A Thread for After Debt?

Mort

SOT2011 wrote: »

Managed to get the insulation up in the loft, but I am worn out after laying out one, so the other two will have to wait till I next get the urge to do some. Hopefully it will help warm the bedroom up a bit - found several areas where the original insulation was really badly laid and had left big gaps, so will see if it makes any difference.

We had our loft insulated to current standards, it was laid over the top of our old insulation. I was sceptical about it making a difference but it did :cool:

rising_from_the_ashes

backinbusiness wrote: »

I still love my spreadsheet, but even that only takes a few minutes to update every day (maybe twice a day!) now.

JulieGeorgiana wrote: »

BiB I get like that with my spreadsheets too...

As you can tell I've been bored of my spreadsheet a few too many times!

mmm I must admit that I now sometimes find myself wanting to spend something so I've something to add to the spreadsheet:eek::eek: Thankfully, I've resisted temptation so far, but I do find this a bit of a worrying trend.....

I've now tweaked the spreadsheets again (back to the needing to do something with them) - a lot of things (clothes, dentists etc etc) fell under the HUGE "anything else" budget sheet but have now all been dug out and given their own ones ..... mmmm wonder what to do with thiem next!:o

Mort wrote: »

We had our loft insulated to current standards, it was laid over the top of our old insulation. I was sceptical about it making a difference but it did :cool:

Jumping on the "insulation bandwagon", I had big problems with the heat upstairs in the summer - my bedroom regularly got up to 32 Deg plus :eek: and I ended up with an air conditioner as I just couldn't sleep (hated the extra electric costs but just no option...) - ended up getting some extra rolls of insulation last spring when they were really cheap (think I paid less than £35 to add an extra layer to the whole loft :j) and I honestly can't believe the difference it made.

I never realised it helped keep things cool too - the air conditioning unit was still used last summer, but I think it was maybe on 4 times the whole year rather than that many times each week from around April onwards.


Hope that makes sense .... I must admit to having a bit of a "chill" evening and I'm onto (or rather just about finished:o) my 2nd can of cider ... not something I do very often (usually max of 1 can and prob only once a month or so) but haven't been sleeping well and thought it may help;) - although I'll be in my bed before 9 at this rate!:)

SOT2011

Thanks Rising and Mort,

Sounds like I am doing the right thing adding more insulation then, but it is a horrid job to do. Still itchy now despite shower and change of clothes straight away.

SOT x

Mort

SOT2011 wrote: »

Thanks Rising and Mort,

Sounds like I am doing the right thing adding more insulation then, but it is a horrid job to do. Still itchy now despite shower and change of clothes straight away.

SOT x

I had our loft done by two younger, lighter and fitter lads. All I had to do was empty the loft of 20 years of my obsessive collection of cardboard packing boxes for things bought over 20+ years, some were for things that were disposed of years ago.
Our estate was targeted by companies looking to do the work, we got a quote for one (we could not have bought the insulation for what they were going to charge). Another company came round, looked at the quote and promptly halved it so we went with them. :j
A few months down the line a British Gas chap said they were doing it for free! :mad:

SOT2011

Wish I had got two younger fitter lads in :rotfl: My loft is full of cross crossing structure - not big and open like my old one.

I ache in places I never knew I had muscles, and I only managed to install one big roll. I've got 3 huge rolls for £15 and I think that should do a third of it.

SOT x

backinbusiness

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

mmm I must admit that I now sometimes find myself wanting to spend something so I've something to add to the spreadsheet:eek::eek: Thankfully, I've resisted temptation so far, but I do find this a bit of a worrying trend.....

Rising - this made me laugh. Well done for resisting so far!

Thanks for all the suggestions for what to "spreadsheet" next. Will give it a think and decide what to do.

I'm also getting bored with my bank. (This is ridiculous as it's one of the top accounts, the ISA is a decent rate, the local branch staff know me and are keen to help, etc). Long term stability with the one bank is good for the old credit file too.

I think I am going post-debt-free bonkers. And because we have our own little foibles I will confess these 2 misdemeanors - (1) I actually applied for (and got) a current account with a new bank just 'cos I liked their debit card (and I fancied a change!), but worse than that (2) I applied for (and was accepted for!) a sub-prime credit card from a provider that I defaulted with 2 and a half years ago. I don't need it. I don't want it. And I won't use it!! (That part of post LBM at least hasn't changed!). Worrying trend tho'

I suspect part of me is "testing" the post-debt waters, and railing against the boredom - but it 'aint sensible.

Kick up the backside someone?

Off to watch Scotland win at rugby (I hope).

BiB

rising_from_the_ashes

backinbusiness wrote: »

And because we have our own little foibles I will confess these 2 misdemeanors - (1) I actually applied for (and got) a current account with a new bank just 'cos I liked their debit card (and I fancied a change!), but worse than that (2) I applied for (and was accepted for!) a sub-prime credit card from a provider that I defaulted with 2 and a half years ago. I don't need it. I don't want it. And I won't use it!! (That part of post LBM at least hasn't changed!). Worrying trend tho'

I suspect part of me is "testing" the post-debt waters, and railing against the boredom - but it 'aint sensible.

Kick up the backside someone?

Since we're in a "confessional" mood ....

I nearly bought a new car this week - despite the fact that there's nothing wrong with the one I've got!:eek:

It's only just 2 years old, is paid for, and has a 5 year warranty (one of the reasons I bought it and fully intended to keep it for that length of time).

The garage had a great offer on .... £1300 off the list price of a new one, a few extras thrown in and offered top trade price for mine.

It was only the fact that I've just spend nearly £450 on it in the past fortnight that made me say no ..... (and I told the salesman that if he'd offered the deal a fortnight before, I'd probably have said yes).

And, yes, I probably would've as if I'd been able to put £500 towards the new one rather than spending money on my current one, it would've *only* cost me around £1500 to get the new one ....

:eek::eek::eek: Can I have a kick too please.....:o

Nichelette

backinbusiness wrote: »

I think I am going post-debt-free bonkers. And because we have our own little foibles I will confess these 2 misdemeanors - (1) I actually applied for (and got) a current account with a new bank just 'cos I liked their debit card (and I fancied a change!)

This made me laugh because I did exactly the same thing. About 10 years ago when I was at college Abbey National were becoming 'Abbey'. I worked in Sainsbury's so I was handling debit cards all the time and took a shine to the lovely new hot pink one they introduced. I'm not a girly girl so I don't really know why, but in my defence I was still a teenager at the time... I (finally) got rid of the account a few months ago because the service was so shocking, wish I didn't have my student overdraft with them so I could have got rid sooner!

JulieGeorgiana

BiB I did this once... applied for 7 credit cards in one day just to see who would accept me... they all did... that's how I got into debt it the first place! But seriously it's okay to test the boundaries... but be careful, I did it a few years ago and spend £3k in a month because I had decided i'd had enough of being frugal and wanted to be 'normal' for a while!! Boy did I regret it, but I think we need to blow out sometimes!

I still do this sometimes, but now it's normally a max £50 because i've learned the hard way over and over and over again, that you have to be careful!

I also find that if I spend money I love the rush... after I feel guilty and then spend more money for the 'feel good rush'! You have to be very careful about this... because it feels REALLY good... hence the £3k I spent!

Rising a new car??? Yours is new!!! I just sold my 05 Reg, and the car we have left is a 52 Reg. You don't need a new car... because they depreciate quicker and are not nessesserily more reliable. I bought my 05 Reg at 10 months old... and I would consider any car under 3 years old new! But would never buy a BRAND new one... they depreciate 25% instantly!

backinbusiness

Lol - you lot do make me feel more "normal".