Batten down the hatches.....

lcc86

I can't believe how much you've earned from surveys in 2016! That's amazing! Wishing you all the best for an even more prosperous 2017.

BettyBones

Hi Ena, Happy New Year!!!

Very sad to report that I tried to move 32p into my Nati0nwide Instant Saver today for the 1p challenge and they wouldn't let me. Can only transfer £1 or more apparently. Boo Nati0nwide, Boo!!!

GoingToDoIt

Hi Ena
We've not seen you here this year yet :eek: I hope you are doing ok and all is well.

BettyBones

Yes! Come back soon Ena, we're missing you!! x

GoingToDoIt

I'm invoking a face pack Thursday session to see if it lures you back to us....

Orange_Ena

Hello ladies, thanks for dropping by. Happy new year, hope you've all got off to a grand start

---

Well, I'm back I've been a bit busy at home, decluttering as per usual, and getting my hall stairs and landing decorated which feels like it's led to a bit of a spending spree. Or I certainly feel like I've been hemorrhaging money anyway. It's all listed below :cool: I've been a bit down in the dumps too which I suppose is only natural seeing as it's January, it's dark and miserable and the fact that I had to return to work after a nice Christmas break :(

Even though I do feel down when I'm at work or thinking about work, when I'm at home, I do feel quite ok and quite excited about this coming year. It WILL happen but I'm getting so frustrated now and I feel like I've waited long enough that I just want it over with, but I'm reluctant to make a rash decision after waiting this long......which leads to more frustration.

Here's my update anyway.....

New Years Day
* NSD
* £8.18 interest from Nati0nwide savings accounts and transferred to my overpayments account

Monday 2nd January
* NSD
* Youg0v survey
* 14 item listed on Shp0ck

Tuesday 3rd January
* £22.05 in Ike@
* £11.52 in B&Q online with 13p tracking
* £40 0nep0ll payment received and transferred to my overpayments account
* £4.66 cheque from Barcl@ycard, bit of a surprise as they said they'd overcharged me on interest
* 0nep0ll survey

Wednesday 4th Jan
* £16 refund for a dress I bought last week
* £35 for fuel
* £8.40 for coffee, milk, and lunch
* 2 Youg0v surveys
* 0nep0ll surveys

Thursday 5th Jan
* 50p car park
* £28 for a card and birthday pressie in M&S
*£16.74 in M&S, a few ready meals for the freezer for when I can't be bothered to cook
* £1.92 in B&Q
* Youg0v survey
* 0nep0ll survey

Friday 6th Jan
* £10.79 in the co-op for lunch, a few snacks and coffee
* £42.18 in the vets for a consultation and treatment
* £1.79 in H0mebase
* £4.12 in T3sco

Saturday 7th Jan
* NSD
* De-listed 14 items from Shp0ck after 3 people messed me about :eek: It's not worth the effort so it'll be donated to charity

Sunday 8th Jan
* NSD
* Youg0v survey

Monday 9th January
* £62.58 in M0rrisons, got 4 jars of coffee (£3.50 for the big jars of D0uwe Egb3rts - bargain), 7 bottles of lactofree milk that was on offer, cat litter, kitten food, loads of cupboard things and some bacon reduced to 46p
* 0nep0ll survey

Tuesday 10th Jan
* £7.37 in T3sco for lunch, snacks for a meeting and a reduced price Santa outfit for my parents dog for Christmas
* £14 for some paint
* £25 for fuel
* £3.05 in Wilk0 for some picture hooks and some reduced price Christmas wrapping paper, gift bags and ribbon
* 2 PA surveys
* 0nep0ll survey

Wednesday 11th Jan
* £60 for my hair cut and colour
* 3 Opini0n Outp0st surveys and £2.50 redeemed and transferred to my overpayments account
* 0nep0ll surveys
* PA survey

Thursday 12th Jan
* NSD
* 0nep0ll surveys

Friday 13th Jan
* £5.95 in the c0-op for lunch and weekend snacks
* £640 to the decorator :eek::eek:
* 0nep0ll surveys
* i-S@y survey

Saturday 14th Jan
* £31.19 in Dun3lm for 2 new lampshades, a bath sheet and some Christmas decs, all on offer, would have been £42
* £9 in H0bbycraft
* £4.35 in T3sco
!* Youg0v survey

Sunday 15th Jan
* £1 car park
* £20.66 in D3benhams, got a M@rc Jac0bs perfume set for £40.66 instead of £61, a decorative sign for my newly decorated hallway and a £15 J@sper C0nran frame reduced to £2, but it has no glass (pretty sure I can get some from another old frame). I had a £40 gift voucher given to me 18 months ago so it was definitely time to use it
* PA survey

Monday 16th Jan
* £22.79 in M0rrisons, a few groceries, cat litter and a new bed sheet
* PA survey
* i-S@y survey
* VO survey
* 0nep0ll survey

Tuesday 17th Jan
* NSD
* i-S@y survey!and a £5 Am@zon voucher redeemed!
* 0nep0ll surveys
* Youg0v survey

Wednesday 18th Jan
* £9.46 on kitten food from the vet, got 20% off :T
* 0nep0ll surveys

Thursday 19th Jan
* NSD
* 0nep0ll surveys
* PA survey
* VO survey
* Opini0n Outp0st survey

Today
* £30.01 on fuel
* £3.20 for lunch
* £7.52 in H0me Barg@ins on a few home essentials
* 0nep0ll surveys

I'm so pleased with the decorating work I've had done, the hall, stairs and landing looks so much better and brighter.. I've been here 14 years this year and finally, the previous owners choice of purple walls and ceiling :eek::eek::eek: has gone :T I just need to get a new carpet then that area is done. But the bathroom and garden is next on my hit list!

My neighbour came round the other day and asked what I was doing with the garden and I just started apologising saying "I know I'm sorry, it's a disgrace, I will do something, definitely this year, it's embarrassing blah blah blah" but he laughed and said he was looking to start a vegetable garden but he'd got no room in his perfectly manicured garden and wondered whether he could use mine! He'd tidy the whole lot up for me, start his veg patch and give me some produce too! If I thought I'd honestly still be here in a year I might have said yes but I'd hate to let him sort it then sell up! So I reluctantly declined

Orange_Ena

The decluttering continues.......one day it will be done. One day.

77. books x 14
78. rubber craft stamps x 5
79. Christmas mug
80. bath set (unwanted present....I could keep it in the cupboard for a year then donate it or just get rid now cause I know I won't use it!!)
81. felt craft sheets x 11
82. paper mache letters x 2
83. scissors x 4
84. glass vase
85. scrapbook albums x 2
86. scrapbook kits x 2
87. chipboard stickers
88. box of random little craft bits
89. old shoes
90. big bag of fabric
91. candle
92. lamp shades x 2
93. coat rack
94. mirror
95. big bundles of lace x 3
96. hedge trimmer

doingitanyway

Oooh, getting jealous of all the clutter busting. Some really big items too. I will be doing the same this week

Orange_Ena

doingitanyway wrote: »

Oooh, getting jealous of all the clutter busting. Some really big items too. I will be doing the same this week

Haha I've still got loads to go despite getting rid of all that :eek: It feels really good to get rid of stuff though so I hope it's going well for you this week!

---

Good evening, I'm on a bit earlier than usual! I've been off today, just chilling at home and it's been lovely. Unfortunately back to work tomorrow But 2 days until the weekend


Saturday 21st Jan
* £20 earned from a friend for a little job
* £4.65 in T3sco
* Youg0v survey
* Opini0n Outp0st surveys

Sunday 22nd
* NSD
* Youg0v survey
* PA survey

Monday 23rd Jan
* NSD
* P0pulusLive survey
* PA survey
* Pinec0ne survey

Tuesday 24th
* £13.28 in T3sco for lunch, a few groceries and a few presents for my friends birthday hamper
* £6 in P0undw0rld on more things for my friend
* £5.75 in Mat@lan on some socks and slippers in the sale
* Youg0v survey
* 0nep0ll surveys
* P0pulusLive survey
* VO survey
* Opini0n Outp0st surveys and £2.50 redeemed and transferred to my overpayments account

Today
* NSD
* 0nep0ll surveys
* PA survey
* i-S@y survey

I have been really trying to cut down my grocery spends by just not going shopping! I've been trying to buy only a few things and making do with what I have in. I'm not sure how much I've saved as my grocery spends on YNAB is lumped in with anything for the house, cat food, litter, candles, presents, cards etc. So in an effort to further refine this, I've done a freezer inventory and a meal plan up until the 19th Feb. And I've written a shopping list of things I'll need until the 5th Feb :T

If I stick to it, I'll only be buying a few fresh things, snacks, milk, stuff for lunches and breakfast, cat things but my main meals are mostly sorted. I'm going to try and check my receipts too and keep a note of food spends only. I've really got to get this sorted and reduce my spends ready for a huge drop in income!

My older cat is better now thankfully but his savings account has gone from £140 to £20 :eek: I had £40 for Christmas and along with the £20 from my friend, I'm going to transfer it to his account to boost it a bit. I've already treated myself to a few things and it's all my money anyway but I'll feel better for putting it in savings incase he's ill again. He's sitting next me to the sofa right now looking adorable. Arrgh love them both to bits It was only a few years ago I was scared of cats, scared of them clawing me, but getting cats has been the best thing in my life. Maybe it's a bit sad but they are my life. I'm nearly 40 and eternally single so it's highly unlikely I'll have kids, totally accepted that, so cats are my babies. I'd love more but I've got to be sensible with the job / house situation. Maybe when I've moved and settled, a new cat might just turn up

Payday tomorrow..............:D:D:D I didn't claim my mileage for 3 months, kept forgetting, so with that bit extra, my regular £200 saving (separate from my other savings accounts for yearly spends, fuel etc) and my would be council tax payment, I'll be able to add £327 to my emergency fund / house improvement fund. Shame it'll soon be spent

Orange_Ena

Good evening

Thursday 26th January
* £2.70 in Sainsbobs for lunch
* £5.80 in Wilk0
* £30 for fuel
* £7.49 in M0rrisons for a few groceries
* 0nep0ll survey
* Youg0v survey

Friday 27th
* £5.20 in the c0-op
* VO survey

Saturday 28th
* £40.83 in M0rrisons, £29 of that was on just groceries
* 2 PA surveys
* Youg0v survey plus a 350 point bonus

Today
* NSD
* 1 item of furniture listed on Fr33gle, had a few people ask for it including a charity so it'll go to them


Decluttered some more:
97. bookcase
98. hurricane vase
99. magazine file

I've been trying to work out how much the rest of my home improvements will cost and whether I need to use the CC to get it all done:

Bathroom panel, sink and bath taps, silicone, shower screen, labour - £278
New hardwood bathroom floor to level existing floor - £110
Bathroom blind - £7
New vinyl and fitting - £80 (guess)
Decorating and paint - £185

New stair and landing carpet and fitting - £120 (guess)

Garden makeover - £500 (this is for clearing it, laying weed control and laying stones, but I'm waiting for a quote for a slightly more fancy design!)

Dishwasher fixing - ?! (If I can get it fixed I'll do it but reluctant to replace it seeing as I'm selling this year)

So that £1280 + dishwasher costs.

In my house improvements / emergency fund I've got just over 2k but I'd like to keep 1k back ideally for genuine emergencies so I'm currently a bit short of the target. I'll be able to add another £277 at the end of Feb so I may only be adding to my debt short term which is fab.