Starting my journey

choogirl

Polly_Wolly_Doodle wrote: »

Fantastic Choo:D

Can i just add qualifying to that list:cool: which of course should up your income and make the plans happen sooner - no pressure, just gentle persuasion, which i don't think you need as you're so focussed, you've got rid of the debt so quickly you'll get everything else sorted too :j:j

Thanks Polly - Only another full week to go before the exams :eek:

choogirl

Good Morning

The plans for today are

1) Strip the beds and remake with the summer duvets
2) Tackle the ironing mountain - its looking very precarious in the UT room, could be an eruption of clothes!
3) Hairdressers for me - cut and colour (all budgetted for)
4) Finally go and see Pirates of The Carribean :j:j

Can't wait - I love Johnny!!!

Catch up soon xxx

lionheartedgirl

oh dear I am late to the party as always and I have missed all the excitement!!!

:j :j :beer: :eek: :rotfl: :T:T

but most of all!! :money:

choogirl I am SO thrilled for you, you have worked so hard and your diary is a great read, so inspiring with all you have to juggle.

How did OH feel knowing the bonus was clearing debt? hopefully that will have been a big learning point for him too.

is there anything left that could go towards your handbag or something lovely for you all as a family or you and OH?

enjoy all the planning for your future - even after things have changed for me I will still be in some debt but it's so nice to know I have a few more choices now and it is lovely plotting what they might be.

my time on MSE has also helped me make better choices with my money, some very hard lessons at times but I love learning from others on here and seeing what other people deal with and get through is often a good kick up the beeehind for me.

GOOD LUCK with the last push on the revision - not long to go, and I hope the finances are a massive weight off your mind so you can concentrate better.

Lots of love and all the best for a fabulous future!
xxxx

choogirl

lionheartedgirl wrote: »

oh dear I am late to the party as always and I have missed all the excitement!!!

:j :j :beer: :eek: :rotfl: :T:T

but most of all!! :money:

choogirl I am SO thrilled for you, you have worked so hard and your diary is a great read, so inspiring with all you have to juggle.

How did OH feel knowing the bonus was clearing debt? hopefully that will have been a big learning point for him too.

is there anything left that could go towards your handbag or something lovely for you all as a family or you and OH?

enjoy all the planning for your future - even after things have changed for me I will still be in some debt but it's so nice to know I have a few more choices now and it is lovely plotting what they might be.

my time on MSE has also helped me make better choices with my money, some very hard lessons at times but I love learning from others on here and seeing what other people deal with and get through is often a good kick up the beeehind for me.

GOOD LUCK with the last push on the revision - not long to go, and I hope the finances are a massive weight off your mind so you can concentrate better.

Lots of love and all the best for a fabulous future!
xxxx

Thank you Lionheartedgirl

I have now typed out 2 replies and lost both of them so will keep it short and sweet

DH was fine about using his bonus, he knows how miserable its made me and I think he thought that the sacrifice of using it was worth it for some peace and quiet.
All this process has made him more money savvy so its not all bad thats come from it.

We have some money left over for a 2/3 night trip down to Legoland but will use clubcard vouchers for the park tickets and Quidco to book the hotel so still :money:

The handbag is still going to be paid for by surveys and Quidco money as it will make me appreciate it even more. We've also got a small budget left over for some new clothes but will wait for the summer sales to start so again very :money: How times have changed!!

My head is alot clearer now which will help with the final revision and work situation as well. I don't feel as though I've been with it for the last 9 months, away with the fairies most of the time :rotfl:

These boards are always inspirational, some stories make you realise that your own situation could be alot worse.

Catch up soon xxxx

choogirl

Good Morning

Just a little catch up from me.
The ironing took me hours yesterday but is all done now and waiting to be put away. Had a lovely relax at the hairdressers, nice to have some pamper time.

Pirates of the Carribean was amazing, it was as good as the first and Johnny Depp played Jack Sparrow brilliantly as ever. The tickets were £23, but we bought our snacks from Mr S. The kids both asked for a chocolate bar so we steered them down the confectionary aisle and persuaded them that we would all have Dairy Milk that were on offer 4 for a £1 instead of all 4 buying a chocolate bar at 65p each, very :money:

The kids loved the film and were really good, DD didn't even go to the toilet throughout the film as she normally does which usually results in me missing the best bits. We then had tea out at a nearby restaraunt and used a 20% off food voucher so not too bad.

The plans for today are

Studying
Get out for some fresh air later.

The towels and bedding are all out on the line so hopefully it will stay fine.

Think thats it from me xxx

pennywisepoundstupid

You sound so happy and positive, glad things are falling in to place for you.

Legoland sounds good, funny how you get into a MSE mindset and can't bare paying full price for anything:rotfl:.

mummytogirls

OMG Choo I cant believe I missed your exciting news. Well done on becoming debt free thats flipping fantastic :beer::j:D:T.
Please can my DH go work with yours and get his kind of bonus :rotfl:!!!
Im glad your still writing your diary, please keep on here wont you!! I will miss not talking to you :cool:!!! xxx

Itsadogslife_2

Just wanted to say fantastic news on the bonus, this was something that my OH should have got this year which I had kind of taken for granted would go toward our debt, is not quite what your OH has received this time but around 3k, but even though he achieved all of his company targets, no managers received them this year because of the economy :mad:

It must be such a lovely feeling and a weight off your shoulders :T

choogirl

Good Morning

Pennywise - thank you, I am feeling happier and more positive about everything. I'm abit worried though that I'm going to keep on been really mean and stingy - its just a balance I suppose.

Mummytogirls - Thank you for your message, I am going to keep posting, I love these diaries - good for motivation and I love chatting to all you lovely ladies, I'd miss you all

DH amount of bonus was a complete surprise, we've certainly never had it before, its a shame its had to pay off debt instead of paying for something lovely but I suppose we've had the lovely before!

Itsadogslife - Thank you for popping by, I was reading your diary over the weekend - very inspirational. Its a shame about your DH bonus, the state of this country is a shambles at the moment and tbh I can't see when its going to end.
I shall pop across to your diary later on x

Right then just a quick update

Its my last full week at work before the big events next week :eek:
I need to get my desk cleared and make sure that the boss is happy before I go off on study leave.

We had a lovely afternoon out yesterday, took a flask of coffee, juice and bag of sweets out to NT property. The kids had a good run round, rolled down slopes and let off some steam.

It was the usual study night last night, I'm so fed up with it all now but not much longer to go and then I'll get my evenings back, which means that I won't spend all my weekends cleaning, ironing and generally trying to catch up with everything.

Right better get off to work.

Catch up soon xxxx

choogirl

Good Evening

Just a quick hello from me as I'm supposed to be being a good girl and studying I'm just having a quick coffee break before going back upstairs to the torture chamber sorry I meant office!

Busy but good day at work. I had my lunch outside again today and it was lovely. I had a wander round the shops at lunchtime as well and theres lots of lovely things in the shops, but I'm still in meanie, stingy mode so will wait for the sales :money:

Its a lovely, sunny evening here so I threw a load of clothes into the washer when I got home and now they're having a blow on the line and theres another load waiting to go out tomorrow.

I even managed to put all the ironing away when I got home so the dining room looks tidy again.

I suppose I'd better get back to the books

Will look at my surveys later and decide which one looks like it will soon be paying out and concentrate all my efforts there. DS kindle fund needs a kick start xxx