Catriona's Credit Card Countdown

Orange_Ena

Yay it's Friday. Best day of the week.......unless it's pay day of course! :j 14 days to pay day for me :beer:

Hope you've had a good movie night and get that well deserved lie in. I'm planning a lie in but I suspect my cat will not allow it.

Sorry that date didn't happen. Are you meeting up with the overly long hand holder fella? Wishing you lots of luck with this dating malarkey. I tried it a few years ago and it had mixed results. I found it was 60% nice normal people and 40% absolutely weirdos. I met 4 reasonably decent guys but chatted to a few strange ones which in the end put me right off. Still, had a good laugh out of it. :rotfl:

Have a great weekend Catriona x

catriona79

Orange_Ena wrote: »

Yay it's Friday. Best day of the week.......unless it's pay day of course! :j 14 days to pay day for me :beer:

Hope you've had a good movie night and get that well deserved lie in. I'm planning a lie in but I suspect my cat will not allow it.

Sorry that date didn't happen. Are you meeting up with the overly long hand holder fella? Wishing you lots of luck with this dating malarkey. I tried it a few years ago and it had mixed results. I found it was 60% nice normal people and 40% absolutely weirdos. I met 4 reasonably decent guys but chatted to a few strange ones which in the end put me right off. Still, had a good laugh out of it. :rotfl:

Have a great weekend Catriona x

Thank you Ena. Hope you're halfway through a great weekend too. Holidays approaching!! :j

I'm still in bed, with coffee and chocolate. Shocking behaviour!

Out till 2 last night with my housemate who needed cheering up, but I only spent £13, which is great! Bumped into this man who I went out with a couple of times a couple of years ago. You know how when you're not interested, it spurs men on, perverse creatures that they are.

I was on a rebound when I met him and, as it later transpired, so was he! Weird situation ensued. But I do think I was prepared to like him and he was continually texting me but never wanted to meet up. I ended it in a nice way, and that's when I found out that he was, just as I suspected, not available.
Then last spring, we tried again, but in the end I just gave up, perhaps because of the initial impression, who knows.
Now, last night, a chance meeting, and he dragged me into a corner to ask if we could try again and to tell me that he wanted to be my "boyfriend". :eek: Naturally, I don't trust him, so my guess is he is on a rebound. Have said to him that we could get a drink next weekend and he wanted to meet up sooner, like this afternoon. Strange. Got to watch my back with this one. I don't think he's a bad man, but I do think he may be in a messy situation. Also, I'm not sure that by all this trying, most of the shine hasn't been taken off. I don't necessarily believe that relationships must be uncomplicated, especially when you get together in your mid 30s or later. And we are all wary and protective of our hearts, and possessions too. But timing is everything, and you can only make a first impression one, as my housemate tells me.

Isn't life complicated?

Orange_Ena

catriona79 wrote: »

Thank you Ena. Hope you're halfway through a great weekend too. Holidays approaching!! :j

I'm still in bed, with coffee and chocolate. Shocking behaviour!

Out till 2 last night with my housemate who needed cheering up, but I only spent £13, which is great! Bumped into this man who I went out with a couple of times a couple of years ago. You know how when you're not interested, it spurs men on, perverse creatures that they are.

I was on a rebound when I met him and, as it later transpired, so was he! Weird situation ensued. But I do think I was prepared to like him and he was continually texting me but never wanted to meet up. I ended it in a nice way, and that's when I found out that he was, just as I suspected, not available.
Then last spring, we tried again, but in the end I just gave up, perhaps because of the initial impression, who knows.
Now, last night, a chance meeting, and he dragged me into a corner to ask if we could try again and to tell me that he wanted to be my "boyfriend". :eek: Naturally, I don't trust him, so my guess is he is on a rebound. Have said to him that we could get a drink next weekend and he wanted to meet up sooner, like this afternoon. Strange. Got to watch my back with this one. I don't think he's a bad man, but I do think he may be in a messy situation. Also, I'm not sure that by all this trying, most of the shine hasn't been taken off. I don't necessarily believe that relationships must be uncomplicated, especially when you get together in your mid 30s or later. And we are all wary and protective of our hearts, and possessions too. But timing is everything, and you can only make a first impression one, as my housemate tells me.

Isn't life complicated?

Lovely weekend thanks! Haha coffee and chocolate and a lie in..........bit indulgent aren't you? :rotfl:

Well done on the low spend last night. Crikey, I think you're right to be a bit wary. Trust your instincts. Are you going to meet up with him or did you just leave it?

Life sure is complicated, I agree.

Hope you have a week.........steadily getting closer to payday :T

catriona79

Hello my dears,

Ena - a silver car and 10 days till payday, get you!!!

Positive morning today. My noddle credit score has improved. Please don't tell me it's just a meaningless number I need something to tell me I'm doing something right

Stupid brain woke me up at 3.30 and not been asleep since. Aaargh. But I'm going to go to the gym and try napping midday.

Quiet day for me today, and I'm sure it's just what I need.

Not sure whether I've already said, but I have opened an isa with the hsbc and paid in £300, so hoping they will give me the £10 monthly bonus. Heads up to everyone who hasn't done that yet!

It's going to be a good day! Got the house to myself too

catriona79

Dating update: :eek::eek::eek:



The new guys

Firstly, the overly long hand holder guy and a guy I've been talking to on tinder went trekking together last weekend.

It's true!!!

The hand holder Facebook messaged me to ask me out to a comedy gig in London and another meet up before then, and said he'd been trekking. Pictures and "check in " post clearly say that six guys went, out of which one was my guy from Tinder. What are the chances?!

So, the Tinder guy has not been in touch with me, while the overly long hand holder asked me out. I wonder whether they got talking?! Not that I've done anything wrong. The tinder guy just stood me up for a 2 for 1 cinema date last Wednesday, when he got stuck in traffic on way back from work. So I never actually met him.

I thought I lived in Britain's second city. :eek: it's a small world.



The "old" guy

Have agreed to a drink with the guy who told me that he wanted to be my boyfriend, the one who's finally decided that the time is right after 2 years I'm not really bothered about it, so we will see. Will keep my mind open. It's tonight.



The ex

Also, toxic ex resurfaced last night again and was trying to convince me, vaguely, that I should accept his revised offer. Which does not give me what he promised to give me when he was last trying to get me back. He's also refusing to accept that he'd made those offers, willingly, and not under duress. Even in the face of me forwarding him the emails which clearly outline his intentions in that respect, dated October 2014, which funnily never materialised. Absolutely fabulously for him, he doesn't think that he's done anything wrong. He'd basically said in numerous emails that he wanted to marry me instantly if only I agree to get back together with him. He sent me those emails over 6 months, between October '14 and March '15. We were in a relationship from March '15, until a couple months ago, but it never materialised, and he was making noises that he needed more time, so I dumped him.
"Man of diminishing returns" is the term, I believe. And sociopath, possibly. It's a no. :A

Do I deserve a pat on the back? Oh I think I do!

Orange_Ena

catriona79 wrote: »

Hello my dears,

Ena - a silver car and 10 days till payday, get you!!!

Positive morning today. My noddle credit score has improved. Please don't tell me it's just a meaningless number I need something to tell me I'm doing something right

Stupid brain woke me up at 3.30 and not been asleep since. Aaargh. But I'm going to go to the gym and try napping midday.

Quiet day for me today, and I'm sure it's just what I need.

Not sure whether I've already said, but I have opened an isa with the hsbc and paid in £300, so hoping they will give me the £10 monthly bonus. Heads up to everyone who hasn't done that yet!

It's going to be a good day! Got the house to myself too

Well actually it's only 9 days till payday. It'll be 8 in about 20 minutes :T:rotfl:

I totally get that noodle score. I was so happy when mine went from 2 to 3. I want a 4 now!! We need reassuring that we are getting there!

Hope you've had a brilliant day off and managed to squeeze that nana nap in.

Brilliant bonus with the hsbc account, might have to check that out next time I swap banks! Cheers for the info

Orange_Ena

catriona79 wrote: »

Dating update: :eek::eek::eek:



The new guys

Firstly, the overly long hand holder guy and a guy I've been talking to on tinder went trekking together last weekend.

It's true!!!

The hand holder Facebook messaged me to ask me out to a comedy gig in London and another meet up before then, and said he'd been trekking. Pictures and "check in " post clearly say that six guys went, out of which one was my guy from Tinder. What are the chances?!

So, the Tinder guy has not been in touch with me, while the overly long hand holder asked me out. I wonder whether they got talking?! Not that I've done anything wrong. The tinder guy just stood me up for a 2 for 1 cinema date last Wednesday, when he got stuck in traffic on way back from work. So I never actually met him.

I thought I lived in Britain's second city. :eek: it's a small world.



The "old" guy

Have agreed to a drink with the guy who told me that he wanted to be my boyfriend, the one who's finally decided that the time is right after 2 years I'm not really bothered about it, so we will see. Will keep my mind open. It's tonight.



The ex

Also, toxic ex resurfaced last night again and was trying to convince me, vaguely, that I should accept his revised offer. Which does not give me what he promised to give me when he was last trying to get me back. He's also refusing to accept that he'd made those offers, willingly, and not under duress. Even in the face of me forwarding him the emails which clearly outline his intentions in that respect, dated October 2014, which funnily never materialised. Absolutely fabulously for him, he doesn't think that he's done anything wrong. He'd basically said in numerous emails that he wanted to marry me instantly if only I agree to get back together with him. He sent me those emails over 6 months, between October '14 and March '15. We were in a relationship from March '15, until a couple months ago, but it never materialised, and he was making noises that he needed more time, so I dumped him.
"Man of diminishing returns" is the term, I believe. And sociopath, possibly. It's a no. :A

Do I deserve a pat on the back? Oh I think I do!

Crikey, it is a small world :o A tad awks! :cool:

Well.......you certainly have options my dear :eek::p The ex sounds like he's planning a business deal rather than trying to actually woo you. Trust your instincts.

Hope you've had a nice time tonight. Can't wait for an update. Cue the Eastenders duff duffs...........:rotfl::D

catriona79

Orange_Ena wrote: »

Well actually it's only 9 days till payday. It'll be 8 in about 20 minutes :T:rotfl:

I totally get that noodle score. I was so happy when mine went from 2 to 3. I want a 4 now!! We need reassuring that we are getting there!

Hope you've had a brilliant day off and managed to squeeze that nana nap in.

Brilliant bonus with the hsbc account, might have to check that out next time I swap banks! Cheers for the info

8 days! Wow! 11 days for me, we get paid on 28th and it's a Monday... But one of my pay days is tomorrow - lodger no.2. And it's a good thing, as I'm overdrawn by £250!

My uni fees are due soon as well.

Yes, you can get lots of money for moving across to hsbc. I can't do that as I'm still named on the joint acc with my ex husband, but I could get the isa.

Have also opened a trading account with first direct. I'm going to try the play version first.

catriona79

Orange_Ena wrote: »

Crikey, it is a small world :o A tad awks! :cool:

Well.......you certainly have options my dear :eek::p The ex sounds like he's planning a business deal rather than trying to actually woo you. Trust your instincts.

Hope you've had a nice time tonight. Can't wait for an update. Cue the Eastenders duff duffs...........:rotfl::D

A TAD?! :rotfl:
Well, it seems to me like the two boys talked, since the one still hasn't been in touch. How strange, then again we never did meet, and maybe saying that he knows the overly long hand holder guy would have been awkward for him too! Maybe I'm too old, but I wouldn't be that self conscious, and would prob laugh about it!

My date last night was sweet, I'm glad I went. Three drinks and he walked me home and was very pleasant. Not grabby either. A kiss to end the night. Not a snog, he he!
Told me he was going away for 3 weeks, and would like to see me before he goes away. But I haven't heard at all from him today. Which is not great! But I'm not going to initiate. Especially with the history. Also, I'm not sure really that he is for me. A bit tight!? But no doubt we are going to see each other around, so got to keep it pleasant.

Had a phone call with another internet date with a voice like melting chocolate. Very manly. I'm determined to date men who are older than me for a change. But this dating is hard! Got to make sure it's not turning into a chore! First dates! Eeek.

catriona79

Money update: :money:

Some good results.

1. Been good with food shopping, or so I think! £32 for the week is decent.
2. Returned a pair of curtains to john lewis, which I had bought in the sale 3 months ago. I kept the longer length and was going to give the short length to my ex, but that's another bonus of not being with him. That's £33 in the bank
3. £16 on drinks all last weekend and last week. That's not bad.
4. £10 on a takeaway - had the house to yesterday, which is rare, so I thought a movie night was in order.
5. On Wednesday, my non working day, I did not spend lots of money. In fact, I only spent £8 on two drinks on my date. (Included in no 3 above)

Hopefully, today is pay day from L2, it was the 14th and she texted to say she'd forgotten but would definitely pay on Friday, but we were all so tired last night. That will go towards my uni course, and not the debts, so will slow me down a bit, but will also keep me happy.

There are a few things that I need to save money for.

I have been reading Mr Money Moustache - that's not something I'd ever want to do or be able to do, but I like the general principle.
Also, been reading somewhere about people not being expansive enough or thinking big enough. I think that may be something I'd like to try doing soon. The one time in my life that I was expansive, I did the right thing, even if it was bold and a little risky. When I bought my house, it was tough going, but I'm thinking of doing something else that will make it possible to feel fulfilled and use my brain to achieve something I can be proud of and find fulfilment.

But for the moment I just have to try very hard to save as much as possible. This is greatly helped by not being with my ex, the amounts of money I had to spend with him were extortionate. Now when we go for Sunday lunch, I spend £15, back in the day it was £60! Lots of drinks and £50 on a weekend shop. It was nice to be able to do that, but now it's time to take a different approach. Get excited about something else.

Luckily for me, I pushed myself to rent out my other spare room, and that was only to help pay uni fees, but it's resulted in a lovely household and another new friend!
Now this has opened up a whole new world of possibilities, and it's brilliant to know that I can slay this debt or at least become debt neutral. I thought this was impossible to do, the household of 3 was too much of a compromise...
Sometimes, the solution to our problems is right there, but we just need to be able to take a step back and reassess.

I'm a bit of a stress head, so it's doing wonders for me.