The "Pay ALL your debt off by Xmas 2012" challenge - PART 3!!!

starnac

choclover wrote: »

Think I might aim for a 'no spend on credit' next month

Should be quite easy as you'll be in looking after your brand new baby :j

Superheavy

PedroMatias wrote: »

I use Nuun hydration tabs when I'm running or mountain biking. No calories, and nice flavours. Easy to take on hols too, they come in little tubes and dissolve into water.

But yeah, can't wait! Spending a week on a beach in Zanzibar to recover afterwards

p.s. how cold is the camping? Do I need a proper winter sleeping bag?

Hi Pedro,

Thought I'd butt in. I went to Nepal a few years ago, and did a 21 day trek around Manaslu which took us up to a similar height to Kili I think, around 5,600m.

First off, don't assume that you'll get altitude sickness. When I was trekking I weighed around 18st (19 st at the start!) and was an asthmatic, and I can honestly say I didn't feel much different at altitude to climbing Snowdon or in the Brecon Beacons, apart from the obvious scenery differences.

However, my dad who is a veteran of the Alps and the Pyrenees (spelling?) and is very fit really suffered badly, and I was carrying his day pack for a couple of days.

A quick check on Wikipedia suggests that the climate at altitude in Kilimanjaro seems very similar, with really hot days if its sunny, but seriously cold if not sunny and very cold at night. On our trek we camped a few nights where it dropped down to -15. I took a three season sleeping bag, and I really should have gone for a proper winter bag. I was sleeping in three layers including my thick coat inside the bag for a couple of nights, and still felt the cold.

PedroMatias

Superheavy wrote: »

Hi Pedro,

Thought I'd butt in. I went to Nepal a few years ago, and did a 21 day trek around Manaslu which took us up to a similar height to Kili I think, around 5,600m.

First off, don't assume that you'll get altitude sickness. When I was trekking I weighed around 18st (19 st at the start!) and was an asthmatic, and I can honestly say I didn't feel much different at altitude to climbing Snowdon or in the Brecon Beacons, apart from the obvious scenery differences.

However, my dad who is a veteran of the Alps and the Pyrenees (spelling?) and is very fit really suffered badly, and I was carrying his day pack for a couple of days.

A quick check on Wikipedia suggests that the climate at altitude in Kilimanjaro seems very similar, with really hot days if its sunny, but seriously cold if not sunny and very cold at night. On our trek we camped a few nights where it dropped down to -15. I took a three season sleeping bag, and I really should have gone for a proper winter bag. I was sleeping in three layers including my thick coat inside the bag for a couple of nights, and still felt the cold.

Wow, thanks Superheavy. Lots of great info there! I guess it's just because I've suffered badly with altitude sickness before that I'm worried. Anyway, I'll stop clogging up the thread now... cheers for the advice

mf0u1098

Just have to tell you guys how proud that I finally went to the dentist even though I was shaking like a leaf and the dentist is a friend of mine who I've known for 20yrs!

Anyway, the good news is that I only need 1 filling which is great news considering it has been seriously years since I last went to a dentist... he was impressed that my teeth are so good! Even better was when I got the bill and I was expecting £60 (checkup and x-rays) but he only charged me £17.50!!!! He was so great that I actually don't feel scared anymore and am looking forward to us going out straight after the filling is done in a few weeks and try drinking a pint out of a straw! That will be a sight whilst I try not to drool with one side of my mouth numb!!!

PedroMatias

mf0u1098 wrote: »

Just have to tell you guys how proud that I finally went to the dentist even though I was shaking like a leaf and the dentist is a friend of mine who I've known for 20yrs!

Anyway, the good news is that I only need 1 filling which is great news considering it has been seriously years since I last went to a dentist... he was impressed that my teeth are so good! Even better was when I got the bill and I was expecting £60 (checkup and x-rays) but he only charged me £17.50!!!! He was so great that I actually don't feel scared anymore and am looking forward to us going out straight after the filling is done in a few weeks and try drinking a pint out of a straw! That will be a sight whilst I try not to drool with one side of my mouth numb!!!

Well done overcoming your dentistophobia! Was the 7 years due to being scared, or because of NHS waiting lists?

kerri_dfw

Hahaha Jemma, please take a picture to show us all

Psycho....nooooo you are ahead of me! How did that happen! Grrr. MUST TRY HARDER, but with £600 in flights and 5 nights in a hotel, it might have to wait until the expenses come back in after Canada I think....

mf0u1098

PedroMatias wrote: »

Well done overcoming your dentistophobia! Was the 7 years due to being scared, or because of NHS waiting lists?

kerri_dfw wrote: »

Hahaha Jemma, please take a picture to show us all

Psycho....nooooo you are ahead of me! How did that happen! Grrr. MUST TRY HARDER, but with £600 in flights and 5 nights in a hotel, it might have to wait until the expenses come back in after Canada I think....

haha, no it was needle-phobia! I'm not bothered about needles anywhere else except my mouth. My last dentist was really rubbish and after 5 injections my teeth still weren't numb but my cheek and lip was and I had to leave the surgery without having any fillings done but a sore but strangely numb mouth! It wasn't the first time either so I just didn't go back.

Don't worry Kerri, I'll take a picture! :rotfl: At least I've got this to be excited about so I can try and forget about the needle beforehand...

BrandNewStart

Hello peeps, lovely to read your posts tonight, thank you for them and also :money:for being in the same boat as me!I really liked the "200 days to debt free" post mfl0u, it got me feeling more optimistic. Not long til I start saving big biscuits on my car insurance too. That will be cool.

Kerfuffle

Hi Folks,

Mrs Addicted to spending - I really hope the 2 leaking pipes and the broken fence are the 3 things, and that the carpet can be saved.

Starnac - I ate the Kit-Kat too fast , so I was remorseful that I hadn't savored it has much as was warranted, especially considering the lengths I had to go to to get it

Oooooh jakes-mum, Revels, it's a long time since I had any of them :drool:

kerri_dfw - I was thinking you could do with a corporate card, you're paying out a lot of money for the company. Why don't you try one, you never know you might not be as tempted to use it as much as you think:)

Amy83 - well done for making a payment, and good luck with the stopping smoking again.:D

Psycopathbabble - Welcome home. Good to hear that you had a good time although a shame about Mr S's wallet, I hope it all works out okay.

choclover wrote: »

Think I might aim for a 'no spend on credit' next month as since I've joined this thread we've spent a staggering £2332! I'm so disappointed as I'd be so far ahead if we hadn't spent it!

choclover - I think this is a great idea. It's sooooo easy to overspend when using a credit card. Even if I tell myself my budget is xxxx amount I always go over it when I'm using a card rather than cash.:(

mf0u1098 wrote: »

Just have to tell you guys how proud that I finally went to the dentist even though I was shaking like a leaf and the dentist is a friend of mine who I've known for 20yrs!

Anyway, the good news is that I only need 1 filling which is great news **snip

Great news Jemma - my hubby went to the dentist on Thursday, the first time in years and he did really well, came out without having to have anything major also. I on the other hand, always need something done I think a lot of it is genetics cos I really look after my teeth. His reluctance is due to needles too.

I'm pleased to hear that you're feeling more optimistic BrandNewStart, this whole journey is up and down, just remember we're all going through it too so don't be put off when you're having a bad day.

Nothing much to report from me today, I haven't been out anywhere so I haven't spent any money, which is my main focus this month so that I can make an overpayment against my debt total.

psychopathbabble

choclover wrote: »

God - you're doing really well. Sooooo jealous!

It's taken me a very long time to get to this point so you will get there It's thanks to a PPI refund and not having to pay rent while i've been off work otherwise I'd still be around £6k I reckon. My LBM was 2.5 years ago!



I forgot to tell you all, while I was away we got a letter from the deposit dispute service and they only gave the Landlord £190!!!!! So out of the £600 initially, we got over 2/3s of it back! :j:j:j