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To remind myself how far I've come - my debt diary. - SOA added

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  • dfw844
    dfw844 Posts: 254 Forumite
    Hi Chocaholic,

    Was catching up with your diary and you said you needed a bit of encouragement, so I thought I would crawl out of the woodwork and say hello. I have been reading your diary forever!! I know I'm a bit behind on the posting things though, so may I first say 1) oh my god, how did you pay that much back, well done and 2) congrats on baby Tom.

    Anyway, you have been a great inspiration to me, I really mean it, your diary has shown me the little things to do that make a difference - cashback on internet shopping (I do enough of that...) and making the most of deals and coupons. And it's shown me that though it takes time, if you really stick at it, being debt-free is possible!

    So I thought this would encourage you - check out my new signature!! I'm half-way there, wahooo! And it's down in no small part to your diary (and Martin, to whom we are eternally grateful, where would we be without MSE?)

    Good luck about going back to school, and with OH's job as well. Times seem to be getting more difficult, but you've put yourself in the best possible position by working so hard to get rid of all that debt hanging over you.

    xx
    Debt at highest Nov '06 £17,822.98
    Debt at LBM Nov '07 £14,231.63

    DEBT FREE as of 01/01/09 now I have savings!!
  • pandapaws
    pandapaws Posts: 2,119 Forumite
    Aw dfw844, that's really nice of you to say. It's true though Choca, you're an inspiration to us all with the way you tackled your debt. Your diary was one of the very first I found as well, and although my totals don't seem to change much (because they're so flippin big probably!), I feel totally in control now. So that's my thank-you bit too!

    Hope that Tom is ok after his jabs. Do you know much about the meningitis one - got a name that starts with 'P'? I read loads about it as it was just introduced as routine immunisation when Adam was 1, and it scared me a bit so he didn't get it. HV had no idea what I was talking about though and said there are no known side effects, so not sure what do this time.

    Great that Tom's doubled his weight, that's quite fast isn't it? Greg was weighed the other day and he's now 12lbs 6ozs. Little lump! 7 weeks old already, where did that go???
  • chocaholic110
    chocaholic110 Posts: 2,509 Forumite
    Hi dfw844 :hello:

    Thanks for your post. It's funny (funny peculiar, rather than funny ha-ha) that I am transfixed by several other diaries but am amazed when people say they've read mine! But thanks anyway... and blimey! You're congratualting me when you're doing terrifically well with your debt-busting. Well done!! Do you have a diary anywhere?


    Hi Panda :hello: Tom was a bit of a poorly baby after his injections which is mainly the reason why I haven't been here much. After taking weeks and weeks to finally develop a pleasant temperament, the injections changed him back into a clingy, twisty baby who was BURNING hot, despite the calpol, poor mite. He's fine again now though.

    I don't have a problem with the jabs (is it the pneumococcal one you're referring to?) as I haven't read anything bad about it and I also read something this week about zero deaths from one of the meningitis strains last year where there would normally be around 100 and the reason the rates were down were because of the immunisations.

    However, I do have minor concerns about the number of things they are immunised against all at once - it does seem quite a lot for their little bodies to take. Also, (and I could be entirely wrong, as I have nothing to base this on but my own musings) I was wondering if the reason Tom seemed to take it much worse than the other babies we know could be because he's still quite small compared to the other babies his age? That could all be madness though, as I assume they still immunise really tiny babies at 2,3 and 4 months as well??

    Yup, he was fairly quick to double his birth weight, but there again he had less to again to do that than most. I do like to boast about the fact that he's done it to all the anti-breast-feeders I know :p (and there are many!!). They do seem to have changed tack slightly though and whereas they were wanting me to change to formula, they now seem to want me to begin weaning. If I hear one more time "He's chewing his fists; he must be hungry" / "My baby was on solids at 10 weeks and never looked back" / "If you put him onto solid food he wouldn't need so many feeds" etc I may just strangle someone!!

    Obviously breast milk isn't doing Greg any harm either! Any photos coming up soon?

    Other news...DD auditioned at her drama school for a part in Abba Mania at Darlington Civic theatre and we got a call saying she's been selected. We didn't even know she'd auditioned but apparently the whole drama school had a go. We weren't sure if she'd want to do it as she's a bit shy but she's quite happy to; it's only in the Abba-choir and 3 other girls she knows are doing it too. Will have to push the money-saving aside for a night and buy tickets.

    Money news - OH and I finally opened a joint bank account. It's something we've been meaning to do since we got married (nearly 10 years ago!). We finally got round to it after a mystery shop in which I had to pretend I wanted to leave my bank to open a joint account and my bank had to talk me into staying - -which the cashier did very well and said they had a switching service so it was all very easy.

    However, when I go an appointment with the personal banker, first she said she's never heard of the switching service and that she could change the account but I would have to phone all the people we have direct debits with to change them myself. Erm, no thanks. So I told her we'd go elsewhere, when suddenly she remembered she culd do it...IF I brought in all the paperwork for each place. Erm...still no, that's still me doing all the work. Then she said she could do it but that the service "wasn't very good" and I wouldn't know which direct debits were coming out of each account (Yes, i would, i'll look at the list on online banking!!) then she did it but took forever, by which time Tom was crying and OH took full advantage to go out of the bank with him (Come to think of it, he probably pinched him to make him cry so that he could escape!)

    What a carry on! Pity I wasn't still mystery shopping them as they weren't very good at all. But, hopefully we will have an up-and-running joint account to pay bills out of soon. What we want is separate accounts to have pay paid into, then we'll transfer anough to pay bills into the joint account and what's left in our own accounts is ours to do with what we wish. The girl in the bank claimed she'd never heard of this before, despite the fact that the people in the next (not so private) booth were attempting (with just as much trouble as I had) to do the same thing. It's not that unusual an idea, is it??

    Phew...bit of an essay this post. You can tell my arms are free from baby for a change!!
  • chocaholic110
    chocaholic110 Posts: 2,509 Forumite
    Not a bad day here weather-wise so it means DD can get out to play and DS can get out to ... erm... wander around the village which seems to be the activity of choice far him and his friends at the moment. Just as well as we can't afford to go anywhere or do anything. We do have cooking ingredients out to make some biscuits with DD but her friends have turned up and are all in the garden and I think they are slightly more exciting for her than OH and I.

    Planning to spend the rest of the afternoon getting the house in some sort of order. Can't believe how untidy everywhere is - I need a major declutter but don't have the time to do so. Hopefully a month or so before I go back to work my mam might start having Tom for some "practise" sessions to get him used to me not being there and I can get some order restored! Also i'm a bit worried about my vacuum cleaner; it lets me do one room then cuts out. If I leave it switched off for a bit it turns back on but only for one room again. Don't really want to have to fork out for a new one at the moment.

    My ebay stuff has lots of watchers but very few bids; still 3 days to go though. Got some more stuff to list today if I get time. Also got a bargain pair of black boots for me -50p! Actually with postage they would have cost £5.50 but I had a £5 ebay code so only 50p to pay. Really pleased as I desperately needed new boots.

    Anyway...best get on! Hope everyone else is having a good bank holiday!
  • dfw844
    dfw844 Posts: 254 Forumite
    Hi Chocoholic and Panda - it's funny you posted first because I lurk on your thread a lot too!

    Not got a diary because I'm afraid my life is quite dull (in the nicest possible way - steady job, great boyfriend, definitely no babies on the horizon), so I think it would bore everyone to tears!

    As for the debt-busting though, oh, once you've decided you want rid of the debt you just want rid of it, like, now! I can see that I'm doing well, but it's just still not quick enough for me. And I've been so broke for months now, I'm sure the money saving will have to slow down a bit because I'm sick of eating left-overs. And pasta.

    Oh, and I don't have kids, but I'm with you both on the breast-feeding. But in any case, who are these people who actually tell you to your face that you are raising your kids wrong? My favourite response to inappropriate questions (current one being 'when are you going to get married then?') is to look at the questionner with absolute disbelief, as if no-one would be so rude as to ask such a question straight to my face. Do your best impression of utter shock. They quickly become very embarrased and shut right up! Give it a go. It's funny.

    xx
    Debt at highest Nov '06 £17,822.98
    Debt at LBM Nov '07 £14,231.63

    DEBT FREE as of 01/01/09 now I have savings!!
  • chocaholic110
    chocaholic110 Posts: 2,509 Forumite
    dfw844 wrote: »

    Oh, and I don't have kids, but I'm with you both on the breast-feeding. But in any case, who are these people who actually tell you to your face that you are raising your kids wrong? My favourite response to inappropriate questions (current one being 'when are you going to get married then?') is to look at the questionner with absolute disbelief, as if no-one would be so rude as to ask such a question straight to my face. Do your best impression of utter shock. They quickly become very embarrased and shut right up! Give it a go. It's funny.

    xx

    Will definitely have to try that!

    And I wouldn't dismiss writing a diary just because you think your life is boring (BTW I love a boring life - some of OH's family seem to have such a rollercoaster of a life and I couldn't stand the stress!). My life is pretty mundane but it doesn't stop me writing a diary!
  • chocaholic110
    chocaholic110 Posts: 2,509 Forumite
    Argh, I need reigning in - we have had such a spend-y week!

    It began last Saturday when we needed to buy suntan lotion and a pushchair parasol (therefore effectively scuppering the nice weather in the north-east - sorry folks!). Then I bought Tom a jumparoo (looks great but he'll only go in it if we stay right beside him!) and a couple of lower tog growbags. However, I didn use money from ebay from selling maternity clothes and some of Tom's clothes that he's grown out of, so didn't spend actual cash!

    Then the vacuum cleaner broke properly. managed to get a new Dyson half price from Amazon plus had £30 Amazon vouchers so it only cost £80 - not bad for brand new!

    Then... OH's car has finally given up the ghost and isn't really worth fixing (He only paid £500 in the first place) so yesterday we bought a new Citroen C1 for him to use for work. We did get quite a good deal and £500 trade in for OH's current car, plus running costs will be much lower (£35 a year for road tax- bargain!! plus lower fuel costs and no MOT for 3 years) but it means we have car payments to make now for the next three years, eek! OH is pleased on price but not ecstatic about the car itself - apparently it's a "girls' car" but he also pointed out it might be a good car for DS top learn to drive in in 3 years time :eek:

    So, somebody please...STOP ME SPENDING! Or Florida is never going to happen!
  • chocaholic110
    chocaholic110 Posts: 2,509 Forumite
    Hello!

    Can you believe it's June already? It's scary the way this year is flying over. I'll be back at work in no time (sob!). Went in a couple of weeks ago to ask about part time but am still no firther forward with an answer. Did come away with loads of work to do though :mad: , not sure how that happened!

    Also I have to go on two courses this week, a half day and a full day. I'm desperately trying to express enough milk so that Tom doesn't starve while I'm away.

    Took Tom swimming for the first time yesterday. At first he screamed the place down but he was enjoying himself by the time I took him out. Will need to take him fairly regularly to use up all the swim nappies we have as OH and I both put a packet in the trolley without realising the other had put one in.

    Bit of a nerve wracking month this month as the direct debits should switch to the joint account. However, some companies have said they will be done for this month, some have said they won't and some haven't said anything at all. It's a bit of a tightrope situation keeping enough money in each account to cover all eventualities. Should pay off in the long run though - it will be nice to have everything coming out of the one account.
  • pandapaws
    pandapaws Posts: 2,119 Forumite
    Hi! Just finally caught up, it looks like you're as busy as me these days! Amazing to think that Tom will be 6 months and Greg will be 3 months in the next couple of weeks - time really has flown!

    I'm doing the one handed baby-stuck-to-boob typing thing here, so will keep it short, but just thought I'd say hello!
  • chocaholic110
    chocaholic110 Posts: 2,509 Forumite
    pandapaws wrote: »
    Hi! Just finally caught up, it looks like you're as busy as me these days! Amazing to think that Tom will be 6 months and Greg will be 3 months in the next couple of weeks - time really has flown!

    I'm doing the one handed baby-stuck-to-boob typing thing here, so will keep it short, but just thought I'd say hello!


    Lol, I do a lot of that sort of typing myself - mostly with Tom flinging legs everywhere. Makes it very difficult to do question marks and brackets with only one spare hand! Tom only be 5 months coming up, not 6. He's really beginning to develop personality and has learned how to kiss which is so cute! He was doing it with a big wide mouth but is now pursing his lips :) Once he starts though he kisses everyone who is around - whether they want to or not - if they don't he just stares at them with pursed lips until they give in!

    What is really scary though is I only have 5 weeks before I go back to work :( Not good, though will be nice to get a proper pay again, especially as... we booked Florida! Only 60 weeks to go, lol!
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