Nagme's Diary - getting it under control in 2013

Nagme

Just checked looks like there's no minimum to withdraw PPal funds any more? That's £80 coming to us this week, anyway

Nagme

Good Bits:
I kept my resolve and didn't buy any magazines in August
My gardening mag subscription has run out (b'day present from inlaws last year) but I've kept them all so I can reread the relevant month whenever I feel the need for a mag fix.

Got paid loads more than I was expecting this month, it seems I'd accrued a good amount of holiday allowance. Handy as this can go towards the driveway due October (parking getting dire round here, and front garden looked like a hangover)

DS had a fantastic albeit frugal birthday last week I didn't go silly and buy him lots of little things at the last minute - it's good not to spoil a single child! He loved the trucks I found on Ebay, doesn't phase him if they're without their box!

Been researching how to re-mould soap bits. My previous experiments resulted in sweet smelling microwave explosions, next time I will use a silicone mould, put soap bit in, add a bit of boiling water and let harden, and repeat every time I add another soap bit. Need to go shopping in the kitchen cupboards for a suitable donor mould.

Redeemed £40 off OnePoll
Redeemed £12 off TCB
Sold few more things on Ebay and got commissioned to sell some bits for others.

Other ways to save money put into action this week:

Portion control the cat's biscuits, she has gotten a bit too cuddly of late and her biscuits cost £27.90 a bag :eek:
Go shopping in the food cupboards and meal plan to ensure nothing gets forgotten about and we use food up within date.
Shower and hair wash every other day, saving me time too.
Unsubscribe from emails offering me things I don't need.

Okay, bad bits:
Gave go-ahead for driveway, £2200. Scheduled it for October to give us 2 months to save up.
bought a black leather designer handbag in CS for £10 (it was originally about £1,000 new, had to have it!)
Booked a facial, bought expensive cleanser/ toner/ moisturiser and booked haircut for myself (40th birthday in 2 wks, told DH this was my present from him)
Went to a 50's diner yesterday and spent £26 for the three of us for tea. Not very MSE.
No reduction in debt.

Nagme

DS wants his last day of the summer hols to be a stay at home day, we've had a nice break together and I'm going to miss him (but not the arguments) tomorrow when he goes back.

Slow cooker on today with chicken curry.

Might try and re-invent DS's lunchbox with a new picture on the front so he sort of has a new one for the new school.

Listing finished last night for one of my "commissions" but it only got one bid, not sure that'll earn me much. Ds's desk should be collected today/tomorrow but didn't get much for that either!

Can't find donor for soap remould, will look for a flexible lid type shape.

Testing some free foundation today, got three tubes to work through

Nagme

Worked an extra shift yesterday but a 30kg coffee machine almost fell on me which was scary.

Had a LBM this morning (another one).

Washed DH's car with DS. Got soaked. Saved a tenner though.

DH finished rebuilding the rotten patio door cill, it looks brilliant and will last for years now.

Nagme

Summary:

Cards:
£450 Capital One
£1705 Fluid (standing order £25/month)
£5,627 Lloyds (Standing order £125/month)
Cards Total: £7,782

Loans:
In-laws: £215/month car loan, ends Oct '15 (balance £5590)
Citroen: £140/month car, ends Mar '17 balance £6020)

Okay the cards feel manageable, but adding the loan totals make this feel huge. It comes to £19,392.

Nagme

Well this is the second time I've written this entry as I got timed out before thanks to locking myself out of the house getting the wheelie bin in. Cue walking to mum's house with bare feet - luckily she was in, or I'd still be sat shoe-less on the doorstep. It wasn't a great start to the day seeing as I'd already managed to smash a bottle of nail varnish, spilling it's sticky contents all over the carpet. Now the bedroom stinks of nail varnish remover.
I'll keep taking the tablets.

Had storecupboard tea last night, soup and bread.

Received Onepoll's £40, almost got enough in that account to pay the child benefit back in January.
Did my first Pilates class at the local leisure centre it was only £5 for an hour, I daresay I'm feeling more bendy as a result, so I shall return again next week only with a slightly better fitting t-shirt so the old men don't get as much of an eyefull for the lying down stretches . The very bendy Pilates instructor told me I did very well, perhaps so I'll go back next week and entertain everyone again with my plank impressions.

Dilemma 1: Do we cancel the driveway project? We've already removed the low wall on the front as the ivy had made lots of bricks loose, so it's looking very unloved out there. It would solve the parking issues and really smarten up the front.

Dilemma 2: DS really wants to do football and/or tennis after school.... tennis £100, football £45.

hmmmm.

Nagme

Going ahead with the driveway project, parking has been diabolical this week.
, Got £10 for another sale, DS's old bedroom shelf, so I'll transfer that to Amex.

It's my birthday today and I have received £40 House of Fraser voucher, £60 Fatface voucher, a tenner from Nan, £40 from Gran-in-law, and £75 from the in-laws! I transferred £60 yesterday to Next as I earned £20 commission for the Ebay sale too. I shall transfer another £85 today, this will mean the clothes I bought in the sales last month are almost paid for
Feeling very spoilt today :bdaycake:

Nagme

Done the transfer to Next from birthday money, I think the balance is now approx £20 .

Also transferred £10 to Amex from selling the shelf, balance on that card is £1,500 but I'll put £1,000 on that on payday, and then we can try and keep that down to clear completely with Oct pay.

Listed three items on Ebay, including a poster which I thought would never sell and it already has a bid on it .

Wow it's so chilly today,17 degrees indoors, but no heating on - got the blankets out and we're all watching Ice Age.

please-let-me-be-lucky

Happy birthday for yesterday! All the best people have had birthdays this week . Enjoy spending your vouchers Xx

Nagme

Thanks PLMBL, it was my 40th :shhh: !

Spent a day hibernating today, t'was the weather for it!

I think I'll hold onto my vouchers until there's a sale. I've got my eye on a nice coat but can't bring myself to pay full price, voucher or no voucher!