Pay ALL your debt off by Xmas 2013

Thrifty_Fashionista

Amr,
Rome and Venice can both be pricey but totally amazing so do go to one.
There are lots of ways to enjoy them cheaply - we flew easyjet to Rome and stayed in a hotel a bit out of the way, so it was cheaper. Also you can walk everywhere - and our hotel gave us a free map. Spanish steps, Trevi fountain are all breathtaking and free!! Even the colosseum you can look at - only pay to go in. We did have a day of rain (we went May) but it was still warm
Venice as mentioned can be expensive, but eat down the side streets (much cheaper) and ask prices before getting into a gondola. If you start your ride round on the back canals it is cheaper than the ones you pass by the bridge of sighs and st marks sq.

Maybe start a holiday fund now with £5 a week or something to get you going?

TF x

amr547

thanks all sounds good, I will bear all your top tips in mind!!! I like the idea of a holiday fund - will definitely start that too!

BANNING myself from food shopping, I don't know how I've managed to spend so much but I have! I'm embarrassed!

32b3in2013

I bVe been to Venice. I arrived at 11.40pm, went straight to hotel. Got up the next morning, went to a conference on a ship and was back on a plane by 3pm the same day. The bits I saw were nice though.

minicooper272

32b3 you do get to travel around a fair bit! It must help you decide whether places are worth going back to for a full holiday though?

I'm definitely starting a holiday fund from next month - hoping to have a long weekend in Dublin next year, and a couple of weeks in America in early 2015. I could do with having a bare bones month to top up my reserve funds (in case of car problems, interviews, annual expenditures)

32b3in2013

minicooper272 wrote: »

32b3 you do get to travel around a fair bit! It must help you decide whether places are worth going back to for a full holiday though?

I'm definitely starting a holiday fund from next month - hoping to have a long weekend in Dublin next year, and a couple of weeks in America in early 2015. I could do with having a bare bones month to top up my reserve funds (in case of car problems, interviews, annual expenditures)

I used to, not any more . I agree it helps me to decide where to go for proper holidays. I would never have chosen to go Venice before I went with work, I am badly sea sick, so I wouldn't have dreamed of going. I would go back now though and take some sea leg tablets

parsniphead

Hello all

My monthly update

#23 4629.45/6500 - 75.83%

Only two months left and I don't think I'm going to achieve the full amount by the end of the month as things are very tight at the moment. At least I have managed to pay off a big chunk though and in a better place compared to the start of the year.:D

SpagBol

Eeek sorry sorry sorry I;ve been AWOL again!! We have been decorating like mad before bubs comes and I put away the laptop for a week or so, also went on a conference so wasn't near any computers! Will catch up now

SpagBol

kerri_dfw wrote: »

Happy new house AMR.

Suzitiger, I'm tempted to try the hair thing again when I'm on mat leave.

Day 6 of no toothpaste, gums no longer bleeding sugar isn't sticking to my teeth as much when I eat chocolate happy kerri

If you are anything like me, washing your hair (i.e. having the bathroom to yourself for 5 minutes) is such a luxury you will want to wash it! Just for the peace! :rotfl:

xJOJOx wrote: »

I had my little girl 4 weeks ago, I was induced as the baby was getting too big!! x

That's interesting, I have massive babies and our hospital policy is not to induce big babies so I always go overdue!! How early did they induce her and how much did she weigh if you don't mind me asking? I had a growth scan last week and they reckon this one is huge already :eek:

amr547 wrote: »

Well done loveadove

We have just got word we're getting all of our deposit back - woohoo! Hello new TV (ours is on the blink!). We're currently have a 32" and we've got our eye on a 42" Samsung, so nothing too extravagant:rotfl:

Looking at hols for nex year, we're thinking Rome or Venice. Anyone been?? Moneysaving tips? :money:

We went to Venice on a shoestring several years ago. We flew into the airport miles away from town with ryanair at a late hour but flight was cheap, we had pre-booked one night at a B&B but then went on foot to find a cheaper place for the rest of the week. We found (near the station and a main bridge, sorry can't remember the name of it but NOT the rialto bridge) a hostel type thing so we had our own room but shared bathroom and no breakfast. We went to McD's every day for breakfast, it was the cheapest option by far

Get the ticket for the vaporetto (sp?) the water taxis, they are fabulous and much cheaper than private water taxis. I seem to remember we got tickets to some churches etc free with the "travelcard", these were brilliant as we went to see the more unusual stuff and the backstreets. I think it is illegal to drink on the streets but we were cheeky and took a bottle of red plonk to the harbour (not a main area) and enjoyed a lovely evening with cheap wine and a bag of crisps We ate out every evening, sometimes quite pricey and sometimes McDs or a pizza on a backstreet but any food is quite expensive.

Enjoy!

Venice is so beautiful I really recommend it.

SpagBol

triple_choc_chip wrote: »

Hi all, I've been awoa but back now.

Amr I've been to Venice it's fab. We got ripped off by a private water taxi as soon as we arrived because we were staying on the island; that was a bit of a downer but as there were 10 of us we split the cost. If you need one look for the public boarding places they look like bus stops.

We went on a gondola at 11.45pm, the last one of the night and it was beautiful; no-one else on the canals, it was serene and could have been romantic too if the couple with us weren't singing "just one cornetto"!

It's the only place I can honestly say I loved every single shoe in one shop but couldn't afford any of them! (and I've got Jimmy C's and Gina's) Eating out wasn't expensive though.

If I'm needed to help with the thread during Spagbol's confinement (Oo er) I'm up for it although I've come to the conclusion that I take it all much more seriously than you lot - I always look at the first page and not only that I've looked at last years thread to see how many made it to 100% even though I wasn't part of it! Too competitive by half really, but it helped me to get debt free. :beer:
Well, this month has ended with £35 in my purse, £42 in my bank account and a half a tank of fuel. Hurry up ladies and gents, life is good when it's not all about re-paying. I could make this last another fortnight and you know what? I might do that just because I can!

Thanks for the offer, I think I will take you all up on it! I will def look into the file sharing thing and get back to you all

amr547

Deposit cash in the bank! Ker-ching!!! TV is being delivered on Thursday

I'm leaving my savings as it is for now, we're "down" to £920 which isn't that bad really, but it should be bumped up again next pay day.