2014 - the drive to be ready to pay back debt created by doing a masters

giblet1979

Hi Mags,

It has been ok today, but stormy over the past couple of days here.

Nice to read your update, and sorry to hear that you're getting annoyed at yourself. I think it's hard to keep 100% focus all of the time (especially the stress of studying when you feel the need to reward yourself as it's so blooming hard!), but you're still doing so well, so try not to be too hard on yourself. Like you said, you're spending much less than you would have done, and it'll show, slowly but surely. Look what a great influence you've been on your DD already

Hope you have a nice week ahead, and that it's not too stressful.

Gib x

sassychick2014

Hi Mags

I think the fact that you're getting cross with yourself over spending is good in a way as it shows you're really making that effort. We all do it and we all get cross and we all say we've learnt a lesson then we'll all do it again at a later date. It's just one of those things. You've spent years with one mindset regarding spending/saving and so it's unrealistic to think you can change your ways in only a few months. I've made mistakes this month and I know some others on here have too (read my diary to see the culprits!!).

The other thing we all forget is we're not trying to purely save money, we're trying to be spend savvy and get the best for our buck. If I were you I'd put it to the back of my mind, learn the lesson from it and carry on doing the great work you're already doing.

Have a great day tomorrow x

Magsnoodle

Hello all,

How are you doing? Sorry for not being on for a while but work and uni have taken over my life again..... And we went to see the folks for the weekend which was fantastic. Hadn't realised how much I needed the break to be honest with you. Although we did spend a bit of money it came out of the holiday fund so we aren't down any money so to speak. Also we are going to use up all of the food in the house rather than going shopping for more so that is a week less shopping I need to get.

Just made a list of all the birthdays etc for this month and what is it with everyone having new babies???? Lots of cards etc to buy. Think I should be ok though.

Have updated my signature so far so pleased with the money saved to date. Although I have added an extra amount to the halifax credit card as this was the amount outstanding that I owed to the uni once the career development loan paid their bit. I knew this was going to happen and have made those adjustments into what I am saving. Every little helps into the savings pot although it doesn't include what is in the sealed pot challenge. Getting obsessive with that too.

The weather here is shocking but at least I have done over 1300 words for my 2500 assignment - think I might need to cut some out by the time I am finished.

Well I shall sign off for now. Hope you are all well and just taking some of my break time to catch up on how you are all doing.

TTFN xxx

Magsnoodle

Hi all,

Decided to come on here again to let you know about the good fortune I had when complaining about a service in the building society. I went today to transfer money from my old ISA from last year (currently at 2%) into my new ISA (2.5%) but wont accept transfers so I planned to top up to the full amount you are allowed to put in each month. This is where the problem began.

When I asked to withdraw the money with the intention of paying it into the current ISA where I have a direct debit going into, the nice man at the building society said that I couldn't withdraw at the counter but it had to be paid into another account. I don't remember being told that. So I have had to had the amount paid into my current account which would only be available tomorrow and then transfer it into my current ISA. How complicated and was I not happy.....

Anyway due to my complaint about this was not easy access due to the definition of what easy access was and no I did not want to open a current account to enable me to do this he agreed to do a fast track payment to my account today and I have electronically transferred the money into my current ISA....... AND he offered me a cheque for £25 goodwill because they have messed me about. Woo hoo!!!! As you can imagine that has gone straight into the ISA too.

Just thought I would let you know that it is worth staying calm and complaining.... RESULT.

TTFN xxx

sassychick2014

Hi Mags

That's great news! Just shows that staying calm when you really want to go ballistic works.

Well done! xx

savingmummy

Your doing great :j


Well done with the complaint, every little helps and when its free its even better!!!

Magsnoodle

Hello all,

How has the weekend treated you? What a gorgeous day it has been although not quite so good when suffering with a hangover and trying to complete a leadership assignment. I'm too old for this kind of thing. However, it was such a fab night and exactly what the doctor ordered.

Well yet again I have been inspired by reading the diaries on here to put more into the savings pot. I put petrol on our Santader 123 credit card which is my hubby's card and we pay it all off monthly. I then give him the money each month. Well for some reason I have only put two lots of petrol in the car this month rather than 3 so I have put £35 in the pot - yes not quite what I spend on the petrol but thought it was better than nothing and then because I put both of the shopping spends on my debit card (usually get the cash out at the beginning of the month and pay for all groceries out of that) the amount added up to 3.82 less than I would usually spend so I have added that to the £35 and will put that through to the ISA to try to build up that pot as much as I can.

As everyone on here says every little helps.... I am getting impatient though and just need to keep calm.

Can you believe it is June already???? I'm going to have to be having the conversation at work soon about Christmas holidays to see if I can go to my parents to spend Christmas with them. Tend to do every other year, but how mad is it that the conversation is needed so soon?????

Anyway all, good luck with the week ahead.

TTFN xxx

sassychick2014

Afternoon!

"Free" extra money is always a great thing to have. If you've not been using as much petrol does that mean you've been walking more? Free exercise too!

I too can't believe it's June! I'm starting to put money away for Christmas presents although I'm also saving up my Nectar points and will put these towards it too.

Have a great day! xx

savingmummy

Magsnoodle wrote: »

Can you believe it is June already???? I'm going to have to be having the conversation at work soon about Christmas holidays to see if I can go to my parents to spend Christmas with them. Tend to do every other year, but how mad is it that the conversation is needed so soon?????

Anyway all, good luck with the week ahead.

TTFN xxx

Now I have the childrens birthdays out the way I`m starting to think about Christmas :rotfl:
I normally leave it til around Halloween then by the time I`ve said `we`ll make a start!` Its December :eek:
This year has whizzed by!!

Magsnoodle

Hi all,

So the month of June is nearly finished - exams and assignments are in and I am on holiday from uni until October - or repeats the first week in September depending. I think the assignments went ok but the exam was rotten. Not confident at all and it is the first time I have ever cried after an exam. Oh well have decided to do some reading over the summer so that I am either ready for them telling me I need to repeat or that I am getting ready for next term when that topic is on again.....

So how has the money saving gone? I have become a little lazy and spent money that I shouldn't have spent. Yes it was only little amounts but I could have put more away. I have managed to throw an additional £155.39 into the savings on top of the normal £600 that I put in the pot so that is good - I am not over 3/4 the way to paying back the loan so that should be in the pot by the end of October when it is due the end of April 2015 so that is so on target... I cannot believe how much I have achieved but I do think it is all down to the inspiration you get on this website as well as the tips and ideas.

Thank you to one and all.

Take care for now and I'll be updating this more for the near future whilst I am waiting for uni to start again.

TTFN xxx