In the words of Yazz...

Fudgefund

I think you are right PLMBL, they do seem to deplore gifts of all kinds and refuse to let us pay for anything. I will have a look for a nice card at lunchtime tomorrow. It's thoughtful and it'll save me £10 I simply do not have at the mo.

Thanks for popping by DFW123, it's always nice to see a new person pop up! And well done on making it through 15 pages of teenage angst, as written by a 30 year old. I've also suffered from depression since my teens, but I am enjoying a bit of a purple patch at the moment. I do carry around an unpleasant thought at the back of my mind that it could be back any moment but I am simply going to have to cope when it comes. I do have my off days but as you say, trying to nip it in the bud and be a bit kinder to yourself is a good way to ward off small episodes. I think the common misconception with BP is that it's a constant merry-go-round of ups and downs whereas I tend to just a get a life rending bout every 3/4 years brought on by stressful events. I'm battening down the hatches in 2016.

I also can't wait to be able to afford a holiday - I certainly couldn't afford this one! :rotfl:I keep thinking how much of a waste of money this holiday is, and how I'd definitely be Credit Card free now without it. I suppose I didn't want to hold DB back when i came down to it, but I've already told him next year will be a cheap and cheerful visit to somewhere a lot closer to home so we can start saving together. The only positive is that before my LBM the cost of the holiday would definitely be sitting on my card instead of being paid off.

Bank holiday weekend ended a bit disastrously for me on the money front I'm afraid. I was doing well until Monday, when the newly weds we got a lift with didn't want to go back until late afternoon (and after I'd politely say through 700 wedding pictures!), so I ended up getting the train home which cost just under £10, but I really wanted to see a friend who was going away for three weeks. I then got home only to discover I'd forgotten my bus pass, so it was another £2.50 for a single fare. :mad: We went for a very MSE walk, but then ended up in the pub where I spent £20, which was terrible of me. So I totally blew my budget and ended up soberly counting the cost this morning. I am such a fool.

I've now bought food for the week, and DB is away until late Friday night, so I am determined not spend any more than the £3.70 in my purse this week (some will go on a thank you card). If I can make it to Saturday as planned, this will leave me with £60 for the nine days until I go away. If I can stay out of drinking establishments then this should be fine. I still have £90 in the bank for my hair, so worst comes to the worst I'll be on holiday with a centimetre of grey poking through. I'm really not the type to care all that much.

beanielou

I really wish you wouldent beat yourself up so much.

please-let-me-be-lucky

Och the sun will bleach your hair anyway!!

You are doing great, as beanie says, don't beat yourself up too much Xx

Fudgefund

Thanks BL and PLMBL, I'll take that in the spirit intended. I didn't realise my self-flagellating personality came across in my diary.

I'm pleased to report that I've had a NSD today, so it's one day down, another two to go. I've also had the exciting news that I'm definitely moving into DB's flat at the end of October, so I have something of an enormous challenge on my hands to massively declutter before I move.

I've been hauling around various odd items for years and never use them, so it's time to cut the ties. The first thing in my cross hairs is my pasta machine (bought years ago, used once, still in box) which seems quite a popular item on eBay. I'm not sure whether to put it on there and have the postage issue (it's heavy, not sure how i'd package it) or see if I can sell it for a moderate sum on my work notice board (which is seen by a lot of people).

I also need to sell a lot of size 16-18 vintage dresses which haven't seen the light of day for years and would be much happier in the home of someone who would actually love them. So even if they go for 99p, the plan is to finally get over my eBay fear and start getting rid.

My goal is to have listed at least one item by Sunday evening. I have the iPhone app, how hard can it be (famous last words)?

debtfreewannabe321

I'd try the work notice board first no fees, no postage! I'd then try fb sales pages for same reasons :rotfl: when/if they fail to sell it i'd then try ebay! Good luck de-cluttering I'm constantly doing my house :rotfl:

Fudgefund

Thanks DFW321, I suspect this is sage advice. I was hoping someone would come along and tell me what to do.

I am currently ploughing my way through your diary but I haven't got to the end yet. I am already in a position to tell you that you have done amazingly well though!

Fudgefund

Weekend update - all in all I've had a very good week. I managed three NSDs and since the Bank Holiday Monday funds massacre I've only spent £5.80. DB has been away with work which I think has quite a lot to do with it, but he returned last night and bought me dinner as he had just been paid. It was lovely to see him, and a free meal made it even better.

After a week off dieting I've also managed to pull that back this week and am back to weighing 15st 3lbs, which is sizably better than the 15st 10lbs I was a month ago. Not quite my target, but better than nothing. Unfortunately, I'm due to be weighed by the nurse at my GPs on Monday, and I'm sure she'll have something to say about the fact I'm only 3lbs lighter than the last time I was there 3 months ago. She told me to lose a stone. Mm. I know it's not a great defence, but I'm no heavier than I was at New Year, which I consider to be something of an achievement. :rotfl:

I'm hoping to pull off an alcohol free weekend too, after drinking so much last weekend, so all in all a very laudable week.

Moneywise, I have £25 in my purse. I have 9 full days to go until I get up at four in the morning to go away. I have another £125 in the bank, but I need to pay for my hair, and I've left myself in a slightly hairy predicament. The bank changes on my interest are £25 and due to come out on the 9th, which is a Monday, but I'm concerned they will go out early as I think they've done before when it's been a Monday. I usually take all my remaining cash out before I get my charges so that takes me over my overdraft limit but I don't have any additional charges because the bank is not allowed to do this. However, if my hair transaction goes through late, I might incur a bank charge if I've taken out all my money.

I have two alternatives in a nutshell:

Take out the remaining money and hope the hair goes through the next day (as it does usually).

Try and live on £25, and borrow a bit from DB if desperate.

I'm leaning towards option two, as I think paying off my bank charges and not risking a 'guaranteed transaction' fee of £8 is safer. So, the 9 days and £25 challenge starts here!

Cripes.

I can't wait to go away. I have $600 dollars spending money for 7 days and I'm going to feel like a millionnaire.

please-let-me-be-lucky

Can you not pay for your hair in cash having taken it out in advance?

Re the weigh in at the GP's on Monday, if you drink lots of water to flush yourself out between now and Sunday night, and then eat lightly on Monday until you get weighed, you might just pull off a few more lbs lost. Xx

Fudgefund

It did occur to me to take the cash out, it's just I've never seen anyone pay in cash at that hairdressers and I don't want to look strange. I know that's ridiculous but I always feel a bit awkward and strange, particularly around confident hairdresser types. My entire life is like an episode of Peep Show.

Good tip about the weigh in, I'm going to go for it.

*Robin*

Hello Fudgie, :hello:

Sorry to have missed your last few posts, just catching up now; lots going on in Fudgeland atm, eh?

Have to ask; you're doing such an amazing job budgeting every penny, but a huge chunk of your available funds goes to the hairdresser - what does s/he do that is worth so much?
(I've never paid so much for a hair-do - not even before my wedding!).

Hope you have an amazing holiday - looking forward to hearing all about your adventures!