Flat Eric tries again ....

Flat_Eric

Since posting above, have completed food shop order for delivery on saturday. not really related to the challenge but thought I would share nevertheless!


Have been browsing the web tonight including my favourite craft retailer and have resisted the temptation to buy two kits I have warmed too (money saved with postage and before finding anything else!) £22 odd

Also binned the idea of getting my OH two cds since I have since discovered he might have (at least one of them)! good job I checked (asked casually) £15 odd saved!

In better news, won a tenner on the lottery :j that will help my overdraft

and in yet further news despite comments in earlier post have been sorely tempted into getting a kindle again. Don't need one ! and still not sure! and buying one isn't going to mean I am going to have all the hours under the sun to read.... but still tempted! Think I have talked myself into waiting.... but its hard to resist!

chevalier

IF you really want the kindle maybe you can set yousrelf the challenge of keeping it money neutral, ie paying for it by other things you sell first?

Flat_Eric

I think I have all my presents sorted now and there is still zero on my credit card :j That will change tomorrow when my home delivery shop gets debited but I shall pay off straightaway.

I have wrapped a few gifts this evening despite not feeling in the festive mood! I have a week left at work and until work is done and dusted for xmas, I don't feel I can relax.

I have just tried to log on to Internet banking to view my credit card statement for this time last year. Sadly, it doesn't appear that I can access this information and I have no idea where the paper statement might be.....

Pause

So back now with statements and this is what they say:

October 2010 - Balance £633.37
Minimum payment - £18.85
Paid £105

November 2010 - Balance £788.23
minimum payment - £23.46
Paid: £100.19

December 2010 - Balance £1015.94
minimum payment £30.24
Paid £136.16

January 2011 - Balance £1018.93
Minimum payment £30.33
Sum paid : £60

February 2011
Balance £900.10
minimum payment £26.79
sum paid £150.00

December 2011
Balance 0.00
minimum payment 0.00
sum paid 0.00!

a very thought provoking exercise....

Flat_Eric

so the start of the working week and the countdown to xmas begins. I feel happy for once that its Monday. In part because my OH will be home today (he has been away this weekend) and once I'm at work, the hours will soon disappear and xmas and my holiday will soon be here! its a busy week with several festive things to attend to so I am sure the week will fly by!

I should have mentioned in my last post that the reason I was prompted to look at my credit card statements for last year was because of an unopened (sealed) boxset of Only Fools and Horses that is located near to my computer and keeps giving me the evil eye! I bought this last December and recall (not time to check at the moment) that it cost in the region of £68. That was £68 on my credit card that was not wasted because I have got something for it but with interest and payment protection, I no doubt paid more than the £68. I know there have many things that I have bought that have been "must haves" yet have remained unwatched/unread/undone! (puzzles/cross stich!) I wonder how much all this has cost me?!

chickywiggle

well done on the cc FE - mine has £240 (ouch) from christmas/ food shopping but am paying it off this afternoon.
must update my diary.

i was soooo tempted by the £19.99 (i think it was) red dwarf box set but managed to resist we have farrr toooo many dvds.

Flat_Eric

Merry Christmas all! I hope everyone had a lovely day yesterday and that today has been relaxing. Certainly for us, yesterday involved lots of family visits and catch up. Today has been a bit more relaxing with a nice dinner cooked for us tonight followed by a game of trivial pursuit (which we won!)

I have done very well present wise. I got my kindle :j and I also got a voucher for my favourite craft retailer. other gifts were typical me and have been very well received. I also got money, some of which (Received before xmas) has already been paid into my account - other monies yet to come. Anyway, come the end of the month I should be less than £100 overdrawn which will be a big improvement on previous months when I have been over £300 overdrawn and as I have also been clearing my credit card each month (typically £200 plus) it is sometimes not even the start of the month and I am overdrawn! I think buying xmas presents early has certainly helped (I think I bought my first present in August) because it hasn't all been one big expense this month and I am not starting 2012 with a credit card hangover.

I'm not planning on doing any sale shopping because apart from a new coat (which to be honest, I don't really need), there is nothing I need or want.

I've been busy browsing the craft retailer for items to buy but I don't want to waste the voucher so will ensure whatever I buy is a must have.

The kindle is my only danger area at the moment because I have been buying books for it, albeit cheap ones (99p) but I must not buy or replace any books I have in tree format despite the temptation. I have seven books I have bought and these will take a while to read so its not as if i need anything else at the moment.

Happy Boxing day all, I hope today has been suitably enjoyable.

Flat_Eric

I have been paid today and its the first month in a little while that I haven't had to pay anything off my credit card :j(the balance is zero!) My overdraft was minimal - under £100 which is much better than the usual £300 plus that it has been in recent months so I'm hopeful that I will manage to get through the month without going overdrawn. Will keep you posted!

As is my usual wake up routine, I switch on my computer and catch up with all things google. This morning I was drawn to the Argo$ website and their mobile phone sale. Hmmmm. I don't need to upgrade my phone and ok its only £59.99 but then there is the compulsory phone credit on top (£10) and its not even a network I'm keen on. Just because I have not had to spend any money on clearing the credit card this month, it doesn't mean I must find stuff to buy.

I have resisted the temptation to visit the sales so far although may end up going in today. Need to renew bus pass and get a few bits but not sure I can be bothered to move myself to get organised and get into town (need to be back early afternoon for food shop delivery) so will need to go early this morning. May update money spreadsheet and then decide!

Flat_Eric

well visited the sales and spent the grand sum of £1.75 on sale items!

Looked round b0ots (had a voucher) and was :eek: at how much stock was left (all half price) but nothing I wanted enough to spend my voucher on.

Looked at a coat £79 (or was it £69?) reduced from £100 - left it on the peg - may be if it had been half price.....

went into ? (can't remember what the shop is called) - the pink snood I saw last week wasn't in the sale but was there on the shelf but one of them had some threads pulled - that put me off and I walked out (£18 still in my pocket) :j

I renewed my bus pass - pleased as price goes up on 1 Jan so saved £3 :T

Now I just need to avoid *finding stuff to buy* on t'internet and all will be well :j

Wobblydeb

Hey Flat Eric - how has January gone? Have you managed to stop finding yourself things to buy??

I've got quite upset with the way the internet stalks me over the last few months. If I browse a site, it then keeps showing me stuff I've looked at when I've moved on. It's evil!! :mad:

chickywiggle

how you doing hun?