The Ultimate Incentive to get debt free… again. Dinah & NIM go head to head!

wendz86

Hi all,

Poolie - holiday sounds like a fab idea. We went on a weekend cruise for my friends hen do and was really fun. Not sure i could do more than a week though as get a bit seasick!

Our car is going to cost £330 to fix, just what we needed. The power steeting fluid is leaking as the pump is broke. Just what we need right now.

dippykitty

Back to work today but it's my day off tomorrow. Good job as I was feeling crap today.

I've been adding up my freelance earnings for 2010 and just realised that my taxable income to date (obviously still got a few more months on that front too) are more than I thought so I'll no doubt be paying more tax than I anticipated so time for a new challenge: to save an extra £600-£700 (maybe more depending on how my earnings go from now until April bearing in mind I'm only part-time freelance until May) by next January on top of 'normal' savings just to cover that. I might not need it all but I can always put what's left into the ISA if it's not been maxed out by then. The progress is in my sig.

Dad's birthday on Friday and I'm getting a bit concerned about his present. I've ordered a book and arranged for it to be delivered free to the store (WH Smiths) seeing as I'm in town four days a week for work anyway. As far as I can tell, I don't get an email to tell me if it's ready to be collected (just the email I've already got to confirm it's on its way to the store, on the 30th December). Technically speaking, it's supposed to take 3-5 days before you can collect it but assuming Monday is out of the equation with the BH, not sure it's going to be around on either Thursday or Friday to collect in time. Guess I'll find out if I pop in on both days but really hope it's there on Thursday so I can just relax about it! Hate if things don't arrive in time when they're presents.

Anyway, enough of a ramble from me!

Birdie85

I hope the book arrives in time Dippy, I hate it when presents don't arrive when they should! Especially when I have genuinely tried to be organised rather than forgetting and just claiming that the present hasn't turned up yet! Good luck with the savings for the tax too!

Sorry about the car costs Wendz, what a pain! I hate how much it costs to run (and repair!) a car. I really wish OH was more mechanically minded so he could fix ours when it goes wrong... but he's useless!

Lara, I feel your pain about not suiting clothes at the minute! A couple of years ago I went about a whole year not buying anything even semi-fashionable because nothing fit/suited me! I'm struggling a bit now because I don't really wear jeans (I can't find any that don't give me the muffin top look with my darn stupid wobbly hips spilling out!) I love to wear dresses, but I can't find many nice ones right now because they're either too short or too tight. Whoever invented 'Body-Con' wants shooting! Bring back the 50s look!

I got a bit cocky last night doing the Shred, did level 1, had a little rest then tried level 2... oh my word! I was just rolling about trying to get back up but too tired to do so at one point! :eek: :rotfl:

Dinah93

Still havent started the shred over here. Am being very good with the food though. Brining a quorn and rocket sandwich for an at the desk breakfast, spicy veggetables and 125cals of rice for lunch and a big fruit salad. Dinner is likely to be bad though - pasta. But I'll use milk and a bit of cornflour in the sauce rather than cream and only have a very small portion. AND I will either shred of go on the crosstrainer. Last night we spent 3 hours moving furniture out of the conservatory/dining room into the garage, still need to move the tools but hopefully by the end of the night the gym/ebay room and dinning room will be set up so we can tackle the lounge and study tomorrow, leaving only the guest room and cleaning both bathrooms for friday night. NIM is taking some of the furniture to the auctionhouse on saturday - it was donated to us so no hassle if it only makes a tenner, but its solid stuff so hopefully we'll get £20 for the drawers and maybe £35 for the dressing table.

Exciting stuff - the car has a bid on for £950. Still 5 days to go until the end of the auction so hoping it will go up (has 35 watchers!)

Cinny91

Birdie - There are still loads of places that do lovely dresses. But you kind of need to go boutique over high street. For jeans have you tried high waisted? I used to have a pair of grey skinny jeans that were high waisted and I loved them so much for their tummy control!

Wendz, that's a total bum about your car! We've got our 'car season' coming up soon and I'm dreading the bills. Boo

I'd say nooo to the Gok Wan book though Lara. I have a serious dislike for that man. I hate the whole 'body shape' dressing, urgh! Totally ruins the point of fashion, wear what you feel fabulous in and screw the rest. My Sister has always said if you don't like the fashion in the shops make your own, and although this means she sometimes goes out dressed somewhere between a street-walker and a bear. She's right!

Sounds like you're doing well on the healthy eating Dinah! And good luck with your car on ebay, i'll keep my fingers crossed.

poddle911

Dinah93 wrote: »

hopefully we'll get £20 for the drawers and maybe £35 for the dressing table.

Exciting stuff - the car has a bid on for £950. Still 5 days to go until the end of the auction so hoping it will go up (has 35 watchers!)

Ooh that is exciting! Could be a nice tidy sum to kick start January with.

I just spent £50 in Tesco I had decided not to stock pile, but they had loads of offers on things I buy anyway, so hopefully the rest of the month's food shop will be v. cheap.

Dinah, this might sound like a stupid question, but what do you put with rice to make it tasty? I'd like to eat more rice as a side, but I always worry it will be bland unless it's with a curry or something saucy. Am trying to be healthy too, so no curry for me!

Birdie, level 2 is loads of fun, but not straight after you've done level one :rotfl:Although we don't have quite enough space, so the skater-y jumps are always a bit hazardous. I had double Jillian yesterday as the Biggest Loser USA is back - yay! It's such trash, but I get so hooked on it and really emotional (embarrassing!). One guy this series was over 500lbs :eek: But he lost 34lbs in his first week! (That would sort me right out!)

Rubbish about the car costs Wendz - not what you need at all, why are they SO expensive?! We've upped our car savings to £125 a month which seems like an awful lot, but it probably won't be enough!

Birdie85

I'll have to look out for high waisted jeans Cinny, thanks for the tip! I avoid jean shopping so much that I don't actually know what's available right now, I kind of gave up about the time that skinny jeans came into fashion and I got stuck in a pair in DP's changing room! :rotfl: Love that picture of your sister Cinny, she's very brave, but does look fab! I agree that you should just wear what you like, I've never really followed fashion, it's just that sometimes the shops can be so restrictive if the fashion is totally anti-you IYKWIM! I'm useless at putting outfits together and accessorising too so I always seem to look unfinished if I do try to do my own thing :huh: I could do with a pro to come round and sort out my wardrobe and tell me what to do with everything and give me the basics that every wardrobe should have, I so lack the basics!

I couldn't get the hang of those skater jumps at all Poddle! I just kind of wobbled side to side... and every plank move was a disaster! Think I'll stick to level 1 for another week then try it again! I've never seen the Biggest Loser, is it on Sky like every other programme I'd like to watch but can't?!

Well done on the healthy eating Dinah! And very exciting about the bid on the car, fingers crossed a war starts!

Flower08

Cinny91 wrote: »

. For jeans have you tried high waisted? I used to have a pair of grey skinny jeans that were high waisted and I loved them so much for their tummy control!

.

I agree here! My mum bought me a pair once and I though she was going mad - but they look really good and flatter the figure so much more. And no muffin top

Havent been around for a while, been too busy stressing about everything! But OH has started his new job today and although money will still be tight until he gets paid at the end of the month, i can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Once we are back on track we can start trying to tackle some of these debts.

Swinstie73

Hi all, well ended up on jury duty today, just my luck to actually get picked! It was sooooooooooooo boring and is supposed to last til tomorrow, possibly Friday, hoping for Friday cos then not back to work til Monday. If you're short, would hi-waisted jeans make you look shorter? Must try them now.

wendz86

Hi all,

Exciting about the car on ebay Dinah, hope it still going well. I have made a few sales on ebay today which is a help towards car costs. Well done as well for the healthy eating!

I used to like Gok and then met him and thought he was a bit up himself! I do think he talks some sense though.

Poddle - is worth saving the money for car as even if it doesnt cost that much you have some extra money then.

Dippy - hope the book arrives on time. Is worrying when presents don't arrive on time.

Just about to do some packaging up of ebay packages ready to send tomorrow. Got a few more things on there that end tomorrow too.