The Ultimate Incentive Part 11 (or 10B) It's The Final Countdown

Birdie85

Hope you're doing well with your list!

I'll go through the clothes and get a bundle for you over the weekend.

I know it's a silly question (maybe?) but why have a savings account when you still have plenty of debt that the £300 would make a big difference to clearing?

I'm also feeling a little :eek: about the £600-worth of gift! My big 30th birthday treat is a night away in London and a trip to the HP Studio, the whole thing is costing around £250 and we feel like it's a pretty big splurge and feeling somewhat guilty about it even though we can afford it. You need to live within your means, big birthday or not. Even once you're debt free I think you still need to live sensibly to prevent yourselves from getting into another mess. At the end of the day, you've got a big mortgage and only one main wage earner, who isn't on *that* much money. Nothing wrong with all that, but you have to live within those constraints, no more 'champagne lifestyle, lemonade budget'.

*Steps off soapbox*

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend! I'm really hoping the sun has his hat on the whole time so we can just spend hours in the park with ice creams! :cool:

Dinah93

Debt is 0% savings is 8%. Also I'm great at saving and awful at paying down debt. So when the savings account matures and unlocks we'll have 'free' money plus what we paid in all to throw off the debt. And having a big chunk of £4k to pay off will be a massive morale boost. Also means we have an emergency fund if we really, really need it, but we'll lose the interest for the year.

We've actually overpaid our mortgage by between £90-£500 a month since we got it, we only stopped in November when we changed deal, and we started making the extra payment to our credit card instead. We've overpaid by about £8200 so far. I get what you're saying, as I say lightbulb just switched on, hence why its now going off the debt.

List progressing, as usual not quite at the pace I planned - I swear I still think it's just me and that I won't get distracted playing, feeding, changing or calming children.

Dinah93

Dinah93 wrote: »

So, to do for today:
[STRIKE]1. 30 day challenge apps[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]2. Yoga mela[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]3. Register for NCT Darlington & Teesside next nearly new sales[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]4. Finish tidying the playroom[/STRIKE]
5. Batch cook tagine, cod and chicken with veggies Couldn't - didn't have enough veggies as I've used them in the last few days for other meals. Froze the meat and fish though so its not wasted
6. Put in tesco order for essentials we're out of (cereal, grace's juice, most fruit and veg, shampoo, conditioner) - do not go over £30. [COLOR="rgb(72, 61, 139)"]Can wait until Monday, got a £6 voucher through today but only for Monday or Tuesday. Can just be a bit creative until then. It's only the complete lack of conditioner I'll seriously struggle with[/COLOR]
7. Package up all returns
[STRIKE]8. Take winter clothes to the attic[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]9. List unused baby monitor on ebay[/STRIKE]
10. Wrap up ziffit/zapper parcels. [COLOR="rgb(72, 61, 139)"]Need to redo the order as ziffit are offering an extra 10% for 24 hours[/COLOR]

Ambitious list but mum is taking Grace at 4 to stay the night and Ben goes to bed at 7pm so I should have a few uninterrupted hours for once. Shouldn't complain after the initial sickness Grace slept through for the second night in a row, miracle!

I did spend today, but it was a calculated spend. I bought a sling that was very highly sought after, sold out within 30 seconds of release, that I'll resell for more than I bought it for in a few months. In the meanwhile I've already listed and sold one of my others that has been maturing so that we're not out of pocket while I wait on this one. It's a niche market but I've never sold for less than I bought for and I've made a few hundred profit over the last year on them.

Also spent £16.99 getting 5 litres of carpet shampoo. However that's a lot more than the £15 it costs for the usual branded one which is only 1.5litres.

My other spend today has been one storage basket (£6) for the playroom, hopefully you can agree from the photos it looks smart, but the basket in the corner with the play food in is the one I keep in the lounge for easy access toys - I have one for Grace and one for Ben in the fireplace, handy to have just to throw a few small bits into at the end of the day, or for easy access for Ben especially as he can't get to his trug of toys in the playroom. The rug is yet to go down in there again as I've got it hanging over the bannister as I gave it a thorough carpet clean (why I ever thought a white rug in a playroom was a good idea I don't know!)

Have to say the big difference today is I resented these spends rather than feeling relief when I bought something.

Dinah93

Morning all. Bit of a busy day today, have both children, NIM working until 2pm but getting his hair cut so not home until 3.30 or 4, and then we need to go out again at 4.30 to go for tea with a friend. Half expecting this to be their surprise engagement announcement, he's 18 days into a 21 day trip to the UK the entire point of which was for him to propose as he 'forgot' at Christmas and he thought she'd start planning the wedding without him getting down on one knee. All getting a bit odd tbh.

Both children blocked up with cold so Grace coughing and being sick a lot. I'm starting to get really concerned about her lungs to be honest, they seem to be deteriorating and the long term antibiotics don't seem to be helping much. I know I'm a worrier but lungs are sort of a big thing.

Focussing more on house tasks today, so next week I'm up to date and ready to start moving forwards again.

1. 30 day apps.
2. Yoga mela
3. Package up returns
4. Wrap ebay parcels sold last night
5. Wrap zapper parcel
6. Clean shower (only done 2 days ago but now covered in paint, little miss messy got to it)

I introduced NIM to yoga last night and he really enjoyed it, I'm hoping it could be something to do together, a way for him to destress etc.

Ben is in his own little routine and he likes to be in bed by 8 at the very latest but usually 7.30, so won't be a late one tonight, so hopeful I might finish the list with a bit of free time to do an extra this evening - I'm ever optimistic when it comes to time!

Dinah93

As promised playroom makeover.

Before



During


After








Sorry for sideways photos, I keep rotating them in photobucket, it saves but then still posts them wonky.

archersluck

Wow that looks brilliant now Dinah, well done! And I'm really pleased you've had another lightbulb moment, keep it up The idea of spending £2k a month makes me a bit twitchy to be honest, you've got to keep reining in the spending and get that debt gone! We all know you can do it.

Wendz I'm so sorry to hear your news but I'm sure, in time, it will be the best for you and your family. How is Poppy? Excited about the new arrival?

wendz86

Wow playroom looks so much better Dinah. So jealous you have a playroom as well, we have toys cluttering up lounge and loads in her bedroom too.

Poppy is good thanks Archers. Is her birthday at the weekend so she is excited about her party! Also very excited to be a big sister and tells everyone she meets and has also started getting her little friends to have a feel of my tummy when I pick her up from nursery :rotfl:.

Dinah93

Morning all. Long reply yesterday but it crashed and lost it. Been quite focussed, or as focussed as I can be after 3 weeks of having both children home all the time - a lot less time do do housework and money making, a lot more time of playing and socialising.

Grace starts school nursery on Monday so will have every afternoon from then. I'm also due to start teaching on a Saturday morning in a few weeks time, my Monday evening classes won't be for a few more months I don't think. It's not as many hours as I hoped but it's a start as for a while it looked like it wasn't going to come off at all.

So, todays plan:
Wrap sold ebay and amazon parcels
Book couriers as required
General house tidy
Max out April free listings on Ebay
Clean playroom rug

clearmydebts

Dinah93 wrote: »

Morning all. Long reply yesterday but it crashed and lost it. Been quite focussed, or as focussed as I can be after 3 weeks of having both children home all the time - a lot less time do do housework and money making, a lot more time of playing and socialising.

Grace starts school nursery on Monday so will have every afternoon from then. I'm also due to start teaching on a Saturday morning in a few weeks time, my Monday evening classes won't be for a few more months I don't think. It's not as many hours as I hoped but it's a start as for a while it looked like it wasn't going to come off at all.

So, todays plan:
Wrap sold ebay and amazon parcels
Book couriers as required
General house tidy
Max out April free listings on Ebay
Clean playroom rug

The playroom looks great. A huge difference! We have turned our box room into a playroom and it is great for storing the toys.

Sorry to hear about Grace's lungs. Sounds very worrying. Have you brought it up with her doctor? I'm sure you have. If so, I hope he has reassured you.

I think with the yoga, it will probably take time to build up. The lady that runs the class for us is so busy now, but it has taken a couple of years to get her name out there.

I'm sorry, but I'm with Birdie on what she has said. I don't think you are living within your means. I don't doubt that you've had a lightbulb but I'm not sure it is flickering at 100%. I'm not saying that to be mean, I've been there myself. But while you are going on big holidays (you've already been to Center Parcs and are going to Europe for 2 weeks) and the stash of presents for Grace's birthday was humongous. I don't think it's stuff you can afford right now. We've had to turn down 99% of nights out and holiday invites in the past 6 months because we just want to get rid of the debt. It's so so hard, but I find everyone is very understanding when you tell them why.

I hope you don't feel like I am being negative but most people on 2 wages and no debts can't take the holidays you are going on. I know most of it was paid for, but spending money over 2 weeks will be a lot. You don't have your debt figure in your sig so maybe it is quite low. If that's the case ignore all I've said!!!

Dinah93

We're not booking any more holidays, but I see little point in cancelling the ones we already have given we won't get any money back. In Italy mum and dad pay for all meals out, we split the groceries 50-50, we always take e500 for two weeks away and we've never gone over that, given we'd spend about £420 on home groceries, fuel, cheap socialising (for example yesterday spent £1.50 on softplay, £1.80 on a drink for me while there and £3.99 as Grace asked for a lunchbox with her friend. Took Ben's food with me and suggested this softplay as its cheaper than the others but my friend doesn't like the one Grace is a member of). We've never taken any spending money to Ireland, NIMs dad always gives us it since we paid for the flights when we get there so we've always come back with more money than we went with. My overspending is part of a much bigger anxiety- depression cycle that I don't go into on the thread, but one of the techniques I've been given to is to work towards a big event, the same as some people may lose weight for their wedding, I can't grasp the concept yet of spending right for always, so having a treat in the form of Italy is a way for me to keep in line the next 4 months. I wish with everything I have my head could be in the place it was 5 or 6 years ago but it's not been in the right place since having Grace, the live for today attitude I developed when I thought we'd lose her has been something I've not been able to shift. So now I need to work very hard to find a way to live for today without spending like tomorrow will never come. It's a large part of why I've gotten so into yoga lately, it discourages materialism and encourages inner richness (as well as wanting something just for me and being good for my blood pressure etc). Despite making more money last month than ever before I've cancelled the cleaner and am doing it again myself, giving up on sleep instead of the £20 a week! I'm not claiming I've cracked this thing but I'm questioning every decision before I make it, I'm not carrying my cards so I can't spend online without asking NIM for the card, and he's drawing me out cash as I need it although in truth overspending in person has never been an issue for me, it's online that the problem occurs.

For anyone with a 2 year old or older - did they go through a nudist phase?! I've dressed Grace 4 times today and she keeps getting naked again, we've had an election campaign guy, the delivery guy with my carpet shampoo and our neighbour knock on the door this morning and she always runs and opens it before I can get there, it's a bit mortifying that shes stark naked! Luckily she only does it at home so I'm not too worried about nursery next week.

Yep we're on the phone to her pulmonary team most weeks, they're keen to do at least 3 months of antibiotics before doing any further tests, we're about at that now so hopefully they can look into it a bit more and rule out anything more sinister as I'm just scared at the moment that there is something they've missed, or something more serious is going on.

Been doing okay on Etsy this week, an order most days. I'm very eager to build up a wider range of products but we had a problem in January where we had no mugs and couldn't get any for nearly a month as no one had sprayed any blanks over Christmas and we needed a certain size for our machine, and having to stop the Etsy sales for a month not only lost momentum but also we couldn't fulfill any of our usual museum orders and it's taking a long time to get the ball rolling at the same speed again to free up some money for new product lines.