Head out of sand - just

nannygladys

I was paid yesterday and was doing my accounts when I realised that I just keep on spending on really daft things and its not helping my debt busting.

Let me explain a bit, about 18 months ago I walked out of my job working in a stressful office as it was all getting to me, I could easily do the job, been doing it for years, but the office manager (who I had worked for a few years) seemed to have some grudge against me for some reason and made it very uncomfortable for me, anyway I walked one dinnertime, I know it was foolish but at the time I wasnt thinking straight, anyway the long and short of it is I now work part time in a job that requires very little thinking about and mentally and physically I have never been better, but financially I am so much worse off. I dont owe great amounts, but the meagre wages I do get I can only just manage to get by and thats about it, Im not complaining as I really enjoy a challange and all the forums are very helpful, I have gone down the usual avenues and reduced my bills but it still leaves not a lot:(

Anyway the real reason for starting this thread is so I can keep track and not keep spending on unnecessary things, so this month I will only withdraw my 92.00 grocery/fuel money and give DD1 my cards, and this will be a record of how I get on and what Im doing. I will also add other things that Im bothered about as I admit them to myself:(

What I do have to do next week on my days off are:
1 Look into my PPI if I can find the paperwork.
2 Open a new savings account with the COOP with the money thats left in an old current account with them and use it for something, (not thought what yet - its not much)
3 Look out any old gold, I must have some somewhere

So far I have menu planned for the next two weeks, its very basic and boring, but I will use the plan twice to cover the whole four weeks until next payday. The figures in my signature are correct, so I will keep updating them and write down any spends on here, so I can see where they are going. Well thats about it so far, and I have to go to bed as Im in work for 6am tomorrow, but now I have put it down on paper, so to speak, it doesnt seem as bad, oh and sorry for the essay

Friday dinner - bean casserole and HM bread
Saturday lunch - egg & veg fried rice
dinner - LO bean casserole and cabbage

I made a big pot of casserole and froze two portions , I also made a banana loaf today and froze half and a huge saucepan of lentil soup that will last me days:):) and I still havent spent a penny of this weeks money By the way theres only me here but my DD's and DGD visit all the time

Anyway off to bed,
Jxx

FrugalLina

Your situation sounds very similar to mine - it looks like you are on the right track now and I shall enjoy following your journey.

moneywaster-nomore

Hiya, similarities to mine too. Hopefully we can all help each other.

BEAT_THE_DEBT

Hi i feel for you that you felt you had to leave your job. Could you out in for constructive dismissal as you could not work there due to yoiur boss's behaviour. I hate bullies!!!xx

nannygladys

Hi everyone

Thanks for the kind things written and hello to you:)
Frugalina - My DD1 has recently had a rescue dog and the dog has been though a lot in her short life but is so beautiful and friendly, I dont understand how people can be so nasty to other living things.

Hello Money waster no more its strange when you think you are the only one with problems and your not, its makes me wonder sometimes how many at work are in a similar situation and dont say anything, perhaps we are all ashamed of how we managed to get here, if that makes sense

Beat the debt I probably could have gone for constructive dismissal but Im just glad not to be there any more,so I will leave that to the next person they take umbridge with

Anyway today, I managed to get up and to work for 6am and I slept really well,could have had something to do with writing things down. Its been a busy day and it just flew by, so home by 3.30 as I called in to see a friend on the way and tucked into a bowl of HM soup (lentil) and a crusty roll or two, from the reduced shelf - see, Im taking this seriously oh by the way I spent a total of 4.51 in Mr S for marg, coffee, cereal, rolls and baked beans, all on offer or reduced so I will update signature when I finish this.

And then I fell asleep on the settee until the phone went and I couldnt find it anywhere - eventually I did find it lurking behind a vase of daffs in the kitchen window cant remember putting it there but I will blame it on premature senility:rotfl:anyway that was DD3 filling me in on her adventures of the last few days, I have 3 DD's and they all keep track of me, sometimes I feel like the child cos if one of them cant get hold of me, they will phone each other up to see if they can find me - its like deja vue if thats the saying:) cant complain though I just think its shows I couldnt have been a bad mum when they were living at home:)

On the MSE front I think I will miss my dinner on the menu plan and have it another day as the soup has filled me up and I have started looking for anything relating to my loan with PPI on it, I know there is insurance on it as I had an annual statement though to show it, but I cant think what I did with the original docs, but I do have a couple of more folders to go though, I think I will have to reorganise my filing system and shred loads of stuff as theres just too much rubbish from way back

Anyway off for a shower and bed with good book, or I may just take the computer and watch some catchup TV, on another 6-2 tomorrow
Jxx

nannygladys

I have survived another day with my LBM realisation, been at work and came home after buying some milk 1.80 and fuel 20.01. Anyway, here I am sat in a cold house as Im trying not to put the heating on until 6pm but with a warm cuddley all in one thing on that makes me look like a teletubby, a so called friend bought it me for Xmas as I was always saying I was cold:rotfl:anyway if someone came to the door I dont think I would open it wearing this or I would be known as that batty woman at number 6!!!!! but having said that it does keep me snuggly warm

Ive had some more lentil soup and HM bread and I dont think I can face cooking again tonight, Im so tired today, no reason why just one of those things. So as Im off work the next few days I will have a big cook in and freeze some meals and that way I will begin to eat properly, I must also clean the house (its not that bad just a bit dusty) do the washing, put the BM on and not spend anything, so thats it (oh and my list) - I wont be going out anywhere, its the only way I can guarentee not to spend anything.

I bought a sewing machine just after Xmas and its all set up on the kitchen table so I may bite the bullet and have a go at it. Thats what I do, I get an idea in my head and I just have to get going ie thought I could make some clothes for myself, so I bought a sewing machine - how daft is that????? I dont think things through properly. I went to a fabric shop and it was sooooo expensive I couldnt believe it, you dont make you own clothes for cheapness. I did buy some material and a pattern to make a top and I have cut it out but being a bit scared of Gloria(thats the machines nickname!) I have yet to switch it on:(

So that can be another thing to add to my list of 'to do's' Did I say I enjoy crafting? well I have recently started again, I used to do it when my children were small but then stopped when I started work, so now I have gathered myself together I have started again, nothing too ambitious just a little crochet and knitting

Anyway another essay, so I will leave you now for a bit
Jxx

nannygladys

Well BM on and strong coffee ready in machine ready for the sorting of old accounts boxes, I havent been in these for years so I hope to find paperwork for PPI and then I will apply for money back, I didnt realise I paid it until I had a look at the annual statement I had this year, I dont usually look at thosw either its only because its been all over the TV so I will see what happens, anything is welcome at the moment, because when the OD and CC are sorted I have to do something about the house and mortgage but I dont want to address that at the moment, to be honest I cant really face it as I may lose it in a couple of years and I keep putting the inevitable off. DD1 wants me to go to the BS and I know I will have to but cant face it yet - anyway less about that account boxes 1-3 here I come
Jxx

nannygladys

Well its taken me all this time to sort out my files and I wish I had done it earlier - like 10 years ago!!!

Anyway found some paperwork for the PPI so at least I can to MSE PPI thread and do a letter, but I also found an old bank acc with a few pounds in it so I will see about that and also the chq that I thought Id mislaid, again its only for a few pounds but it all helps. Its very tiring and I have two carrier bags of shredding or burning to do which at the moment I have put away until I can face that.

Going to get my dinner, I put in a sausage and baked bean casserole earlier on and its now cooked, so will probably be back later
Jxx

Piquant_2

You're doing well nanny!

I'm with you on the filing, yuk! I cleared mine today, long overdue. I don't shred everything at once if there's a lot, just enough until I'm bored, I then empty the shredded paper into a bag for recycling and hit another batch in a day or so. The one thing I've found is that it doesn't go away because you haven't tackled it....still there waiting for you!

Sometimes, if I'm being efficient, I score through the ID bits of junk mail with a thick black marker as soon as I open them and put them straight into the recycling, thus avoiding shredding altogether!

Piq

nannygladys

Hi there
Thanks Piquant for those comments, I defo cant face shredding at the moment, theres just tooooo much of it.:)

but I have printed off the paperwork to send a claim for PPI off so I let you all know how I get on with that, its so long winded isnt it, but I suppose I didnt get in this mess overnight, you just expect quick fixes I suppose, anyway thats tomorrow job.

I have also decided to start decluttering, I havent got too much about my house but open a drawer or cupboard and its move quick or get covered in things:rotfl:so again tomorrow I am going to clear one drawer, baby steps I think

I seem to have been at this paperwork thing all day, so Im going to give it up for today, make a cup of something or possibly have a wee drop of something and take a book/mag up to bed to recover, then just work on it until dinnertime tomorrow because Im out tomorrow night and I have to go out to see a friend tomorrow afternoon.

Anyway just to finish off, Im feeling a lot more positive today and in a much better place, the only downside of the day was my sausage and baked bean casserole, it only stretched to three meals cos I ate the rest:rotfl:
Jxx

nannygladys

Hi all who have a read

Well this morning I have been tidying through mags and papers that I found yesterday on my quest to find anything to do with a PPI, its surprising what you find when you're looking for something else, Anyway todays find was in the yellow pages of all places (dont know why I was looking in there really!) and in the back were some money off vouchers and at a local garden centre there was a voucher for a free bag of compost and a cup of tea and scone - happy days - so thats what Im doing tomorrow, going for free tea and compost:)

I also found a website last night for free crochet patterns and although most things I looked at were for beginners thats the stage Im at:)

Later going to see a film with oranage Wed and for a meal for two £10 with a good friend of mine, so Im looking forwards to that. I tell you what, Im getting better at this frugalling and really enjoy looking out for things - it doesnt take the worry away but it makes you feel better.:)

Actually here its quite downcast but at least the birds have started coming into the garden, I had a bird feeding station bought me for Xmas and although I put seeds etc on it regulary the birds just seem to ignore it, anyway saw a robin and blackbird this am so hopefully others will come as well, and the bluebells have come up really well and that always makes me feel better, anyway I'll stop waffling

Jxx