I've had my LBM and now it's time to sort it out once and for all

Primrose2004

Well yesterday wasn't a NSD, nevermind. Was all essential. I bought food and petrol. I stuck to my list too:T I did buy flowers but I used £5 of clubcard vouchers that I doubled up to make £10(like i did the other day for step-mother) and got some lovely flowers. They're to celebrate the fact that it would be my Mum's 58th birthday today. I miss her so much:(

We've got some friends coming over for a BBQ today, might turn into a grilled burger though as the weather's not looking too good

I've got 12 things finishing on ebay tonight, fingers crossed they all sell, be nice to empty my ebay box so I can re-fill with more

Primrose2004

Thanks HWG, mad challenges would be welcomed, anything to get rid of this debt asap! I think I did read that thread about the 100 listings in a weekend, definately a mad idea:rotfl:

I have to say I am loving MSE, trawling threads for ideas instead of shopping and browsing is :money: and it certainly helps to concentrate the brain.


I decided last night that once my cc balance goes down I will reduce the limit accordingly. Does it matter how often I reduce it or will they think i'm mad if I reduce it by £250 every month or 2? I ahd originally planned on waiting til it went down by £1k but I think i'll do it every £250 or £500. I definately need to take temptation away.

CITDFW

Happy Birthday for your mum xx we always buy flowers for the house on DH's mums birthday. big hugs x

you seem to be doing really well and really motivated, i really need to start some ebaying but the thought of it alone drains me.
might get dh on board to help me might not be so bad then

Primrose2004

thanks citdfw:) I used to take flowers to the crematorium, but figured that was mad as no-one sees them there, so decided to buy them to keep at home. Mum would've like that idea:)

My ebay auctions have finished and I raised...............



<<<<drum roll>>>>>>>>>
















£45 pounds plus postage costs:T I'm hoping I haven't underestimated the postage. I'm planning to package them up tomorrow and post either tomorrow or tuesday. I've got dd's friend for the day tomorrow(a bit of swapping childcare so her mum and I can work, very :money::D) so will have to see how they're all behaving before dragging 2 6y/o and a 3 y/o to the Post Office <<<shudder>>>

MrsNotAPenny

Congratulations of the eBay sales!x

savingholmes

hi primula - just popping along to wish you the best of luck on your journey. You can get back on top of this.... I've just been reading memorygirls diary - she is great at making money stretch - may be worth a look

Primrose2004

thanks MNAP and SH for the positive thoughts. I think just by admitting there's an issue i've turned a massive corner.

I need to get a few work things done today, all relating to my new job. and the good news is that i've been given permission to pay myself for the hours i've done (one of my jobs is to run the payroll) so that means i'll get a bit more money in Sept:T I hadn;t expected to start the job for another 2 weeks so it's only fair that I get paid for my efforts really.

I must get off MSE and package my ebay sales. It's so easy to trawl the threads for ideas and I seem to spend far too long doing that these days:o

Primrose2004

I sort of managed to get some bits of work done whilst looking after the 3 lovelies. Gonna take them off to the park in a bit to wear off some of their pent up energy. In the past i've would've just de-camped to soft play, but for 3 kids thats £10-15 for entry plus even if I take drinks dd is a nightmare and glugs hers down in a nano-second so I always end up buying some kind of food/drink. So the park is my new friend. Not quite so relaxing for me but nevermind <<sigh>>

I thought i'd come and share some of my thoughts for the 'c' word...christmas. Now i know to some the 'c' word in August is pretty much swearing but I figure here on MSE it's ok because I'm thinking about it in an effort for it to be as cheap as possible. I want to find things I can make but that look good. In order to make stuff I need to be organised to allow enough time as I have 2 little dc and 2 jobs!

So my ideas so far;

Home-made calender for suitable adult relatives, made of partly photos partly dd's drawings(ds is a bit little for legible drawings, but may include some of his scribbles) I have thought that I could get the pages laminated, a friend has a laminator(or possibly my new job does) I could then buy the pouches and hopefully use the machine free. Then my work has a binding machine where you punch holes and then all i'd need is the bits to bind the things together. I hope this would only cost a few pounds for each calender and would make a nice present.

I also have some relatives who may be grateful for a bookmark, again I was thinking of combing photos and dd's drawings and laminating them

Christmas decorations, was thinking most people would be happy to get something made by dc, but not really sure what yet.

Name-bunting for children. I have lots of fabric and could get more if needed, but though this might be nice for children, not massive but maybe big enough to hang on a door

I'm planning to make dd a secret pillow, a pillow that can be unzipped/unbuttoned so that she can store a few little special items in, and be a pillow also.

For dd i'm going to make a decorated box, pink, sparkly and big enough to store some of her tatt:D

Seen online about 'pots of gold' make the pot, and put lottery ticket/scratchcard in and volia

MIl loves poppys was thinking of making her a shopping bag in poppy fabric but not sure if she'd like it. Will keep thinking of what else I could make, possibly pillowcases?

I was also thinking of making dolls for a couple of the little girls a have to buy for. Or sock monkeys?

I have already got a few bits for ds. He's currently Ben 10 mad and BIL found the whole dvd boxset for £18, ds loves dvd's so it's perfect. There was also a lot of Ben 10 things in Poundland so I have some stickers and things for his stocking. I also have some Ben 10 figures that I won from ebay.

The year before last I bought my neice and nephews a magazine subscription, used Tesco Clubcard vouchers so they were free:D But Tesco have stopped a lot of the good kids mags:( But this is a good idea if there's something there.

Last year I made the adult 20 somethings a glass jar full of sweets, all old fashion type sweets I got from the internet. They were quite popular.

I have also made up hampers in the past but you can't do that year on year. They went down well with some, but I suspect others(step-mother) were not so happy. Oh well <<shrugs>>

Does anyone have an ideas for my nephews(aged 11 & 12) all they want is the latest gadgets. I think i'll maybe buy them a voucher and just have to swallow paying for them rather than making them something:eek:

Having this diary is certainly helping to focus my mind

Primrose2004

savingholmes wrote: »

hi primula - just popping along to wish you the best of luck on your journey. You can get back on top of this.... I've just been reading memorygirls diary - she is great at making money stretch - may be worth a look

I've been reading her diary and have just subscribed. thanks

girlracer

Hi
really enjoyed reading your diary and have subscribed, keep up the good work and best of luck on your debt free journey
xx