Aspirations of Frugality and Fun on the Road to Mortgage Freedom

DedicatedDFW

Morning all,

Waiting of the car people coming out - apparently it could be quite a wait which isn't conducive to me starting study expecting the phone to go / doorbell to ring etc. but i will see what i can do.

i may as well get a few of the computer bits done - checking stuff. Already checked the monthly credit card bill and its not great - i have overspent on food in january - alot was stocking up and will save us money in the coming months but it has to be paid for now. Also i needed to stock up on cleansing type products - i used vouchers to save money but this still added up to £20 - for 5 products that is ok and i had to use the vouchers before they expire - again saving money in the coming months - i feel a theme coming on here I've also got alot of gifts for xmas which are on this bill. In a way then the bill is higher than i'd like but i have got alot for my money in there too - i now just need to work out how i'm going to pay for it. Worryingly the car bill will end up on this months bill too :eek:

I am hoping the declutter will help bring some money in and i will keep a track as what should have been paid as an overpayment.

I put another item to the carboot and another item in the bin this morning :T Still no bay of e goodies though :eek: I am going to go through 1 drawer again today - i don't think there's anything there to sell but just want to be sure i'm not holding onto stuff for the sake of it.

The plan was to do 200 words on assignment then declutter an area - so start with drawer then move onto next 200 words and next area and so on.

in_need_of_direction

Sounds like a great plan.

Karmacat

It does sound good - especially when you're tired like that - hope you can sleep tonight.

I think I've missed what you're trying to be published for? Can you share? I'm trying to get back to a novel I'm writing, plus writing for the cat website, connecting on here with somebody who's also writing would be great.

As for your January overspends - well, they're not really, are they, they're bulk purchases, there's a big difference! Don't get discouraged, just admire the stocks

Hope that car guy arrives soon!

DedicatedDFW

Hi All,

Not long after posting on here i got a 15 minute warning of the imminent arrival - cue me rushing round, turning things off, putting shoes on, finally after much messing managed to get the car started, so it didn't need towing in the end, then hit traffic all the way to the garage :eek: And then just walked the 3+ miles home - if i'd been organised i could have gone in my running gear but i wasn't sure if i was going to need towing and had all my bits - car stuff, phone, keys in a bag so it ended up being a speedy walk home. Slightly worried as the guy i left it with said it will be costly - last time they said it wouldn't be costly and it was over £700 :eek: i am awaiting a call to say how much it will be, but expect they'll be doing MOT's first before looking at mine.

I have just had brunch and am going to have my cuppa and peruse the diaries before starting on the assignment and decluttering. My ears are still cold - and i had a hat on! and i can just feel the cold air seeping off me brr!

I checked the banking earlier - good thing too as a little shuffle was required all done now. And i need to step away from checking bay of e throughout today :cool:

Thanks KC - yes you are right and i do realise a lot of the spends were spends saving me substantially in the longer term - it is just the paying for it now that i need to organise - i definitely didn't need any more car trouble

Right cuppa, threads, assignment, drawer declutter.

Also want to add - i always thought i was *quite* tidy - ok i can get in shattered and dump bags down etc. but generally i think i'm pretty tidy. Well yesterday i cleared the top of my bedside cabinet leaving just the ornament cluster and my lamp - there had been a few bits of things on there that were in the wrong place but were waiting to be moved and a couple of things - that had been living there but needed re-homing. Well it is amazing how fab it looks cleared like it is now :T Really is good just to see space and have things in the right place - it will be fantastic once the rest of the room has been done too :T Although there is only 1 other surface of mine and i think that is pretty clear

Karmacat

Also want to add - i always thought i was *quite* tidy - ok i can get in shattered and dump bags down etc. but generally i think i'm pretty tidy. Well yesterday i cleared the top of my bedside cabinet leaving just the ornament cluster and my lamp - there had been a few bits of things on there that were in the wrong place but were waiting to be moved and a couple of things - that had been living there but needed re-homing. Well it is amazing how fab it looks cleared like it is now :T Really is good just to see space and have things in the right place - it will be fantastic once the rest of the room has been done too :T

Yep, turns out we *are* twins

Is the "writing" thing referring to your assignments? If it is, I won't bug you any more.. but if you're aiming at publication, can we have a name for the project? Wannabe writer here :o:o

DedicatedDFW

Karmacat wrote: »

Yep, turns out we *are* twins

Is the "writing" thing referring to your assignments? If it is, I won't bug you any more.. but if you're aiming at publication, can we have a name for the project? Wannabe writer here :o:o

Hey KC - i realised i hadn't replied to this part of you last post d'oh! Yes i am an aspiring writer fiction books and i have a couple of main ideas on the go just now - or more accurately on hold that i need to get back into. 1 adult fiction, 1 childrens, 1 crossover :cool: What about you? Do you want to share anything about your novel ?

brizzledfw

Good to see you so productive DDFW..not sure what it is about Bay of E at the moment..I certainly lost my mojo no that one..may just have to leave to OH to do this weekend..

and as ever..always love your lists

DedicatedDFW

Hi all,

200 words done :cool: KC - this is for my course and the other writing isn't connected - i meant to say before

When i was walking home i was pleased that 1, i have the energy to do a 3+ mile walk - at the end i realised i should have eaten something first but i was pleased to have saved £10 on a taxi by walking instead :T i could have caught the bus going the opposite way - into town, then caught the train home but that would have taken longer and cost me bus fare. As i neared the shop i was thinking i might pop in for some lovely crumpets for breakfast - i 'deserve' them after a hard and worrisome morning with the car, after walking back but then i realised i didn't want to waste any money, and i wanted an nsd - although i now realise paying for the car to be fixed won't make it an nsd - gah! :rotfl:

Completed several small surveys and screened out of several more :cool:

Decluttered drawer - 3 very old phones probaly worth 20p but i need to wipe the data off them before getting rid of them argh! Rest of stuff is being kept - mostly gifts and can't really part with any of them.

Ok, next 200 words, declutter accessory box and then back here for a quick update

DedicatedDFW

Next lot of 200 words done - they aren't all good words in my assignment at the mo but they are words on paper for now and it is a starting point which is one of the main things really to get on with it before polishing

Accessories box decluttered - a couple of bits i bought on my travels i have put to one side - these will either accessorize a bag - to be done when bags are decluttered later - or they will be sold / given, they are very pretty though. A couple of bits to sell too :cool: but only 99p items. I have quite a few bits in the box that aren't worn alot but when they are needed then i have them which saves spending again And these were all at a bargain price - whats the betting that if i got rid of an item now and needed to replace it that the price would be alot more ? :cool: I still think i've alot in there though...

erm: -
2 cuff bangles - 1 bright, 1 vintage / classic
1 stunning bracelet - complemented every time i've worn it and can really set a plain outfit off
1 arm jewellery wrap-around thing
1 ankle bracelet - i am keeping this
1 pair of shades in a case :cool: <- thats me :rotfl:
7 feather hair clips -more evening wear really - 2 to be worn together and these dangle down into the hair. 4 fascinator style ones - 1 grey, 1 gold, 1 brown, 1 black - only 2 are perfect and i wear these alot - the other 2 have stones / beads missing so couldn't be sold really anyway and i still wear them the other 1 is just a feather clip.
5 hair clips - worn more than any of the others - 1 is a bit worn now and when its really worn it will be thrown away - its impossible to clean the material and get the clip to keep its shape - all bought in the sale as i say i wear them all the time
10 hair bands :eek::eek: / alice band style all were in the sale £1 each reduced from £10 + :T they do get worn but not every day / week
2 hair clips used every week - different style - definitely keeping
1 gorgeous material and bead necklace - i am keeping this
1 metal necklace
oh and a 50's style hat type thing that clips onto the side of my head

The size of the actual box won't change - this is the storage i use for these accessories so if i get rid of anything from inside the box it is just clearing that space :cool: Any suggestions / encouragement to part with any of these bits - do they seem excessive ?

Finished the sandwich i made earlier - thought i best not waste anything especially after speaking to the garage :eek: £200+ so far... 1 item that needs repairing will need repairing anyway but only when that bits fixed can they find out if there is a further fault...

I *really* need to sell some things now - oh and if you notice any spelling mistakes - it might not be me - the comp is playing up and just picking up some of the letters typed :mad:

Right cuppa in hand, a quick visit around the boards and then 200 words, declutter toiletries storage and back here.

Seriously though if anyone does think i have too many accessories mention it and i will try and cull them some more - 2 alice bands and a bracelet have been lifted out to sell

Karmacat

DedicatedDFW wrote: »

Hey KC - i realised i hadn't replied to this part of you last post d'oh! Yes i am an aspiring writer fiction books and i have a couple of main ideas on the go just now - or more accurately on hold that i need to get back into. 1 adult fiction, 1 childrens, 1 crossover :cool:

Thanks!

What about you? Do you want to share anything about your novel ?

Apocalypse! Multiple causes :eek: Its all very well when they say to new writers, "write what you know", but I've been reading about the end of the world since I was 14, and stumbled across John Wyndham, then Christopher Priest, then Larry Niven so I know *lots* about the end of the world