Repaying my loan from The Bank of Mum and Dad

jaffacakegal

Right well it's been nearly a month since I last posted in my "diary" think it's about time I did!

I am trying to be MORE POSITIVE in November. I read diaries on here and see how people struggle but still stay positive. I wish this was me but unfortunately not!

To achieve this I thought I would start a list of Reasons To Be Happy in November! Then I realised that the 5 I have down so far are all very materialistic and random so I have stopped!

Spoken to Daddy JC and he said I should reduce payments to him - "What is the point in paying me if you can't afford it?!" Very grateful to him for this so from December I will just be paying £50 a month whilst I try to sort myself out.

Still working on the belief that I will end November at -£600 (altho if I see Xmas pressies, I have budgeted £200 total for these so at most -£800). It is another busy month for me, and I think a few well-deserved days are needed off work just to get all the home/college etc things done that I wish to achieve!

jaffacakegal

Oh and does anyone have any ideas for small Christmas presents?

Have been collecting sweetener jars with the hope that I can be "craft"y and fill them with enough nice stuff that my family won't complain that they haven't received a "proper present!"

Currently have on my "ideas for" list:

• Christmas scratchcard
• Home made biscuits (need to learn how to do this!)
• Lip balms (females)
• Xmas socks - teehee how amusing but not really type! (males)
• Seeds - possibly, chilli or flowers or the such like
• Nuts (as in little prepacked from shop to eat!)
• little puzzle games

I fear this may work out more expensive than I anticipated!

JCG x

jaffacakegal

Well I've added to my list so I suppose I should carry on with it!

It's random but then I am random, and this is my diary so here it is:

1. 1/11 parking space right outside college! (seriously this is so rare and it happened two weeks in a row - minor miracle!)
2. 1/11 car key has button for locking (I picked up the other set of keys to find this on them - 1st time I have ever owned a car that did this!)
3. 2/11 boiler is fixed (and not a moment too soon - brrr!)
4. 3/11 clean driving licence (got points on years ago - speeding naughty don't do it now cos this was enough to put me off. Sent licence off cos changed address and points written off cos over 5 years ago)
5. 3/11 car feels like mine now radio in (it felt like my bros car and I was just borrowing it, but now I have my cd player in it I feel more comfortable)
6. 11/11 got flowers (off a lovely friend who knew I'd been feeling down)
7. 11/11 did puzzle (one of these wooden brain teasers, been buggin me all week at work!)
8. 13/11 had nice meal out with friends

I suppose I just think it's about time I started appreciating what I have rather than wishing I had more. Just hoping that my mind set will shift at some point.

Think it's time to start buying some Christmas presents this week! :eek:

JCG xx

ViolaLass

What about IOUs for presents? e.g. IOU one breakfast in bed, IOU one lot of washing up when it's your turn, IOU a massage next time you're tired.

You can personalise them (give each person the thing you know they'd really like but perhaps wouldn't like to ask for) and they're free. Don't feel you have to spend money on people. That £200 would be better put on your debts and you can make people feel special without using much money.

jaffacakegal

I'm not sure they would appreciate the gesture to be honest, if that was all I gave them! I half thought about including them tho with other little things - I always say I wiill pluck my sisters eyebrows then never get round to it and I know lifts are always appreciated so I could have "IOU 1 lift at an unsociable hour!"

Happy list addition:
9. Just been on the radio!!

It was one of these text in if... things, and they rang me back and played back what I said! This makes me very giddy! As they say, small things...!!!

Interest went out today :mad: this does not make my happy list but at least it is still not massive and will hopefully start coming down soon as I pay off the overdraft!

ViolaLass

jaffacakegal wrote: »

I'm not sure they would appreciate the gesture to be honest, if that was all I gave them!

Even though they know the position you're in? Christmas should be about giving what you want and can afford to give, not what other people demand.

Your two IOU ideas sound good.

jaffacakegal

Whoops another couple of weeks between posts!

Bit stressed at the mo - exams coming up and I'm panicking a wee bit!

Starting to think PROPERLY about Christmas presents now I've been paid. Want to spend less than £200 total for 13 people. Little sis has requested pjs and I have seen some at 2 for £14 so may need to see if the shop still doing and get for both sisters (will make present more substantial looking anyway!) Still thinking of any ideas!

Had some good news money wise which not sure if I have put on her. Was paying £41 a month for gas but as I didn't have heating on at all for months, and then boiler broke, I am now in credit :j so now £24 a month.

Have also changed payment to dad to £50 for the forseeable future (not in keeping with the title of my diary but needs must!)

My old knackered car was sold for £400 and out of that dad has given me £100. Wasn't expecting anything as technically it was his, but at least it makes up for roughly that amount that I lost on car tax

So still chasing that elusive dream to end the month at £600 overdrawn!!! Maybe December, if not then it's finger pulling out time!

JCG x

jaffacakegal

Maybe I should accept I will only post on here fortnightly :rotfl:

Been a bit busy recently, 2 exams which I am not sure how I have done on, and a lot of band christmas concerts to keep me busy! All over now, just thinking about Christmas and the new year to follow.

Gettin a bit excited for the new year, hoping I can get everything sorted and start to make a real change with my money attitudes.

Although everything has gone a bit *ahem* mammaries aloft with my budget this month! Soap & Glory event, just couldn't ignore it!

Rather proud of my haul though:

3 x S&G sets = £75 (1 for a friend)

No 7 Protect and Perfect were doing £40 for the serum, night cream and day cream together (saving £22.50 :eek:) and I actually needed and wanted these - gotta look after the wrinkles now I'm 26!!

so £115 in total, had a £10 love to shop voucher so £105 - receipt showed savings of £127.50 :D

Also got £14 of points added to my advantage card so pretty darned happy with that


Busy trying to make biscuits for Christmas presents at the mo - 1st batch ok, 2nd batch disaster with icing! Another week to perfect my technique - fingers crossed!

Doing someones tax return as well so will be doing this tonight, as she is paying me for this so that will be nice to receive after todays spend!

Going on past form it will be at least the 30th before I post here again so MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone and possibly HAPPY NEW YEAR if I am even longer this time!!!

JCG xxxxxx

jaffacakegal

Well hope everyone had a nice Christmas! :rudolf:

I'm full of a cold so felt pretty rough all day. Was glad to get back from my family and get in my pjs!

I went for a mixture in the end of bought presents an homemade. All my immediate family got a jar filled with little presents, IOUs and homemade biscuits (gave up on icing and gave them plain in the end!). Not sure if anyone will redeem the IOUs but looked pretty damn cool even if I do say so myself!

It has made me think that I would like to veer towards the homemade side of things more in the future cos once they knew I had made the biscuits the lack of proper present seemed forgiven.

No major arguments this year, which is strange for us, but there are more days together to come before the year is out!


As reported on the NSD thread, I have done very well out of my presents! My dad filled a massive box full of cleaning products after I joked that it was all I wanted :rotfl:I may have to become more houseproud to use all these up within the next 10 years! Also had a lot of toiletries, and added to my S&G haul I will be in body butter til ooo at least 2015!

Other useful presents are glasses case (to replace broken one), swimming goggles (to replace broken pair), Kindle cover (to help me not to break Kindle received as present!), and.......

MASSIVE PACK OF JAFFA CAKES :j:j:j

I really have been spoiled this year!

JCG xxx

jaffacakegal

Hiya!!

Well I'm all being optimistic like most people at the start of the year!

Got myself to the gym today, did a bit longer than usual, so hope to continue this when I can.

Have signed myself up for the 2 stone 2 grand 4 months challenge MrBloater has started, but like I said on there 2grand is the amount in 4 months that I have left over after paying direct debits!!

Going to copy and paste from there my ideas to contribute to the saving part so I know where to find them...

• any income from extra work or presents (not likely as bday is July!)
• any increase in pay (definitely not likely!!!)
• any reduction in overdraft that I make month on month
• any reductions on my bills I make by switching
• cash back when i switch
• anything on receipts that says "you saved..."
• however much I have in my piggy banks
• any money saved by buying in sales/student discount
• any money saved by using vouchers/points instead

also thought of a couple more

• interest reduction
• meal costs (provided at work saving probably 3pound a day)
• petrol saved by riding bike to work (probably around 4pound a day)

Still deciding whether to switch bank accounts to Santander - would get 200pounds for switching but not sure how it works with me being in my overdraft at the mo! Would be a nice boost to the target tho!

JCG x