To Freedom...

kirstypark

am on holiday for a week :j planning to walk and swim a lot, catch up with pals and wee night in a hotel for OH and me later this week.

Inspired by lovely sunny ( though cold) weather yesterday we made a start on the garden. filled my planters up with compost and dug up a bit of ground that we can grow veg later. Really wish i had a greenhouse! saw an affordable one on internet with good reviews, but they don't deliver to this part of scotland :mad: OH also needs to get started with building a structure for the bins to go.

Tea today will be sausage and bean in slow cooker.

Pennypincher2

Hello hello, you are doing well with your payments and lovely life you have xxx

kirstypark

lovely life! i must be more upbeat here than i feel sometimes... Went to Glasgow for daughters appt - what a waste of time and effort that was - can't make a devision to operate as mri scan is out of date. Cos she waited 7 months on waiting list to be seen :mad::mad: so will need another scan. And the surgeon is obviously hoping not to operate, thinks it will "settle down" despite being more painful now than ever. She can't swim, kickbox, cycle or even walk upstairs most days. So frustrated.

But better news about brother - he only needs wider exision done, no grafts and no lymph node biopsy :j

Had a swim this morning, met my dad for a walk, that ended up in a cafe for an egg roll (and he paid:j) now metting pal for lunch then facial this afternoon that i have a voucher for leftover from my birthday. Then dance class tonight. so a nicer day today than yesterday.

mouche

Have a lovely, relaxed holiday!

kirstypark

had a great wee break in hotel for a night, dinner and bottle of wine thrown in for the sum of £99. had a night in last night and going to start planting up some seeds to start in the sun room today as it is so sunny. Tonight we have our first dance social where we met up with the other beginners and advanced groups :eek: It is bring a bottle and £10 entry fee. I have drank almost every night this week, and feeling quite unwell with it all so soft drink for me - usually only have booze once a week - i am a complete lightweight when it comes to drink.

kirstypark

really enjoyed our social dance on sat, most of the other dancers were freindly and came to chat to our table of newbies. were going to the cinema yesterday at the town hall, but OH convinced me to save our £14 and we made a small start on the garden instead. Had my parents round for tea - pork, choirizo and beans from the freezer and took a long walk for some stickered bread and apple pie that was only 60p.

But, logged on to our electric and gas account and we are way overspent on both meaning our direct debit should go up - cue lots of discussions with kids and hubby about switching off lights and monitors, etc. Could see the kids rolling their eyes thinking here she goes again :mad:

kirstypark

got my tax code for next year and it was only 340 :eek: so phoned them this morning and questioned it. There is an underpayment which they are writing to me with the details of, but the main problem was my 2nd job, even though i have not earned any money with that, the tax office assumed i would and taxed me on potential earnings. So not worth it - i am going to resign from that contract and that will double my code - still not great, but better.

Also need to claim back CPP - been meaning to do it for ages and had a letter saying it would autorenew - phoned them and said not to and they have told me how to go about claiming it back as was mis-sold.

Nearly out of petrol tonight and 2 days before payday. Told daughter she could borrow car tomorrow if she sticks in a tenner of diesel tonight and she is so pleased at not hanging about waiting for bus she agreed to it :j I have a wee bit fuel in other car that should see me to work and back tomorrow. Boss is off sick this week which means my overtime for this month will not get processed until end of next month - bit of a pest, but should manage without. Got loads of overtime booked for next week.

tea tonight was potato dauphinase, using up left over cream, and bits of cheese with some bacon thrown it. first time i have ever made it and going to do it again, we all really enjoyed it.

kirstypark

OH payday today and £100 leftover from last months money overpaid - did not make much of a dent thanks to the daily interest, amount owing is still £92450. Have been terrible with money since the beginning of the year - it's just running away from us, and spending far too much at weekends. So hoping March will be better organised.

kirstypark

i got paid today and not a lot left over for overpayments, so not going to make much until mid month i think, trying to keep to a much stricter budget this month. good news we are now only paying £6.32 a day interest, down 31p in a month...it really is small acorns.

Going out to fundraiser night tonight, my freind who is organising it is making my tea for me, so have potted up some snowdrops from our garden and decorated the pot to take as a thank you for her. Hope she likes it and doesn't think i am just being cheap..but i am sure she won't. We have been invited to another freinds for tea tomorrow night so planning to do the same, but i know she is desperate for snowdrops as we have already been chatting how she wants some in her garden.

We have cashed in a s & s isa that was not making much and hope to get some cash back from that which i will keep some back to do the garden with, the rest can get overpaid or go into regular isa which is not full this year. We were paying £50 a month into that and the direct debit always came off the middle of the month so thats one less bill to pay, although i will try and keep paying the 50 into the instant isa. Our saving rate finished soon so hoping to find another one with better rates, but not much out there at moment.

MummyEm

Hi KP

I've just read through your diary over the last couple of days and have subscribed. You have a very nice, positive outlook which is really refreshing.

You are doing such a great job, well done. Looking forward to reading your updates.

MEm