TallGirl's 5 year plan to own a 2nd home in her homeland

TallGirl

Final update for today managed to get DH to finally agree to switch bank accounts he has had his for 21 years. Got Santander with £100 cashback and £50 with Quidco. Happy days. He currently has £5000 sitting in his current account earning no interest so this is so much better.

Cooking roast dinner so better get on with that.

abouttimetoo

Hi TG

I've been 'missing in action' from this board for about a month now but I've been on holiday today so I'm just catching up on a few threads.

Your lounge is looking lovely and good for you booking your holiday to Mauritius, it will be fab!

Have you managed to speak to your boss yet about how you are feeling about taking a bigger area on next year?

Well done on those bargains and thanks for the tip off about the Jessops jigsaw puzzles, my nephew loves puzzles so I'm just about to have a proper look at the site as I can see the offer ends today so I'd best get a move on.

Regards
ATT

abouttimetoo

Hi again

One jigsaw successfully ordered with 24% off and 6% cashback - thanks TG!

TallGirl

Hi aboutmetoo glad you got the puzzle I think it shall be quite nice well lets hope so.

Did mentioned to my boss I am scared of my new area but there is not a lot she can do about it just have to wait and see. I shall keep track of how many nights I stay away a week and how long I get stuck on the M25.

In Plymouth at the moment so had to look at the shops. Got a pyja for my friend in the Disney store (she is 40 but potty about that store) £10 down from £14 which let me buy a Mikey Mouse for £7.50 normally £20. He is quite cute and perfect for my friends little baby. Waiting for 2 people to join me at the hotel then off to dinner about 8pm. I know them quite well so should be a nice night out. Training Day tomorrow just across the road from here and I have dropped all the stuff off so that is good.

Only have 1 hour free wifi (you get it for buying a drink) so better get off so I can have look at some other diaries.

TallGirl

Gosh this week is dragging on but then again I am finally home which is nice. Trip to Lisbon was reallu good eventhough I really did not want to go when I had to leave at 6pm. Flew out Sunday and have a nice time actually with very little work mainly food and drink. Got to see the town too which is beutiful. Then I had to go straight to Bristol so only made it home last night. Was supose to be in Plymouth today but could not face being away for that long.

Carpets fitted today on the stair and they are perfect just what I wanted. So glad I did not go for the runner the stripes look perfect just as they are. Really pleased with them.

Taking the 21st Dec off that leave me 5 to carry over and I get 1 extra next year as I have been there 5 years. Scary really.

Getting a letter off the physio and work is ordering me a VW Passat. It will be the old model but I don't care the Audi A3 is killing me its so uncomfortable to drive when you are 6.2 and have 36 inch leggs. Hopefully it wont be too expensive in tax.

Still not quite sorted on presents but getting there, sorted DH out and got all of my online orders now. The wine from the Nectar points look nice might have to try them tonight.

Roll on the weekend cannot wait!!

TallGirl

Weekend is finally here how nice going out to Weatherspoons for Breakfast then Tesco so take some clothes back (presents), recycle cans and do some shopping.

Still need to get BIL and mums partner some presents no idea what to get other than clothes and M&S seems to have sold out of everything I think they might like. Typical.

Got my Christmas bonus from work £414 same as what the carpets cost but we are paying it out of the joint account so can use that towards the holiday. Would like to keep my ISA's intact. The performance bonus wont get worked out until beginning of Feb if I get 5% of my salery I shall be happy we shall wait and see.

Feel this diary has turned into a spending diary instead of my goal to save but we needed a carpet and the floor and the holiday well lets stop there no more wild spending in the new year. Also going to get serious about the diet I have to loose weight asap.

TallGirl

Here we are at the end of the weekend shame its gone so quickly but have enjoyed it.

Got a rugby top for mums partner now I really just need Dad, BIL and 1 uncle. Not too bad. Nothing is wrapped but most of it is now in a suitcase and weighs 20 kilo so that leave one suitcase and 2 hand luggages for the rest. Should fit it all in there I hope and most of it is not coming back. Spent £341 on 13 people so that is quite cheap got some great bargains.

DH has sorted MIL and FIL out so thats him done and also got a stocking for the cats. We really are badly besotted with them. Just emailed a local cat sitter to ask if she can feed them over Christmas only from the 24th to the 27th so not too bad then neighbours can do until the 30th when we are back.

Put in to request for cashback from Quidco typically DH's Santander for £50 did not track and I had a Jessop one for 54p (I know hardly worth it). His Santander account is now up and running so he just need his salary paying in but as he works for himself that should be easy just ask to get it done. Knowing him it will be ages before he gets around to it.

Had a look at what cash I have in Denmark not much about £70 but I noticed some of my shares have shot up 60% in the last 6 months that should net about £500 if I sold them. My gran bought them for me about 30 years ago so would feel a bit sad to sell them but it might be worth it. DH and I each have shares in Egg now Prudential I think if we sold we might each get the £500 we put in and that would help to wards the holiday meaning we would not have to kill the Isa's. Will think about that one. Also need to find £1500 to pay for Golf Club membership in April as we have plundered the joint account but lets worry about that after Christmas.

I think my mini goal this side of April is going to be to pay for my share of the holiday £1500 out of my current wages and not my ISA. If I get my bonus it will be easy if not it might be tight but I will do it.

Went for a 3 mile walk today around the golf course and creek where we live. Really nice sunny day ended up at the local pub which we used to go to almost every night about 6 years ago. The landlord recognised us but my goodness is it run down now. There was more staff than customers how sad at a Sunday lunch time. Still £5 for a pint, 1/2 pint of coke and some hula hoops give me Weatherspoons any day.

I think that shall be it for now will update when I have news of money situation.

TallGirl

Heard back from the Cat feeding outfit, £12 a day plus £12 for bank holidays that makes it £60 for 4 days I think I shall call my friends 17 year old I am sure she would do it for less. I know its over Christmas but it takes 5 min to feed both so why you need to pay extra as there are two I have no idea.

Busy week this one but only staying over 1 night in Plymouth. Don't mind actually as there are some lovely shops. Friday its London need to sort out where I am meeting people I only know one meeting is in the cafe at John Lewis. Very handy.

TallGirl

Count down to holidays now so fed up with work. Spent 2 1/2 hours in the trafic on my way to my first appointment yesterday that's an hour longer than needed. Then when that had finished I had to travel 200 miles to Plymouth only to find the 303 shut so had to divert which took my again 1 hour longer. Got to the hotel at 8.30pm having left the house 7.30 that morning. Well at least the hotel is OK, nice sea view (only saw that this morning) and the place I am going is cross the road so might as well leave my car here.

Finishing at lunchtime then dropping off a gift to another agency in Plymouth before heading home so that is a bonus I wont get back late.

Still not sorted BIL, Uncle and Dad out for Christmas sister not been in touch but to be fair I have not really been home. Got a chance to speak to her tonight hopefully.

Its nearly 9am so need to check out move my car into the proper carpark and head off. Take care everyone lets hope we don't get any more snow.

TallGirl

Nice lazy weekend got the inlaws present sorted out and saw them yesterday to exchange them. I got what I wanted as basically we had got it ourselves so I now have the new prof Layton game for Nintendo and a Kath Kidson book. Got some very cheap fabric in John Lewis on Friday (it was work I just had an hour between appointments). Will make some lovely bags maybe a cushion so really look forward to getting crafty in 2011.

My sister should be getting my dads and uncles presents and my mum will get BIL a voucher so that is almost it for Christmas shopping huray. Hope to see a friend this afternoon who I have not seen for 3 months as she has not been that good. Also got a MS at a local pub. Still in bed and the battery on this laptop is running out so better get in the shower and up.

Read of TPA diary about a list of 11 things you dont want/ need for 2011 I shall be making my list on here I already have two things to put down.