Finally I have a mortgage I can start to pay off!

themadvix

Afternoon all!

DH and I had a great night out last night - dinner at Pizza Express followed by cinema to see the Greatest Showman and it cost us £7.50 in total (aside from the initial cinema ticket money, but that's coming from my birthday present, so doesn't count ). I could have saved us another £3.80, but I might have been pushing my luck with the waitress in Pizza Express - a 241 voucher, a e-gift card and a £10 leisure voucher - she had to ask the manager for help with the last two! I had managed to embarrass DH enough as it was too.... The film was excellent, we really enjoyed it (and the remnants of the popcorn will last for another trip too ) I'm such a cheapskate, but I enjoy it so much!:rotfl:

Have done a few small bits of work this morning, but it's quiet here today. Was meant to have the plasterer in today, but he cancelled last night (is coming Sunday now). He's a friend from primary school, so I know he wouldn't mess us around intentionally.

Today will not be a NSD - am about to head out to make some purchases of bits that we've been avoiding for a while - a couple of bits from Argoose for example. However, have a plan in mind to park for free and have done my research online as to where is cheapest.

Main job this afternoon is to ring car insurance company and try to wangle a bit off the renewal. Have done all the comparison sites and not having any luck with a cheaper quote. I'll be happy if I can get the legal cover I thought we had included for the renewal price.... some haggling might be required!

MS things:
* Reached SBs goal yesterday. They still haven't resolved my gift card issue - sent me an email with a link to the same incorrect one last night; sent them a snotty email this morning and have had acknowledgement that they are still trying to resolve it... hmm
* VB poll, NV survey done
* Car insurance rigmarole....
* Mum has some Santa shares from when they became a bank which she's always said are mine and my sister's as they were the result of us having Abbey kids' accounts. We've faffed before about trying to get them transferred, but I said to mum this morning to just sell them (price is reasonable at the moment) and we'll both have the cash. This will probably suit sister as she's trying to buy a house and I can't be bothered with the extra bit on a tax return! I can invest the money in my S&S ISA instead.
* Still eating up Christmas cheese Dad gave us.....

NY resolutions:
* Failed abysmally yesterday on steps - 6k I think. Fitbit thought I'd gone to bed in the cinema, so it's counting late last night's steps as today :rotfl: Must do better today
* Yoga - also a failure yesterday, only 5 mins in the morning, but full 20 mins this morning
* Did fit kitty playtime and podcast in yesterday and pdocast today

Gratitudes:
* Great night out last night
* The wind has died down (it woke me up at one point!)
* Kitties both curled up in same room as me, being very cute

Have a good afternoon all

themadvix

Morning all!

Had a very productive afternoon yesterday, got several bits done in town and my new plan for saving on parking worked well (1.5 hrs free in Aldi, if you buy stuff, which I needed to anyway).

Have just sorted out car insurances for the year - switching didn't save us anything, so we stuck with last year's insurer. Cost us more than the renewal because I added legal cover (having had to use it once in the past, I'm surprised I hadn't included it last year). Did get 20% off of it though.

It's been a long week and I'm not in the best of moods today - seem to have a never ending list of jobs to do and very little time and enthusiasm for them.

MS things:
* Sold a couple of small items on the Bay, so money will be transferred to savings.
* Top-up shop in Aldi yesterday -£11.40 for lots of stuff - even though I know, I always forget how cheap it is! (Including organic eggs at £1.29 for 6 )
* OP back up and running, up to £12; VB poll done
* SBs - both tickets now sorted. They've refunded my bucks as they couldn't fulfil the Zooplus voucher, which is annoying as I still need the stuff, but at least I'm not out of pocket now. Undecided about whether to go for Starbucks or NT voucher (with aim of saving for a holiday/break?). Survey query credited today (the delay was my fault), so have met target too
* Car insurance sorted
* New sacrificial current account open, so need to get T3sco savings accounts set up for DDs.

NY resolutions:
* 10k steps yesterday
* Kitty playtime last night
* Have only done 5 mins of stretches this morning, so need to do more; podcast listened to.

Gratitudes:
* Lazy tea and Death in Paradise last night
* It's Friday
* It's time for a cuppa and a oat crumble (from my birthday hamper)

Busy_Mee1

Hi Madvix - spotted the words “ bank tart “ �� Well done !
Nat West are currently offering £125 for a switch and you don’t need any direct debits. You need to pay in £1000 and log in to online banking and it needs to be opened by 16 Feb. Easy money ! Hope you have opened a sacrificial account in OHs name too - double money ��

themadvix

Hi BusyMee! Sadly we're already NW customers, with a reward account, so I doubt we'll qualify. Am working on DH, but he struggles with the money shuffle as it is (we operate our money largely independently apart from our bills accounts) - I think he'll have to see the benefits before I can persuade its not too much hassle.

I am going to refer him to Nationwide though - that's an easy £200

Busy_Mee1

Unusually the Nat West switch is for new and existing customers. It has its own thread on the Budgeting and Banking forum. It would be worth a look at the T & Cs I think.

I do all the admin for Mr Mee’s accounts and tell him not to worry his pretty little head when all the paperwork arrives :rotfl: Good job he trusts me !

themadvix

Ooh, will have to have a look at that then.... but probably need to wait until I've actually received account stuff first anyway!

earthgirl

I am the same with a big long list, but no inclination! Great news about the big night out for pennies. Love that smug feeling

themadvix

Morning all!

Just a quick update as we have lots of decorating prep to do (getting ahead of ourselves as the plasterer isn't due until tomorrow).

It's Mum's birthday tonight, so we'll be having a Chinese takeaway so not a no spend day. Will enjoy it though! Would have invited her around for dinner, but absence of dining room at the moment meant this wasn't an option.

MS things:
* Ebay sale money transferred - £4.14 after fees and postage
* TT of £4.78 (haven't had the money in my current a/c for a TT in aaaages, so this feels really good!)
* Won a £2 voucher on Gfk tv survey *and* a voucher for a cuppa and muffin at the coffee shop in our local town - will enjoy that next week while I work.

NY resolutions:
* 10k steps done yesterday, didn't catch up on yoga though in the evening. Weekend now, so only steps and kitty playtime to worry about.

Gratitudes:
* BIL and fiancee have set a date for their wedding - September
* All my proposals for the district guide hut were approved at meeting (I was unable to attend, only heard last night) - means I can get cracking with this now.
* Winnings

Have a good day all!

ETA: Mum's just cancelled dinner as she's feeling rubbish NSD it is then! (We'll celebrate another time.)

newgirly

Shame your mum is not well enough for dinner

Great tip about the NatWest switch offer, I don't think I have any accounts I can switch with, they are either Halifax rewards or my main current which I don't really want to change. It's a pity they don't offer cash for just opening new accounts!

themadvix

That's what's held me back for so long NewGirly, but I've opened a new current account with my current bank and have set up two DDs for Mr T savings accounts - it's an entirely made up set up, just so I can tart. I don't want to swap any of my actual accounts or any existing DDs!