NST;September Squirrels

MrsGSR

Sorry, I've been MIA. Life has been very busy and in have also been ill (again) another physical thing linked to my HMS, sigh.
Anyway due to that I'm up to 6 NSDs, which I'm pleased about. I'm planning on cooking some weird and wonderful leftover dinners this week to clear out the freezer a bit.

apple_muncher

mothernerd - very savvy shopping - well done!

Now that the big sycamore no longer over shadows the garden, I've been out the in the sunshine, pruning! Unfortunately the loppers are all encrusted with rust, so dh is having a go at removing it for me (make do and mend!). Therefore, I've done all the pruning that I can reach with secateurs. Next time I'll need to get the ladder down and erect it among the apple tree branches to be able to reach high enough.

I've also managed to make a couple of bags out of some spotty fabric we bought in the summer. Dd likes them, so they are a hit!

Another NSD is in the bag, and another exercise session complete.


Sending hugs to all, and a peaceful night too. x

[Deleted User]

Evening everyone

Mothernerd, this is a confession: its nearly 8pm and I am still in my PJ's, having had a mega unproductive pottering around session all day....and not even a NSD as I purchased some tickets for me and DM/DD to go to an event in a few weeks time. Some washing got thrown through the machine and half heartedly onto the line, and I did do one hour of ironing whilst tv watching, but I basically lost most of the day! I've eaten only toast and leftovers, and generally not touched any of my many many jobs in a concerted way . I have about an hour before I'd like to be curled up in bed, to prep the house for next lot of guests / DD's return, and get ready for the week ahead.

Last week felt spendy, but much of it was on expenses which can be claimed back (if I take receipts in - that is my next job, to find them all!). I was away from home for about 24 hours early in week and 36 at the end, well looked after with food and drink...less able to enjoy it / soak it up / make full use of facilities as I was so frantic with the event I was running, but I can reflect that I have more food now than I had before I left, having picked up a few things for snacks that I didn't eat at the time, but can claim for. DD is yet again going to be delighted by leftovers from my trip!

Paying guests - has been a bit much / will be so for the next few weeks, people here nearly all the time. On one hand, once house is tidy for them it is not so hard to get ready between guests for the next lot if there are fewer gaps, I generally just stay on top of it...but on the other hand, I'd like my bed back! Grit teeth and carry on. Last nights guests were really lovely, we had a lot in common (despite a 25 yr age gap) and ended up with them inviting me out for dinner and a drink...went to the Moroccan (they were Malaysian Canadians, but had never tried Moroccan food). I remembered I do like going out and socialising, maybe I should try the whole dating thing again. I waved them off today with promises to stay in touch and maybe visit them in Canada to camp in the Rockies. Maybe that dream will happen, maybe it won't. Hard to tell who really does stay in touch, but so far we have had very genuinely given invites to Spain, Germany x 2, France, and now Canada. Along with Kats diary, this is breeding wanderlust in my house!

Ah, you might day, your debt free date (whilst not as close as soa's, whoop whoop) is not that far now...maybe next year? But I also spent time yesterday at a self build and design show. There are some structural problems with my house that require quite a bit of cash (many thousands) to put right. Instead of putting brand new walls back where old ones were, I am hoping to create a more useable space and extend our ground floor. This is terrifying - I am just shaking off the burden of debt, why would I ever get a loan for anything again? Well...it struck me that if I carry on saving like crazy in about 6 years I might be able to afford it. But by then, the builder says my walls will have collapsed, but also DD will be 19. My family home will fit my family in, but my family will be gone! Also, there is an incentive in going properly for the bnb (extension adds a bedroom) and being able to recoup some of the cost that way, in a bit more comfort than our current process of me sleeping on the sofa. So...a LOT to think about.

To add to my learning things I went to a number of seminars at this show, and spoke to a lot of people! The most useful learning was some of the financial inputs, about managing a project. I learnt a lot about loans that release cash to you in stages (so you are not borrowing whole amount whole of the time) and also about mortgages that start as building project specific but as soon as house is completed (and risk reduced) can be converted to a mainstream product. The info was slightly more aimed at people building entire house, but as any loan for me feels ginormous, some of these principles might help. The builders and lending firms suggested a rough cost of £1,000 per sq m for a project like mine, so I need to get the plans out again. They also gave me an idea of how much my project budget could be, based on my earnings, balance clear in my house, etc. Might be interesting for others, they suggested before putting application (either loan or mortgage in) to ensure there was 3 months of good credit / money management documented, especially not triggering your overdraft in that time. Apparently always ending up in your od makes it look like you can't manage money (not said patronisingly - for years I lived in mine) and theoretically they said it was more urgent to build your way out of that scenario, than clear cc's in full. Obviously though, that is just from their perspective. I was a little surprised that it was as little as 3 months to be honest. I liked the way one of the panel described the wait to clear your credit history or establish a credit history if you had been living abroad etc - he was non judgemental, just said to the person asking, its just a question of a time gap you have to wait out. It was a really interesting day, and I feel like I know now how much I don't know!

I hope folk who were unwell (and those folk whose folk were unwell) are getting a little better / stronger (sorry to hear you were ill again MrsGSW. but welcome back!), and that our squirrelling away is bearing fruit! I had a bit of a disaster on the planned spends for christmas (see my huge, but not used entertainment budget) - long story, but it won't work out to do what I had planned for some people this year, as their circs are changing . So, thinking cap back on (and just a little relieved that I didnt use the budget, as it is payday tomorrow, and I have about £18 to my name after paying the mega expensive glasses bill. Reflecting back,I've had two really huge bills (around 350) over the last two months (car repair and new glasses) and I have just about weathered each of them. Normally these would be piling onto the cc. I feel proud that they aren't, and that actually each month I have made some progress towards the informal debt too. Can't wait to see its amount after payday tomorrow.

SOA...its nearly here!!! I was wondering if you would be the same as me on the day my formal cc debt could be paid off...up at the crack of dawn to check the zeros were all showing zero. If so, enjoy! Best wishes to you all x

speakingofart

Crazy_lady - definitely!!!!! I had to exercise GREAT self control this weekend, as I didn't realise Natwest would credit my salary yesterday instead of on monday, not to make the final payment over the weekend instead of waiting for my standing order to go out on tuesday. I can't wait to be walking into the bank next saturday to close the account! Will be a nice thing in a not so nice time.

[Deleted User]

So...Tuesday is the day you get a zero showing...but you are pretty much there if your other account is showing enough to clear it, should you have to! In terms of that specific battle...you are done! Hurrah!

:j:j:j:j:j:beer::beer::beer::j:j:j:j

That is exciting enough to spur me on to do the rest of my chores ready for tomorrows guests!

speakingofart

Yes, exactly! I just would like it to be showing in the account balance, because I'm obsessive That's an awesome row of smileys - I'm fighting an urge to do star jumps whilst drinking wine, mostly because I've just cleaned the flat and it would make a mess.

stewby

Good evening all you squirrely people.

Was back at work today so another spend free day (the joys of working 12 hours).
So, that's a grand total of EIGHT!!!!!
:j

Credit card statement came in and I still owe the first card £3489.52... a bit confused but apparently it takes seven days for the money to transfer over. I hope that is correct cause otherwise I now owe £7000!!
:eek:

Glad to hear it is almost over for you SOA... (I always say your name wrong in my head). What are you planning to do once you are debt free?? Do you have your next challenge in your sights already??


Sorry to hear you have been feeling rotten MrsGSR. Hope you feel better soon.

Hugs to everyone.

speakingofart

Stewby, don't worry - it's actually a line from an Alanis Morrisette song, Unprodigal Daughter, which I absolutely love, but speakingofartistry wouldn't fit!

Next challenge... I'd like to lose weight and get fitter (my debt free present to myself was a gym membership) and start saving for a flat deposit. Transfers can take ages though - hope it works out for you.

LoveaDove

Hello Squizzels!

Hope you have all had splendid weekends! Lovely to see nanngladys back after her relaxing holiday! Sorry to hear that you have been poorly MrsGSR!! And a HUGE Hooray for Speakingofart who is so so so so close to the glorious day of debt freedom- super excited for you! Mothernerd you are doing a fantastic job with running the challenge this month!!

So, no SFD's acquired for me this weekend, but a whole lot of walking, ambling and adventuring! Lost one yesterday to purchasing a couple of gifts for my bestie's new baby girl! And then today I lost out to an ice cream van... I was out geocaching in a little village near to where I live with my OH, we had been ambling a long for quite some time, were a little lost, hot and bothered when the footpath cleared to a main road and the glorious sight of an ice cream van! Had so much fun today finding a whole array of geocaches, with a couple of very well disguised caches and an adventure through a corn field! We had bought our own packed lunches, so it was lovely to explore somewhere new and stop for lunch!

Rightio, early night for me. I have a date with my book! Night night, see you on the morrow! x

luckystarr

Hello All

Apologies for not posting yesterday did a 12 hour shift and lost a SFD !!!. however on a positive note today has been a SFD and managed to do some exercise

Thank you for all the advice on "what to pay first" i will be clearing my O/D and then "squirrelling" enough money away to pay the debts.

SOA - so pleased the end is in sight for you

Applemuncher - hope DD is on the mend. really like your positive thoughts motto that is really good.

Mothernerd- thank you for running this thread and keeping us on the straight and narrow

Hugs and get well wished to all that need them .

Keep up the good work Squirrels

Night all xxx