OliveOyl's NS June

oliveoyl

ha ha. well i can't claim the praise for it, i got it from the top tips pages in viz magazine. not that you'll want to tell your friends that's where you got it from either lol.

OliveOyl_2

Well I knew NS was a loose term, but the week at my parents cost us £470.86 :eek:
To put it into context, one of the triggers for my latest LBM, (and the LBM that is Really going to work) was that my parents are now ailing and aged and need support. We wanted it to be possible to be there for them and when we looked at our finances we found that we needed ALL my income just to service our debts. I am ashamed to say that if we had no debt, (mortgage excl) OH's income could comfortably support us, and we'd be more use to my parents.
We visit each month, but promised them a week of outings and DIY, which was what we did last week. Cheaper than our usual break in France, but hardly a NS.

I really enjoyed reading the thread on things people have done to save money, and identified with many of them. And was reminded hugely of the sacrifices my parents made for us when we were little. She didn't have new clothes for 15 years, :eek: she cut our hair (and her own one time - it looked dreadful & she had to wear a headscarf til it grew a bit). I'd be embarrassed to admit to them how much we have wasted over the last few years. On the other hand, they are now rolling in it, and can't find enough things to buy.:rolleyes:

oliveoyl

:eek: 'struth Olive. i think you're going to be winning the booby prize this month.

:undecided

OliveOyl_2

You're not wrong olive. I'm wondering what is wrong with me.

Had a mixed day yesterday:
It was my birthday, and yet felt the most un-birthday-ish ever. Only one of the 3 children gave me a card (under the cosh from OH) and a box of choccies (with the coupon that Sainsburys sent me). The other 2: "I sent it, it Should be with you by now...." :rolleyes: and a "I'm only a poor student" :rolleyes:

I have my last exam on Wednesday, so went to my evening class last night, I'm not optimistic about my chances on this one either and that is depressing me.

We've been through the figures and though we're clearing the debt at a rate of £800 a month that doesn't feel enough to me. OH is impressed, we've started this route a few times and have not kept it up until now, but after 3 months I want more.:(

Usually I'm the optimistic one and can always see the bright side. My family usually rely on them to chivvy them up, so OH is at a loss to know how to cheer me beyond the "you're gorgeous" (So?) or "£800 is not to be sniffed at" (I WANT MORE) I know I'm being childish. I know I'm getting DFW obsessed. I know there are others who are facing 50 years to get debt free rather than the 3 1/2 years I'm looking at. But

oliveoyl

sounds like you just haven't got into the habit of being tight yet

happy birthday for yesterday!

what class are you taking?

try to round it up to £1k a month if the £800 doesn't feel like enough. why don't you throw youself into one of the money making challenges that are on the boards at the mo.

OliveOyl_2

I'm feeling a little more positive today.
(Despite my last exam this afternoon, which is in my weakest subject)
Believe it or not I'm trying to qualify as an Accounting Technician......

Having read DFW diaries for the last xx days, I'm in awe and not a little inspired. What people have gone through! :T and are still going through is helping me to get back on track. The challenges particularly, and I think I'd come to the same conclusion as you olive, it can't be much harder to increase the decrease (?) to £1K.....can it?

Positives for today:
1) We're not getting further into debt, and we've identified where we're spending, even if we didn't quite stop the spend.
2) Sir took his first packed lunch today, and not only was he quite happy, he thinks he'll prefer it
3) I had a NS yesterday, and probably today.
4) Aged parents are contented and more secure due to last weeks efforts.

Less-positive
1) some scummy bar-steward nudged him as he was leaving the sandwich bar on Monday and lifted the folding money he'd received in his change. (sandwich therefore cost £7.70 instead of £2.70). Though it did help him come to the decision that the sandwich bar was just tooooo expensive.
2) I need to find £300 before this time next month in order to clear the spend on credit cards and avoid interest. :eek:

OliveOyl_2

Yesterday the exam was pants. I thought I was doing the best I ever have done, my balance sheet balanced ; then someone nearby left, and as they passed people they were asking them about their profit figure (Where was Hypno? These invigilators didn't stop people talking, let alone confiscating any mobiles!). The trouble was my figure was NOWHERE NEAR the figure that most were saying (I kept quiet...) I had £52,050 and they had £958-ish.

If I'm so rubbish at this accountancy lark, perhaps I'm not really in debt, perhaps I've got These figures wrong?

On the up-beat side OH and I spent ZERO, NIL, Nowt, & Zippo yesterday. And are on course to repeat that today.

I've borrowed a hat for Saturday, and part of the family allowance will pay for my bets. I think it doesn't count as a "spend" if you've budgetted for it??

Joined Ciao as well olive, thanks for the tip.
Earned £1 being Brainjuiced this morning.

OliveOyl_2

Well sometimes it's good news, and sometimes it's bad news.

OH has got the overseas job he wanted. It lasts two years, it isn't wonderful financially but is very good for his career. And for many reasons, including financial, I will stay here.

When we planned this, we hadn't had our LBM and hadn't realised the extent of our debt, and I had a dull job that we imagined I could just go part-time with and shuttle between here and there.

Now we know that if we did that our DFD would be 20 years away.

He's excited, I'm pretending to be. He goes before the year end.

OliveOyl_2

Unbelievably we came out of our day at the races £10 up. :j

The friends we were with said, "don't you wish you'd bet more? You'd have won more?"

We were just grateful to have put on modest bets, enjoyed the day and not lost anything!!!!
What a change from last year when a net loss of £32 was laughable!
(we're obviously not big gamblers, but complete novices!)

Otherwise our spend for the weekend was Nil, Zippo & etc. We're getting the hang of this NS lark......

And I'm still completely desolate at his impending departure from these shores. (October, and counting)

hypno06

So your weekend has been pretty good then challenge wise - perhaps this could be the run up into No Spend July that you were talking about.....:D