We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.

This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

2014 - keep crunching away

18911131460

Comments

  • cazmanian_minx
    cazmanian_minx Posts: 4,048 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Debt-free and Proud!
    Tips on living out - don't worry too much :) It's very easy, when the weather isn't being as nice as we'd like it, to start thinking 'OMG that poor pony, out there in the rain/wind/snow/whatever' - nine times out of ten, when I go outside and check on mine, they've got their heads down and are munching happily, totally oblivious. I don't rug either, but mine are unclipped and do have field shelters. Feet - mine have never had an abscess in four years of ownership until Finn's earlier this year and that was my fault, he's very prone to getting small stones wedged in his heel (they're both unshod) and going from the position of the entry point, I missed one. The one excellent foot tip I got from my farrier is that when the ground is really dry and hooves are prone to cracks, forget about standing them in water or expensive products. Buy a cheap bottle of vegetable oil (any type), paint the hooves with it and then make sure the horses stay well hydrated - most of the hoof moisture content comes from inside, so the oil stops the dry ground leaching it out. My two had fabulous feet all summer last year.
  • DebtFree2012
    DebtFree2012 Posts: 3,573 Forumite
    Love that tip re oil Caz - and cheap too - my kind of treatment! Thank you. The pony is unshod too and is only rugged until he adjusts, given that he's been living in all winter and isn't as hairy as he would be if out - more for the nights than anything and me being soft :)

    Looking forward to it! (not to mention the cheaper livery costs !)
    Debt - CCV £3792
    CCB £1383 (took a hit for a holiday)

    Loan 1 £1787
    Loan 2 £1683
    Total £8601 Was £39302
  • DebtFree2012
    DebtFree2012 Posts: 3,573 Forumite
    Well the little one's out now. Hopefully it will work out well. I'll pay up until Friday as normal and just take the bed and hay I would have used up until then as emergency in case he needs to be in for something overnight. So I will have 3.5 days in lieu so to speak. Hope the LO is happy with that, I would be if I was her.
    Also, as my 0% balances are due to run out any minute I've made the rash and silly decision of applying for another one instead of waiting for the current ones to offer me a new deal. They can only say no right and I'm not applying for a mortgage in the near future so a rejection won't impact that.
    Debt - CCV £3792
    CCB £1383 (took a hit for a holiday)

    Loan 1 £1787
    Loan 2 £1683
    Total £8601 Was £39302
  • DebtFree2012
    DebtFree2012 Posts: 3,573 Forumite
    Right I've just got today's job finished so calling if an afternoon at least, before I start again tonight. Have I ever mentioned I hate work on Tuesdays! I'm waiting on 1 email reply to complete this job then I can sanity check it and send it off for review - one more ticked off.

    I am putting off starting another as it is going to be so hard for a million reasons.

    I have also been thinking that despite how much I'd love to be DF and open my own form of yard, that's a long way off. At least 3 years, 2 months! So in the mean time, what pays my debt is my salary from said job. Without that I would be scr£wed big time. Therefore as much as it pains me I must do a good job of it in order to keep myself as a contender for surviving job cuts and keep getting the pay increases (merit based).
    I shall continue to ponder this as I go and start tea and see to my dog who has developed yet another ear infection and is making himself yelp from scrtaching (as of today!).
    Debt - CCV £3792
    CCB £1383 (took a hit for a holiday)

    Loan 1 £1787
    Loan 2 £1683
    Total £8601 Was £39302
  • DebtFree2012
    DebtFree2012 Posts: 3,573 Forumite
    Morning :)

    Well Barclays who I bank with decided to "suggest" I apply for their 32 month 0% BT card - I've been rejected numerous times over many years by them, even tho accepted elsewhere. So I decided to go ahead, despite applying for the other card (Fluid) yesterday. Got everything in, took ages to do form and put BT details in only to be rejected - they will offer me one when I am DF won't they!

    I forgot my packed lunch today so had to double back for it (nothing special but would cost a fortune otherwise). Had a busy morning pre work, got loads done inc tea on so that's good. Plan on getting plenty done at work today too and a quieter night with pony living out. The big girl's stopping out overnight too (just 1) so tomorrow will be quieter for me with no mucking out.

    I am going to make some more soups as they've been going down well and I would like to bring some in for work lunch. Need to find some more cheap and tasty recipes for that.

    T£sco coming tonight with extras for hols (eeek) and I'd like to spend an hour getting a few clothes prepared and so on. Trying to keep it to a min for usual reasons but also to minimise impact on return as I'm back to work straight away which is bad enough without a mountain of depressing washing!
    Debt - CCV £3792
    CCB £1383 (took a hit for a holiday)

    Loan 1 £1787
    Loan 2 £1683
    Total £8601 Was £39302
  • DebtFree2012
    DebtFree2012 Posts: 3,573 Forumite
    Morning diary land

    Yet again I'm full of the joys of Spring after a full night's sleep. I've managed to get organised this morning and on top of jobs. I intend to keep the washing machine going today until it's all done and working until 3. Tonight should be easier given that both horses stayed out last night so just riding tonight. Then have to work 8-10. Need to fit some family/hubby time in there too.

    T£sco came last night and sent me £5+ voucher today as I'd get it cheaper elsewhere so I have £10 off next shop :) Should balance out nicely then as had to buy some holiday bits in last nights which came to £15 ish.

    Accounts are the same today.

    I'm off to make a start on the project I have, started it yesterday and it's very difficult. Have to get it done before the holidays in 2 weeks or so!
    Debt - CCV £3792
    CCB £1383 (took a hit for a holiday)

    Loan 1 £1787
    Loan 2 £1683
    Total £8601 Was £39302
  • DebtFree2012
    DebtFree2012 Posts: 3,573 Forumite
    Morning agian

    The good news is my credit card application (first one) was accepted - bad news is the reason is because they've reduce my limit on another account by 5k - I didn't realise they are both MBNA and the limit they've given me in only 3k! The only silver lining is that's 3k of 0% for longer than any others so I will have some adjusting to do. I can't transfer from the card I wanted to however another one's due to finish in July so I will shift 3k from that leaving it with 700 on it. I can then concentrate on paying off the one which I wanted to transfer originally as that's where the interest will hit.

    I'm hoping that the one I'll free up bar 700 will then offer me a BT at some point so I can shift some of the remainder to 0%.

    It should be here in a few days so I will get organised then.

    TFI Friday!
    Debt - CCV £3792
    CCB £1383 (took a hit for a holiday)

    Loan 1 £1787
    Loan 2 £1683
    Total £8601 Was £39302
  • DebtFree2012
    DebtFree2012 Posts: 3,573 Forumite
    Morning diary land

    The little pony is still living out and doing really well for it. He did balloon one day 1& 2 but I kept and eye on him and it's gone down and he's stopped gorging himself (I'd worked him up to staying out over a period of 2 weeks) now he realises he can stay out. He's loving it and it's making riding him bliss for my DD - they had a lovely calm canter (no excitable bucks) last night and a little jump. We all came away with smiles on our faces.
    The big girl is half out half in and has now lost a shoe (corrective shoes - expensive :( ) which I will have to pay to replace on Thursday if I can't find it in the field - needle, haystack???

    Home wise I've been mostly sticking to the menu plans - weekends have slipped when I've needed to accomodate last minute decisions but that's fine. I've made lots of dishes I've never made before such as jambalaya (sp?) and a mexican chicken stew, beef and lentil cottage pie with cauliflower mash (tonights) so all in all it's a great expereince. We've been having picnics and lots of countryside walks (I've been keeping an eye open for potential places for my DF days :D) I had to go to Ald1 though as I can't seem to balance out ordering from Tesco once a week but it's all work in progress. I MUST start making even more soup still as I want to take some in for lunches at work as well as for everyone at home.

    I'm also taking packed lunches when we travel in a week or so as plane food is expensive and [EMAIL="!!!!"]!!!![/EMAIL] - I can't wait to go.

    Money wise there's very little to report which is good - damage limitation still until pay day on Friday. I've not had to spend anything I didn't expect to and if I pay the farrier by chq on Thursday then it won't get cashed until next week at the earliest so that's good. I didn't get chance to do my weekly update as my laptop died and only was repaired yesterday.

    We've had fantastic weather over the last few days so I've done no knitting at all as we've been living outside pretty much! My lettuce's are doing well except for the ones I forgot about inside and have died as locked in the conservatory in blistering heat. Chickens are all laying well so salad with eggs is a staple meal now.
    Debt - CCV £3792
    CCB £1383 (took a hit for a holiday)

    Loan 1 £1787
    Loan 2 £1683
    Total £8601 Was £39302
  • cazmanian_minx
    cazmanian_minx Posts: 4,048 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Debt-free and Proud!
    Glad to hear he's thriving outside :) It really seems to chill them out doesn't it?
  • DebtFree2012
    DebtFree2012 Posts: 3,573 Forumite
    Ahh it's lovely - he's obviously an outdoorsy type. Some of them shiver at the thought of it but he's been happy as a pig in, well you know.

    So work wise is all it's about today - I've had the laptop out of action meaning I'm behind with my piece that needs to be in next Friday. I've got quite a bit done with it today however the frustrating bit is I need to run hundreds of reports (literally) and each one takes anywhere from seconds to 10 minutes to produce and the same again to save/modify it so it's a slow process. This is the first time this work's been given to me in this role (girl who did it left and wasn't replaced) so it's not straight forward to me yet.
    Debt - CCV £3792
    CCB £1383 (took a hit for a holiday)

    Loan 1 £1787
    Loan 2 £1683
    Total £8601 Was £39302
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 352.1K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.5K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 454.2K Spending & Discounts
  • 245.1K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 600.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.5K Life & Family
  • 258.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.