The 300k debt-free diary!!!

pandapaws

Hmm, not such a good challenge day today, but I was busy all the same!

Sold a bit on Ebay, roughly £100, and signed up for Scottish Power through TCB for £72 cashback. Filled in loads of surveys and finally got around to opening a new (4th!) Paypal account which I'll keep as a basic one as they don't get charged fees to receive money (or at least they never used to - hope that's still the case!), as it annoys me that whenever I do a survey etc that pays Paypal I lose loads of the payment.

Next thing that I MUST do is the thank-you cards. Bank hol weekend, so I'll aim to have them done by Monday to get them in the next post. It's just bad manners otherwise and I'm annoyed at myself for leaving it so long.

Tickets arrived today for Drayton Manor that I ordered with my Tesco deals so we're thinking of going on Tuesday evening, staying overnight and spending the day there on Weds. Adam is Thomas mad so he's really excited about the new Thomas theme park there - hope it's as good as they advertise. Anyone been? Any tips on decent cheap (cashback-able) hotels nearby?

chocaholic110

If it's any consolation, I only wrote my Thank you cards yesterday.
*slaps hand* Bad Chocaholic!!

Karmacat

Good grief, thats a big list on the last page! Still, at least the thank you cards are on it, that'll be one you can tick.

I'm going to get into the May challenge, and am seriously considering the whole £20 a day thing (tho that will be an average, cos its about m.b.ing).

And by the way.... octopusses..... love it. Seriously. Adorable!


xx

pandapaws

chocaholic110 wrote: »

If it's any consolation, I only wrote my Thank you cards yesterday.
*slaps hand* Bad Chocaholic!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how much better I feel for hearing that! A week later, and I still haven't done them. Problem is, I can't remember who gave us what for a lot of the stuff...bad panda!

KC, good on you for going £20 a day! I haven't been on here for a few days, because I've been so busy trying to make my £20 a day! Going to add it up in a minute, but I think I'm over the £500 mark so far this month including Ebay.

We went to Drayton Manor on Weds (stayed in Ramada Tamworth on Tues night, only £42 including breakfast plus £20 back in Pigs points - bargain!). The Thomas park was really good, I'd recommend it, but don't go near it on a busy day - it was quiet when we were there and a lot of the rides were empty but there were still big queues for the little train ride so I can only imagine what it'd be like on a weekend! Also did a £10 bank MS on the way which I was chuffed about!

Too scared to look back at my month's challenge as I know I'm failing miserably. We did re-do our spreadsheet last night, and I'm really pleased to discover that although we've been adding loads to cards etc this past couple of months, our total debt hasn't risen at all as our monthly payments have cancelled out the additions, so we've effectively just taken a 2 month payment holiday. Not brilliant, but not as bad as we'd expected. I should also add that all extra income has also been swallowed up in home improvements - that was money I'd wanted to chuck at debt but haven't done. Well, it's still better than increasing the amount owed.

Feeling really motivated to pay something off now!

Batgirl

pandapaws wrote: »

Too scared to look back at my month's challenge as I know I'm failing miserably. We did re-do our spreadsheet last night, and I'm really pleased to discover that although we've been adding loads to cards etc this past couple of months, our total debt hasn't risen at all as our monthly payments have cancelled out the additions, so we've effectively just taken a 2 month payment holiday. Not brilliant, but not as bad as we'd expected. I should also add that all extra income has also been swallowed up in home improvements - that was money I'd wanted to chuck at debt but haven't done. Well, it's still better than increasing the amount owed.

Feeling really motivated to pay something off now!

I have been a bit like this this month. On 1st I had a look at the bank and didn't understand all that had happened over the previous week ( I usually check it everyday so know everything that changes) and since then feel a little out of control not knowing what has come in gone out etc. But checked today and it all looks fine so hopefully it will stay that way.

I actually think it is great you have added it all up and not put your head in the sand about what has gone on "The card". Also you have moved house, had a baby and had countless other expenses so I think you have done really well staying the same instead of increasing your debt. I bet 99% of people would have increased their debt in your circumstances so well done you :beer:

Batgirl

PS I also feel like really getting my teeth into making money but struggling to come up with new ideas

hypno06

Ok, why is it that when I was doing a £10 a day challenge, I was far exceeding my targets........then when I signed up for £20 a day, I am getting nothing close?

Bah!!

Must try harder!!

Hope you are ok, PP xx

pandapaws

Ok, I'm officially rubbish at getting stuff done. I'm almost tempted to go and delete the post with the big list of things I wanted to do in May as I've done virtually none of them! I've got as far as writing about half the thank-yous, but not found the address book yet to get them posted. No excuse for that really.

Money mayhem around here still. We're spending like there's no tomorrow. Thankfully I had a really good burst of Ebay money at the beginning of the month so not too much going on cards but we're a bit overdrawn at the moment and it's another 2 weeks until payday. Must get a grip of that.

I find that I get too busy to get on this site, and that's when I also fall off the spending wagon (although admittedly all spending is fairly essential at the moment as it's all house stuff - some could probably be done without, but it's not frivolous stuff like shoes or handbags at least!). But when I get back into spending loads of time on this site, the house falls around about my ears! Need to find that happy medium!

Greg's great, he's over a stone now and a really happy baby. His skin is almost normal now, just very dry but nowhere near as poorly as it was a month ago. He smiles loads!

If I get the chance I'm off to find your June challenge Batgirl. I need to sign off for May but don't have an accurate total which just isn't like me at all! Hypno, I hope you managed to cobble a few bits together! I did really well from the Ebay stuff, but my estimated May total of around £1000 doesn't reflect how little effort I've put in really!

Not got the time right now to catch up with everything but hope everyone is doing well! Hope to be back as a full-blown DFW soon! (I've said that before, I know!)

pandapaws

Here's how I shaped up...poor result!

Originally Posted by pandapaws

Money

£10-a-day challenge - want to aim for £20 including Ebay Success, mainly through Ebay
Try and complete the Olympic Challenge - £348.46 to go Succeeded, although I haven't worked out totals
Sort out new spreadsheet based on all new ins/outs since house move Did this! Scary reading though.
Write to HSBC about reclaiming mortgage redemption fees Delegated to DH - he hasn't got far though.
List at least 50 new items on Ebay and do 200 listing edits (it's complicated!) Not sure about exact numbers - partially achieved!
At least 50 mysearchfunds clicks a day Failed! Been using it for normal searches though.
Do ALL surveys except the really poor or prize draw ones Done quite a few - partially achieved!
Check Pigsback accounts twice a week Failed. Occasional checks here and there.
Be brass-necked enough to hand as many coupons as poss when shopping Keep getting them rejected! Have used all I've got though, so a pass!
Re-try the free bongo, and play Free Gala on Thursdays Nope - not done the cash cade and keep fprgetting Thursdays

Home

Finish all the rooms we've started to decorate Not a snowball's chance in hell!
Find ironing lady and gardener (sorry folks, it just won't get done otherwise!) Achieved - got a lovely Polish girl and a retired carpenter.
Get all our stuff out of friend's garage where it's in storage YES!!! Finally!
Properly clean/tidy the house, then keep it clean! Ahem, did I really say this???!
Organise the paperwork mountain and not let it build up again As previous!

Family/Friends
Spend less time on here (:eek:) and more playing with DS (Not the Nintendo one!) Not been on here much at all, but that's not a good thing.
Try and find babysitter so DH & I can get a night to ourselves, even just for a couple of hours. Nope.
Write all the Thank-You cards I've not done yet for baby gifts Nope. Half done, not posted them yet.
Ring mother more often and be more patient with her! She's been a bit poorly so spoke to parents quite a bit.
Reply to all the emails I've got flagged Mostly achieved that.

Health

Lose half a stone this month. But need to get weighed first to see start weight! Hmmmmm.
NOT visit McDs more than once a week, however convenient it is! Mmmmmmm - not sure. Think it's a fail!
Try to cook a proper meal at least every other day No.
Find slow cooker and use at least once a week Not found it yet.
Try and eat the 5-a-day at least every other day Doing fairly well with that. Adam eating loads of fruit.
Walk to work, park or Post Office (1-1.5 miles) 3 times a week Resounding No to that!
Keep on at DH until he fixes bikes, then actually use them! They're fixed, but still unridden.

hypno06

Well, I think you should be proud of the things that you HAVE achieved, and just work on the rest again in June..........

I think you are doing pretty well, it is hard work juggling everything - work, kids, moneymaking, life, eating properly and I for one struggle with it as do many others in our situation!

I did just about make my £20 a day challenge total, but need to do better in June really if I am to ever become solvent!!

Karmacat

Hi Panda! I was wondering where you were, and then saw you on the front page, so hiked back along the pages till I found you again (the forum is moving fast today!).

Y'know, that list could be a year's worth - I know you were going at it like a stormtrooper on the free bingo before the baby was born, but you *do* have a baby - they kind of mess up plans! And little things like, oh, say, "finish all the rooms we've started to decorate" - that takes a while! I'm a bit concerned at your nutrition (cos I've been really ill myself, I'm just projecting) but *anything* you manage to do is a bonus with a little Greg around!
xxx