Hurdler's Race to be Mortgage-Free

Hurdler

Revision yesterday afternoon went a bit awry with the cleaners bimbling around the place and then when they left (about half an hour later than they should have done) I had to call play.com because my paid for express Delivery hadn't arrived, and it turns out it's a bit of a con. They send it out by standard mail and charge you more, then tell you that it was not their fault once it leaves the place.
I spoke to two people that (quite frankly) I doubt have ever SEEN Jersey, much less realise it's a small island, and not some light jumper you pull over your head.

Perhaps my feature that I need to do for my portfolio should be the issues consumers have with online retailing!

Anyway - up early and lots to do today as I think I am quite a way behind where I wanted to be.

So - another list of Hurdler's hurdles:

• [STRIKE]Finish Local Govt - only a few pages now of the initial notes and then I can use the text book and interwebz to pan out my gaps[/STRIKE]
• Central Govt - way more pages so this will have to be a concerted effort to try and have this at least read through/cribbed once before I go back to work
• Crib sheets for Teeline outlines for practice at work/idling in front of the TV - will have to do some of that in the evenings now when catching up on TV
• [STRIKE]Making today a NSD as I need to wait in for this damn not-very-express delivery[/STRIKE]
• In the 15 min breaks - I need to [STRIKE]empty the dishwasher[/STRIKE], [STRIKE]do last night's washing up[/STRIKE], [STRIKE]laundry (sheets and the like)[/STRIKE], and some paperwork archiving, and actually a few bits of paperwork itself!
• And FINALLY - tonight watch the last part of Great Expectations and more of my Xmas Blurays

There - that should keep me busy...
Laters y'all.

ETA: Tasks crossed off for today :T

Got over half way through central Govt in one day - which was pretty good going - including a half hour power nap and writing a letter of miffed-ness to play.com!
Just got NHS, Social Welfare, Utilities, Culture/Media/Sport, Europe to go tomorrow - and then shorthand crib sheets
If I can get ALL those done before starting back at work on 3rd, I will be very happy indeed as I will be 100% set to tackle revision and practice in the new year without starting on the back foot.

Hurdler

Started the day with a speedy trip round Mr T's - I was going to go into town and thought ... I only needed stuff for the Brioche Bread & butter pud and to take money out for next week, so why drive into town and pay for parking and walk miles to the Mr S when I could go use my Clubcard Plus where I have money PUT ASIDE for groceries (and earning interest!)

Plans for today:

• [STRIKE]Finish Central Govt notes revision[/STRIKE]
• Chill out for the afternoon watching films
• See in the New Year with a yummy risotto, the pudding and reflect on what has been a tumultuous year - where I REALLY learned who my real friends were and sadly identified those who need to be let go from my life

All that remains is for me to thank everyone who has stopped by to read my diary and who has offered me advice - I am SO pleased I joined this thread and some people have been so inspiring here.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all, and here's to a fantastic MFW 2012 for us all x
:beer:

ETA: FINISHED THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS NOTES!!! :beer:

I have to just do my Shorthand crib sheets over the next couple of days but for now - think I'd best watch the tennis in HD and get that brioche underway!

icontinuetodream

Hi Hurdler :wave: caught up with you now!

Good luck with the exam....I am sure it will go well, you have put a lot of work into it so you should breeze through it...;)

Hope you have a fab new year and make sure you keep vernon full and happy.....:rotfl::D

Hurdler

Morning all - and HAPPY NEW YEAR! _party_

I had a lovely relaxing New Year - worked quite hard and finished my first full pass through my Central Government notes, and then cooked myself a lovely risotto and just chilled out watching films!
I saw in the new year on the tellybox and then had a decent night's kip!

Yesterday I almost finished writing crib sheets for Shorthand Theory and vocab lists...

I had a quick look on my play.com visa and the supervisor-of-ineptitude has at least refunded the (not-very) Express Delivery costs so that's good.

Still no sign of the share proceeds yet - but I did sell them just before the bank holiday so hopefully they will land in my current account early this week, and I can do a BACS transfer to my mortgage and get it right down to just over £100K by my calculation

Here's my list of things for today...

• [STRIKE]Finish Shorthand crib sheets[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Sweep around the piggy bank accounts and do the January finances[/STRIKE]
• Ironing (Lots of - to be combined with more film watching)
• [STRIKE]Last of the laundry (spare room sheets)[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]take down Xmas Tree/Cards[/STRIKE]
• Update Journalism AND IT CVs, update Linked In and send CVs out for placement in Feb (Journo)
• Gym/pool this evening

Should be an NSD day today, and will try to make it NSD tomorrow as I am working at home and hoping to park at the Journo School to save paying for parking on a side road (which would be around £1)

Then it all goes a little pear shaped with Watford and City on Weds & Thurs!

Ok - time to get going... laters gators!

sweetdaisy

Good luck with getting through your 'to do' list today. I have lots ironing and laundry to sort out too. I will also be taking down the decorations this afternoon and as much as I like them, I like my house to return to 'normal' as I can't stand clutter. Then, after the children go to bed I will do my usual 45 min walk around the village to keep fit.

Hurdler

Almost through my list... just the ironing to go!

Vernon now has £2103 - but I just realised I have a tax bill of £400+ to pay and once I've had a chance to check with the accountant, I think I am better off paying it up front instead of trusting to HMRC calculations and having it come out of PAYE...



And I am not beating myself up too much about it, as I have the share proceeds from my former company to go straight into the mortgage this month anyway - so that gives me a chance to do some proper money-saving post Christmas.

abouttimetoo

Hi there Hurdler, i'm afraid it's been ages since I caught up with your diary and it's really great to see how far you have come with your journalism plans since you first posted, you really are doing great :j

Re your HMRC situation. Having just come to the end of a 12 month saga, and I mean saga, I would not recommend you going down the route of them taking the monthly installments from your salary but if you can pay the whole lot off now!

The other thing to bear in mind is that from what I have gleaned they can't start the monthly repayments now but must do it from April 12 through to April 13 which means you will have this situation dragging on for a further 16 months. I would act quickly though as I think when the amount is less than £2k as is the case with you their usual default position is to deduct it via PAYE.

My own situation covered a far higher sum and over more than one tax year, for part of this they went down the deduct via PAYE and nothing went right, I'll try to keep it short but in essence they took £50 a month too much for six months, when this came to light I was pleased as this meant I was paying them back faster but this wasn't allowed apparently and they had to refund me, the refund was cocked up and made over two months. Further things happened and I got so sick I told them I would repay the remainder in a lump sum which they agreed to and then after sending the paying in slip they then said I couldn't and in fact I had to repay the full amount (even though I'd been making monthly repayments) and they would then refund me the difference. After paying in full they still took another monthly installment and then I had to wait a further month for the refund.

Sorry, a long post but if you can afford to repay it now my advice is to do it!

Regards
ATT

Hurdler

Hi AT&T and ta for the advice - I think you're right as it would seem to be an almighty faff otherwise!
I love how they demand you cough up ASAP but they sure drag their heels when it comes to giving it back to you!!

Hurdler

Typing this on the iPad and it's too fiddly to do clever things like striking through.
By the time I finished the ironing it was too late to get down to the gym so I will try and go in the morning before work.
I haven't been sleeping well for the past few days so I suspect I will be awake early but I will not turn on the phone/laptop until I get back!!

I was also going to do some CV work but I think I need to have my wits about me and it would be nice not to be working in some form in front of the TV for at least one night!!!

I have had the netbook open almost every night for ages so I am giving myself (a little guiltily it must be said) the evening off!!!

Hurdler

Well not really - I actually surprised myself by getting down to the gym at 6:35am and guess what - there were quite A LOT of people there!

Anyway - I feel smug as I have my first session out of the way... the only thing I didn't manage to get done was the CVs, but I was sick of sitting up in my home-office and also - I need to do those when I have my thinking cap on!

Already cleared the inbox down so quick brekkie and then down to it, and I AM going to make the time at lunch to do some shorthand passages.

Have a good day, everyone who's going back to work.

ETA: Hurrumph - well called the Accountant and the Tax Office re: Self Assessment demand - turns out my company hasn't sent them my P45 since I started, so I have been paying tax on benefits I no longer have (company car, health, pension contributions)...

I also chased down Mastercare Coverplan for details as to why they haven't sent me any stuff.
Our expenses tool is on the fritz so I can't select my manager's name so I can't submit my expenses... and I can't log on to the support desk to log a ticket!
It definitely FEELS like all computer systems are still on holiday!