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The march to financial freedom

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  • Ali-OK
    Ali-OK Posts: 4,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Debt-free and Proud!
    I was quite impressed with the selection on sale in Accessorize, wishing I'd bought another one now for a gift too.

    Hope you got your 2014 planner updated, I've filled in the purchases in my spreadsheet and have a much shorter list that I'll keep in my handbag, just in case I come across anything else.

    Trying to keep on track with the small things, so have checked:

    Bank account - energy refund of £100 has come in. I thought it was £115 but I think that was their suggestion and I reduced it to make sure we are covered going forward. Will do readings and submit tomorrow so see how we've done this last week with both being at home.

    freepostcodelottery checked
    Nectar Adpoints - 10 from there today
    Canvass - nothing in other than profile updates
    Nectar card - value at £16.49

    The turkey curry yielded 2 more dinners so they're now in the freezer and a batch chilli taken out in readiness for tomorrow night.

    So, I wasn't going to spend anymore today, however Nectar is advertising 750 points for a first time minimum £1 purchase eBook - which sounds like a profilt of £2.75 to me. I have an iPad but rarely use it, so have sought that out, charged it up and in the process of buying one.

    I also nearly succumbed to the endless stream of emails with sales - there sat 2 sofas in my shopping basket for a few hours :eek: . Page now closed down and deleted. Phew. We do need new sofas at some point, but the pros and cons are that DS will no doubt a) spill something and not tell me, thus the clean up isn't as good as it could be and b) he'll continue doing forward rolls over the arm and landing heavily on the seats (don't ask, but I used to do this as a child too so I understand but don't approve :rotfl:) and c) best to wait until he's left home and learns to sit rather than lay on one!

    The pro for them was how awful ours are - flat tops/arms, split seat coverings on 2 of them, material worn down. They can wait along with a new carpet and hopefully can do them together. They've only lasted 8 years as well, which I don't think is that long. Financially, I was justifying with Xmas money and extra working, but the reality is I'd just be prolonging the journey to being debt free.

    Before I pressed the buy button and came to the right conclusion, I left the screen and concentrated on the free things and sorted the coats/shoes/gloves/hat cupboard - that yielded several good quality skiing bits that DS had for a school trip 3 years ago and can be eBayed plus some scarf/glove combos. One pair of DS's old shoes that really were for the bin!

    After dinner, I cleared out the dresser/sideboard unit - re-arranged and realised it's not the vases that are the problem, but plant pots. That's because I get bought plants in pots but nothing survives - including the spider plant that my Mum insisted nobody could kill. I did :rotfl: So there's a pile or 2 of pots for car booting as well.

    Lounge will be next tomorrow evening after work - just one tall chest which is mostly CDs (they are going nowhere, I love my music but usually don't buy any these days) and the drawers in the tv unit - which I think is just DS's few box sets of DVDs.

    Pleased with progress so far, it will just leave the study and utility and kitchen to sort. They are both big jobs, so thinking kitchen first - small steps of a drawer or cupboard per day, two if I'm feeling particularly brave :D. That will spur me on to painting it as I have everything to do that.

    Work prep done in readiness for tomorrow and 'eyebrow thread' added to the 'To Do' list - it's been 8 weeks since they were last done. That's going to be very ouchy indeed and paying £3 for the privilege.

    Right, time for bed...boing said Zebedee :D
    Back on the DFW Wagon:

    CC - £3,300 on 0% til 04/2020
    CC - £4,500 on 0% til 02/2019
    Loan - £12,063.84 as at 4/1/18
  • Emmala
    Emmala Posts: 429 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    Evening Ali!


    I have my laptop on this evening so thought I'd pop by and say hello. You're doing so well! I ought to resurrect my diary but am too tired to bother now.....hangs head in shame!


    We're in credit for both the gas and electric, I really need to do something about getting it back as last time it happened they wouldn't pay it back to us, but reduced the DD to eat it up....so we ended up owing them again! Naughty! It's on the 'to do' list!


    Off to bed for me, keep up the good work!


    Molly xx
  • Ali-OK
    Ali-OK Posts: 4,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Debt-free and Proud!
    Hi Molly :wave:

    It's lovely to see you posting and I hope you had a lovely Christmas.

    Do start posting in your diary again, honestly, it's pushing me along all the time, even though I ramble so much :rotfl: I would never be where I am and I'm sure the small things I do would have petered out again!

    It's tricky with the energy credit - would have preferred to have got the DD on track, but like you, it would have just eaten up the credit then I'd have gone into the red. So have left the DD where it is and hopefully can adjust those at the end of the year plan in June.

    Here's to a continued frugal journey and New Year :beer:
    Back on the DFW Wagon:

    CC - £3,300 on 0% til 04/2020
    CC - £4,500 on 0% til 02/2019
    Loan - £12,063.84 as at 4/1/18
  • Ali-OK
    Ali-OK Posts: 4,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Debt-free and Proud!
    Finally a NSD today, hoorah!

    Work went to plan so all good there and Mum had spare choc chip fairy cakes with butter icing on that she made this morning, so we've come home with 6 of those too :D

    I did the elec and gas readings this morning and plugged those into the website. The electricity reading seems too low for 7 days use, either I made a mistake with the previous reading or possibly our recent power cuts have caused a problem with the meter. Will check in another 7 days and contact the supplier. I know we are cutting back, but not that much :rotfl:

    I also checked:

    Bank account
    freepostcodelottery
    Nectar adpoints - 3 more added, so now at 65
    Nectar card value - still £16.49 today
    Nectar search bar - reached the 100 points for the month :j

    Also checked the SB eBook confirmation - 752 points credited and paid £1.49, so still a profit made and hopefully a good book to start reading.

    Having thought more about the sofas today, I have made a further decision. No, not to buy them :D but to pay the equivalent off the debt. In effect, I will clear CC1 with the £575 payment on Monday rather than waiting until the January statement and I'll pay £30 off CC2 as well. Should hit the accounts and show on Tuesday, so will be great to start 2014 with just the 1 CC and the loan. :j

    Batch chilli was enjoyed tonight and I'm too full and tired to do much else at the moment :rotfl:. I will go through the lounge tall chest and drawers though tonight - it's a fairly small job.

    DS had a lovely day at Mum's, with some other family visiting them and tonight he is typing up his own thank you letters. I hopefully have enough of the 2nd class Christmas stamps left to cover the postal ones. Some we can hand deliver tomorrow as will be out in that area for lunch/tea anyway.

    After buying that bottle of whisky yesterday, I still haven't had an Irish coffee :rotfl: Definitely going to round tonight off with one :D

    Hope everyone has had a good day.
    Back on the DFW Wagon:

    CC - £3,300 on 0% til 04/2020
    CC - £4,500 on 0% til 02/2019
    Loan - £12,063.84 as at 4/1/18
  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 95,684 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Mortgage-free Glee!
    Great news on one CC & 1 loan :j :j
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.

    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.
    ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
  • Ali-OK
    Ali-OK Posts: 4,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Debt-free and Proud!
    Thanks BeanieLou - I am very excited about being rid of one :j

    Aim is to be rid of the next debt by end of 2014, though with capital payments of £650 to the mortgage starting in January, it's going to be tough going and less money to throw at the debt.

    Car booting and eBay selling will have to become my hobbies during 2014 :D
    Back on the DFW Wagon:

    CC - £3,300 on 0% til 04/2020
    CC - £4,500 on 0% til 02/2019
    Loan - £12,063.84 as at 4/1/18
  • Ali-OK
    Ali-OK Posts: 4,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Debt-free and Proud!
    Things seem to happen when I don't plan to post, so an update this morning or I will completely forget :o

    I spoke too soon when I said the lounge storage was a small job - the games drawer was a mess with bits and pieces loose in the bottom, but yielded several for car booting that DS has grown out of. So that took quite a while and I've used sandwich bags to put pieces in so they can't fall out of their boxes.

    We found some of DS's old PSP games - he no longer has a PSP as it broke a few years back, so those and a few DVDs and 1 Wii game are piled up ready to make us a few pennies :D

    We need to make a decision whether to sell the Wii as well - it doesn't get used, was a fad (glad I bought it at less than half price as a package with controllers and footboard and games). I've still got all the boxes too and it's in a near-new condition. Think I've just convinced myself to sell it, just by writing that :rotfl:

    A nice update to Nectar card value - £20.85 - that's the 750 eBook points and 100 Search bar points been added :j I'm on track for the £130 value I want to achieve for 2014. British Gas should add another 200 points, if not more, when quarterly bills come in Jan, though that will be the last if I change suppliers after our deal runs out in Feb.

    It's free listing on eBay I think at the moment, so want to get some bits on there tonight when we get back.

    DS has written the thank you letters that need to be taken today, so I'm off to help him print and sort envelopes - a saving of 5 stamps.

    Have a great day everyone - very frosty here and several accidents reported on local roads due to black ice, so we're leaving a little earlier than planned and taking it carefully.
    Back on the DFW Wagon:

    CC - £3,300 on 0% til 04/2020
    CC - £4,500 on 0% til 02/2019
    Loan - £12,063.84 as at 4/1/18
  • Ali-OK
    Ali-OK Posts: 4,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Debt-free and Proud!
    We've had a lovely day out and stuffed to the gills with roast beef, puds and then a light tea before heading home.

    I've had to fill up with petrol as well, so £29.90 :eek: for that. Picked up some flowers en route for our host - £5.50. :eek:

    On the plus side, we were given a scratch card each and DS won £4 which we cashed in at the shop en route home and he got given his £2 weekly pocket money from my Mum - so he's £6 up :D

    I've not managed to get anything onto eBay tonight, got a bit carried away with checking out the old cylinder/stairs hoover (motor has gone I am fairly sure) and cleaning the upright one including filters to prolong it's 10 year life so far. So a trip to the dump tomorrow to get rid of the cylinder one is on the cards.

    I also started on the utility room. Amazing what a small, narrow cupboard can house :rotfl: Full of carrier bags and dog paraphenalia. So sorted bags into ones for taking to recycle bag bin, ones I can re-use for home bins and dog-pooh pick up (sorry if TMI) and ones I've put into a bag for using at car boot sales. There are also some doggy bits that can be sold on too - puppy lead, pads, car harnesses that are now too small for them as they're a big girl and boy!

    My upper back is spasming tonight, so need to relax. Cue an Irish coffee. Finally, the first much awaited one since last Xmas and oh, it was delicious :D

    I now have 5 days ahead of us with nothing at all planned, but lots I need and want to do. From work planning for being full on next week, through to carrying on the decluttering and all the small things. And that long awaited PJ day :rotfl:

    Waiting for monthly CC to roll over and then I'll sort the phone and internet package - should be able to save again there with paying the line rental a year in advance but prefer 60 days interest free than 2 if I do it too soon!

    Feeling a bit light-headed from the alcohol, so will stop rambling there :D
    Back on the DFW Wagon:

    CC - £3,300 on 0% til 04/2020
    CC - £4,500 on 0% til 02/2019
    Loan - £12,063.84 as at 4/1/18
  • Ali-OK
    Ali-OK Posts: 4,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Debt-free and Proud!
    edited 30 December 2013 at 3:57PM
    A half-way house update as I've had a very physical morning and need a sit down and cuppa :D

    All utility room cupboards have now been emptied, cleaned and cleared out of unnecessary bits. Worst bit was a completely unravelled and screwed up large pile of string which I was tempted to just put in the bin, but oh no, I stood and re-wound, unknotted and turned into a beautiful ball :D

    Tea towels I have drastically reduced to the new 9 I had for Xmas, plus the few decent ones. I've put 5 old ones in the garage for car buffing, the rest were only fit for the bin. :eek:

    Lots of plants pots washed and cupboards are lovely and organised. A new space created for candles too :D

    Have also done some washing which is on the airer, changed the landing bulb which was flickering and on it's way out, changed the beds, emptied the dishwasher, fed and watered DS. My CD player is playing up though - hope there's not a run of 3 appliances breaking, I'm a bit superstitious like that!

    Bank account checked - CC payments gone out. CC 1 is no more tomorrow when it shows on the account :j I will update sig then.

    Nectar adpoints - a new week and 4 done, just seen lots more available so will do those later
    Nectar card value up to £21.34

    I have phoned my mortgage provider to check the correct procedure for extra payments. I can set it up as a payment from my current account which is good news, but have to phone them each time to make sure they apply it as a capital payment and that then sets off a confirmation letter. Still, it's a freephone number so won't cost me. Going to set the first one to go on the 2nd Jan. This is as exciting as it is daunting, but can't wait to see that £133,444 start to come down. I might even up the first payment to get a round figure :D

    I've also received a letter about the car with it coming towards end of term. There's a slight possibility of changing it, but it's more to do with a family member wanting to change from diesel to petrol due to hardly driving and me selling mine onto them. So, I am popping down to the dealership shortly to have a discussion and look at the options. It could point towards trading in the sports car which would be easier than selling privately, but doubt they'll offer me anywhere near a private sale value. Worth asking though so I have facts to work with rather than me guessing.

    I also need to walk the doglets since it's stopped raining here - one of them won't go out in the rain, even though he's a water-loving dog if it involves a river or manky swampy stuff :rotfl:

    The old hoover and stuff for the Tidy Tip is in the car boot now, but will wait until later in the week to take it, as it's en route to Aldi and I've yet to empty the alcohol cupboard - so they'll be those bottles to take as well. Will save fuel doing that.

    Ooh, Hygienist appointment has been moved back into February from Jan as well - not my doing, but helps to push a £46 spend back another month.

    Lots to do now I'm revived :D
    Back on the DFW Wagon:

    CC - £3,300 on 0% til 04/2020
    CC - £4,500 on 0% til 02/2019
    Loan - £12,063.84 as at 4/1/18
  • mooomin
    mooomin Posts: 13,703 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Ali-OK wrote: »
    Worst bit was a completely unravelled and screwed up large pile of string which I was tempted to just put in the bin, but oh no, I stood and re-wound, unknotted and turned into a beautiful ball :D

    You're a better woman than me! :rotfl:
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