Finally seeing the right track getting closer

MuffinTops

Getting back into work mode after my holiday isn't feeling easy. I cycled to work yesterday and met J after work for a drink so my bike is still in work for me to cycle home tonight. I'm hoping that now we have better cycle weather in London it'll easily become a habit.

I've also brought lunches in to work so no spends there and generally staying in frugal mode. Even drinks last night only ended up costing a few pounds so had change from my daily budget.

I'm really feeling the crash from being away on holiday though. Each morning I'd be by the beach or sitting along the marina having a glass of water or coffee and am now just a little down at being back at home with all the work and mess that entails. I do need to get back onto my eBaying frenzy though and have added a couple of things already, although there's no interest showing yet.

On Monday evening I had an email stating that a bid I'd put on eBay hadn't won, when I hadn't been on eBay for over a week! That created a little panic but luckily I was home so just went on and changed my passwords on eBay and Paypal! Strange things have started happening with my accounts now, although I'm not sure what to do yet to find out if anything more sinister is occurring. I'm checking my credit regularly and there's nothing showing on there, but I'll keep an eye on it.

I've got a quiet evening planned so have decided to attempt a proper manicure on myself. I have the bits and bobs I need, so it's just about getting rid of cuticles without taking the tops of my fingers off now! After that should be plain sailing!

MuffinTops

I think I've found why there are odd things happening on my accounts recently. When I got home on Wednesday there was a letter sent to my ex from tescobank with his requested details for accessing an account and the balance in there. It's an account I believed had been moved to a sole account but for some reason he still has rights to it! I've now closed that account and had the money moved far away, but I'm really upset that he was attempting to steal from me, which had the potential to be successful. This is someone I've had no contact with for over 10 years! Based on the security questions you need to answer with TescoBank I'm sure it was him as their questions are a little obscure like "What's the first company you ever worked in?" and things like that which only he would really know.

So my quest today is to make sure he has no other access to any of my accounts anywhere as I just updated all joint accounts to me only and now I'm worried that if he still has the account numbers and can get through security he'll be given the benefit of the doubt again. I'll also get a credit report from everywhere making sure there are no loose ends that aren't listed on Experian (I only check Experian, although have just joined Noddle which lists us as connected).

I managed a near successful home manicure on Wednesday evening! Saved me £20 that I'd put aside for it so have popped that into my sealed pot.

Have brought in my lunch today and other than going to the bank I can avoid all shops too.

Thank goodness it's Friday! I'm so tired this week!

MuffinTops

I think I'm going to start my MFW diary next week. I'm at the stage where I'm itching for a new challenge to focus on and I really want to overpay each month, even if it's just a small amount. I assume I'll be able to add a link to the MFW diary the end of this diary?

My home insurance cashback paid out today!!! £70.50. Fantastic!

Oh yes, my news I was holding back. It's still not confirmed but I've requested to reduce my hours at work to a 3 day week, increasing my hours on those 3 days. I'd like to work 3 days from 8am to 6pm. With an hour excluded as a lunch break that's 27 hours I'd be paid for. I'm currently paid for 35 hours a week so I'll lose 1 day and 1 hour's usual wage.

Based on factors like tax brackets and not buying bike vouchers or extra annual leave, less commute etc I won't actually lose much in my monthly available amount. The reason I wanted to get my debts paid and now my mortgage is to have a better quality of life and reduce my hours. Now I've worked out I can reduce those hours already I've decided to go for it. I'm just waiting for HR to sign it off and it'll begin on 1st January 2013.

But, in my true obsessive nature I've also decided to still try to get my mortgage cleared in 3 years. The reason for this is that if I set the goal really high I'll work harder to acheive it and will do far better in the long run than if I set a very "achievable" target. I know I work better being pushed like that, so as long as I don't get stressed with it, that's what I'll stick to.

So, that's me up to date now I think. Once HR sign off the new hours I'll be very excited! That'll get me through the cold, dark months that seem to be fast approaching!!!!

I've been told it's accepted in principal, so just need the official sign off now! Wooh!!!

MuffinTops

So, this really is the final week of my DFW diary before I move to a better organised and more interesting (hopefully) MFW diary!

This weekend was a slight washout, but as the weather was so dull yesterday I took the opportunity to do some home admin for my business. I managed to work out all the passwords for online accounts I need to use. I just need to set up internet banking with my business account now.

I also had a look through things to add to the free listing weekend and managed to put a few things up for sale. Two have bids already. One of the items is something I've been adding for a few free listings and had no luck. I don't want to reduce the price anymore so I think I'll just stick with it now and see what happens.

So, next stages are to sort the banking out and create a blog. I'm also considering creating a protected website but I'll see how a protected page on the main site works out first.

I found the details of the advertising company and have a day off in October where I can get my adverts to them. I already have the adverts so that's all in hand.

I get paid on Friday and so Monday 1st October will be my first official Mortgage OP. I can only manage a small OP but that will be enough to push me to a fresh £K mark. Then each month I'll work at reducing the balance by another £1K as I think that will visually work for me. I also need a buffer account, although I'm fairly sure my unexpected income account can take care of that as it's looking very healthy at the moment. I want to make sure I have a fall back plan for my new hours next year.

So, stage 1 of my new way of life starts in just one week. I'm very excited

MuffinTops

There seems to be that feeling of change in the air? Or is it just me?

Work has really become hectic now. Yesterday I was the first in and last out, but I've got a new enthusiasm for it all now I know my hours will reduce in a few months and my work is also quite a bit more interesting. Which is all quite ironic really.

I get paid on Friday! Wooh! I have some birthday presents to get for October, and will also look around for Christmas things. I need to put a budget and buying list together for that. I see that Argos has the voucher offer until Sunday so will try to incorporate that into my buying plans.

When I got in last night I still had a mystery shop to do. As tempted as I was to let it slide, I don't want to be unreliable and I'll also appreciate things like that next year so I'd like to build up that trust with them. So I got in, grabbed some food and then "shopped". It wasn't that bad in the end as I only had one to do. Took me about half an hour altogether.

Tonight I'm meeting my friend at Harrods again. There's a few bits and pieces we both want to do, and Jo Malone also have a limited edition scent out which I'm keen to try! I'm hoping I'll hate it though as their products are far too expensive for my little budget!

We have to go to Boots too as he's been saving what he needs to get until he sees me as he doesn't have an advantage card. It's so lovely of him to wait to let me have the points.

Now the colder weather is setting in my thoughts are turning more to Christmas and the New Year. Although, after reading last week's MSE email it does make sense to start Christmas buying from September's salary. But it's also making me more eager to get the most out of my sealed pot! So I'm now on a final push to get as much in there as possible over the next couple of months! That just means spending less and having more NSD's.

So bring on the NSD's now! :T

miggy

That's really positive about reducing your hours! :T:T:T And brilliant that you have got yourself to a point where you can do it. :T:T:T

I'm contracted to do 21 hours pw (though I often do more) and mostly mine are squashed into two days which leaves me time for family and self. I decided I wanted the quality of life - but then we have two incomes to lean on, which makes a huge difference. I bet you are making great plans for the extra days!

I haven't read last week's email... maybe I should. We have one major birthday (and a small party) to pay for in October, then another in November and two in December - that's not counting Christmas! So I really need to do a bit of thinking.

How lovely of your friend to save the Boots points for you! they pay out well, too. Enjoy your shopping trip.

MuffinTops

Pay day today! Wooh! Although I can't get onto the website to send payments out, so I'll have to keep trying.

On Monday my first Mortgage overpay will happen so I'll be creating my new shiny diary at the weekend.

The trip to Harrods went well. I didn't buy anything but J did put a lot of things on my Boots card. We had to go round the shop 3 times for him to benefit from the vouchers but lots of extra bonus points for me too.

The first Boots we went into was only given one transaction because it was very difficult getting the voucher for the over £5 spend. The lad refused to hand any over as they only had one book left! What??? Most people even accepted that! I explained that while he had vouchers left we were entitled. While stocks last doesn't mean "unless store only has one book of vouchers remaining" So off we travelled to Piccadilly for the last 2 transactions needed and we got the vouchers each time and he was given a flashy little bag for it all too. As his purchases were for gifts he's got a nice presenation for them.

Yesterday we went out for a departmental lunch which came to £17 each!!! Eek! Luckily I'd prepared for this by not spending on Wednesday, but even so.... I hate spending that much out on one lunch meal! But it was to welcome a new joiner so we had to go somewhere nice and it doesn't happen very often.

Still no official word on my new hours, but I'm not worried knowing that HR have given it a thumbs up. It won't start until January anyway, so plenty of time.

I've had 2 really long days at work this week and feeling it now. I was so tired when I got home last night that I struggled to actually relax enough to sleep. But I did sleep well once I fell off to sleep.

Tomorrow I'm visiting my friend who lives near the seaside. She lives quite a way from me now so it'll be a full packed day which will be lovely. Sunday is a quiet day, but I need a recharge day after this week so very much looking forward to a chores only day. I've still managed to avoid putting the heating on, although my house is feeling rather cold. I'll see how Sunday goes, but if I potter around that should save the cold setting in. I'm so tight when it comes to putting the heating on as it's SO expensive. I have some credit with my energy company, but that could easily be swallowed up in 2 months of having the heating on.

Anyway, I hope everyone has had a great week. This could potentially be my last DFW update so I'll hopefully see at least some people on my new diary? I'll make a very big effort to reduce my ramblings on there!

MuffinTops

Well, I think this is it for my debt free diary. Anyone subscribed can now delete it from your subscription list.

I've had a little spring clean this weekend and today to get myself organised. I've tidied up my list of subscriptions on here and today I popped into the last bank I needed, to check the status on my accounts with them and if I have any joint accounts with my ex still open. Oddly I had 2 savings accounts and 2 current accounts in Santander! All dormant. As I can't get a letter from him stating no interest in the accounts I was able to be the one stating no interest and have now been removed from them. As I don't have a forwarding address for him any correspondence will still come to my address. That's fine though because, as of today, I've definitely got no joint accounts or financial connections anywhere with him! I genuinely thought I didn't before, but after my scare recently, with him attempting to access accounts, I've now spoken to every financial institution we ever had dealings with to double check and deal with any loose ends. So, I'll have it confirmed in about 6 weeks when the new updates are on the credit reports, but I do believe that he and I have no further connections.

My credit score currently couldn't be worse. It went from fair to rubbish in a few weeks, which I think is due to my connection with him and his assumed financial difficulties as I've only opened an Aqua card which gets paid in full by DD every month. But, I am nervous about having a decent credit score because my identity has never been worth stealing before!!!!

Anyway, I didn't want to put that update in my shiny new diary as this is old news, so I feel goes in my "old" diary.

These updates and the amazing support and comments from people on this site has really been what got me through my dark debt days so quickly. I remained focussed and excited and I thank every single person for their support since my diary started as that gave me the motivation I needed. A few typed words really doesn't do justice to that thank you, but I hope anyone reading this will know how truly thankful I am.

Anyway, without further ado (:D). Here's my MFW diary:


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4208901

Continuing the cause!!!

Thank you xxx