How will you celebrate being debt free? How do people stop from sliding back?

debtfreewannabe321

Well done on getting rid of all the debt! :T
I celebrated with a take away, wine and treated the family to a few days out and new clothes we're busy saving for a house though so I pretty much treat the savings as a debt now meaning I have to put the money in the isa I'm also trying to build up afew emergency pots so we don't end up in the same mess again!

What date is babe due xx

Vicky496

Hi debtfreewannabe321 :wave:
In the end my DH treated me to dinner to celebrate.
He's much more restrained with money than I am - I've learnt a lot from him. Historically we've kept our finances separate as I didn't want to mess up his credit rating, but we've always been very open and told each other all the messy details - he's seen the entire journey!

Vicky496

NSD/VSP
Today was a no spend day. I must have had others this month, I think I'll count them up properly next month to add to the feel good factor

And I transferred £5.01 to my virtual sealed pot.

Groceries
I started a grocery shopping list, but the more I think about it the more I want to eat the cupboards and freezer down first - there's far too much in there as it is!

Here's a list of meals I can make without going shopping:

• Chilli (from the batch cook)
• Carbonara pasta bake
• Pesto pasta
• Chicken curry
• Sausage and mash
• Chicken noodle soup/Oxtail soup/Parsnip soup
• Sausage casserole
• Fish fingers & chips/parsnips
• Breaded chicken & chips/parsnips
• Rice pudding
• Tinned peaches/frozen raspberries
• Pot noodles
• Pancakes (lemon/sugar/fruit)
• Couscous... need to think what to make with this...
• Chilli Lasagne
• Toasted sandwiches: cheese&worstersauce/beans/egg
  

Gardening
I also need to talk DH into cutting a path through the overgrown mess that is the back garden... I'm pretty sure we'll have a tonne of apples and blackberries waiting to be picked!

If that's the case then I'll chop them into crumble/pie filling sized freezer bags and store them for the winter... saving enough for something tasty this weekend

Marmalade and Old Style cleaning
Tomorrow I think I'm going to make some marmalade. I cleaned a whole lot of jars today in preparation. I'm definitely getting that nesting feeling - also went through my hospital bag to make sure everything was ready.

Used bicarb of soda mixed with a little oil to get the glue off the outside of the jars after I'd soaked the labels off... then used the paste to clean the sink and the oven door to boot! Feeling properly old school Can't believe how clean the oven door is just with bicarb.

Also used some value coke from the fridge to soak overnight the cutlery drainer and a pie dish with stubborn burnt on stuff.

Tomorrow's job is dusting and maybe mopping the kitchen/bathroom

I'm also going to get out one of the empty plastic storage boxes and start filling it with clutter for a future car boot sale at some point.

Christmas gifts
My marmalade has been a pretty popular gift the last few years... nice extra for step parents in law and sisters in law (DH gets them all gifts in addition to this). There's also a few people at work I want to give jars to (some I do swaps with to get plum jam, or blackcurrent jam etc). And I know my parents will want some! Good thing I've been saving up jars all year... also I still have some nice christmassy fabric fat quarters that I bought in bulk for jar covers a few years ago.

I've still to get a gift for one of my sisters... no ideas for that yet. Am thinking socks and bath smellies probably.

And for my brother... I have a kit from last Jan sales to home brew beer, need to get a cheap fermenter, siphon tube and keg still though to go with it. Poor chap got a really pants pressy off me last year so I'm needing to make up for it! Not sure where the best place for these bits will be... is it unrealistic to try and get the lot for around £15 or less?

Bro in law I'm going to get a book... just need to find the cheapest place and get on and order it! Amzn has it for £10.69 at the mo, but reckon I can shop around for that a bit more.

Still got £37.74 left in my budget for those 3 gifts (originally gave myself £10 per person for birthdays/weddings/xmas gifts between Aug and Feb).

Seperate from this budget I'm also going to get DH Little Big Planet 3 (PS3) for xmas when it comes out in Nov. Amzn are doing it for £35... hoping I might be able to get it cheaper somewhere once it's out or maybe get some cash back with it.

Vicky496

Pants. Just went all the way to MrT's for the weekly shop and to pick up the T-direct order I'd placed using CC vouchers... only to forget to pick up the T-direct order. *sigh*

Oh well, I'll go again tomorrow and fill up the petrol while I'm there.

Spends for the day:
£9.35 on bro in-law's xmas pressy (was going to be £10.84).
£24.26 on groceries.

Savings for make £10 challenge:
£11.80 in multibuy savings and money off vouchers/coupons.

Had a pretty darn productive day today...
-made a batch of marmalade
-finished cleaning the oven
-did a load of washing up, including things that don't get used often as part of a deeper clean.
-cleaned microwave, toaster, kettle
-wiped down the sink and kitchen cupboard doors
-did a load of laundry
-did the grocery shopping (decided in the end the time for eating down the cupboards and freezer was once the baby comes...)

Other jobs that I want to get done before the baby comes (could be tomorrow, could be in 4 weeks!):
-[STRIKE]pack up ziffit parcel (going to be worth £19.25)[/STRIKE]
-[STRIKE]call transport london for an oyster refund (going to be worth £7.05)[/STRIKE] gave up on hold - will post with the refund form and cross my fingers.
-[STRIKE]dusting[/STRIKE]
-clean the inside of the kitchen cupboards
-wash/wipe anything inside the kitchen cupboards that's built up dust
-vacuum
-mop the kitchen [STRIKE]floor and bathroom[/STRIKE] floor
-de-clutter the house into boxes for a future car boot sale, clear out the cupboard under the stairs (to make space for said boxes)
-tighten the curtain strings so they fit better
-get some drain cleaner for the shower (or look for OS alternatives)
-wash the outside of the windows
-[STRIKE]clean toilet and bathroom sink[/STRIKE]
-[STRIKE]pick, chop up and freeze apples and blackberries (DH has now cut a path to the tree through the over grown garden!)[/STRIKE]
-[STRIKE]empty the waste paper baskets[/STRIKE]
-fit baby's car seat
-[STRIKE]make up baby's cot[/STRIKE]
-buy life insurance
-[STRIKE]make another batch of marmalade[/STRIKE]
-[STRIKE]wash chair covers[/STRIKE]
-ongoing laundry...

Vicky496

Trying to do something money saving and something productive every day (I'm just killing time on leave til the baby comes!)...
today I transferred £6.39 to VSP and it was another NSD.

Jobs done:
-washed the covers on the ikea bedroom chair
-made another batch of marmalade
-cleaned a vase which some flower stems had gone mouldy in (yuk!)
-2 further loads of laundry

Next jobs I'll do off the list (might get to these this evening):
-put chair covers back on and make up the babies cot
-empty the waste paper baskets and put fresh supermarket plastic bags in them.

Vicky496

Spends today:
£21.40 on petrol (but now have a full tank )
£6.40 on a round in the pub

Money made/saved:
£1.36 fuel save at MrTs. Also used a website before going out to see where the cheapest petrol was. Cheapest was 128.9p.

Vicky496

Spends:
£50 gardener
£19.95 Mr T shop

Savings:
£1.08 on multibuys
£7.86 to VSP

Jobs for today:
[STRIKE]visit midwife[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Mr T shop[/STRIKE]
vacuum (DH said he'd do this )
mop kitchen/bathroom
[STRIKE]wrap birthday present (home brew kit arrived today)[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]pick apples (and blackberries if there are any)[/STRIKE]

Vicky496

Just been going through some more books to send to ziffit... will package them up separately to the first lot (they insist!), but take them to the drop off at the same time.

Got most of the jobs on yesterday's list done, but DH hasn't vacuumed yet and that needs doing before mopping... reluctant to nag as he's been so supportive and he is busy working.

So jobs for today:
[STRIKE]fix coffee table leg[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]prepare apples and blackberries for the freezer[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]empty waste paper baskets[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]do some car boot sale clearing out[/STRIKE]
send off oyster card to tfl for refund
[STRIKE]pack up second ziffit package (worth another £27.13)[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]clean toilet and bathroom sink.[/STRIKE]

Vicky496

Today's jobs:
-[STRIKE]take oyster card letter and first ziffit parcel to the shops to send off. [/STRIKE](DH is also going to top up the electricity key while we're there - wish the landlord would let us swap it for a meter!)
-[STRIKE]make DH sausage sarnies for breaky and do the washing up[/STRIKE]
-[STRIKE]mop the kitchen floor[/STRIKE]
-[STRIKE]clean the toilet/bathroom sink[/STRIKE]
-[STRIKE]clean the shower[/STRIKE]
-[STRIKE]continue to have a clear out and tidy up (focus on bedroom)[/STRIKE]
-[STRIKE]2 loads of laundry[/STRIKE]

Clearout yesterday produced some good items to sell - was going to put some old calendars on ziffit, but when they all came up as £6 (the maximum they seem to pay for anything) I looked up on eby/amzn and saw that they were going second hand for minimum £30 each! Worked out if I got the minimum for each of them I'd have more than £600... so I'll hang on to those until I've got some time to list them properly.

I also really want to pull out the contents of the cupboard under the stairs - there's still that box of monsoon gowns that I think will make a bit of extra dosh on eby

Finally, had a NSD yesterday

Vicky496

Got all my jobs for today done and had a NSD

Still trying to do something money saving and something to organise myself/the house every day.

I'm losing track of what still needs doing and missing crossing things off. So here's my updated list...

Short to-do jobs:
-[STRIKE]post second ziffit parcel (when label arrives, £27.13 & £19.25)[/STRIKE] 23/9/14
-[STRIKE]post oyster card refund letter (£20.10)[/STRIKE] 23/9/14
-[STRIKE]wipe the inside of the mugs cupboard[/STRIKE]24/9/14
-[STRIKE]wipe the kitchen surfaces[/STRIKE]24/9/14
-tighten the curtain strings
-[STRIKE]get some drain cleaner for the shower[/STRIKE]23/9/14
-wash the outside of the downstairs windows
-fit the baby car seat
-[STRIKE]do some dusting[/STRIKE]22/9/14
-wash the cobwebs off the back door
-sweep the back porch
-continue to clear out stuff for car boot boxes (sitting room, kitchen, main bedroom, [STRIKE]spare bedroom[/STRIKE] 22/9/14, under the stairs)
-[STRIKE]write grocery list and look online for vouchers[/STRIKE]24/9/14
-vacuum the sofas
-wash the cushion covers
-[STRIKE]get the old pile of feather pillows dry cleaned or bin them[/STRIKE]22/9/14
-[STRIKE]tidy and organise the stationary drawers[/STRIKE] 19/9/14
-[STRIKE]find a notebook to start a hard copy spending diary next month[/STRIKE] 19/9/14
-one additional xmas pressy to buy that I didn't know about (preferably on amzn as one of the other xmas gifts is sitting in my basket until I have enough for free postage!)
-ask around if any friends or family have a ladder to reach the mountain of apples and blackberries that are out of reach in the back garden!
-recycle the mountains of cardboard
-shop around for a nappy pail (for the re-usable nappies) and some new tea towels
-put some old plastic bags in the bottom of each waste paper basket (below the current liner) so there's always a fresh one handy.

Jobs to do over the next few weeks/months:
-list calendars on eby/amzn
-clear out the cupboard under the stairs
-list monsoon gowns on eby
-mark the pile of coursework
-take cleared out stuff to car boot/charity shops
-put more curtain rings on the poles so they don't sag (waiting for mum to visit with the spare ones she's going to give me)
-do some job hunting
-wash the car (it's not possible to park near the house or within reach of a hose so this is a bigger job than it sounds!)
-send the boxes of wrapped xmas pressies back with my parents after they next visit.
-chase/send off contract for summer exam marking (usually comes by the end of Nov)... was a nice bit of extra cash this summer

Updated list of freebies I can get (to quell the urge to spend money shopping!):
Free hot drink & cake at John Lewis (x2)
£2 left on an Accessorize gift card
£1.67 on my Nectar card
£0.50 in Clubcard vouchers
£1.63 on Boots card
Free 6 inch sub from subway
Free hot drink in cafe nero
[STRIKE]£20[/STRIKE] £15.33 M&S voucher
[STRIKE]£0.20 MrT price match voucher[/STRIKE]
Also have lots of money off coupons, but they don't make things completely free unless I happen to see another offer that goes with them.