New and scared but so determined

freebyfifty

Good Morning.

Missus Knitty - Have you thought about Ready, Steady, Cook. You are clearly a genius in the kitchen :rotfl:

Miggy - Are you sober???? :rotfl:


Well it has been a busy but spend free couple of days. For DD's birthday we went out for two meals over two nights and thanks to lovely grandparents I didn't have to spend a penny I did feel a bit embarrassed that I was not contributing and I did offer (several times) but was talked down every time, so I put my purse away and shut up
Next on the agenda is Disneyland :eek: I'm not sure how that is going to go spending wise. I will go trying to be as frugal as possible but I have decided that I will not let it spoil mine, or especially the kids enjoyment. I have some euros and I will take my card and if I need to use it then I need to use it and that's that!!!!!! Breakfast is included and with a little sculduggery it will make a lovely packed lunch as well I have my travel kettle and sachets of hot chocolate and coffee as well as a box of biscuits for a snack in the room before bed and bottles of water to be filled at the bathroom tap for drinks through the day. I only really need to pay for a meal in the evening and we'll only be there for two evenings. Of course, this is not including all the "I must have" and "Oh look at this gorgeous whatever" that my kids discover they can't live without but they have been informed I'll buy them one thing and one thing only so choose wisely What's the bets that they choose the most expensive thing in the shop :eek:

I spent a lovely hour re-jiggling my spreadsheet and I am determined to be more organised and definitely more frugal after payday next week. The end of February and the beginning of March will be as spend free as it's possible to be.


Oh and lychees not only look like eyeballs but have the taste and texture of what I imagine eyeballs to be like. Yuk, Yuk Yukkety Yuk

freebyfifty

Good Morning

Well I'm back, did you miss me?

I have lots to tell.
Disneyland was brilliant :T We had such a great time and laughed and were silly and just enjoyed ourselves so much. It was bitterly cold (minus 5 through the day) which spoiled it a little but that's what layers (lots of layers) hats, gloves and scarfs are for
It was also horrendously expensive. £25 for a burger and chips for one person in the restaurants but I was a true MSEver and did it on the cheap, or as cheap as Mr Walt would let me
Lunch consisted of rolls, ham, cheese, pain au chocolat and fruit from the convenient breakfast buffet (have you ever tried making a ham roll on your knee under a tablecloth??? Not as easy as it sounds :rotfl:) and dinner was MacDonalds where I fed the three of us for less than the price of one meal elsewhere!!! The kids were more than happy with that and showed unsurpassed joy at having a Maccy D's two days running
All in all, I came back under budget but only just :j
Oh and if you ever happen to be unfortunate enough to fly into or out of Charles De Gaulle airport do not expect a warm welcome, be able to find where you are supposed to be or use the toilets. It was the worst airport I have ever had the misfortune to be in :mad:

Now that the good times are over, I have to knuckle down and get myself back into becoming free by fifty. I went shopping yesterday and spent way too much money but I am hoping this will do for a very long time. It's not even as if I needed it all really, I just went a bit mad and got supermarket fever

I also joined weight watchers last night :eek: Not only will I be debt free by 50, I will also be a stunning beautiful thin freeby (but only if I can save up for a full body transplant as well)

An NSD is planned for today along with, hopefully, many more to come. Missus Knitty stole my racing crown this month :mad: but I will get it back, oh yes Missus Knitty.....be afraid....be very afraid :rotfl:

freebyfifty

Good Morning.

Although what's good about it I want to know I'm having one of those down days that come along every so often. You know the ones..... where you look at your debt and your bank account and think 'Am I ever going to get out of this mess?' I know it's just part of the "journey" (cheesey...very cheesey) and I'll feel better tomorrow or the day after, but right now I'm fed bloomin' up I seem to have got my wages and now they are gone. :mad: I am looking forward to the day when they are all mine but by then I could be too old and knackered to care

I shall pull myself together and give myself a shake and look at the positives and negatives to see if that helps.

Wages went in the bank
Wages went out of bank
Over payment and PAD today towards Carp 1 debt
Still a massive amount to pay
Minimum payments made to 3 other debts
Still a massive amount to pay
Cupboards and freezer full of food
Still need some bits to join all the food together to make something resembling a meal
Have £55 owed to me for duty free I bought for someone in airport
I am going to have to ask them for it and I really don't want to
60 euros waiting to be exchanged to £'s
Bet I only get about £3.50 for them
Weight watchers plan went well on the first day
I am still fat, ww didn't miraculously work overnight
I am going to the gym tonight
I am going to the gym tonight


Well, that didn't work

Knitting_Nora

Ok, I've now managed to delete four (yes, four) versions of my response to this and your previous message...so now I'm going for a shorter one before I make it five times!!

First up - big hug. Sometimes we need these sort of days to remind ourselves why the fab ones are so fab. But I prescribe lots of tlc to help get you through.

Secondly - you've forgotten that the wages are yours, and that because you're now in control, you've actively made the decision to put them to use in a specific way (ie paying off debts)...you're only able to do that because you've come so far, and are really rather fab (don't gloat - you can do that in a second..)

Thirdly - you are hearby banned from writing your own 'cheer up' lists, because you're carp at it!! :rotfl:

Let's see what we can do with this list....

• Wages went in the bank
• Repayments and over-payments made on various debts :T
• Repayments etc all made before their deadlines!
• Good chunk already paid off, and strong grip on how to clear the rest!
• Cupboards and freezer full of food
• Food co-ordination challenge ahead - should make meals a laugh! :rotfl:
• Have £55 owed to me for duty free I bought for someone in airport
• Just need to remind them they owe me - no probs!
• 60 euros waiting to be exchanged to £'s
• Based on the exchange rate today, I'd get about £49, so I'll get that sorted asap!
• Weight watchers plan went well on the first day, and I'm off to the gym tonight
• Ww didn't miraculously work overnight, dagnammit! :rotfl:

Well, that's a bit better - look how well you're doing.

Nora.xx

MuffinTops

Oh I recognise those down days, but completely agree with Ms Knitty - you are carp at those lists. Great with all the others though, so you can't have everything I guess.

The only real troublesome thing there is asking for the money back. But, £55 is a lot of money to owe someone so if you're really struggling to ask for it back (try the outright way first as being up front is always better I think), but if I really struggle with anyone then I have been known to pretend I've forgotten my purse and ask them to sub me. If you do that and they sub you £10 say "Thank you so much. Just owe me £45 for the duty free now if that's easier for you?" BINGO! (I have a friend who doesn't like being reminded she owes money as she thinks that reminding her is tantamount to accusing her of stealing!!!)

never_too_old

freebyfifty

Ive nearly caught up with your blog,This debtbusting is a hard slog .Just think of the situation you would be in now if you hadnt had your lbm.

Your doing a grand job and you will get there in the end.
Well done on the diary it gives you and others the motivation to carry on,
Im now going to subscribe to your diary so your definately not talking to yourself:D

I havent got a diary but i blog, the link is available on my contact info.I find it therapeutic to put everything down, keeps me focused:)

miggy

freebyfifty wrote: »

I also joined weight watchers last night :eek: Not only will I be debt free by 50, I will also be a stunning beautiful thin freeby (but only if I can save up for a full body transplant as well)

Taking a leaf out of someone's book ... you already are, this is just to enable you to show it off better.

Knitting_Nora wrote: »

Let's see what we can do with this list....

• Wages went in the bank
• Repayments and over-payments made on various debts :T
• Repayments etc all made before their deadlines!
• Good chunk already paid off, and strong grip on how to clear the rest!
• Cupboards and freezer full of food
• Food co-ordination challenge ahead - should make meals a laugh! :rotfl:
• Have £55 owed to me for duty free I bought for someone in airport
• Just need to remind them they owe me - no probs!
• 60 euros waiting to be exchanged to £'s
• Based on the exchange rate today, I'd get about £49, so I'll get that sorted asap!
• Weight watchers plan went well on the first day, and I'm off to the gym tonight
• Ww didn't miraculously work overnight, dagnammit! :rotfl:

Well, that's a bit better - look how well you're doing.

Nora.xx

:T:T:T
Knitty, if this post could be read in isolation and still be appreciated, I'd be very tempted to nominate it for 'Post of the Month'.

miggy

MuffinTops wrote: »

£55 is a lot of money to owe someone so if you're really struggling to ask for it back (try the outright way first as being up front is always better I think), but if I really struggle with anyone then I have been known to pretend I've forgotten my purse and ask them to sub me. If you do that and they sub you £10 say "Thank you so much. Just owe me £45 for the duty free now if that's easier for you?" BINGO! (I have a friend who doesn't like being reminded she owes money as she thinks that reminding her is tantamount to accusing her of stealing!!!)

What a good way of going about it! Very tactful.

Lemon_Tree

i much prefer Nora's lists they are much more accurate of what you've achieved lol
hope you're having a good day today.

freebyfifty

Good Morning

And thanks to you lovely lot I am feeling much better today.

Missus Knitty - I like your list, I need a person like you to give me a good kick up the !!!!! every now and then.
Muffy - I will see how this weekend goes after dropping hints about how skint I am then, if that doesn't work, will roll your plan into action:)
Never too Old - Hello, welcome to my diary and well done for ploughing your way through it - you should get a gold medal
miggy - you are lovely, what a good way to think about being on a [STRIKE]diet[/STRIKE] healthy eating plan
LT - Thanks, I prefer missus knitty's list too but sometimes it's hard to see your own achievements.


I went to the gym yesterday evening, I had to force myself to go though and was coming up with all sorts of excuses, but the thought of spending money and not getting anything for it was the final push
It was hard and I have lost any kind of running ability I ever had but I decided to start right from the very beginning and just plodded, waddled, gasped and staggered my way through 30 minutes on the treadmill. Then, pushed, pulled and heaved myself for 10 minutes on the rowing machine. Followed by a painful 10 minutes on the cross trainer. It was almost a blissful relief when I moved onto the weights. Never mind, I'm sure it will get easier :eek:

Today is the day when I will get organised for the birthdays in March and get them ordered/bidded on in ebay. Then I will hopefully have no more to worry about until June
I am also going to get some more things listed on ebay as I have nothing on there at the moment
I am going to change my left over euros today so I will do a very small shop for some fruit and veg with some of the cash and I can still count it as a NSD because I am using already counted somewhere else money The rest will be put away for my £20 a week budget.

Thank you all for helping me to feel better, you are all brilliant :T