Lois_E begins a long MFW journey

Lois_E

Well, I've opened my new ISA. It's with the AA, one of Martin's "best cash ISAs" list. When I filled in the online form there was a bit for saying where you heard about them, lots of options, but no mention of MSE, and not even an "other" option. I had to pick "word of mouth" in the end, as the only one not mentioning some specific organisation or publication or website that I actually hadn't used. The list of options for occupation was bizarre too. It had all sorts of quite minority things, like guard, and nothing at all for education, or even professional. I phoned the helpline in the end to ask what I was supposed to put, and the girl on the other end of the phone couldn't make head or tail of it either. In the end I put "services" as less obviously wrong than any of the others. Maybe I'll summon up the energy to email them about it. Anyway, the email has come through saying it's all going ahead and the paperwork will be in the post.

Radish72

Well done on opening the ISA :j

I should start soon looking for a new one when the high interest ends on mine and drops to a paltry amount in April

Peonie

Wow, that was quick. I popped by to give you the link to a MSE ISA thread I use.

Lois_E

Two presents required this week - a birthday one and a "sorry you're leaving and thank you for all your help while you've been here" one. Had things I could use for both that were left over from Christmas, in both cases the second half of a bogof or two for price of one and a bit.

Spendy night tonight though: babysitter and evening out with the person I gave the birthday pressie to. I've got a babysitter for tomorrow night too, but then I haven't been out for ages, so one of them can count as last week's!

Enjoying the spreadsheet conversation on Tilly's diary. Now they want examples. Oh dear. Will have to sort something out to go on googledocs or something. Not tonight, though - off to go and make sure everything's ready for the sitter.

Radish72

Have a fab night out :j

pink_poppy

What's a night out again, I need reminding?!

I bought some FCUK giftsets from Boots a couple of weeks ago ~ leftover Christmas stock I think but £2 instead of £8 plus it was 3 for 2 so truly bargainacious!! :rotfl: I'm hoping my DDs will use them as Birthday pressies for their friends & save me a few quid!!

I've only got one spreadsheet & that was sent to me by yukki, I wouldn't know how to create one myself

evab_2

Phew I made it through your diary, at bit dodgy at times when you were all talking about spreadsheets I can use them at their basic format but formulas make my eyes glaze over!

Anyway just wanted to say well done with everything you're doing, must be really hard work sometimes just to make ends meet let alone make OPs so hats off to you.

Enjoy your night out x

Lois_E

Radish72 wrote: »

Have a fab night out :j

pink_poppy wrote: »

What's a night out again, I need reminding?!

Well, Friday night was OKish, but Saturday night was much more fun. Saturday was cheaper too - I went to some friends' house and just took pudding and drinks while they did main course, whereas Friday was eating out.

evab wrote: »

Anyway just wanted to say well done with everything you're doing, must be really hard work sometimes just to make ends meet let alone make OPs so hats off to you.

Thanks evab. Sometimes I look at the massive OPs that some people are making and feel I'm not much of an MFW, so that means a lot!

Lois_E

Council tax bill came today. Frozen, so the same amount as last year.

Also tax code notice for 2012-13 came. I needed to phone HMRC to let them know of some things that have changed during 2011-12 - not big things, just a minor increase in my tax-deductible union subscription and a query about whether some money I received was taxable or not. I spent ages in the queue on the phone and then my cordless phone ran out of battery. :mad: So I had to start all over again. Anyway, I've just got through, and the man has updated my subscription and told me that the thing I was asking about wasn't taxable.

pink_poppy

Our Council tax bill is going up ~ I'm just waiting for the bill to arrive

SVR is going up as well

Don't they know I'm trying to OP?! :wall: