Balancing not just the budget

kerri_gt

There always seems to be something unexpected doesn't there Rosa, or at least a thorn in the side of our plans. Still at least it was just the car that was written off in the accident and not you, and the college course will hopefully pay for itself later in life. That was good of your parents to help out with the new car, better than having a loan hanging over you.

RosaBernicia

You're right Kerri - I think it's also known as 'life gets in the way' :rotfl:

Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

Not quite so skint as I thought for next month - realised I had nearly £200 credit on the electric account, which is still building up further and the extra shouldn't really be needed til January... so have requested £100 refund and that should cover the last of the car stuff without taking up next months money :T

NSD today as had coffee at a friend's house instead of going out, and I've made a huge frittata which should cover work lunches for a couple of days and therefore keep me out of the shops. I'm away on training for a couple of days too which means food on expenses

RB xx

RosaBernicia

Well the car stuff has rather b****xed the debt payments for this month but it's actually not looking too bad.

I should be able to keep the day to day CC that I used for the car payments clear, partly by reallocating debt payment money and partly by using the electric refund. There would be more cash except that I have to travel for college which will taken up £100+.

I've only taken £58 off the still-with-interest card, but that gets it down to £1,349.50 so I've broken another half-hundred barrier . I will also take £50 off the no-interest one and so that will go down to £3,075.

I will start paying back the parents for the car loan next month and I think the pay rise will nearly cover it so that should be relatively painless. I was really hoping to pay off the smaller still-with-interest card by the end of February, which is looking less likely ... however, it has FINALLY motivated me to haul out the Ebay bags from the bottom of my wardrobe. I said I would just donate them to charity when/ if I got my promotion sorted as a thank-you-universe, but as that hasn't happened I guess the universe has other ideas and I'm fed up of having shoes out on the floor. When I opened them I found a coat and several bags I think I can sell (and had of course completely forgotten about :rotfl:) with no problem so am intending to at least get rid of the winter stuff and put this towards the small card. So my mission for the weekend is to photograph and list at least one of the bags!

I'm trying to keep other costs down so have decided against Pilates for this month and have raided Ald1 before going near Wa1tros3. I'm doing OK without facials after finding a really good exfoliator and coming off gluten again, so those can be cut out now and will go through my winter wardrobe in a couple of weeks to decide what I need to add or replace.

so... progress I guess

Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

And have just realised the ridiculousness of that last paragraph re Pilates, facials and Wa1tros3 so feel obliged to point out that the Pilates is my only exercise cost and helps a family history of dodgy backs, the facials were a last resort during the gluten related skin nightmares and I use that supermarket for gluten free stuff and frozen meat which are as cheap there as anywhere else! (cheaper actually, there were some MyW offers on the gf stuff that made it less than Tatco.)

I must also add that having stopped rushing about and worrying about work, I've realised that I am actually OK and things are going in the right direction. I have spent so long worrying about money that it got to be a habit and now I'm examining it, I find it's not really so necessary. However, I do still want to get DF and to spend my money in accordance with my priorities... so no cable and very little alcohol, but good chocolate and plenty of books!

RB xx

kerri_gt

Rosa, i use (and I appreciate this isn't totally :money:) Decleor Phytopeel Exfoliating cream and I love it - although its an defoliator, it doesn't have granules in it which I find can just be harsh to skin. You put it on like a mask and then wash it off with a flannel. My skin can be quite sensitive but also very dry and this really does exfoliate well and leaves it feeling great. I just got another bottle from

https://www.allbeauty.com (used to be Cheap Smells) - it is £18.95 but I don't use it every week and it does last ages. Could be worth a shot vs facials?

RosaBernicia

Thanks Kerri, I might look at that. I started out doing Decleor facials as that's what they have at the closest salon and they were great until my skin went bonkers and I was worried I was sensitive to the products. In hindsight I think it was probably the gluten so I might go back to them. It's much easier to get there and they are slightly cheaper for eyelash tints - ooh and they do massage too... and I rather need my shoulder unknotting. The second set of facials I did was Dermalogica which are lovely but means going into town.

The exfoliator I love is a Lu5h one so only about £7 and when I looked at the ingredients today I have most of them in my kitchen cupboard so I might even have a go at making my own


Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

Memory foam mattress topper from Ald1, £40.

Absolutely ruddy marvellous. No need for a new mattress now. :money::j:money: :T


Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

... just felt the need to tell someone given how long this has taken :rotfl:

I listed a bag on there and it was so easy I'll be doing more later in the week. I hadn't realised it was now 20 free listings so that just removed all the complication of trying to work out when best to do it.

Fingers crossed it sells for a decent sum now!


RB xx

RosaBernicia

PS very impressed with being able to upload photos from phone while working on laptop. Made it all really straightforward.