Carpe Diem... My new aim in life!

elsiepac

Hi everyone

I'm starting this diary to try and keep an eye on what I'm doing and where. I'm fairly OCD about things, and actually this is one more manifestation of that - I love to have lists and write everything down to quantify absolutely everything I do...within reason :rotfl:

Anyway, about me - I'm a 27 year old girl in Bristol, currently living at my parents house for nominal rent. I owned my own flat from when I was 20 to 26, then sold up in March last year. The reasons were multiple - I had just started on a DMP in Dec 2009 to get my ridiculous debts under control (due in part to a fondness for spending money on my part, and also in part to a semi-abusive boyfriend of 2.5 years who liked to spend my money even more than I did) so I was ticking over financially but really wanted out of the flat; the memories and the walls and the town where I lived were all tainted for me (I broke up with him in Jan 09).

Anyway, the move to the parents was meant to be short term - I've now been here a year and 2 months, so that didn't work out! When I sold the flat I had about £15k equity, which went on paying off a loan to that amount that my mum had taken out in my name to help me clear my credit cards, and also some of the estate agent fees. I also then owed my parent personally about £2.5 k for the rest of the estate agent fees and the solicitors fees and the HIP I'd had done. I've paid this off to them completely now so that's one down! However I do still have my DMP on the go - see sig for latest figures. I've recently increased my payment to £476 a month starting 1 June - it was £111 before that, so should be clear in 6 months.

Apart from that, it's driving me mad living at my parents house. They're very good, as far as parents go, however I find myself increasingly being treated like a 16 year old which is very hard to stomach considering I lived alone (on and off!) for over 6 years. I'm also a fairly private person so that was quite a hard transition for me! I'd like to move out before Christmas this year, but I'm not quite sure how I'm going to be doing this yet... it's a work in progress! One major issue with being at mum and dad's (I don't call it home as I never lived in this house and it's not my own home!) is the distance from everything - my friends are 16/17 miles away in the town where I'll be moving to - my work is 21 miles away and town centre of Bristol is 26 miles away - and of course petrol is ridiculous at the moment! I'm finding myself increasingly cut off and frustrated which is adding to the overall stress and I have a very stressful job so overall I'm not feeling great at the moment.

But, after years of reading the forums here, I finally started becoming an active member earlier this month, and I've found myself feeling a little more positive about things. I've redone my budgets and because the next few months are each slightly different in terms of costs, I have an individual budget for each one. The organising helps me feel like I'm in control of things, although generally speaking I still feel like I'm not in control of my own life at the moment

So I wanted to start a diary to help keep me on track, have a place to record things, and generally rant - I think my friends may be getting fed up of me talking constantly about money, work and needing to get out of that house, but to be fair, those 3 things are pretty much all that's on my mind at the moment, which isn't great.

I'm also doing an OU course at the moment, working towards my BSc (Hons) Computing and IT - luckily at the moment I get fully funded but due to a rise in July when I apply next year my salary on my P60 will be too high to qualify anymore, so I think I can squeeze 2 more courses in before then! :T

Also, I'm supposed to be going to South Africa next year in August for a friends wedding in which I'm a bridesmaid, so that has to be saved up for somewhere along the line too!

Enough for a first post, however I'll be back over the weekend with more rambling I'm sure!

LC x

PS - the title is my new motto, I also have a second which is Love Life, Live It. I've decided as part of my reinvention that I must try to acheive these two basic things as I progress through daily life, otherwise what's the point?! :j

Edit: Please see post 127 for my estimated moved out SOA, as it stood at 16 August 2011 when it looked like I would be moved out about beginning September 2012

Edit: Please see post 133 for my SOA for September 2011

Edit: Please see post 139 for my SOA for December 2011

Edit: Please see post 140 for my estimated moved out SOA, as it stood at 15 November 2011 when it looked like I would be moved out about beginning August 2012

Edit: Please see post 141 for my estimated moved out SOA, as it stood at 15 November 2011 when it looked like I would be moved out about beginning August 2012 and I edited it again after looking at the one above and realising I could make more changes

Jules28

Hey, happy new diary! I look forward to reading more of your posts.

I can empathise with the living with your parents thing. I lived on my own for a while as student then came back home again for a few years before getting my own place. No matter how lovely your parents are and how well you get on with them, it's still hard going back to that when you have been used to coming and going as you pleased. I can't count how many times we had minor tiffs over me not being back in time for dinner etc

Anyway, looking forward to the next instalment.

Jules x

Callisto

Good luck with your debt free journey!

I feel for you living with your parents, I have been back home a few times and last time lived with boyfriend and his Mum (!) for over two years, until one summer I couldn't hack living with his Mum any more and found us a flat! We have since moved into a little cottage, and I love the independence (but not the gardening!)

How is your OU course going? I'm starting my first course in October - aiming for the degree in Environmental Science (eventually.)

South Africa sounds fab too!

elsiepac

Jules28 - It really is hard! I never quite thought about what I was letting myself in for - it was entirely my choice to move here, and me and my mum, who are fairly close, did discuss it in depth before I moved, and we agreed a lot of things - which they now don't observe. Silly little things, like always asking me where I'm going and who with, and commenting on things I'm eating, or doing, or buying - I hate it!!! Luckily I buy all my own food/toiletries and have my one(!) shelf in the fridge/freezer/cupboard, so I'm finding that a massive struggle too as it's almost impossible to buy things in bulk/batch cook properly with that little storage! I do it, but it could be better! Thank you for your kind words of support, much appreciated!

Callisto - Congratulations on your little cottage, how lovely! I'm aiming to be out by Christmas, I think I'll go mad if I'm not!! That's great that you do OU too, I can't describe how great I think it is! I've been doing courses on and off since 2004, and only picked them up again last year after a 3 year break due to said ex-"boyfriend" and work etc getting in the way. It's going well, I'm doing M150 at the moment, but I'm a little behind, only a week or so. Am using this weekend to catch up and not spend money!

___________

Lots to do today! I use the daily "what small DFW things will you be doing today?" to make my daily lists, so I won't list again here! I do need to work out my June budget, I've managed to muck up a little bit so it has changed and I have to re-assess.

Meal Plan for Sat, Sun and Mon:
Sat: B- Toast, L- Gigantes Planki, leaves, tomato, couscous, D- Store cupboard pasta sauce (last portion) with pasta!
Sun: B- ???, L- Gigantes Planki (last portion), leaves, tomato, couscous, D- ???
Mon: B- ???, L- ???, D- ???

Hmm...so need to do more work on the meal plan!!!

Payday is on Tuesday, so it's the first of the three big cash withdrawals for the month (I'm a practiser of the fine art of putting cash in pots for each budget!). I have to write down what is going where, and what I'm doing that day, as it looks like I'll be trying to get a lot done! June is shaping up to be a relatively expensive month for me, got a friend's birthday meal out, plus buying a present for her (although I bought half with May's pay) and also my bosses' wedding reception as they are currently away getting married in Hawaii (yes, we have 2 bosses and they are a couple)!

Right, I'm off to play with spreadsheets and browse Amazon for gift ideas! Spending a very quiet (broke) weekend in!

LC x

beanielou

Happy shinmey new diary!
Keep posting!

elsiepac

Thanks Beanie Lou!

Well, yesterday I did my first shop for ShopAndScan. My account has already been credited with my 10,000 points! So that's a £10 Amazon voucher straight away!

This month I have earnt:

£8.14 from eBay sales (that's profit only, all costs accounted for)
£5 Tesco MoneyCard for complaining
£10 Amazon voucher from ShopAndScan

Total: £23.14 - not bad considering I thought I wouldn't have made anything!

I cannot wait until Tuesday, pay day! I have a quick Dr appt, just a routine one at 1230 (I have the day as leave), and then me and mum are going to the mall as we both need a few bits, and then to the cinema to see Hangover 2 - as it's day time the ticket is Super Saver so £5.95 and I will be using 500 Nectar points to get £2.50 off...err, that's a £3.45 ticket! Bargain!

Just for my peace of mind, here is my plan for Tuesday (in chronological order!!!):

- Drive down to Cam and get first lot of cash for the month (£230)
- Go to the BP garage in Cam and put £20 petrol in, use Nectar voucher to get 100 extra points (leaves £210 cash)
- Go to Tesco in Cam on the way back and get essentials from food budget, i.e. milk £1.50 and razors! £6. Food budget till Fri is £20 so this leaves £12.50 (leaves £190 cash)
- Pay eBay fees when get home before Dr's, just under £5 (there is a £20 allowance in my budget left in my bank account to cover this and item below)
- Also order presents for 2 friends' birthdays from Body shop online - £10 each which makes £20 thus free shipping then have a 30% discount code they sent me so £14 total as the free shipping still stands!
- Go to Dr's for appt at 1230 then on to mall with mum
- £20 is from misc budget for Boots bits and bobs, works out exactly! (leaves £170 cash)
- Take £10 from entertainment budget to cover cinema trip - have just discovered I now have exactly 1000 Nectar points so will have £5 off and pay 95p for my ticket!!! (leaves £160)
- Keep £10 back to pay friend back...oops (leaves £150)
- Other £150 is for most of the rest of the months petrol budget so goes into petrol budget pot

Excellent, I feel better now it's written down!!! :rotfl:

Meal planning - got a little further now I did this pasta bake last night! Have 4 portions of that left, 1 portion of storecupboard pasta sauce from end of last week and one portion Gigantes Plaki. I bought cereal half price at 99p yesterday for the next few days breakfasts - it's a small box and I'm not that into cereal, although this was quite nice, it's Honey Nut Shredded Wheat (HNSW). I bought salady bits etc too (BOGOF on leaves and cucumbers and vine tomatoes on offer for £1!)) and a New Covent Garden soup for £1. I used 25 extra points vouchers for the soup, some salad, a bar of Finest choc for treats (haven't touched it yet!) and Highlights sachets, so earned 100 extra points:

Sun: B - HNSW | L - Tuna Pasta Bake | D - Storecupboard pasta sauce with Messicani pasta
Mon: B - HNSW | L - Gigantes Plaki, cous cous, leaves, tomato | D - Tuna Pasta Bake
Tue: B - HNSW | L - ? Something while out ? | D - Tuna Pasta Bake
Wed: B - HNSW | L - Chicken and salad? | D - Tuna Pasta Bake
Thu: B - HNSW | L - Chicken and salad? | D - NCG Moroccan Tagine Soup
Fri: B - HNSW OR one of the wholemeal bagels I got yesterday for 34p and froze| L - Hospital Lunch for £1.25 | D - SURPRISE!:rotfl:

Looking a little more organised but I expect it'll get updated as I go through the week!

Right, I'm off to look what's on Amazon, got a few birthdays coming up and have been getting little bits as I go along, so could get 2 small things as part of 2 people's presents with my £10 voucher... if that makes sense?!

Have a wonderful blustery day anyone reading this - sorry it's a bit boring today, I'm in organising mode!!!

LC x

elsiepac

I couldn't resist!

I found series 4 of the IT Crowd on Amazon for £6.49 with free shipping! I have the other 3 and I love it - plus I work in IT so it's even better... and I used £6.49 of my free £10 voucher to buy it!

And I don't even feel that guilty for spending it on myself ... it was free money after all!!!

Oops! x

elsiepac

Happy Bank Holiday Monday Everyone! :jI am having a very quiet day in today as I have no money except for 13p which hopefully i will pot if I can find my special copper money box - it's a giant ceramic 2p that I've had since I was little and I use it to save coppers...obviously!

Ended up having a lovely evening last night when wasn't expecting to go out at all. Went down to a friends where they a fed a couple of us a lovely impromptu informal meal of slow cooked chilli (complete with cheese and sour cream), rice with peas, corn on the cob and homemade potato wedges! It was a really good night and broke up my three days of sitting at home very nicely!
I had virtually no petrol though and it's a 32 mile round trip, so drove at approx. 58mph all the way down the motorway and back :rotfl: !!! Made it though - just about enough left to roll down the hill to the petrol station 2 miles away tomorrow when I get paid!

I've joined a couple more challenges and my sig is getting rather full but i like that it's a quick glance summary! However I've decided that I'm going to keep a detailed track of challenges etc on here, rather than cluttering up their threads with my incessant ramblings :rotfl:

So starting today, I shall have a new format/structure for my diary - update and general chit chat at the top, then challenge stuff, then food diary. That way, if you don't want to see all the stuff that, let's face it, is only interesting to me (!) you can just read the top part and move on.

Anyway, I must get on and create these bits, as I have tons of OU work to catch up on - I'm slipping a bit as I'm on this site all the time!!! :rotfl:

Enjoy the rest of the BH wherever you are :j (and if you're reading this without the challenge and meal plan bits added, it's because I'm saving it first - as I accidentally deleted the whole thing just now after wasting ages getting it to look good, and I'm not taking that chance again! :beer:)

LC x

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The Boring Stuff: Challenges

Weekly Spend Challenge 29 May 11 - £100

£30 Food Budget(£20 31/5, £10 3/6)
Spent:
31 May: £
£20 Entertainment Budget(£10 31/5, £10 3/6)
Spent:
31 May: £
£20 Misc Budget - for toiletries from Boots
Spent:
31 May: £
£15 Misc Budget - for part of birthday presents for 2 friends
Spent:
31 May: £
£10 Misc Budget - that I owe a friend
Spent:
31 May: £
£5 Misc Budget - eBay fees
Spent:
31 May: £


June No Spend Days - 10 NSDs

10 NSDs is ideal - would really like 12!

NSDs:
Aiming for:
2, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 16, 20, 21, 23, 27, 28 Jun


June Bring Lunches to Work - 17 days

21 working days in June (1x AL)
4 are Fridays when I eat at the hospital (where I work) for a treat as subsidised £1.25
17 days of bringing lunches!

Lunches brought:
Aiming for:
1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30 Jun


£365 in 365 Days

Started challenge late with 215 days to go in 2011.
Am aiming to make up the 150 days I've lost as well.

215 Days - £0/£215
31 May: £
May Total: £0/£1
1 Jun: £
2 Jun: £
3 Jun: £
4 Jun: £
5 Jun: £
6 Jun: £
7 Jun: £
Jun Week 1 Total: £0/£7
Jun Week 2 Total: £0/£7
Jun Week 3 Total: £0/£7
Jun Week 4 Total: £0/£7
Jun Week 5 Total: £0/£2
Jun Total: £0/£30

150 Days - £0/£150
31 May: £
May Total: £0/£1
1 Jun: £
2 Jun: £
3 Jun: £
4 Jun: £
5 Jun: £
6 Jun: £
7 Jun: £
Jun Week 1 Total: £0/£7
Jun Week 2 Total: £0/£7
Jun Week 3 Total: £0/£7
Jun Week 4 Total: £0/£7
Jun Week 5 Total: £0/£2
Jun Total: £0/£30
365 Days - £0/£365


Lets Lose lbs Not £££s - 21 pounds

Goal 1: to lose 10% of my body weight - 21 pounds
Start weight: 210 pounds - 15 May 2011
Goal weight 1: 189 pounds

Weigh Ins:
15 May: 210 Start
20 May: 208 Lost 2
27 May: 208.5 Gained 0.5
3 Jun:
10 Jun:
17 Jun:
24 Jun:
1 Jul:
8 Jul:
15 Jul:
22 Jul:
29 Jul:


Sealed Pot Challenge 4

Aiming for a minimum of £70 so can buy Wii Fit Plus!
Silvers in Terramundi, Coppers in 2p Money Box
Open on 1 December 2011
Result: £0.00


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More Boring Stuff: Meal Plans

Sun 29 May:B - HNSW
L - Tuna Pasta Bake
D - Free Meal at friends!
Mon 30 May:
B - HNSW
L - Gigantes Plaki, cous cous, leaves, tomato
D - Storecupboard pasta sauce from other day
Tue 31 May:B - HNSW
L - ? Something while out ?
D - Tuna Pasta Bake
Wed 1 Jun:
B - HNSW
L - Chicken and salad?
D - Tuna Pasta Bake
Thu 2 Jun:
B - HNSW
L - Chicken and salad?
D - NCG Moroccan Tagine Soup
Fri 3 Jun:B - One of the wholemeal bagels I got Saturday for 34p and froze
L - Hospital Lunch for £1.25
D - SURPRISE!:rotfl:

JAMIEDODGER

You are going really well so far and fingers crossed you can move out before Christmas:) I have subscribed to your thread so shall look forward to reading about your journey!

elsiepac

Thanks Jamie, really nice of you to stop by and much appreciated... I just hope people don't get too bored of my giant posts - I'm doing this diary for purely selfish reasons although I hate to admit that, and I don't want to alienate myself!!!

JAMIEDODGER

Not at all:) I'm a big fan of gigantic posts myself! I have joined loads of challenges over the last few days in a bid to rid myself of this debt once and for all:) I am hoping to have cleared one of my cards by the end of June. I am going to keep sending payments to it everyday until I have enough in my main account to clear it completely. Then I will start on the next one, and so on and so forth. I am so looking forward to the end when it is all mine again...happy posting x