In pursuit of Health, Wealth and Happiness

Tete_en_l'Air

:j:jAh Hurrah! So so happy for you Kitty! I'd a feeling they would want you after the way it all came about but didn't want to say so in case I was wrong! Eeep! Scary times now!

starnac

Congratulations Kitty x

clearmydebts

Well done Kittikins - that's great news!

Birdie85

Great news Kitty! :T

Lara44

Brilliant news!!! :j

Kittikins

Thanks girls, it's all soooo exciting

Tete_en_l'Air

Argh, just wrote a long update post and then for some stupid reason refreshed the page and it disappeared! What was I saying?
Ooh first update was that I've lost 1lb this week - not amazing but I did have a bit of a naughty weekend so not bad. I'm not limiting myself to 1200 calories this week as my half marathon is this Sunday, but I don't want to be making a pig of myself either! :EasterBun
Other updates were financial. I've been watching the Martin programme the last couple of weeks, and even though I know it all in theory, it has prompted me to act on a couple of things. Last week's one about fee-paying bank accounts for example - I've just upgraded to the Nationwide £10 a month one which gives you breakdown cover and mobile phone and travel insurance. My breakdown cover expires on 7th June and I'm going to get myself a new phone soon so that'll be a good deal for me.

I was kicking myself a bit watching Friday's ep about credit scores though, as I realised that the pesky £12 late payment fees I've been getting on my credit card are not just annoying, they're an actual default - which is stupidity on my part, especially since they're never more than a week late and I always have the money in the bank :wall: I realised I need to act NOW to build up my credit rating for after my teaching course when I might hopefully be in a position to maybe apply for a mortgage.

A to-do list is called for to help me straighten out my head:

- [STRIKE]Apply for Nationwide account upgrade[/STRIKE] - as always, start with something you've already done
- [STRIKE]Check Graze website for (free) box which didn't arrive on Weds[/STRIKE] - The date seems to have been put back to this Wednesday but at least it hasn't gone missing.
- When Graze box arrives, alter account to occasional snack box rather than the porridge one
- Set up credit card to pay off in full by DD
- Check for lost Tesco points
- Double Tesco points - poss to buy printer for my course
- Research best printers!
- Find betting site password and withdraw winnings from Cheltenham Gold Cup (about £30)
- Have a look at phone tarrifs and cashback deals
- Have a look at phone recycling deals
- Send card and present to cousin (not really financial but needs doing!)
- Apply for new ISA - late doing this AGAIN this year :wall: although I did manage to max last year's allowance in time :T
- Look at applying for student finance
- Look at recipe books on amazon - trade-in deals?
- Start listing ebay stuff on ebay! _pale_ Worst job ever.

KITTY - have you heard anything back about the skills test things? I sent my date and venue preferences on 8th May but haven't had a reply yet Also, have you applied for a student loan yet?

Aaannnd hometime. New sofa being delivered this evening, can't wait but it's going to be no mean feat keeping the cat and her ridiculous velcro claws off it :eek:

Kittikins

Hi Tete, yup I've managed to get a place on the numeracy test, was hoping for both but I guess £150 is still pretty darned good !!

I applied for my student loan but have to call the court to get a copy of my divorce certificate as I can't find the s*dding thing; its one of the many bits of paper I have to send to Student Finance, along with other bits of paper I can't find......but know they are lying around somewhere in the bottom of my wardrobe with all my other bits of paper! I am organised at times but not at others.....

I got my confirmation letter from GTTR today, saying that I've accepted my place

Tete_en_l'Air

Ah lucky you, I'm guessing I probably haven't got a place at this stage Shame as that sort of money is not to be sniffed at, would happily do a maths test for £150!!

Paperwork is a nightmare isn't it?! Still waiting for my GCSE confirmation to come through, like you I'm sure it must be looking at me from some corner of a room - gah!

So exciting to have a place to accept I've accepted my offer but it's still a conditional one, presumably until they see my GCSE stuff - leaves me feeling slightly nervous but I'm sure it'll be fine, I've been to the meeting and been invited on the induction etc and it's not as though I'm waiting for exam results I've just sat...

Tete_en_l'Air

- [STRIKE]Apply for Nationwide account upgrade[/STRIKE] - as always, start with something you've already done
- [STRIKE]Check Graze website for (free) box which didn't arrive on Weds[/STRIKE] - The date seems to have been put back to this Wednesday but at least it hasn't gone missing.
- [STRIKE]Set up credit card to pay off in full by DD[/STRIKE] - but don't know what date for payments?? It's OK though as I never spend much on it.
- [STRIKE]Check for lost Tesco points [/STRIKE]- £39!
- [STRIKE]Double Tesco points - poss to buy printer for my course[/STRIKE] - of course, printers are not included in the exchange deal so putting this on hold for now, although I have about £10 of vouchers expiring at the end of August so will have to have a think about things I need.
- [STRIKE]Have a look at phone recycling deals[/STRIKE] - £33.50, although it does have a crack in it so maybe not! Plus £3 Quidco
- When Graze box arrives, alter account to occasional snack box rather than the porridge one
- Research best printers
- Find betting site password and withdraw winnings from Cheltenham Gold Cup (about £30)
- Have a look at phone tariffs and cashback deals - annoyingly Quidco do cashback for all iphones except the 5, and on all contracts other than iphones! Grr. Other cashback sites are an option though, this is ongoing.
- Send card and present to cousin (not really financial but needs doing!)
- Apply for new ISA - late doing this AGAIN this year :wall: although I did manage to max last year's allowance in time :T
- Look at applying for student finance
- Look at recipe books on amazon - trade-in deals?
- Start listing ebay stuff on ebay! _pale_ Worst job ever.

Getting there (ish).