The final countdown... and a newbie in the DFSD house!

debtfreesomeday

I haven't listed any other bits on eBay today, I've been working in the garden for hours today, digging up trees and plants and treating the timber decking in the garden with the wood stain I picked up cheap a few months back. This should make the wood last at least another winter or two. The trees and plants removed are being rehomed in family and friends gardens thankfully, but have to go from ours up make way for the child friendly garden we shall be working to create for Ds over the next year or so - as and when we can afford to do the work. I made a great start on it today, so so am happy. It was also lovely to be out in the garden for most of the day. Dh looked after Ds and took him swimming so I could get cracking.

Mist if the current eBay lots end in 30 minutes or so, with 3 finishing tomorrow. Bids are up to around £30 which is great.

I have started to sort the larger baby bits we are selling elsewhere but need to finish that this week sometime. They need photographing and details written. I actually gave one of the items to a pregnant friend today as she said she could use one, it was only going to be sold for a fiver or so and I'd rather she uses it.

Last week I managed to pick up some great bargains in the tesco toy sale which I have bought for various little people's first birthdays, one being Ds, the rest, 4 other 'baby' friends. I got 5 mega blocks farms for £1 each, they have a £20 sticker on so it was a great price. I also picked up some of the cheap bed rails for when Ds is bigger, costing £3 each; some bedding and blankets for £3 a set; a pop up sun shade for the beach for £3; a few pushchairs accessories and other baby bits for pennies and a couple of other toys and safety items which I let my friend have who has a little girl the same age as Ds. All of these bargains went into the loft this afternoon for storage until needed.

Hubby has gone through the cookbooks tonight (of which we have many!) and picked out some nice but cheap recipes we can make to help keep the grocery costs low. We also want to vary our diet a little more as we seem to have the same sort of thing a lot, so this will help.

I've updated the signature with the latest loan repayment, but need to work the total out again as have not updated the credit card part of it for a while so the total debt will be incorrect. Hopefully it will be lower, but is more than likely higher than the current figure shown!

Once again, struggling to stay awake. Goodnight all. X

debtfreesomeday

Struggling a little today as am quite tired and Ds is a little unsettled too. However, we've managed to get two loads of washing done and on the line to dry; looking line rain here now though so might have to pick it all in soon.
We've also been out to pick up a few bits we needed from aldi and some envelopes (for eBay sales) and some batteries from a cheapy warehouse place. We were planning on a walk but the weather looks like it's turning now.

Checking the bank balance this morning was not a nice experience. I looked at the balance and thought to myself that the paypal transfer couldn't have hit yet, unfortunately it had. I doubt I'll be able to pay that £100+ off the credit card, it's needed in the bank account.

debtfreesomeday

Washing's in and pretty much dry, just in time before the rain came. £1.01 salvaged out of hubby's shorts pocket which had been through the wash; that's gone in the pot already!
Hopefully Ds will nap soon so I can get the eBay parcels wrapped and print the postage for them. I have also earmarked at least 3 or 4 other things I can list for sale in the next eBay round. I have offered a couple of the items to pregnant friends, for free, recently but they either haven't got back to me or haven't seemed that bothered, so, it's better off as pennies in our pocket.

I'm starting to feel like the house is a little more organised now the big eBay pile is going down and other things have been put away in the loft. I hate having a cluttered house, I'm very much an 'organised house, organised mind' person so don't cope well with stuff everywhere!

Chocforever

debtfreesomeday wrote: »

I'm very much an 'organised house, organised mind' person so don't cope well with stuff everywhere!

Ah, so that's why I started getting seizures ! Actually, my place is currently looking unusually tidy. I've taken so much stuff down to the charity shop it is untrue. I've been busy getting some DIY jobs done and some intensive cleaning because....I'm actually putting the place up for sale . I realise I haven't picked the best time to sell, but it's worth a try. If I sell, I expect I will move into rented accommodation and then cash buy when something suitable comes up.

You sound like you are doing well with decluttering and Ebaying. I must admit that Ebay is just too much for me at the moment; not that I have a great deal to sell that would be worth anything or worth the cost of postage.

My credit card bill is looking much better this month; about half what it has been in recent months. So that will free some money up for the house expenses. I'm debating whether to buy an annual rail pass before the end of the year because the prices on the line I commute on are going up a lot on 1 January. If I do, it is £1,500 _pale_ and if I pre-order through work I think I get a small discount. I think I'll put that decision off for a while.

Best wishes xx

P.S. How does your washing machine cope?!

debtfreesomeday

Woohoo! How exciting chocs! I really hope you get the sale you're after quickly. People are still buying - a house has just sold up our street - so it's not as bad as they say. You've waited do long for this, I have everything crossed for you.
Keep us updated!

(you serious about the seizures? I really hope you were talking Tongue in cheek)...

HOWMUCH!!! (for a rail pass?!) wow, that's a lot of money to find up front. I guess if it works out cheaper though then it's worthwhile.

I wish I could say the same about my credit card balance! There should be about £300 less on it soon though once I sort out a refund for the break we had booked. It was for four adults and Ds so we were splitting the cost with friends, but have decided against it. That will take the balance to around £850 ish. Yikes.

As for the washing machine, I just keep talking to it nicely!

debtfreesomeday

Washing's on, but will have to be airer or tumble dried today thanks to the weather. Ds playing in his bouncer for a few minutes, sure he'll get fed up in there soon though!
I really feel like baking today but pretty impossible with a little person around! Hubby has to work until possibly 8pm tonight, so it's going to be a very long day in this household, especially as the weather is rubbish too. Spoke too soon... Ds wants 'out' already!

Chocforever

I hope you are surviving the long day indoors. It is still dry here, but very windy- perfect for one of your epic clothes washing days! The estate agent did the photos of my place today so a step closer to being on the market.

Alas, I was only half joking about the seizures and messiness. The seizures started in February out of the blue and I must have had 100 or so since then. I had a few 20 years ago, but only a few so it is odd that they have come back. It's not a sign of anything more serious; just one of those things. I am quite relaxed about it now, though admit to having had a bit of a meltdown earlier in the year! I think that once I got rid of the car (driving license has been withdrawn), I kind of accepted it and got on with life. I'm in the middle of trying to find some medication with tolerable side effects.

I've spent a bit of money today on things for the flat like a new light fitting to replace one in the ensuite. I did a MS in town but ended up coming home and rescheduling it for next week. They wouldn't let me pay for the goods due to an error they made the last time I was there (not MS related). I doubt the MS company would accept the questionnaire without a receipt and, in any case, the shop wouldn't have got a good write up given the state it was in which would seem mean given their goodwill gesture, so I thought the best thing all round was to just re-do it next week.

I was looking around my flat today thinking how different it looks to usual (i.e. there isn't clutter on every surface including the floor). I have an incentive to keep it this way in case people want to look around. The agent called today to ask if they could come a bit earlier to take the photos. I said yes and then mad dash around to tidy up the last few things. Many were stuffed in random drawers and cupboards so I can see much fun trying to find anything again!

Best wishes x

debtfreesomeday

I had to laugh about your crazy cleaning dash! Have you found anything yet?! It's strange when you see pictures of your home in 'for sale' adverts, it always looks so clean and tidy! When we sold out last place the estate agent's pictures were awful. They took a picture of the spare bed, not the bedroom, the bed! We had a photographer friend take better pics and, miraculously, the place sold within the month after 5 months on the Market.

Sorry, I do recall you mentioning the seizures, I didn't realise you were still experiencing them though. That must be pretty awful for you. I really hope you find some meds that suit you soon.

Thankfully, hubby's late meeting was cancelled so he finished at the normal time today. I was so dreading the day, sounds awful doesn't it.

I managed to get the freezer defrosted and cooked double the amount of food at dinner tonight, so half was frozen for another day.
Had to spend some money today which, unfortunately, had to go on the credit card, about £45. Once the final ebayer has paid up I shall be transferring the paypal balance over to the bank account. Hopefully at least some of that can go towards the credit card.

I've also registered hubby for the childcare voucher scheme tonight. Hopefully we will be better off by using this scheme. I need to notify tax credits about me going back to work at the end if the month. Think I'll do it next week and give them plenty of notice as they're renowned for making mistakes.

Right, off to bed for me, sleepy eyes are making an appearance again!

wantabetterlife

Hi DFSD..didnt realise you were going back to work next month! I am back after my third and honestly it really isnt too bad once you get into a routine, you just need to be organised. How many days are you going back?

debtfreesomeday

Hi WABL

Technically, it's this month - not even 3 weeks of maternity leave left! I'm going back 2.5 days a week which is great, but financially it's going to be a real struggle. I need to phone the tax credits agency next week and inform them of my return to work, I wonder if they say we're entitled to any more or any less than the measly £30 a month we get presently! They're a nightmare to deal with, they really are.

Today's a bright sunny day here, but very windy. I have a load of washing on the line but don't have enough for a second load so that can wait.
Hubby's posting the penultimate eBay parcel for me today; I'm just waiting on one last person to pay up, but shall be opening a non-payment case tonight if they haven't done so by then.

My parents are coming up for a few days today which will be lovely. Feels like ages since I saw them last.

Have a good weekend all

Dfsd
X