80 days of indirect money saving

ClootiesMum

At work already - don't ask.....

Anyhow Monday (Day 6) - not bad - even if I say so myself.

DH did the shopping yesterday & has admitted that he's now getting like me & watching what he buys (even ended up putting some stuff back as we didn't need it).
So this meant it was a NSD for me :j

No jobs of piddliness done last night - I was still filed out from Sunday but DH had cut the grass by the time I came home. He had also made 3 phone calls that needed to be done (all relating to himself, I hasten to add).

And so it goes - back in work today at this time - and this is what I want to try to break in these 80 days - having my life revolve around work - I want to be able to enjoy my evenings knowing that I'm organised & in control at home.....

Anyhow - spreadsheets call - must go. Have a good day y'all

emmaglet

80 days sounds like a fantastic challenge! I'm doing something similar for my weight - 12 weeks of giving it everything. 12 weeks is nothing.

Here's to a productive week

ClootiesMum

Good to hear from you emmaglet - good luck...

Anyhow Day 7 & 8 (Tues & Wed) kind of blurred in to one another. No jobs of piddliness were attempted on Tuesday as I just wanted to chill when I got home but last night - I managed to clear through the "to do" file in the bill drawer - you know the one. It's the one you put bits of mail in saying - I'll do that later. Well, in some cases it's a year later.

But I have posted several bits of mail from that pile today along with 2 calls to make today - 1 of which is for several expired tesco Clubcard vouchers - I'm going to throw myself on their mercy & see if they'll re-issue them - I can but try....

And the good news for DH - is that I've sent off a couple of pension things detailing that he's to get any payout if I die in service. I have no intention of him getting access to that in the near future - but better safe than sorry.

Tonight's plan is to photograph stuff to put on e-bay on Sunday. I came across some clothes still wrapped that not only would I not wear but that are several sizes too small - and also a couple of competition wins - CDs & posh sun tan oil........and as the photographing is the part I hate most of all - I'll get that out the road tonight...

OK - back to work now.

Have a good day folks

117pauline

Hi

Sounds like you are really on track. Just a couple of thoughts:

- don't automatically link your nectar or clubcard accounts, most of us find that you get better deals if you have two different cards

- in the Daily Mirror on the last Thursday of the month, there is usually a voucher for £5 off £40 shop. If you time it well, you can get two vouchers and use them to get two lots of shopping while the voucher is still in date

- menu plan. It helps, especially when you are tired and can't think what is around to eat. Reduces waste, stress and fuss plus saves you money. Also build in some treats too to reward you.

- perhaps one takeaway a month as something to look forward to will help you keep focused.

- as you come across your documents, start a "rolling calendar" system in a file so you get less stressed and you won't forget.

I hope some of these suggestions are of interest.

Hope you have a good day
Pauline

ClootiesMum

Thanks Pauline - much appreciated.

I'm in a bit of an OK position just now as DH is still off sick so all cooking has been taken over by him just now - so I don't even need to think about menu planning - that's his problem

Didn't even know you could link nectar & clubcard points

Daily Mirror - that sounds good - guess what I'm buying next week

And the documents - you're so right - and what's worse - I have a calendar & a diary but just haven't managed to use them properly. That's one of the things that I'm tackling on the 80 days as yes, it will make my life much easier....

And the Clubcard points call was a failure - they cn only go back to Feb this year - but I have one that is in that period so I will call back later & reactivate that one (£2 - it all counts) and then I'll send off my really out of date vouchers with a pleading letter - yes, you're right - I have no shame

OK - more money earning work now

parsniphead

Sounds like you're getting organised clootiesmum.

Paperwork is my big issue. I went through it months ago but still need to file it. It would take about a minute if I did it once a week.:o

ClootiesMum

parsniphead - that's what I'm aiming to get to - just a few minutes a week - but boy, is it challenging (& embarrassing) getting there

pauline - took your advice - we had a takeaway last night. but you know - it wasn't as nice as we can make in the house - so lesson learned. but I might break the bank & have some wine tonight - it is Friday after all.


Last night (day 9) was spent trying to finish of the "to do" file. Tesco vouchers have been sent off with another insurance confirmation that John is to get any pay out for me. I also wrote a wee letter to my brother as I found his premium bonds in the file - they must have been amongst Mum's paperwork. So they'll get posted for him to check - he might be a millionaire - who knows.

I didn't get the photos taken for e-bay, but will do that tonight. I have a couple more letters to write (1 complaint, 3 to friends I keep meaning to pick up contact with again & as I want to send them piccies of the dogs - it has to be snail mail - besides, I like writing letters)
and then I will tackle the book cupboard :eek::eek::eek:. It will take a few days I think & I need to work out what to do with the ones I can bear to part with........

There are also a lot of travel magazines in there that need to go - any suggestions as to where I can offer them? Do nurseries still do "cutting out" stuff?

Anyway - boss has just arrived - so back to work I suppose

ClootiesMum

Friday & Saturday (day 10 & 11) have kind of rolled in to one & I'm reporting in now before I head of for a wee vino & I think the fire might end up getting lit tonight.

• So - 2 NSD (haven't been out today at all).
• Postie man this morning brough a letter confirming one of the PPI payout amounts - not nearly as much as expected but as it was an ancient account & we have no statements to dispute the value we'll accept it. So - that's 30% of the cards target coming in (might put a wee tracker thing in my sig to keep myself on track).
• E-bay - piccies taken & 8 items ready to go live on e-bay tomorrow evening. I might still add to this, but 8 is better than nowt.
• Complaint letter sent away to Sports Mixtures people - got a lump of stuff in a packet ages ago & the packet & the lump have been waiting to be sent off for a replacement pack (& hopefully some coupons ) for ages. So that's now done. It was a lump of foodstuff - no need to panic about scary stuff....
• Cleaned the living room carpet with Vax type machine
• Lowered legs on dining room table so we can comfortably sit & use it. We're both short & it was a wee bit too high for comfort - it's only been needing adjusted for 18 months or so.......
• DH called to get a credit balance on an old credit card transferred to his bank. All of £8.73 but it's now winging its way to his bank account.

I know all these things don't sound much but my head felt "busy" knowing I had all these things to be done. Now it's not so busy I feel calmer & more in control. I appreciate this makes me sound mad - but I'm not - honest...

Tomorrow I'm venturing in to the big wide world as I want copies of the pictures on my phone of the dogs to pop in the letters. I'm aiming for a letter a day - which means they will be done within a week.
And shopping for the week will need to be done tomorrow - I think I'll take DH to Aldi's to do the shop......
I've also got to drop car documents into the garage DH got his car from. It's a pain in the butt as a bit out the road - but again, it needs to be done.

So folks - wine o'clock time.

Have a good evening - & cheers :beer:

ClootiesMum

I didn't report in yesterday - sorry...

So Sunday & Monday (days 12 & 13) - well not much, to be honest.



Sunday was spent

• handing in the appropriate documents to the garage (that's "another wee job done" as we say in our house)
• getting copies of pretty doggie pictures to include in the letters (which have not been written yet)
• shopping for week - decided on Mr A as DH works for them & we have a 10% discount card so probably works out the same as Aldi's
• watched items go live on e-bay (sad, I know) but I have bids on 5 of the 8 items - quite impressed....
• posted off brother's premium bonds & Sports Mixture complaints letter

And Monday - well as I woke on Monday am @ 2am & couldn't get back to sleep last night after work was spent being a zombie & having an early night.
had left-over shepherd's pie for tea(double MSE as hardly any washing up )
Credit card overpayment appeared in DH's bank acount
DH went to see about his slow puncture tyre - not MSE as a new tyre is needed but he's getting it today whilst he's still off on the sick so it's convenient
DH passed on details of where the garage can buy a CD changer for his car so they can fix this (they're fixing it for free & might as well take them up on this although I have had to "nag" DH to get it done)
And DH is now asking what other wee jobs I want him to phone about :j:j



So - today's plan is

• DH to phone about another credit balance on a c/card to have this transferred over & the card closed (£1.33 this time- but if they have a charity fund we're happy for it to go there - just want the card a nil balacne so it can be closed)
• DH to phone Amex to get new luggage tags
• Me - to send off his 2 receipts to claim back his physio money (2nd appointment is today so could not have done this last night anyway)
• Me - to call energy company & arrange a new deal as currecnt deal expires on Monday
• Me - to trawl through work files to find out when DH started work for Mr A. Once he's been there 20 years he gets to keep his discount card for life & he's so near to this it's scary - I just keep wondering so might as well find out.
• Me - monitor e-bay

And then - relax

OK folks - work calls, will catch up later

ClootiesMum

Well - yesterday was well productive - all tasks of piddliness completed. Now signed up for a 2 yr fixed rate with Eon - I still reckon prices will increase so it's worth a punt - & if not, it's only £10 to come out of the contract...
And DH has closed the credit balance credit card - but they have to return the money to you so £1.33 is winging its way to his bank account as we speak.


And today's tasks are lined up -

• DH - call Amex & cancel a £14.99 pm insurance thingy on the account - we don't need or want it
• DH - to see if he needs more medication & if so order it
• Me - work out how much I need to transfer to the bills account on Friday for when DH gets paid
• Me - work out the total of all the minimum payments on our debts - this amount (& extra) will be the monimum we continue to pay to bills even after some are cleared - allowing us to clear down the debt more quickly.
• Me - photograph more stuff to put on e-bay at the weekend

Looking at this - DH has got off lightly - I must make more plans for him

Anyway - work calls - have a good day y'all