Starting Again

Skint_but_Optimistic

Like it workie. You know what? I am so so excited at the change of having 5 quid wriggle room, am such a money nerd.

Skint_but_Optimistic

Many payments have been made and my signature has been updated. Im still firmly in the 25s, have updated my total owing as well.

Last night we also made 35 pounds on ebay. It seems my [STRIKE]tat[/STRIKE] desireable items are back in vogue. That of course has been paid to cards and I do have to make my vanquis payment up but I have another ten days to do it, and more money due in before then so I wont be rushing and leaving myself short in the meantime. I am only just going to scrape my planned overpayment, there wont be any great additional payments as its too expensive having kids birthdays. We have found a bargain at sainsburys for DD2, so we are getting her a toshiba television and its a bargain.

I got into work this morning and there were a pile of news papers on my desk- thanks to a colleague - that means paper log time! I know how to live.

I didnt make any last night, I was so tired I cleaned up the living room and kitchen and sorted washing then had a bath and went to bed. I admit I watched television in bed, but this being back at work is making me so tired.

Tonight we are going for DD2 birthday present and then I will photograph some ebay. Not sure if this weekend will be a free listing weekend, as last week and the week before were, its throwing me somewhat. It was every other weekend - argh. If not I can build the listings in word anyway and have them good to go.

Next money in is child benefit on monday, and thats mostly going to be feeling the vanquis payment!

Hope everyone is ok. I am still full of cold so not quite myself.

Also - its terrifying how much interest we are still paying. It makes me even more determined to really nail this austerity and get ahead of the game.

Debt free is such a lure! Imagine, my salary being more or less my own!

PinotGrigio41

Hey Skint,

Sorry I havent been around much. Signature is looking good.

Totally agree, just imagine having no mortgage, no debts and just your whole salary being yours to do with as you wish ? ! Our day will come !! The interest is scary, what we have paid over the years could have bought me a house outright I think. :eek: But that's in the past, onwards and upwards and all that.

Sounds like you have the birthday pressies sorted which is good news, I am racking my brains for what to buy DD2 for her birthday.

Have a good day xx

Skint_but_Optimistic

Thanks pinot, and I havent updated the credit cards yet, I wait until the first of the month to update them, so could be even better off. Heres hoping!

Skint_but_Optimistic

We do batchcooking, religiously. Its bread and butter to us frugal types. Its also a time saver in a world where we go to work and come home and need to work for extra pennies.

Curry, bolognese, chili, these are our weekly staples. we pad them out with chick peas or lentils or grilled aubergine.

We will get some foil trays and make up some moussaka and lasagna - padded out, of course. I will make some coq au vin with some cheap chicken portions and I will pop to herons for some cheap diced beef and do a beef bourgignon with extra onions.

Am after inspiration, ideas and would really appreciate any recipies if people can share or ideas on what works well.

Skint_but_Optimistic

Just had a look at stuff and this thirty months thing is really doable.

If I continue as I am I should be able to claw this to closer to 2 years, perhaps 27 months.

I had fully intended to overpay vanquis by 200 this month but with DDs birthday and the council tax remaining at 250 til next month that might slip to just 100. Will see how close I get, and ebay has a few days to help us get there.

However next month there is a 70 pound saving on the council tax from this month. There is DS birthday but that will go through credit cards. I still have half a tank of fuel if I can make that last the invoice will just be 70 pounds for next month (I have a work fuel card it it allows me to pay all at once on payday in arrears so may as well) will probably top up before the first just so I am going into the next invoice period with a full tank. I think I can make that 100 up so I wont be carrying forward 200 at the end of April. If I can do that and rely on the other cheaper credit cards - should be good.


So worst case scenario, I will have overpaid vanquis by only 105 pounds. Not a bad case at all is it?

millionaire_in_training

Nope. Any overpayment is a good one.

Re batchcooking, I do soups and macaroni cheese. I use the soups for lunches and the maca is an easy one for the kids to take from freezer and blast in the micro when they are hungry . I usually freeze lentil soup and chicken and rice soup. Check out the recipe threads on old style as they have loads of hints xx

Skint_but_Optimistic

Cheers for this.

We have quite a list now of things we can make. Of course, its cheaper without meat and we shall have a couple of meat free days a week.

While I am off for easter we shall do a pan of broth as well, which is really filling and also very cheap and that can add some variation to the diet.

please-let-me-be-lucky

Hi SBO, I have skim read chunks of your diary and then read the last 10 pages properly. You are doing REALLY well :T:T

Re the pans of veggie soup, I add a tub or 2 of pease pudding depending on the size of the pan. Make sure it's fresh stuff not the tinned variety though which is yackety! Basically, it bulks it out and makes it taste like soup your Granny used to make but without the palaver of soaking lentils or boiling ham shanks etc. Xx

Skint_but_Optimistic

Good idea PLMBL- I will give that a whirl.:D

Last night the family descended for DD2 birthday - so I feel pretty tired today. Myself and the husband got her a new television - I was shocked when we opened the box as it was white, but she seemed to think this was marvellous. She did very well and is cash rich, unlike her mother.

As a consequence, I didnt photograph or package ebay last night. I did shred some paper and made some paper logs. Quidco have just emailed me that they have paid out 2.40. So that is going to vanquis and I will be updating all my signatures etc. I love money for nothing.

Waiting now for the child benefit to pay in on Monday, and I will be able to shore things up a bit.

My husband got a works award yesterday of 25 pounds, however he would like to use it for his hobby, so I have struck a deal whereby I get it to spend at b n q (for decorating stuff)and he can have 25 pounds in his hobby fund.

Right I think I will crack on and do that there thing.

I have a nice list of batchcooking recipies now,so I think I could manage to do a couple of lots this weekend. Still not well enough to work on the other house though, I will probably go and clean out a cupboard and do a sort, and its still something.

Still no word on if its a free listing weekend. How very annoying!