Trying to escape the Rat Race

picasso2

I've added up my monthly totals on my debts and its not good. A slight rise. However some (not all) of this is because I put some Christmas presents on the card and although the money is in my savings account I have not got round to shuffling the money. I will make a note to do this Monday. I've also got some money in my PayPal account from eBay sales and I will use make an extra payment with that too. To be fair it could have been worse and it's given me enough of a jolt to bring me back to reality.

So here goes :

Loan - 1130
CC1 - 978
CC2 - 1261
CC3 - 12, 249
CC4 - 1331
CC5 - 1331

picasso2

I've been quite busy the last few days. Me and a freind went to the Countryside live show that I won tickets for on Sunday. It was in Harrogate which is a shorter drive than we thought. We saw the dog agility which was fab , ferret racing , working dogs and dancing sheep! We got to sample foods and bought a few yorkshire made products so thats a couple of pressies bought. I have however scoffed the chardoney crisps I will certainly be looking to go back again next year.

Over yesterday and today I have sorted a few bits out. I'm fixed with my energy company until next march , I've been paying quarterly following a row with them over Direct debits. I checked my meters today and rang them and set them back up at much lower prices than they had said previously. My bills are down a bit which is an acievement given the summer we had and I think this is due to the cavity wall insulation and the new boiler I had fitted in the spring. I'm hoping to keep the bills down as much as possible over the winter mostly by switching off at the plugs and going to bed early so the heating goes off earlier !


I've sold a few bits on ebay and so has DD , love the decluttering that is going on plus the fact that paypal now sends the money by faster payments. I have another item ending today which will net me about £17 toward card bills after fees and postage so I'm looking at an extra payment of £40 at the end of this month.

My sister asked DD to do a picture for her bedroom , this is being finished tommorow and as my sister is very pleased she is paying her well for her efforts. DD doesn't know yet but as her social life is very busy she will appreciate the extra income and I'm hoping it will spur her on with her photography as she has found this year at college quite challenging.

I've had a couple of nice pieces of make up come through the post from competitions. I'm keeping the eyeshadow for myself and the eyeliner is going into DDs xmas stocking.

Well I'm off to sit under my duvet now and enter a few more from the ipad. I had been planning to plant some crocus bulbs I had been given but the weather is pants so they can wait until tommorow.

Evcakes

Glad you had a lovely time at your comp win, sounds like a good day and the pennies are coming in, enjoy snuggling under the duvet - I'm refusing to put the heating on yet so the blankets are at the ready!

I much make more of an effort to do more comps, if I don't I can't win can I lol!

NewLeaf_2

picasso that sounds fab x

picasso2

Thanks Newleaf. Evcakes I'm having to put the heating on for short bursts now mostly to get the laundry dried. I don't own a tumble drier and am not keen to buy one but the house is north facing and in the winter we don't get much sun so airer is the only way plus it keeps the condensation down. I personally could live without it altogether.

Sadly it looks like one of the eBay buyers is going to let me down. She is disputing the amount she bid saying it was £2 less . I'm a bit annoyed and quite disappointed and suggested she contact eBay to see how she should proceed whilst I cool off.

I have decided to apply for a job in a hospice. In the past I've been reluctant to go down that route but it seems these days they are the only places where you are allowed to spend time with patients and family's and give proper quality care. The job is a grade lower than I am currently paid at and a substantial drop in pay but I think I can just manage it. It may mean selling the car in the future but to be fair I find driving a chore. There are quite a few positives so I have arranged to drop in and see the unit manager to discuss it.

It's pay day for me on Friday so I'm trying to keep spending to a minimum. I'm using up bits of food and put some slightly dubious apples in the oven yesterday and had baked apples and custard and I made a nice big cottage pie today with added lentils that will stretch to tomorrow also.

I keep trying to sort out and get of things and it seems the more I get rid of the more I seem to have. Why is that ? I've got some more bits lined up to take to the charity shop tomorrow but I have also looked through my jewellery and have decided to get a quote for selling a white gold bracelet I have . I don't wear it and it has no sentimental value. I don't know what carat it is so DD is taking it to a jewellers and getting a quote and then I'm going to check prices online. It is daft to have it sat in a cupboard when I could have the cash towards getting my hall decorated.

DD and I have just been discussing our strategy for Halloween. There are no children in our direct area but we get a lot of trick or treaters. I'm not fond as these are the same kids that throw litter in the garden when passing and can be quite disrespectful. So we have decided we are going to sit in her bedroom at the back of the house and have a film fest. Looking forward to that

Come on pay day hurry up and get here !

picasso2

Woohoo payday !

Going to do my budget for the month today and will try to be strict. I do have a few social events coming up and I have my energy bill to pay. I'm hopeful I can make overpayments on my cards though as the under 18k mark is coming up and that will be a big boost.

I see EDF are putting up their prices. I'm on a fixed deal with them until March when I will start shopping around. I received my electricity statement today and it does show a reduction in our use age. It will I expect go up over the winter with the dark nights but I'm working on minimising that.

Well it's a lovely Autumn day here so I'm going to go and potter in the garden a short while. Have a great day folks.

Igamogam

Pay day here too - its great to feel solvent again for a few weeks! Good luck with the budget - my plan is to stock take food cupboards and freezer and live off that this month with just minor shopping for fruit veg etc.

pennywisepoundstupid

Hi picasso2, just read your diary from the start and wanted to wish yu luck paying off your debt.

Off to subscribe.

Hiddenidenity

Hope all is well x

picasso2

Hi folks , what a lovely day it has been today. Despite such a cold night the sun is shining ans i have got the windows and french doors wide open. Lots of lovely fresh air getting in the house.

I'm having a chilled day myself. I've done a little cleaning , entered some competitions and done some surveys but mostly im just relaxing.

Last night a freind and I went to a fright night at the museum. There were lots of zombies wandering round who were quite funny but when you went in the dark it was quite scary and I did indeed have a good scream I've never thought I would enjoy something like this but clearly a good scream is very good for you. It was fascinating to see how involved some people got and many were dressed up. It was not too expensive either as we just had a hot drink whilst a funny zombie offered us his sausage :eek:
.
I think we will definatley go again !

Next week we are going to some enchanted gardens at a country house. We have bought tickets in advance as they are cheaper, just hope its not raining !

Hope theweather is good for you all today