Mrs Sparkle's sparkly debt diary

Mrs_Sparkle

No Lyns you didn't tell me that! Congratulations to your friend and I'm glad all is well. You will make a fab auntie Yep, I thought yoga would be good as I feel pretty big in the gym these days and haven't been for weeks now. All I'm doing is walking and I really need to stay more active than this.

So... all is going well with the fireman then? Glad to hear it and make sure you keep me informed.

Mrs_Sparkle

Well I fell off the wagon big time this morning. I've got a busy weekend with social stuff to go to today and tomorrow and I found that NOTHING fitted me this morning. My maternity jeans from eBay are still too big for me and fall down all the time and I've outgrown the one maternity casual skirt I had.

So... I went to Mothercare and splashed out £74 on a pair of combat trousers, gorgeous black skirt, long sleeved top and a smart shirt for work. I honestly don't regret it at all as my new skirt is sooo comfy and I can actually wear something different now for a change. But I need to list some more stuff on eBay/Amazon to pay this back- I used my overdraft instead of a credit card. So I'm not completely cured of my spendaholic tendencies but I just couldn't bear not having any clothes for the next 3 months.

On the plus side I did well for the rest of the day- met friends for drinks and I didn't buy a round as my pint of lime and soda lasted me the whole time I was there. This evening hubby and I went out for a meal with his father who insisted on paying which was a real treat. And tomorrow I'm meeting friends at the BBC Good Food Show and we've managed to wangle 4 free tickets for ourselves- saving £14.50 a head

My matched betting is going well and I now have enough in my Betfair account to start taking advantage of the bigger offers- £50 + £100 here I come! £600 is still my challenge for MB and it's looking achievable.

Hope everyone's having a good DFW weekend! C x

kathfisch

That doesn't sound like a fall off the wagon to me... or maybe just a tiny one You shouldn't feel bad though... you have to have clothes and £74 on 4 items doesn't sound too extravagant to me! Thing is... all the saving (and making) money you've been doing means buying some clothes isn't a catastrophe for your budget... and you have a plan to make it back

And besides, some of it might be in alright condition to sell on ebay once you've finished with it perhaps? Maternity clothes do seem to be popular on there.

Kath x

Mrs_Sparkle

Kath you're always so lovely! Yes, maternity clothes are very popular on eBay and I've been buying bundles from there and reselling the bits from the bundles that I don't like. £74 is a little bit extravagant as I'd put myself on a very tight budget this month but I will make it back, I promise! Who'd have thought that Mothercare would ever become my favourite shop... what happened to LK Bennett eh?!!

angelite_2

Just a thought, but our local free ads paper sells everything, wondered if you had one in your area and you may be able to get some clothes there x

Mrs_Sparkle

angelite wrote:

Just a thought, but our local free ads paper sells everything, wondered if you had one in your area and you may be able to get some clothes there x

Thanks hun- we have a local paper but I prefer eBay as you get to see photos and have some comeback if the stuff's not as described. Mind you, I have a date in my diary for a local "nearly new" baby stuff sale next month so the local paper definitely has its uses x

Mrs_Sparkle

Here we go... challenges for this week:

1. List a further 10 items on Amazon
2. Spend no more than £15 on weekly top-up shop
3. Increase matched betting profit to £200
4. Have at least 3 no spend days
5. Apply for a 0% BT CC for my First Direct balance

Still haven't done any Christmas shopping but I think I must have over £40 in Boots advantage points so I'll investigate that. I also received the most rubbish reply from M&S customer services from the complaint I made so I've written them a strongly worded follow-up complaint asking directly for compensation for the parking, petrol and time I wasted on 2 trips to their store. I await some vouchers... although to be honest I'd be happy enough with a proper response, not a standard letter from some idiot who didn't even bother to read my complaint properly. That reminds me, must write to Tesco to complain about the trouble I have getting my green points for reusing bags...I have suddenly become Mrs Militant!!!

Imelda

Hi Mrs Sparkle,

Sorry not been around for a little while, glad to see you're doing well. I wouldn't worry about the clothes you bought, I have pregnant friends and can see what a difference comfortable clothes make to them.

Let me know how you get on with Tesco's, I have been unable to get any green points from my local store, I have asked a few times (the non english speaking assistants nod but blatantly doesn't understand me) but have kind of given up now.

angelfairy

Hi Mrs Sparkle,

I have just had a quick read of your diary, but will ready it properly later (trying to get some work done as I have a long lunch today - £10 colour at the hairdressers for a training session).

I am really interested in the matched betting and I think I have got my head around the concept, just now trying to work out all the abbreviations and where to bet/lay etc and how you get the money out etc. I would love to make a start as I would like to give my hubby a bit more than he expects for his birthday at the start of December.

Have listed some items on ebay and all have sold, so looking for something more to list now.

Good luck with bubba (how exciting for you)!!

Look forward to reading more of your diary.

All the best

MegsMum_2

Hi,

You are doing really well, great post. I had a baby boy last year so just thought I'd add a few things myself.

1. I cut back a lot before the baby was born, so the lack of money on maternity leave wouldn't come as such a shock.
2. I'd learned from my last baby not to buy ANY baby outfits, just a few babygros and vests, mits, hats etc. You will get lots of clothes from everyone when the baby is born. Don't take the tags of any presents given to you until you have time to go through them. A lot of things will be the wrong season for that age or you will have too much for one age group and not much for another. Take anything back you need to and get something more suitable for the baby. Doing this I didn't need to buy any clothes for the first year!
3. Only stock up on nappies and wipes, on special offer only, and perhaps one or two baby bath products and nappy cream. With my first child I bought tons of toiletries and when my second was one year old we still had most of them. Gave them to charity shop in the end, what a waste!
4. When you have the baby sell all Maternity clothes and outgrown baby clothes on Ebay.
5. Ask around for a loan of baby goods, our baby walker has done 4 babies so far,our baby carrier did 4 babies and was then sold on ebay for more than I paid for it. We borrowed baby swing from a friend and returned it when we finished with it.
6. A baby sleeping bag is much better than blankets, baby sleeps better and so will you.

Hope some of this helps.