woah... are those MY finances??

stewby

Hey c-r. Glad to see we aren't the only hardcore challengers.


Nah, I am going with my mum, auntie and cousin. We go away on a wee holiday every year (only really started doing "big" ones last year when we went to the valkenburg xmas markets). My mum and auntie both have issues with nerves and (being rather cheeky here) a lack of common sense so I go along to keep them on the right path and my cousin comes to keep me company. (lack of common sense as in remembering where their hotel is and the name of it, what the name of the nearest train station is, when their flights are and how to get to the airport, etc).
My cousin picked the holland holiday, my mum picked disneyland paris, my auntie has next years choice (I think it will be a beach holiday) and then it is my choice in 2015. I am trying to save up virgin airmiles so we can go to New York (told you I have an obsession with new york).


To alleviate my mum's anxiety (which is bad anyways as she doesn't like flying. Used a bus tour last year) I have pretty much researched the backside off Disneyland Paris. Even as much as looking at menus to see rough budgets, menus that cater to my cousin (does it do chicken nuggets). It is pretty much all planned... apart from my spending money which was a bit of a last minute thing.


Loving the tights. You can always say that you are 'alternative' c-r?? My friend purposefully rips holes in her tights as it is a statement. Apparently.


Hope everyone is having a lovely evening/morning.
Hugs.

edit: Oh... as you can see from the signature, OH has contributed his £20 to the "holiday" pot. (the daftie said "I bet you £20 this team doesn't reject this player" whilst he was on fifa 13 and the team rejected the guy so he put £20 in the pot). I did as well though so it's not all him.

Fmess

Hey stewby

I promise I'm always reading, even when I forget to post!

Does your cousin only eat chicken nuggets? How old are they? This year I went on holiday with a friend and she was the same as your mum and aunt. She didn't know anything about the holiday and couldn't find her way back. I was like a tour guide.

Last day of my half term holiday today I've worked on 3 days so far this holiday and still don't feel prepared to go back. It is a never ending job.

Hope you have a lovely day, off to visit my patents and mama, then need to walk the dogs and do some more work

cottage_retreatist

Haha! Stewby somehow I don't think my particular work would appreciate artful holes in my tights - they're very conservative!!!!! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: So I am doing the old clear nail varnish trick to stop the ladders getting too long!

was flying the only option for disneyland? Because the eurostar tickets to disneyland I worked out are cheaper to there than to the center of Paris! (little trick if you ever need a last minute ticket to paris!!!)

love the idea of only eating chicken nuggets!! :eek::eek: but I agree - how old is your cousin?

hmm - I sometimes wish I had female friends or family members who I could go for holidays with but it really is just me and the OH - my mum lives in France half the year but at the moment we can't afford the tickets to visit her but fingers crossed we'll recoup the travel time once debt free!!!

clippy_girl

Hi all,

I am also getting confused on the thread about what a sfd is! Does seem like a lot of cheating and agree it won't feel as good if you do it that way (also you won't see the benefits as you won't have saved as much!). I am trying to think of it as anything I don't have control of is a sfd eg petrol, bills etc... And anything I can control whether or how much I spend is not a sfd even if I have a budget eg food, cat spends etc...

I really need to make sure I write down everything I spend this month!

Disneyland sounds like it will be fab I went for the day when I was kid during a holiday in France but can't really remember much about it! I would also like to go to New York for my 30th. If you go this time of the year it will be lovely as they will have all the Xmas displays :snow_laug:santa2:

I am off to Milan for a weekend in two weeks with two friends. We have a kitty we pay into each month and so the trip was funded from that. We only have £300 between us though for two full days so think I am going to have to add to it! I'm very impressed with your budget planning though stewby, may have a look to see if can find some cheap places recommended for food :A

stewby

Oh wow. Lots of replies today.


Mainly just chicken nuggets and chips, occassionally she will have a burger. (it is just when out in a restaurant and even then she is fussy about seeing veins in her chicken). She is 23 but our whole family is kinda immature for our age. Must be a family trait.


Aw fmess, hope you manage to get your work done in time. Teaching is something I could never do. I hate the idea of having to stick to the same lesson structure year in and year out. One of the reasons I probably couldn't do a normal job is the repetitiveness. (I am not sure repetitiveness is a word but I am sure you know what I mean).
:rotfl:

Ah, not really possible then c-r. Let's hope the clear nail varnish holds out until your next spending day. Are you able to go and visit your mum soon or are you planning to wait until you have sorted out all your pennies??
:undecided

We could have taken the train but we live in the north of scotland so travel time was about 13 hours, not including an overnight stay in london (my mum is scared of london too as it is so big and busy). As a result, I suggested we fly direct to paris. It only takes about two hours and she agreed to do that instead. (Without sounding awful, mum and auntie were freaking out about only having train toilets for 13 hours. They are getting older and having the same issues as many older women).


I will keep your hint in mind as I loved Paris when I went the other year with my OH and would love to go back again. I also loved london when we went so we could maybe make a trip of it.... and there I go back into my spending ways again.
:doh:

Hey clippy_girl. I don't have the problem with direct debits as my dad is in charge of that side of things. I am in charge of my budget account so if anything leaves that account then it is a spend day. Last month I was left with about a tenner in my account which is amazing as I have normally emptied it by the 15th.


NSK has done such a fantastic job with the challenges and making them challenging but achievable. I really hope she keeps doing them after she is debt free.
:huh:

Milan sounds amazing. I love travelling and want to go all over the world. Why is the best, most fun stuff the most expensive.


Oh well. Just need to focus on the saving. The hard work will be worth the reward in the long run. Just need to learn how to be patient. (Oh, how bad am I at being patient and waiting for stuff).
:rotfl:

Hope everyone is managing to get a good sleep.
Hugs.

Fmess

Evening, one of the things I love about teaching is that it is not repetitive! I teach so many kids, they all have different needs and react differently to the work. I love my subject so I never get bored if the topics (luckily!). Got a lot of work stress in the next 2 weeks as I'm being observed by senior management and having my marking scrutinised (as if we didn't have enough to do each day).

I am so pleased that you are having a holiday (and jealous). I think it's always nice to have something to focus on and it's a lovely treat to look forward to.

Told OH about wanting to go to Disneyland and he insisted we must go to Orlando He went several times as a kid and loved it, so at least I won't be dragging him there kicking and screaming!

Hole you've had a good day

stewby

Hey fmess.


We are the same at the moment. We have had brand new paperwork (supposed to reduce our paperwork but it doesn't) for about three weeks and on Thursday they are coming to audit it. I already know that we are going to fail and there is nothing I can do about it apart from accept it and hope they have pity.


OH is not keen on kids so there is no chance of disneyland with him.
:doh:

I am really looking forward to my holiday. It's going to be a challenge but as long as the flight goes okay, hopefully my mum will be calm enough to enjoy the trip.


What sort of subjects do you teach?? Can you teach me any foreign languages for my holidays??


Hope you have had a lovely day and the next two weeks go smoothly.
Hugs.

stewby

As bright as a blackout sometimes.

In actual mse news... I have had four spend free days this month which is brilliant. I am so proud of myself.


Still baking stuff. OH actually baked sausage rolls the other night so we have been eating them. It's been great.


Anyways... hope you have been getting on well with your challenge and if scubaangel is reading this, I hope she is having a great time down south.
Hugs to you both.

stewby

Fifth spend free day today.


Have been telling my parents about choosing not to buy the dishwasher freshener as I didn't need it and they were really shocked.


They sounded impressed which makes me quite happy. Spoke to my Dad and we paid £200 off my credit card this month!!
:j

I had paid my parents £100 but my Dad has misjudged my outgoings so he is going to have to give it back. (missed out that my registration was due this month).


I know £200 isn't a massive amount but it is all I can afford just now. Will have a look at the first few posts to see how much my original credit card debt was.
:undecided

stewby

Back again with a wee update...

Today is a spend day. £54.76 in total but have gotten quite a good haul.


Chose morries cause their meat is cheaper than tescimos and they had some awesome deals.

Got a whole chicken for £2.76;
20 pkts quavers for £2.34;
after eight mints for £1.39 (OH's favourite).
4 j2o drinks for £2.00.
rocky biscuits (buy one packet and get two free)!!

There was other stuff as well but these were the bargains I got. (well, I think they were bagains). We did go to tescimos as my mum needed some bday cards and things.

Did make a shopping list and almost entirely stuck to it.
:j

Erm... can't think of anything else to post just now. So, will sign off now.
Hugs.