Getting a Grip on 2013

Cinny91

Dinah93 wrote: »

I didn't realise you were in debt, do you mind me asking how much you need to clear to achieve the challenge?

Hows the thought processes on saving to buy a house and if that's before/after mini-cinny?

We're in by about 2.5k. I don't know the exact figure, it's OH's car loan yano, the thing he didn't want me to pay off when we had the money there but is now desperate to clear after we spent it all on house work and holidays it's not a great deal, but we're going to try and save for everything alongside killing it so we get out of the debt feeding debt circle that OH is in, so that's what's gonna drag it out a fair while.

At the moment we aren't really actively trying for a mini-us as much as just not using anything to prevent it. Our aim is to clear the debt first, I'd rather not get pregnant with debts. But it'll happen when it wants to, regardless. So I'm just ready to adjust when it does, be it while we're clearing debt or clearing a mortgage

Nice to think someone thinks I'm organised, Pilchard! Feel free to join in chatter is alway welcome. Good luck with your 2013 plans too!

Hope your OH enjoys the book, Birdie! I fully intend on it being the only Christmas book my kids have for years, just so they can boast about it if they ever become wrestling geeks when they're older. Gotta think of the kids, right?

Made a list last night of all the presents I need to buy for for next year in le sales. Personal challenge to see if I can get them all. Have a £100 budget, which is just for my side of the famalam, but need about 20 presents. So we'll see! OH is doing the same for his side, so we're no doubt going to get really competitive out there

Going to assume this will be my last post before the big day, so hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas! Will no doubt be back here by the 27th

Dinah93

I think it's something like 88% of people get pregnant within 12 months just not using anything, it ups to about 95% if you're tracking fertile times etc, be very exciting when it does happen for you and I reckon you'll have a similar reaction to me when you see those two blue lines, about an hour later - 'right, this debt needs to go RIGHT NOW'.

Have a great Christmas x

Cinny91

Was very greedy this year and ended up with two Christmas days! Had a lovely time with our family though, with plenty of hints dropped about Grandchildren! But with work looming I thought now is a good a time as any to plop myself back into reality.

Very happily got through Christmas without the smallest bit of debt. Everything was paid for with cash (literally, I don't have the pin for my debit card which is a blessing really, so I have no choice but to deal with the king!) Yesterday we hit the sales as planned, OH still looks slightly confused and bewildered this morning! We spent £136 all in - which covered presents for everyone next Christmas, almost everyone for birthdays (just need to get OH's "Dad" and my Gramps nearer the time) all the little "made up" days, two "Ohh, b*gger!" forgotten presents for this Christmas, and my Sisters wedding gift. I totted it all up and we got £272 worth of gifts. All the Christmas things all neatly wrapped in the spare room already - I think I've set a completely new level of organised. Normally I feel a little smug having it all done by December 1st. But December 26th?! It all makes perfect sense now but come Spring/Summer I'll be questioning our sanity. More than usual

Felt good though, to get everything done. And if we are expecting/have little one by this time next year I know I'll be thankful it's all taken care of by good ol' past-me. I really do throw future-me a fair few bones!

Had some great news last week. My Sister has decided to have an English wedding, as well as her American one. So we're all (and I mean all, dogs included!) bombing down to Cornwall for a couple nights in April/May for a 1920s themed wedding. Might be cheeky, considering I don't need anything, and see if my Parents will pay for our hotel room for my birthday. Worth a shot and one less thing to think about. I do, however, need to find a 20s style dress that doesn't make me look like a bag of spuds with arms.

Savings are at £281.83 (can't forget the 83p!) as of this morning, so we're 100% going to get to £300 by NY I get paid from Job No2 today so that should merrily tick it over! OH is going to pop in and get my wages then go to the bank/to get a few "bits" this afternoon.

Off to take Ryder out on his swanky new harness (his old one is super confusing, so I left it on him yesterday as my Brother was taking care of him.. but he chewed it off ) then I'm at work for 2pm.

Hope everyone who's lucky enough is enjoying the rest of their holidays!

Birdie85

Great news that your sister is having an English wedding now! :j How super cool will it be with the 1920s theme too?! Ooooh you'll need a fab headband and a fringed dress- awesome!! I think the trick to not looking like a bag of spuds (as I would too ) is the old visual trickery methinks, you still have to wear the straight up-and-down style but look for something with plenty of detail around the middle of the dress to draw the eye in. Like these... Dress 1 (black looks nicer than stone), Dress 2, Dress 3

I'm so impressed that you've got all of your presents for next year sorted, that's amazing! :T And wrapped too! I ran into town yesterday to pick up some presents for friends that I'm meeting on Saturday as I didn't know that we were doing gifts but apparently we are!

Cinny91

Knew I could count on you for the perfect dresses, Birdie! Love the boohoo one - will remember your tips too did you have a nice Christmas?

Paid from my second job like I thought! £135 but with my wages being basic next week (only working 10 hours until after NY) I need to stretch it a little. £40 for "bits" and anything we do over New Years, which has a very high percentage of being nothing. Although I'm pushing for a Peak District walk on one of the days, weather permitting! £15 for fuel, £50 to save and £30 to roll onto next week. I just hope Oh doesn't spend the whole £40 at the shops today!

OH's Mum got us a breville health fry for Christmas so we're breaking that out tonight! Need to get too grips with that and our halogen oven this year as we crazily stated we're doing Christmas dinner next year. That's 11 people to feed on a very small oven. We don't even have enough plates!

Thinking on New Years reslolutions. I'm a big believer in starting today, but I want something I can think on all next year. I'm already awesome and too happily chubby to go down the route of fitness so I've decided to work on Ryder. I need to train him a bit more, and I know with some hard work he'll be an even better dog. So that's my goal! To live through and get Ryder out of puppyhood in 2013! Which will be a lot harder than it sounds. He's the same level of naughtiness and destruction as Marley in a certain tear jerking puppy flick, to give you all a gauge.

squinky

Hello, I have just found your diary and wanted to wish you luck, we have some similar goals with the savings etc. I can not believe you have done & wrapped all your 2013 Christmas shopping, that is immense! I thought I was being organised writing a list of birthdays for the year!!!

Birdie85

That's my favourite dress too, and only £25, utter bargain!!! If your sister is looking for a headband to wear she should totally get this, it's amazingly beautiful! Oh and whilst you're at it, get this one for yourself! Ahhh wish I knew someone getting married with that theme (any interesting theme actually...), I'd go mental with it!

Had a lovely Christmas thanks! OH's last/late presents arrived this morning; 3 WWE t-shirts and he was so excited bless him! Got him Daniel Bryan's 'No No No', The Rock's 'Just Bring It' and a 'vintage' Summerslam '94 shirts! :T

Training Ryder is a great resolution, and one you're much more likely to achieve! :T Haven't thought about mine yet

shrimpy_80

Great news about the wedding Cinny, and I LOVE that ivory headband Birdie! Trying to kid myself it will go with my dress now! (it absolutely won't)

Good resolution on training Ryder too Cinny, although I feel sad at the mere mention of that film! I watched it with OH and at the the end he turned to me, very definitely teary, and said "Why would you make me watch this?" in such a sad small voice, I felt like an irresponsible parent!

Cinny91

I wrote a lovely post but it took me so long between actually working that mse signed me out. Filthy swines!

But I got paid my 4 weekly roll over wage (£40 more, roughly, than normal) from Job No 1. So I put £30 into the EM savings and £50 to one side for next months bills. Which means out EM account is now at £361.83 very happy with that! I need to set a target for the end of January. I'm thinking to get it up to £500 with the money put to one side for my car tax on top of that.

OH seems very motivated too, I think it's the new year flush sneaking up on him a little bit early! He's already thinking about his car insurance, mot etc which he never normally comments on until a few months before. Realistically we're looking at about £1000 in car bills around June/July time. It's a good job we've already agreed to take out holidays at Ourgate this year (not that we even have a gate) so we don't need to worry about money for a holiday. Although we've been lucky the past few years that we've piggybacked on other people's holidays for the cost of petrol and a trip to the supermarket.

Thank you so much for the well wishes, Squinky. Best of luck to you too for 2013! :beer:

Be careful with the tees, Birdie! What started off innocently with my OH has turned into a massive collection. Did he like the book? Love that cooler bag you got btw, it's perfectly you!

I'm just the same with "that" movie, Shrimpy! OH just has to mention it and I'll be on the verge of tears. Did you have a nice Christmas? Hope you're well

Taking our Crimmus decorations down tomorrow. Tried to convince OH to do it today while I was at work, mainly so I have a pretty watertight excuse to not help, but it didn't work be nice to reclaim my house back from Santa's Birthday but it's hard letting go! Sunday we're going to le cinema with OH's family but we have a £20 voucher from Santa so it's technically a free day anyone have any more thrilling plans for the weekend?

cazzyd

Cinny finally de-lurked to write a diary of my own, thinking of doing my own list of aims without putting them in a sig as I think that will help me be more relaxed about saving up for a mortgage.

GL with the aims