Polesalot's Climb to Debt Freedom

vasseur

DD went to play at a friends today. When I went to pick her up, the friends mum said 'We've been having a clearout and I've got 3 carrier bags of clothes that might fit DD'.

The stuff is beautiful! There's everything - jeans, skirts, dresses, dungarees, T-shirts, sweat tops, PJs - and no rubbish either - Next, M & S, Gap, Monsoon, Laura Ashley (Laura Ashley!!), Matthew Williamson (!!!) and a few bits that look like they've come from those small childrens boutiques (the ones I don't even bother going into because I know I won't be able to afford anything ). Some of it's a bit big but I can keep it all till it fits properly.

I reckon there must be about £400 worth of stuff there. We really have been very lucky. I was like a kid a Xmas sitting on the floor getting everything out of the carrier bags all you could hear was Oooooh, Wow, ooooh !!!

Just hoovered all through down here. I've made myself some lunch for tomorrow and mopped the kitchen and bathroom floors. Just waiting for them to dry so I can get to the fridge and get a glass of milk and some chocolate

vasseur

Ellidee wrote: »

polesalot have you seen benbenandme's thread ? She is a single Mum struggling with CSA too- she is amazing at making extra money from mystery shopping, matched betting etc. Link http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=34701653&postcount=1

Thanks Ellidee and welcome.

I will take a look at that. It makes me so cross that the CSA is so badly run. They have given themselves a bad name when really if the errant fathers just paid up they wouldn't need to exist. I think it's very hit or miss if you get your case sorted out. After a year of struggling to get anything done I was put through to the most amazing lady at one of their offices in the midlands. She told me exactly what to do and within a month of speaking to her I got my first payment (with arrears). I know I'm a lot more fortunate than others, at least I do get my money (eventually).

vasseur

Happy Friday everyone! My last day at work for 2 weeks 1 day :j

Still no CSA money . I optimistically thought that it might go in today. No matter, I can manage without and at least it will mean more will go in when it finally is paid .

I managed to break 2 pairs of scissors this morning trying to get the dregs out of a body lotion bottle . So for the sake of about 20p's worth of lotion it has cost me the price of a pair of scissors (about £3 I reckon). Not very MSE.

We are going to have a relaxing weekend. That is we're not going anywhere that is going to cost us too much money. I want to go into town tomorrow to buy some toiletries with my Boots points. I obviously need to buy some more scissors (Wilkos is my best bet) and I [STRIKE]want[/STRIKE] need to get my eyebrows threaded. That will be £6 but oh so worth it.

Got to do my big shop tonight and will probably need to get some petrol too. Definitely not any NSDs for the next couple of days.

I've just seen that it is free listing on eBay this weekend so maybe that will give me the push to start selling my stuff. Desperately need to clear DDs wardrobe now to make way for all her new clothes even though some of them aren't going to fit her for a good year.

Just going to make a PAD of £1 so i keep up the good work. Going to book DDs After School Club now as well and just hope that it doesn't come out of my account before Monday. Will only be o/d for a day but am trying to avoid ANY bank charges no matter how small.

pixiechick99

Ooooh thanks for the heads-up on ebay free listing - I must pull my finger out and get a few things on there this weekend:D Go on, you have a go too - once you get started you'll find you want to list loads...well I do anyway, I get quite excited watching the bids:rotfl:
(Ok, ok I know I need to get a life!!)

vasseur

millyscarlett wrote: »

Ooooh thanks for the heads-up on ebay free listing - I must pull my finger out and get a few things on there this weekend:D Go on, you have a go too - once you get started you'll find you want to list loads...well I do anyway, I get quite excited watching the bids:rotfl:
(Ok, ok I know I need to get a life!!)

Don't worry. This is the sort of thing that gets me excited now too!

vasseur

Muse tickets didn't sell so have to find another way of selling them. maybe I will put them on myself now - they probably have a better chance of selling closer to the day.....

Ellidee

polesalot - hi- apologies for just 'barging in' yesterday - when and where are Muse playing please ? Pm me if you prefer. Xx

Mags30

The clothes for your daughter sound amazing, does she love them?

How are you getting on with the envelope system? My trial run isn't working mainly because car insurance has to be renewed next week and almost all of the cash in my account is needed to cover that. Then I spent €40 buying things that my mother asked me to get for her (she'll give me this back when I go to stay with her at the weekend) and I'll be using that to live on until I get paid again next Thursday. There's no spare money for distributing to envelopes but I'll attempt it again next week.

For car expenses I'm thinking €30 a week for petrol. I don't use that much, can be anything from €15-25 then the leftover could go in an envelope towards insurance/tax/MOT. An envelope towards Christmas expenses is needed too, it's complicated.

vasseur

Hi Mags
Yes DD loves the clothes fortunately.

My envelope system hasn't quite started yet because I don't get paid till Tuesday but I have shifted money over to the new accounts. I'm think i will need to put more than £20 pcm into the car account because I completely forgot about tax and MOT...doh!

I've also not allowed for Xmas shopping either. Also DDs birthday is beginning of Feb and that's never cheap and coming so soon after Xmas it always mucks my finances up. This year I explained to her that i couldn't afford a party (and all that entails) so I got away with doing a family tea and baking the cake myself. I don't think I can get away with that next year so need to have some money in the pot for that too.

I'm must start shopping for xmas prezzies soon

meersy22

Hi Poles

Oh have a lovely break.

Also thanks for the heads up on e-bay. I don't have much left to sell but every little counts. For me personally it's really really important to give a clear description of the goods your selling even the faults. It saves so much time, hassle and questions but you probably know that.

I treat myself to an eyebrow wax every 6 weeks or so. I usually think i'm keeping on top of the stray hairs until the sun shines properly on my mirror and I actully look like a yetti.:eek:

Have a good weekend.