It's free and contains lots of useful energy saving tips.

Check out our website; particularly the interactive house. More good tips here. :cool:

The 10:10 campaign might also be of interest. This is a climate change campaign aimed at helping people reduce their energy consumption by 10 per cent by the end of 2010. Again, details are on our website.

Hope this helps, littlekel. Give me a shout if you need any more info as will be glad to help and good luck with the saving.


Malc