A grand a month down - yikes!

MrBloater

Am running on fumes (non-alcoholic ones) at the moment. Listing til midnight, and up since stupid o'clock this morning. Have PPI letter done and addressed and have laid my hands on £54.26 of random money from various places downstairs. If all the items I have listed so far go for their minimum price then I'd be another £140 up so potentially I'm close to the hypothetical £200 mark after only 2 days. Lots of ifs and buts in there - but a maybe is way better than a no way. Off now to collect batteries and memory sticks before the rest of the family wake up.

*Robin*

'Morning Mr B., Happy Shiny New Diary and Austerity Humbug, :hello:

De-lurking to say that I share your vigil and many of your aims (for different reasons).
Your new diary raises a couple of questions re my own situation, if you'll forgive the imposition:

1. Having been refused PPI, is it obligatory to appeal to the bank before tackling the Ombudsman's forms?

2.

MrBloater wrote: »

Off now to collect batteries and memory sticks before the rest of the family wake up.

..Umm, why? Is there a market for these items?


All the Best on your financial journey in 2013, and Good Luck with the running.

gallygirl

*Robin* wrote: »

..Umm, why? Is there a market for these items?

He's probably found a way to brew alcohol from them .

shaggydoo

Housework*Fairy wrote: »

*subscribes*

Ditto and Good Luck Mr B

MrBloater

Day 2 positives.
- A few bites on the 62 items that got listed before the deadline.
- PPI form filled out by 5.00am
- Only spending was the 90p to post the hefty form and paperwork to Mr Ombudsman
- Loose change / cash trawl managed to get a considerable £69.31 in the end.
- Another 88 items prepped and ready for listing (will put those ones in at 99p on Friday night for a 7day soak)

Day 2 tasks to carry over to Day 3
- Banking the cash and cheque.

In answer to the questions from *Robin*
1) I believe that you are supposed to contact the bank initially after a failed appeal. Mine chose not to contact me so I waited 8 weeks and then sent it off to the Ombudsman.
2) No money in old memory sticks and batteries - but both are immeasurably useful and so worth having to hand as they are the sort of things that lurk all over the house in the last place you think of looking for them.

*Robin*

MrBloater wrote: »

In answer to the questions from *Robin*
1) I believe that you are supposed to contact the bank initially after a failed appeal. Mine chose not to contact me so I waited 8 weeks and then sent it off to the Ombudsman.
2) No money in old memory sticks and batteries - but both are immeasurably useful and so worth having to hand as they are the sort of things that lurk all over the house in the last place you think of looking for them.

Thanks for replying, Mr B.
1) Hmm, in their rejection letter to me, LTSB said they'd wait eight weeks before 'filing the paperwork' (that time has elapsed while I was otherwise occupied). The letter also stated I have six months in which to put the matter before the Ombudsman - I read it as either/or and there didn't seem much point in approaching the bank for a second time.

2) Ah, shame. Was hoping you'd found a site - like the ones for old 'phones - that buy old memory sticks & tired rechargeable batteries; I have a surfeit of both that I'd love to get rid of.

MrBloater

Grrr. Trip to IKEA and resultant gas/toll/hotdog/some useful storage thing and all the cash has gone.

Day 3 positives.
- (Tumbleweed passes through)

Day 3 tasks to carry over to Day 4
- Banking the cheque.
- Finding and seeing what balances are on Nectar, Co-Op, Clubcard, Ikea cards
- Update total debt balance
- Find Quidco login for any future online shopping
- Investigate switching suppliers for electricity
- List lots of items in the evening to catch the Friday night bidding crowd on eBay.

MrBloater

And on the fourth day Mr Bloater was very grumpy and feeling sorry for himself but managed to

Day 4 positives.
- Banked the blinking cheque that was bugging me
- Sorted out the mystery of the linked Nectar accounts
- Found out how many points Mrs B had in her Holland & Barrett loyalty card account (woo-hoo!)
- Worked out the total debt figure for this month
- Listed another whole bundle of vinyl meaning this time next week there will be 126 items of mine finishing.

Day 4 tasks to carry over to Day 5
- Finding other random loyalty cards with 15p of vouchers on them.
- Find Quidco login for any future online shopping
- Investigate switching suppliers for electricity

Igamogam

Now you are dipping your toe into frugalism how about joining a challenge or two on here - something easy because there are some seriously eye wateringly frugalistas who do amazing things with dairy products and tealights....you know what I mean I cant recommend this thread too much. Really effective and totally addictive..........go on you know you want to!

MrBloater

Day 5 saw the wheels come off the austerity wagon. Beer, wine, curry - all frivolous and yet utterly necessary.

Day 5 positives.
- The beer, wine and curry

Day 5 tasks to carry over to Day 7 (today I'm preparing myself for my new job so all this palaver can just go on hold!)
- Finding other random loyalty cards with 15p of vouchers on them.
- Find Quidco login for any future online shopping
- Investigate switching suppliers for electricity