London Socialite Sees The Light

Siouxsie32

Morning LG, I was just thinking of you the other day when I saw a conker fall from a tree I survived the summer relatively spider free and September's their most visible season (visible by us!) so as soon as I get a day off I'm heading out to the park to collect a load of conkers to keep them away!

I agree with what you said about being more frivolous when you don't look at your spreadsheet - I check mine every single day (like a geek :shhh:) and often get a buzz from not spending money on something that I'd previously have loved to have bought.

Ooh, looking for luuuurve :blushing: Go for it! You're in so many social situations that you'll have them falling at your feet in no time! You've worked really hard recently, it's time for a little fun

LondonGirl252

Hey Susie!

That conker stuff defintiley worked for me, I haven't had a single one in my room since I last mentioned it. *touches wood* Defintiley going to pick up some more at the weekend!

Same here!!! Before exams I religiously checked it everyday and totally getting back in that habit. I have also left my debit card at home from today as that is just too easy to spend on!

Ooh I hope so!! I need one thats either frugal or very generous! Tee hee!!

Horace

Hey LG - I am having physio on my knees and have lots of exercises to do throughout the day, not helped by my spending hours digging:eek: Talking of spiders there was a massive one in the kitchen sink this morning and he got washed down the plug hole - I must go out and get some conkers as there are loads of conker trees near me but I spent the whole weekend in the garden and as a consequence didnt have time. If the weather is dry this week, I will go and see what I can pick up before all the kids get hold of them.

I came into a spot of money last week - £90.70 which was money made from stuff I put into auction, this has been squirrelled away into my credit union account which has nearly £600 in it which is quite an achievement because it has only ever received money when I have been given some for birthdays, christmas or from rummaging in my change jars.:cool: I do not touch the money in the credit union account:D

Siouxsie32

*la la la la fingers in ears, can't hear you*

I was happy thinking September was over so there'd be no more spiders but you're the third person that said they've seen a big one in the last few days. No conkers near me and not had a chance to venture further to find some :eek:

I cleared out my entire flat over the weekend to find things to ebay (and reorganise things to create a bit more space) and I must admit, I was [STRIKE]a little[/STRIKE] scared when I was moving boxes around in case one made a bid for freedom. I have an empty glass in every room of the house to trap one if I see it (now that's a pantomime and a half!). I had to call my landlady last year to, ahem, rescue me when there was one in my kitchen sink and I couldn't walk past it :rotfl:

LondonGirl252

EEEKKKK!!!!! I have heard a few people this week say they've spotted a big-un. Maybe we're not out of the woods yet!!!

Completely drowning in work at the moment, we had a meeting about our workload last week but not sure anything will be done, hey ho. Loving 12 hour days. not.

On a brighter note, I have heard that my payrise is approved but the exact figure not yet known to me so keeping everything crossed that it is what I expect andhope to find out in the next couple of weeks I am hoping it is in time for this payday as I am desperate to have the extra cash to lob at debts and get them gone and move on with my life (that does not mean abandoning MSE!)

Budget going well this month. It almost went tits up at the weekend but then I won it back at Ascot

The ball on Friday was SO much fun, I met a lovely man who is a lawyer in the army and looked blooming marvellous in his mess kit, swapped numbers but he is not based in London so not holding my breath on that one!

Ascot was lovely on Saturday and we were blessing with the sun shining and a few wins on the nags! I went for the tactic of picking the horse with the biggest bottom!

On Sunday I had an MSE day, spent almost nothing! Met my friends in Knightsbridge and wandered round Harrods (looking only!) I had no idea there was a pet shop in there!!! Loved that! Then my fm girlfriend cooked us a roast for supper which was delish!!!

I don't have any other plans for the rest of the month really so looking forward to being able to de-clutter my room and spend some time getting the flat looking nicer to live in. I have a desk in my room which I never really used even when I studied as too small and it seems to accumulate junk so I may sell that and make more space.

I have booked train tickets to go home in a couple of weeks and Mum text me to tell me to book a hair appointment and she will pay I do love my Mum!!! Other than that I dont expect to spend much that weekend as going home is usually pretty cheap!

happihorse

Hi LondonGirl,

Sounds like you have got your life well and truly back now the exams are over. Have you been able to go riding much recently?

The payrise sounds very positive and I hope it is all you expect. At least that will sweeten the pill of having to work such long hours! I know how you feel - it seems the harder you work, the more you get given to do, or at least that seems to be the case at my company. I shouldn't really complain though - I am grateful for knowing that my role is certainly needed so hopefully that reduced the risk of redundancy.

Ascot sounds like it was a fab day out - I think your 'biggest bum' theory might be a winner!

Decluttering and selling off unwanted items sounds like a good use of a quiet time. Have you definately decided againt moving for now?

With all the work you have on, I bet the weekend at home will be good timing to help you relax and unwind. With the hairdressers appointment be for a genral tidy up or are you planning something more radical?

Anyway, got to go - just managed to nip on here while I am eating my soup but work beckons!

Take care,

happihorse x

LondonGirl252

Hey HappiHorse how are you???

Thanks, yes feeling much more relaxed about life in general. Had some really nice rides recently the horses are all back from their summer break so I have a yard of 35 horses to help exercise which is lovely! There was a gorgeous sunrise in the park yesterday so we stopped a nice jogger to take a pic of us with the lake and sun in the background!

The move is on hold for a while, I have found that since exams have finished I feel a lot more relaxed in general and things which used to annoy me about the flat before aren't bothering me so much now so I'd rather put that extra cash towards debt and getting rid of that quickly and then think about moving when Im debt free maybe

The last time I got my hair cut was March!!! So it definitley needs a good chop but I quite like having my hair long so will just ask him to keep the same style but actually put some shape back into it!

Are you riding much at the moment?

xx

LondonGirl252

I HAVE MORE GREAT NEWS!!!!

After being in tears at my desk yesterday with the stress of workload overall and then losing a whole afternoons work and feeling very much overwhelmed with the tasks on my plate I was sent out to the pub and told to come back today and start again.

Came in feeling very bleurgh about work and wanting to be in bed

As soon as my boss arrived she pulled me into a meeting room, we had a chat and decided we weren't being supported from the gods above and that we'll muddle throught together as best we can

but that she had something for me which "may" motivate me

The letter officially informing me that my salary increased from 1st October!!!!! Which means that this payday should be a whole lot more fun than the last 12 since I started this diary!!!! I am delighted and it means I have an extra £750ish a month after tax I cannot belive it, I really do feel now that the hard work for those exams has paid off and it really was worth it.

I'm going to work out in the next few days my plan of action for debt busting and give you my new debt free date

LondonGirl252

Done some quick sums and based on a quick net pay calculation I think I will be debt free by 01 July 2013 if there is no bonus at work next year or 01 May 2013 if there is a bonus next year.

THE PLAN:

1) Going to pay off the Nationwide credit card this payday and cancel the account - £150 left

2) Going to pay off the Halifax credit card this payday and cancel the account - £367.14 left

3) Increase payments to Mum and Dad by £100 to £200 so they will be paid off by January 2013

4) Pay £275 from the Post Office credit card. From the payday after I will increase this to £600 as Nationwide and Hailfax will be paid off. From Feb 2013 this will increase to £800 as Mum and Dad will be paid off and then this will be paid off by March 2013 and account cancelled.

5) My Nationwide loan repayments will stay the same until April 2013 once all other debts are paid off. There is no interest saving in paying extra per month to this. I am hoping the bonus will be enough to pay this off in Feb 2013. If there is no bonus from April 2013 (when Post Office is paid off) I will pay £900 a month into a savings account and when there is enough in there to pay it off it will be paid off in one lump sum - currently estimated to be July 2013 if no bonus.

:beer: I am loving this new plan.

I have given myself a bit of extra spending per month under this new plan so that I am more likely to acheive this rather than expect myself to keep struggling on and failing by overspending in the excitement of earning more.

I have also added an extra £100 to savings for Christmas, birthdays, unexpected events etc etc and hope this to build up.

Have just re-jigged my spreadsheet with these numbers and can't wait to tick off the months! Less than 9 months to go!

I realise I'm incredibly lucky to be in this improved situation but I really think the lessons I've learnt in the last year will stick with me and I can't imagine myself splurging outrageously. I really want to stick to this plan and then put every single penny I would have spent on debt into savings and work towards a house deposit for the future

Siouxsie32

LondonGirl252 wrote: »

I realise I'm incredibly lucky to be in this improved situation ...

Normally you talk a lot of sense LG, but this sentence I have to disagree with-this improved situation is down to hard work, determination, blood, sweat, tears, sacrifice, resilience and never giving up! You worked incredibly hard for those exams and deserve every extra penny you are about to earn!

Yeay to the rest of your post though :j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j