Muchin's diary of recover; becoming debt free and being happy

Munchin

Hi Rising - I think it's important to be a spreadsheet/budget nut to be part of the forum:D.

So I would like an Ipad at £265 but i have no money. I'm going to start the 'Virtual sealed pot' challenge and the keep up my £2 challenge for 2013 and that would be my Ipad covered.

My laptop is on it's last legs and I'm not sure if I need to plan for a new laptop or Ipad. The important thing is to put the money away next year and then make the decision.

I got my laptop 2nd hand from my brother a few years ago and I've replaced the charger/battery thing 3 times in the last year. I don't have the funds to replace the laptop but it's still working and fingers and toes crossed it will keep going.

My brother says he's hoping for a new laptop next year and I could get his hand me down:D.

Ok that's enough planning for one night.

rising_from_the_ashes

Munchin wrote: »

Hi Rising - I think it's important to be a spreadsheet/budget nut to be part of the forum:D.

Yup! I never even had a budgeting spreadsheet until I joined ... no wonder I was in such a mess:o

Munchin wrote: »

So I would like an Ipad at £265 but i have no money. I'm going to start the 'Virtual sealed pot' challenge and the keep up my £2 challenge for 2013 and that would be my Ipad covered.

I would really like a Tablet ..... mmmmm wonder if that's what I could save my £2 coins for (sure I'll already have decided what they should be for but can't remember:o) and also really want one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dyson-Digital-Animal-Cordless-Cleaner/dp/B006OWJSRY/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1354175145&sr=1-2-catcorr

I have a big (old and heavy) Dyson - it's really an essential having 3 x 4-legged moulting people in the house :eek: but it's sooooo heavy and I find it impossible to hoover the stairs ..... DM has one of the DC35's and it's wonderful *sigh*

I've decided that's what my VSP money is going towards as there is no way I could justify buying one without saving up for it.

My desktop pc's on the way out - it won't turn on :eek: & really need to take it to DF to have a look at (already done once & it typically worked fine for him:mad:) but my internet dongle goes into it so .... no internet while he's got it (which would be a min of a week:eek:).

Will def have to wait until I'm better as being housebound is bad enough .... no internet either :eek::eek:

Have been playing with 2013 spreadsheets already .....:o

Munchin

Hi all

I'm back from my trip to England and had a fantastic time. It was great to see my sister and spend time vegging, eating out and drinking red wine:D. I feel quite in the Christmas mood because it was our annual Xmas visit to her.

I had set a budget of £80 to spend in England and I spent £81.85 so quite pleased with that. I am absolutely freezing now that I'm home. I've put my hot water bottle in but I think it will take more than that.

I also bought my nephew his Xmas present. I had set aside £20 for him and his present was £13 so quite pleased. I only buy 2 of my nephews presents as they are also my godsons. The rest get chocolates - well there are 10 of them and it was getting ridicuously expensive.

Apart from doing a pile of washing and sorting out my budget I really don't have any plans tomorrow.

Risin - my sister has a very adventurous pup so I can see now why you want a dyson as his wee hairs were everywhere.

Ok time to wrap up warm and go to bed.

rising_from_the_ashes

Munchin wrote: »

Risin - my sister has a very adventurous pup so I can see now why you want a dyson as his wee hairs were everywhere.

Awwwwwwww

Glad you had such a lovely time & well done on sticking to the budgets!:T

Chilly here too - had a night with DM&DF yesterday & woke up to snow outside :eek: .... thankfully none here when we got back!

Munchin

Oh dear, it looks like I abandoned my diary for a wee bit but I was just very tired recently.

Anyhow back on form again. I have spent this evening buying my BF some Xmas presents - socks, aftershave and a dvd. I know its not very exciting but it's what he wants:D. I also want to get him a nice top and a surprise so hitting the shops on Thursday with my Mum.

On the budget front it looks like this -

• Car Mot - £1.01 left in budget (car passed:T)
• Diesel - £19.96 left (filled today)
• Clothing - -£2.00 overspent:o
• Xmas present - £108.09 (but presents still to buy)
• Hair & beauty - £-5.00 (overspent)
• Nephews treats - £23.69
• Groceries & entertainment - £103.99
• Exercise - £16.00
• Xmas dinner - £70

My car passed it's MOT but it has a few sensor problems I need to fix. I only have one Xmas dinner left to go to so hopefully I can move some of my dinner money over to groceries. Most of the budgets should be fine (fingers crossed).

So still to buy for -

nephew - £20
OH - £40
Mum - £5
Work - £20 (collections for cleaner, security, colleague and last day)
Cards - £5
Uncle - [STRIKE]£20[/STRIKE] - £19 spent:)

Total = £110

I think that will do me for now:)

Munchin

Hi again

So the work Xmas dinner is done and dusted. I had a good night, the food was lovely and the band were great. Everyone was up dancing and just having a nice time.

I met my friends for lunch yesterday and then I went to a work event last night and I wasn't home until 11pm.

I have a few more work things and then that is me done for Xmas.

I have £100 to do me this week and next and that would normally be fine but with Xmas it might be a bit tight. I need to budget everyday now as I haven't been doing much forward planning:o.

So tomorrow I'm in work all day but I'm going to a Xmas concert tomorrow night -

Wed - £10 spends.
Thurs - Shopping with my Mum (£20)
Fri - takeaway night (£10)
Sat - exercise class

rising_from_the_ashes

:santa2: Wondered where you'd disappeared to! Sounds like you've been having a lovely time ..... kind of missing being out and about this year - I'm really not a "Christmas person" but it does feel odd being cocooned in my house!

Fantastic the car passed it's MOT - always a worry ..... and the budgets not looking too bad!

Enjoy the concert tonight

Munchin

Morning world:),

Hi Risin - I'm afraid I am a Xmas person:D but I still hate hitting the shops at this time of year which is where I'm headed to today with my Mum. My old boss had coeliac disease and it is a really horrible illness so much sympathies your way:).

I went to bed last night and kept my dressing gown on. I was so cold. OH came to bed about an hour later and even him lying beside me didn't warm me up so I have had a pants night sleep and feeling it now.

Concert was fine last night. OH expected more and was bit disappointed.

I only spent £5 yesterday as I paid for the carparking at the concert so quite chuffed. I joined the NSD challenge this month but even though I haven't spent tons I've managed to spend almost everyday:o. I need to get back to planning and budgeting for the month ahead.

So today I'm hitting the shops and will get this Xmas shopping done -

• [STRIKE]Xmas cards[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Sweets[/STRIKE] (security)
  
• [STRIKE]Sweets (Mum)[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Sweets (friend)[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]OH presents???[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]General - hair moouse, pants[/STRIKE]:)

Nephews dad is going to buy him a present from me & Mum and I only have to give him money.


Wish me luck:D

rising_from_the_ashes

Hope the shopping went well!

Munchin

Morning MSE world:D

Shopping went very well Risin. However when I got home I remembered I'd forgotten my boss. Oh well a box of chocs will do. I was glad my Mum was with me as usually I'm the one reminding her about people and she was doing it to me:)

Today I've been really productive I have the stove cleaned out and the living room hoovered. I've sort of tidied up the kitchen but will finish it off later.

I'm heading to Mums now to sort out her Xmas tree. It involves shifting furniture as she has a small living room and a big tree . Mum texted me yesterday to say that her friends husband had died suddenly. So she is heading to the funeral today and that leaves me babysitting both my nephews. I will take them to the park but that's it as I've taken them swimming, cinema and bowling this month and the budget is gone. Ok i will buy them some sweets as I'm not bad:)

I'm in work all this week but I don't mind Xmas week as we have a wee office party on the last day. I also have my final Xmas do on Wed night.

I get paid on Wed as well and I'm looking forward to sorting out the budgets again (sad I know). I have almost got my 2013 budget planned. Once Xmas is out of the way then I can realistically be able to set the budgets for the year ahead. Of course things will always crop up that are not expected. In Dec so far my oil light on my car needed updated, my car heater packed up which cost me £107 even though I had passed the MOT. My food processor has died and it needs to be replaced but will hold off on until the January sales.

Ok time to head to my Mums:D and assemble the mighty tree. :xmastree: No matter how much care I take the tree looks like I shut my eyes and threw the decorations at it :rotfl:

Have a good day everyone.