XSpender - MFW in Training

XSpender

Still having major interntet problems. It appears it is the part of the BT socket inside the house that is faulty so we have to pay for it. I am goig to wait until the new year and use the test socket behind the wall socket instead. This means I won't be on MSE as much at the moment. I am still trying to catch up with diaries as and when I can. I am missing you all:(

I have signed up to some survey sites. Thanks Michelle:T

I have sold a baby book on Green met, about £2.11 profit, £35 has become payable on TCB for DS child trust fund, just waiting for the remaining £150 to pay out.

We are doing ok on our christmas/december food spends so I am hoping there may be a little left over to go to overpayments.

Still waiting to hear about the 2 jobs I have applied for. They are through agencies so I should hear something one way or the other.

I am inspired by others diaries to set 11 goals for 2011. The first one is get a job as that will effect my ability to achieve my overpayment and savings goals.

Best go plug the phone line in incase the agency rings which means losing internet connection and I will have no excuse to finish writing the thank you cards for DS christening and have a good tidy up. DM brought DS and our christmas gifts up at the weekend in case she gets stranded at home over christmas and can't get here and now I can't move for them! I need a bigger house:rotfl:

XSpender

Well, the bad news is I did not even get an interview for either of the 2 jobs I applied for 2 weeks ago. It appears that there has not been much happening job wise in my field this year and when vaccancies have started to appear in the last couple of months all hell has broken loose and loads of people have applied, many with many more years experience than me and with more relevant or specific experience. Oh well, gotta keep plugging away.:(

I was feeling very down about it but had a chat with my old colleague who has less experience than me and she has been offered a job and has a few interviews lined up but, as she says, she has been job hunting for 5 months, not 3 weeks like me:o

Good news is that I will receive some more money on Monday, my last bit of SMP. I was worried I had finished it last month but there is a bit due still and if I have worked out the month's correctly DH should get a bonus too:)

I will need to save as much as possible in Jan as I have to be prepared for being out of work longer than expected and want to fill the emergecy coffers again.

All my Christmas presents except one are wrapped and all my cards are written:)

We are off to a carol service at church tonight. Hope it gets me feeling Christmassy as I don't at the moment. I think it is with not working and handing out cards, secret santas and christmas dos to go to. I love carrols, they make me get dead emotional:o:)

MFW wise not a great deal happening, a couple of quid into the pot on top of the DD. Tried to complete my first survey but it crashed just near the end:( I haven't requested the £35 on TCB yet as I don't want it to get spent over Christmas. I think I will request it in Jan and then pay it straight off the mortgage as soon as it hits my account.

Looks like the GC budget has been blown more down to my poor estimating and budget setting than crazy shopping.:(

DS has been trying to crawl all week and is into everything, I can just see how I am not going to get anything done once he works out how to move his legs. I can't believe how time flies and he is about to crawl, it only seems like 7 weeks not 7 months since I had him.:D

sarahevie

I think that it's really hard when you are on Mat leave without a job to go back to because it's so hard doing a budget when things are different on a month to month basis. There's so many variables like childcare etc, you don't know 'exactly' what your pay will be.

You seem to have it sorted though, well done on your OPs

I'm weighing up whether to go back to work next year. (I'm still not sure).

I hope that you have an extra special first christmas with your DS, he's at a lovely age for it.

XSpender

Scraped a couple more quid into the mortgage pot. I am only putting in VSP money at the moment as I need to see how we manage on a lower income from Jan. The money is in a e-savings account so can be transferred into the current account instantly. I will be fed up if we have to spend it but it's better than going overdrawn.

Got a full months SMP and my JSA so actually feel a bit flush as nearly all my Christmas food shopping done. just need to keep hold of it as Jan is a long month and Feb is going to be tough for us I feel.:(

I tried to check the mortgage balance this morning as I have now made 2 overpayments of £41.06 by DD but the lappy reset everything last week and it has wiped my customer number so I need to find the original letter or ring them if I can't put my hands on it.

I wrote a very scary list of jobs this morning that I need to do before my visitors arrive at Friday lunch time. It is mainly housework, washing, ironing and a bit of sorting out/early food prep but the list is huge and is quite daunting. Not helped by me sitting here on my bum but DS is having his nap so it is nice to get 5 mins peace. His efforts at crawling are getting better and he will be off by new year I am sure.

All job hunting and money making schemes are on hold until 2011. I am having a week off:D DH is off for 8 days, back in for 2, then off for another 4. I am really looking forward to it.

Won £2, the £20, then £3 on £5 worth of scratchcards last week. It is not something we usually buy, I don't do the lottery either, and I can't believe we actually won something! The £20 has been split between us for treats.

I am still working on my 11 Goals for 2011 challenge, need to think of another 3. I will think about these today and try and post the list this afternoon.

Trying to decide if I really need to go out today as we have had another inch of snow and I hate driving in it. Think I will give it a miss.

*Jellie*

I'm stuck in with snow too- ought to get off here soon and do some housework! Maybe I should join in flylady for the week to get me motivated!

XSpender

I am just being a chicken really. There is only a bit of snow on top of a bit of ice but god it's cold. I am desperate for chives to make my boxing day starter ahead of time and bin bags. I have used all the charity collection bin bags I had kept for emergencies. I know I should stick them back on the doorstep but they never get picked up and I usually get 3 a week, some of them are for the rag companies who try to come across as a charity until you read the small print on the wrapper.

I am chuffed to bits.:D DS had homemade qu0rn shepherd's pie for lunch and loved it.

I was going to make a double pot of Beef casserole for Boxing Day but have decided one pot should be enough with dumplings, pots and veg which will mean 1kg less of beef to buy:). I have decided instead to make some Christmas mini muffins spotted on the GC thread and a Baileys cheescake for Christmas Eve. I do like giving myself extra work:o I only have minty baileys so I hope this tastes ok.

Right, plan of action is lunch for me then half an hour manic tidy before deciding if I am going to venture out or not.

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

Personally, I'd stay in....! It's freezing out there!

Good luck to you in all your endeavours,

Squirrel

XSpender

I stayed in! And it is minus 12 here today:eek: so I am not going out today either.

DH breaks up from work for 8 days tonight:T He has suggested we go food shopping for the rest of the Christmas stuff tonight as he wants to get a bottle of wine for himself (keeps him off the Christmas stash;)) but I think he might be late home as he will need to tidy up loose ends and prep his team for his hols. If it is too late it will mess up DS bedtime and we can just as easily go tomorrow or Thursday.

We may have to go again later as well if we go tonight as I will need some fresh veg and melon but DM is going to shops Thurs so she could always get a couple of bits for me as they are coming to ours for Christmas.

DB rang last night to pre warn me that they are expecting severe snow Fri and Sat (North Yorkshire) and may not be able to get to us (North East) for Boxing Day if the roads are bad. I will be gutted if they can't make it. The food will keep but I am really looking forward to seeing them all and trying out my new recipes.

I was starting to feel excited and a bit christmassy before he rang:( Can't be helped though, I don't want anyone driving in dangerous conditions when it is not necessary.

A grand total of 64p in the VSP today.

The postman has just been and delivered a card from my Uncle:eek: I think it is only the first one I have ever had and I am 40!

I must get on and clean the bedrooms while DS is asleep or I will never cross anything off that gigantic list of mine.

XSpender

It is snowing again and I am trying not to get anxious that my Mum and step dad won't get here tomorrow, my DB and family won't get here boxing day and my turkey and veg from R1verford won't get here this morning:eek:

I have all my other food in after a visit to M0rrisons yesterday afternoon. DH is to go shopping with DBIL to get my card and suprises this evening. I don't want him going out if it is too dangerous but I will be peed off if I don't get a card as he always leaves it unitl the day before:mad:

Masses to do today including marathon baking session and visit to DH parents. I need to make the starter for boxing day, mini christmas muffins, mince pies, ham soup (if my box arrives with the veg), boiled ham (to be frozen for sarnies). Bin men are supposed to be coming today but I am not sure if they will make it as the fresh snow is about 3 inches deep on ice in our cul-de-sac. If they don't come we will have a rubbish mountain by New Year and they don't take anything that is not in your bin.

We also need to give the bathroom a good clean and clean the kitchen after I have finished cooking as I want everything done by this evening.

30p gone into the virtual pot. Need to see if DH got a bonus when he gets paid tomorrow.

Friend came over and had a look at the internet. We have bought a new cable which has half fixed it but this is still something up with the wall plate.

XSpender

Hurrah! The snow has finally gone and I no longer feel like a caged animal.:T

DH has gone back to work today and I am getting the house put straight after all our visitors. Half our furniture seems to be in different rooms and we have gifts in strange places. DH friend came and plastered the kitchen walls where they had removed tiles when I had the new kitchen fitted in October. I will finally be able to decorate. Yeah! I am using an old pair of curtains so only need a curtain pole, hold back and a tin of paint.

I have set some goals for 2011. Some are directly related to OPing while some will impact on our finances so I suppose they are all relevant to the challenge. Here goes:

1. Overpay £3000
2. Add £3000 to savings by 31.12.11
3. Find a new job!
4. Eat more organic and locally sourced food but as cheaply as possible
5. Have a 2 week caravan holiday in the SW and a week in France to visit Dad all saved for and with ferry paid for with clubcard points
6. Save all points, survey earnings and sealed pots to pay for Christmas 2011
7. Reduce my spend on groceries by 80% and hit my target 80% of the time
8. Repaint interior of house. Living room, stairs, landing, our bedroom and bathroom.
9. As someone quoted someone else on another thread, stick to my budget, not just keep a record of what I have spent. My bills are pretty low but I overspend on food shopping and bits and bobs
10. Make an additional £1500 in 2011 from sales, surveys, cash back etc.
11. Have a go at TTC baby no 2. Very unlikely to happen but if Iwe don't try we will never know if it was possible:)

I think I will update my signature with my OP, saves and earnings targets. I am going to aim for £100 earnings in January. I have £40 on TCB waiting to pay out and £3.50 on Green Met. DS got 2 large toys for Christmas, one was a duplicate of what we bought ages ago from Costco so can't return and the other was from my Dad and step mum but is far too young for him so I have left it in it's box and will try and sell on flea bay. DS got so much stuff it took me 2 hours to open all the presents:eek: I also have a hardly used, still boxed bumbo seat to sell.

Got him some swimming shorts in the J0hn Lewis sale with his vouchers so we will be taking him swimming for the frst time after the new year. I can't wait as I love the water and want him to as well.

We were going for an early meal with some friends tomorrow but it looks like we will have to cancel as DH is not going to get away from work as early as we thought. Oh well, will have a chinese takeaway at home. Neighbours have invited us to a party but don't want to go when DS should be in bed. He will only be just under 8 months. It won't be a wild party but I would rather stay at home.