Hurdler's Race to be Mortgage-Free

Hurdler

misscousinitt wrote: »

Well done on the mortgage balance, thats great news...bet it feels like a weight off.

MCI

Yes it certainly does... it's a bit scary though because after my placement I have basically given myself 4 months to find a new job/prepare for moving into journalism roles so unfortunately I don't think I am going to get very far with it ...possibly flirt with ducking under £90K before I leave.

I was contemplating buying a new PC while I still have a job that will allow me to purchase one ...

At least that will set me up for the next 5 years or so...

At long last TCB has had some purchases confirmed by play.com - I have been waiting AN AGE.. I know, I know - we're not supposed to take cash-back sites for granted in terms of money... and we are only talking £1.38 here!

BUT - if I buy the PC from TCB, AND use an Amex Cash back card as well - I think will be maximising my possible cashback opportunities at the same time.
Rats - I just realised I was supposed to bring the spec in for my PC for a colleague to look at... but instead I bought my law revision!

Anyway - last night's shorthand was a bit of a disaster ... so must do some as we have the first round of this stupid Shorthand World Cup that they organise... I drew a drinking buddy so it should be fairly good natured.

How rude people are in this office. There is no-one else here... and someone walked in. I said good morning, and he just blanked me and ignored me. If it wasn't for the fact I want to try and maximise the amount of money I want to pay to the mortgage before leaving, I would have quit long ago!

Hurdler

I found this uber nifty online cuttings thingummy on t'interwebz

So OF COURSE instead of revising Anonnynonny-nimity for Media Law... I messed about with this instead!
Most of the additions are stuff I have done since the course but includes most of what I wrote on my placement.

You need 8 news stories and 2 features (both of which are underway) ... Work in progress but it is getting there!!!

Link to Rozzie's Writings

Hurdler

I am furious.... I checked on my rent account for my flat... and the money hadn't been paid (I gave them 2 months notice in Feb).
When I rang them, they told me that there was no money owing.
I am really worried (and indeed fuming) that I bet they are going to take the last 2 month's rent....

Getting shot of these scheisters is going to be worthwhile, but I fear expensive.

...

You gotta admire their nerve - I spoke to the manager of the local branch who has decided to win me over by offering to manage my property himself and drop the fees to 10% but only because I rang him to complain.
So pray tell - where was his concern when I asked to speak to him in January and was told by the property manager to "read the Ts and Cs" ... and when I sent the written confirmation to cancel the contract???

Then they threatened not to hand over the deposit to the tenants... so now they have forced my hand and I will have to get the new agents to step in earlier than planned.

Stress.

Lois_E

Oh no. That sounds awful. I know my parents had a complete nightmare with useless letting agents when they had a property they let. Good news is that they did find that things got better when they got new agents, so I hope that's the case for you too.

Hurdler

Lois_E wrote: »

Oh no. That sounds awful. I know my parents had a complete nightmare with useless letting agents when they had a property they let. Good news is that they did find that things got better when they got new agents, so I hope that's the case for you too.

I can see me being out of pocket to the tune of the deposit (6 weeks initially rent) but I was so incensed I basically told them that I have engaged another local firm to manage the property in their place.

Meanwhile in other news - O2 is sending me my £30 cashback... because I am chucking everything at the moment to the mortgage...

I might put off buying the PC and get myself the new iPad (mum usually gives me money for my birthday which is this month, so that will help!)...

It's like the old PC knew it's life was in danger because now miraculously it has stopped engraving my hard drive and seems to want to work now... funny how that happens!

Hurdler

well it's been an odd week - been poorly with a sore throat and bizarrely a pain in my jaw that hasn't gone.

So I had a couple of days where I didn't do much in the way of revision/shorthand this week...

So upshot is I probably got knocked out of the Shorthand World Cup (yes really!) but I did give it a real good go.
At least this means I can focus on revision until 21st March because lord knows that exam was horrific!
The sum total of my answers was "these people are VERY naughty and should be sent to to bed with no tea"... I'm not sure that's the actual defence my tutor is looking for... #justsayin

I am doing my finances nice and early (not least of which... a £13 reduction in my mortgage thanks to paying off another £3000.

oooh a friend had an AMAZING scrambled egg and toast tower breakfast on facebook the other day - so I am contemplating it!!!

Hurdler

Oh. My. GAWD!
I just had a coronary! I thought I would update my IT and Journalism CVs today and I vaguely remember a backup disaster where I had to copy back some files back from a backup... and ALL MY CVs HAD GONE from my PC.

This included a "Compendium" CV of all my experiences at my former company - an exercise set for me by the outplacement consultant... and something that is extremely useful for tailoring CVs.

Luckily I had sent that and my latest IT one to a friend who was recently made redundant... and I'd sent my latest Journalism one out when I was applying for my placement at the start of the year.
Maybe I SHOULD take advantage of those backup solutions always being offered for free with various things!

Hurdler

I got asked to put in 2 trial articles for a chance to write freelance for a new sports managing starting up. One of my classmates also had applied and she has 1 500 word piece, I have 2x250.
So my life at the moment is:
Wake up
Workout
Shower/change/commute to work
Work
Shorthand in lunch-break
Commute home
Workout
Revise until 9pm
Laptop out, tv on and write articles until 10.
Bed.
Repeat!

BUT I bought my new PC after getting a colleague to look at the old one and tell me what was as good/now slightly better.
I paid for it on my Amex cash back card so that should swell the coffers nicely.
I also clicked through TCB so hopefully that will track as well.

Now I feel the need to sleep, perchance to dream of editing to make that first article more dynamic... Oh and to get somewhere with the 2nd!!!

Hurdler

Oh how frustrating... I just clicked onto TCB to see if my PC purchase had tracked (it had... woot... £57 worth!)... and I saw that they are now offering the new iPad 3 via the Apple Store.

I guess because it comes out today ... the other day when I looked it said that they wouldn't cashback on pre-orders... so I duly clicked on the link... as I know my mum is giving me money towards one... and it just goes through a cycle taking you back to a screen that says "no cashback on the new iPad 3"


I wonder if it's because this is the first day of sale?

Given that my birthday isn't until next Wednesday I can afford to give the site a few days to catch up but it would be simply stupid to just impatiently go to the Apple Store in town when I could order it online, through TCB and get potentially double the opportunity for cash back

Hurdler

My mum is up to visit for Mothers day and my birthday - so I did us both mushrooms on toast with a fried egg on top!
I scraped a pass in my law mock 59% - so I have a bit of work to do still over the next couple of days!

With a little bit of luck I might be able to snaffle my birthday present a few days early - heading into town to see if I have a hope in hell of a new iPad...

Glorious day in Londinium today... pity I have to fit in notes writeups and revision... but taking mum out to her favourite Indian Restaurant near Kingston this evening for Mothers day.

Edit:
We went into town and I got the new iPad after all! I am so weak (and the shipping time is looking at 2-3 weeks!)...
I treated mum to a cuppa and a slice of cake at M&S... and then went to Lakeland and bought 2 poaching pods as a more healthy alternative to a fried egg!
Oh... and got myself a litre of Diesel oil for the car!

Just set up the new iPad - oh my it is so shiny! My inner magpie has come to life.