My Diary v3.0

natsplatnat

It's official.... I hate decorating!
Carpet is measured and chosen, just need to pop into the shop this Sunday and book fitting in. As we want to do the lounge next year, it was cheaper to buy enough to do both rooms now and have them fitted separately. It saved around £90 so not to be sniffed at!
Decorating is still on-going - deadline date will be when the carpet goes down. I just find it hard to muster the enthusiasm to do any after a day at work! And, just to make life even more challenging, as of tonight I am house sitting until next Thursday! Aaah!!!!! OH is off today with a tummy bug - I am hoping he is well enough to have left the bathroom and done some painting! lol
In other news....
Bought a couple of small xmas presents today - there was cashback via Q.co and a bonus £2.50 if you spent over £2.50 so that's ok.
We are getting a rent increase in 3 months time. And it's not small!! However, we have rented the same house for 13.5 years and the (very reasonable) rent has never been reviewed. I think it's going to be around a £175/month increase! Ouch. But, and this is the interesting bit (I promise)… the house is owned by the company I work for and to cover the increase (or at least most of it) I will be getting a decent payrise! I suppose it's a case of they "take and then they give back!" Not told OH yet, but I will over the next day or so!
New G&E supplier up and running - just waiting for them to send the meter readings to my old supplier so they can calculate out the final bill. I just hope it happens before the next DD or I will be paying 2 suppliers again. I know it will all come right in the end, but I hate having to move money around more than I have to.
Nothing to do on Pro.Ac recently.
Small amounts available to cash out on TCB and Q.co.
Have £50 worth of vouchers to redeem into a choice of 4 companies... not sure if to go for the holiday company to reduce the cost of some flights we need next year or a home store so I can get some more bits for the house. Decisions decisions.


Right, I need to go home, get changed, finish packing my stuff for house-sitting, get to my cousins daughters 18th birthday drinks (about 1/2 hour away) and then back to the house I am sitting for and walk the dog. Must squeeze food in there at some point too!


Catch you all later (I promise I won't keep going on about decorating!! lol)

natsplatnat

Morning All!

House-sitting is under way - even though I didn't get in until gone ten last night after all the travelling I had to do. It was nice to catch up with some family members I haven't seen for a while though!


Was at home for about half an hour, OH still under the weather but had managed to do some painting... It really is a case of 'be careful what you wish for'.... Yes he did some painting which is lovely and I am grateful - unfortunately he used the wrong colour on the wall and his cutting in is.... awful to say the least. Bless him, it's a good job I love him!


Had a quick scout around the black Friday deals this morning. Nothing really caught my fancy (for me or for xmas).


Ooh, just seen a 50% off offer on a shoe site - gotta dash!

natsplatnat

Nothing on the shoe site - but I have just ordered OH a coat for xmas.


20% off the coat saved £10 and then I spent £10 on loads of wrapping paper and cards bringing the total back up to free delivery... I hate carrying rolls of wrapping paper around the shops! There is a chance that 22% cashback will track too (but used a voucher code so may not be lucky!!) - fingers crossed.

natsplatnat

Morning All!
4 nights house sitting complete - 3 nights to go!
Popped home yesterday to do some painting... Looked for some christmas cards that I had put "somewhere safe" when I bought them in the sales in Jan. Thought I would be good and write them whilst house stting. Could I find them? Nope! I remember moving them a few months ago. What a mistake! Oh well!
In other exciting news, we ordered the hall, stairs and landing carpet yesterday! Being fitted on Thurs 13th December. OH went from "oh, whatever colour you like - I don't care" to "ooh, stripey... can we have stripey!" lol - love him! But I have banned him from painting any of the woodwork - his cutting in is just not up to it!
Currently scouring sites for BIL's birthday this weekend. Looking to pick up a bargain... I dislike the fact that we have so many birthdays in and around the xmas period - I wish people would plan their children better... like for between April and September! lol (kidding!)
I think I am ahead of the game in regards to xmas - but I think I am just kidding myself. By picking up bits n pieces over the past couples of months I think I am organised.. but when I actually think about it I really am not! Grr. Time to make a list and get shopping! Just think 1 month and it will all be over!
Must actually do some work this morning... bye for now!

natsplatnat

Morning All! Bloomin' foggy here today... and chilly too! Brrr


Official notice of rent increase yesterday. +£200 a month! OUCH! This goes up in March but my payrise kicks in (apparently) in January. Not sure of payrise figure yet - will find out around xmas probably. I don't think it will cover the rent increase in full, especially when you think that I have pension deductions etc to come out of it. Can't even play around with my spreadsheet yet as I need all the figures to be able to make it balance!
BIL's b'day present bought this morning - on offer and with 13.75% cashback. Quite happy with that!
Booked my remaining annual leave - I have 4.5 days week days off work between now and when we finish for xmas. Carpet being laid early on one day and I am sure the rest will be taken up with finishing the decorating (in time for carpet to be laid) and then xmas shopping / wrapping / card writing etc... I think part of me would rather come to work! lol
Must remind OH to set up the SO if he hasn't already! Will print and sort CC this week so we both know where we are before the bulk of the xmas shopping starts.
Nectar points will be converted for some of the xmas food shopping as we usually do. I know its not the best way to spend them, but I like the idea of reducing the xmas food bill! A food bill that will be even less this year - streamline is the way forward. Just need to remind OH that the shops are open either side of xmas (and after boxing day I am sure there will be bargains to be had!) Oh, and I am not buying nice snacky bits until right near xmas - last year we bought them when they were on offer, then ate them before xmas and had to replace them! Definitely a false economy!
Ok, so that's enough wittering from me for today - off to stalk my old G&E supplier to see if they can update and close my Account! x

joeyjimbles

I know you're busy but do you do the e-rewards surveys that pay in nectar points. I feel like I'm some kind of evangelist for them but they are quite good for racking up the nectar points especially for something like Christmas/NYE foods.

You can cash out 1000 reward points for 1000 nectar points which as you know is £5. Most surveys are 50-300 points and credit immediately but some take 24 hours and you usually get the redemption credited to your nectar account in 24-48 hours. They will email you when you there is a survey available but you can keep clicking on that survey link and it will often give you more even when the website says there are none available.

Here's the sign up - its not a referral (don't even think they do that) but thought it might help swell the coffers if you don't already do them.
https://www.nectar.com/brands/e-rewards

natsplatnat

Hi joey,
Thanks for the info - I do the e-rewards surveys... admittedly not as frequently as I should. You have just given me a virtual boot up the bottom to do more! Thanks!! (oh, and for anyone reading, they really are worth doing.. so what you waiting for!!)

natsplatnat

Afternoon All!


I can't believe it was only 30mins ago I realised it was payday! A quick log in and money moved as required.


Managed to pick up £4.16 from Pro.Ac today! Balance up to £11.94! Will aim for the £20 so I can withdraw without penalty.


Apparently another week until my old G&E Account can be finalised. As long as it happens before my next DD date, then that's fine.


Last night house-sitting tonight. And I have circuits so it's going to be a busy evening - at least I will be back in my own bed tomorrow!
x

natsplatnat

Morning All!


Back house-sitting again - only 3 nights this time, so I will be back at home tea time Saturday.

Old G&E final bill came through... refund due …. 76p!! Wey-hey! On top of that, they didn't take the DD last month which is good news (and totally unexpected) so I have moved the £100 back that I put in the house account to cover it.

Pro.Ac balance over £13 now... seems to have slowed down a bit, so I am trying to decide whether to withdraw the balance for a small fee or leave it until I reach the magic £20 so I can withdraw for free!

Still can't find Christmas cards that are squirrelled away somewhere. Oh well, when they do appear they can go in the card box for next year!


Decorating almost done - carpet due a week today so I am sure it will be rush, rush, rush next week to finish all the bits and bobs before it arrives.


That's it from me for now. Don't think I have ever felt so ready for the time off over Christmas (22nd Dec - 2nd Jan) - I think everyone at work here feels the same!

kdalwayskint

Hi Nats

I've done something similar with my Christmas cards and box of gift tags, can't find them anywhere!

Boo to rent increase

Hope your well x