Countdown to a new life...2.5 Years to Debt-free ....Revisited

Hadalbm

We love charity shops too. My daughter who us 22 buys a lot of her clothes from them and always looks beautifully dressed. She has found some real bargains.
I'm thinking of getting some stuff together to do car boot sales. We have lots that we could sell.
Hope you had a lovely day out with your friend and that you managed to stay on budget?
x

Sellurgranny

I know what you mean Hadalbm - my DS2 has a real knack for putting together lovely outfits and looking quite individual in her style. I wish I could say she gets it from me but she doesnt! Im quite boring with my clothes - jeans when Im not in work clothes.

Well I can hardly believe where the weekend has gone, one minute Im looking forward to it (and spending time with my BF at his house) and the next Im on my way back in the car It was nice to have some sun, we went down to Port Isaac where they film Doc Martin. Stupid us - we dont watch it and it only dawned on us when we got down there. As we walked down a steep hill towards the port there were queues of people lining up outside the village hall. Turns out they were all there to audition for Doc Martin. We had a bit of a giggle as we came back up the hill as there was an older guy walking down with a proper Captain Birdseye beard and fishermans peak cap on.... we wondered if he would be Fisherman #No.1 in the credits some time in the future.

Friday out with my friend was lovely, got a few charity shop bargains mainly clothes for work. Also got a few bits in Mr T using the checkoutsmart app that I downloaded this week on my phone. Namely the Buy 2 get 2 free easter eggs, crisps and flavoured water. Uploaded my receipt (twice - first time they said I hadnt done it properly) and just waiting to see if that gets credited to my account.

All in all I've finished the week without going over budget and with a bit to spare which I'll use to go towards next week which will be a heavy one in terms of the gas/elect DD coming out and also the MBNA DD. I should have a better idea of where I can make extra payments at the end of next week.

Got some things finishing on the bay tonight, currently up to £80.00 so whatever is left after fees I'll pay towards my LSC debt as an extra payment.

Hope you all have had a lovely weekend, fab telly on tonight especially Poldark. Can't wait for that.:T

SUrG xx

Hadalbm

Your daughter sounds just the same as mine. No matter what she wears she always looks fab. Mine doesn't get it from me either :rotfl:
Sounds like you BF lives in a lovely part of the country. I know exactly what you mean about the weekends flying by. Every Friday night I think how wonderful it is to have the full weekend in front of me and before I know it I'm back at work.

I've never heard of the checkout smart app but I'm going to go and take a look at it now.
x

Sellurgranny

Havent posted since Monday and already feel a little off the rails in terms of where I am with my budget and paying off things. Its been a busy week at work being my last and yesterday I was given the most amazing send off. I was completely overwhelmed and for someone that doesnt really 'do' tears very often I was the biggest baby going.

So, new job starts Monday and I've been trying to work out what my new monthly salary will be. Not quite sure as I dont currently pay tax as Im below the threshold, so whilst I can make rough calculations Im not sure what the real £££s will look like at the end of the month. I currently get CTC and WTC so I'll have to ring them next week to tell them about my new hours/earnings.

After fees, I made £80 on the bay - which I paid straight off Debt 1. Will update my signature in a bit to reflect this. Might give me some motivation which I seem to be lacking this week.

Have just spent the last hour going through my budget for the month so at least I know what's coming out every week until the end of April. Have based it on my current earnings so as not to overstretch myself. I think the real hammering down on the debts will have to start from April onwards when I know how much I've got to play with.

Its BF's birthday next Tues but we wont be able to spend it together so will do something tomorrow instead. If he wants to go out for a meal I've got some vouchers for a local Grill house which we can use (xmas pressie to us both from my sister) and I've got £50 set aside for his present. He says he wants nothing and at this rate that;s what he's gonna get! :rotfl:

Was thinking about doing some bay listing but what with the new job/longer hours think I ought to leave it until Im a bit more settled into the new routine.

So far haven't managed to batch cook anything in preparation for the longer hours but will try and get a couple of lasagne's prepped over the weekend.

Aims for this weekend in terms of MSE'ing is to not spend more than I;ve got in my purse..... thats £10.00 + £50 BF birthday present money. Luckily I've already bought mum's mothers day present today and got a real bargain at the local garden centre.... a Yankee Candle gift set priced at £9.99 but the young man on the till thought it was part of the 70% sale on craft stuff (as I'd bought a couple of craft gift-type presents for children in the family). So i ended up paying £3.00 for it! Kerchinnng!! :dance:

Hope everyone has a money-saving fabulous weekend!

SUrG x

Sellurgranny

Happy Mothers Day to all the hardworking mums out there. Especially the single parents I know from experience that when there's not a dad in the background to organise the kids then Mothers Day is a bit of a non event.

My 3 were keen to buy me stuff for mothers day but to be honest I'd rather they saved their pocket money. They don't have much and i don't need 'things' to show me they appreciate me. I think they get it from their dad...DD2 & 3 spent £20 each on him for his birthday the other week for a hat he wanted for his birthday. It really infuriated me that he'd allow them to spend so much on him.:mad:

OK moan over...on the money saving front I have not gone over budget this weekend and bf didnt want anything for his birthday. Ill put the £50 to one side for now in case he thinks of something he'd like.

DS3 and i went to kids ckub at the cinema this morning to watch Paddington. ..Been wanting to see that for a while and at £1.75 each, although not saved on the full price that we would have paid when it firstcame out.

Currently got a beef casserole in the slow cooker which I'll then freeze for later in the month. Also made 2 lasagnes for the same purpose. I start my new job tomorrow ( i may have mentioned this once or twice :j already) so want to get some meals prepped so i dont have to start from scratch when i get home.

Off to see mum soon to wish her happy mothers day. my sister will be there too so it'll be nice to see her aswel. There will probably be some cake-age going on.

SUrG xx

Sellurgranny

I really need to get my behind off this sofa!! Tea over and done with and just the clearing away in the kitchen to do. I've got to make the packed lunches for tomorrow and iron my work clothes. Then i can settle down for Poldark.

I don't think I'm gonna sleep well tonight ams will probably wake up every hour to make sure i haven't overslept my alarm. First day nerves and all that!

Sellurgranny

Hello Diary and anyone else reading :hello:

Well ...day 1 is done. The new job is going to be ok i think. Pretty much what i was doing in my last job but its more pay...How very MSE! I managed to have tea on the table by 5.45 with a little help from DS2 who put the lasagne in the oven at the allotted time. Only fly in the ointment was DS3 who decided it would be acceptable to text me at work as soon as she left school to ask to go to the park with her friends. And then when the answer was a resounding NO proceeded to send me loads of texts moaning and complaining. To be honest it spoilt what was otherwise a nice first day at work. I tried to explain that it had been a big decision for me to take this new job with more hours but I've done it so we can have a better quality of life as a family. Being 11 years old i guess it's too young for her to really understand. I just don't feel comfortable knowing she's gawd knows where when im not around. If something were to happen whilst she was out I'd not be contactabl - at least not straight away.

I did offer her the option of the after school club which i knew would pull her up short pretty quick but it seems we're on Round Two of moaning now. Just great.

I went to Iceland at lunchtime and spent £9.75 on bits inc packed lunch supplies. Had my lunch on bench in town while freezing my fingers off but needed the fresh air. Think i might take my kindle with me tomorrow so i can find a quiet spot at work and eat my packed lunch/read. Don't want to go spending money at the shops again.

Right I'd better do some chores or the evening will have disappeared.

Evening all xx

in_need_of_direction

Glad to hear the first day went well. I think you're right to set boundaries at the outset. It's harder to negotiate when you allowed something previously.

Sellurgranny

Thanks INOD I'm relieved that i like it too! and yes that's very true about settng boundaries . ... DD3 sure has been pushing hard against them atm and it takes almost every ounce of resolve to stand firm. You'd think i would be used to kids manipulative ways by now!

Tried to ring tax credits this evening to advise of work changes but just got a recorded message saying they were too busy and couldn't answer my call. Summink tells me getting through to them is going to take some time.:(

Feeling tired and heady tonight. .. early to bed i think.

Night all xx

Sellurgranny

Gosh two weeks since I last posted - its been a hectic two weeks aswell with the new job. The pace is very fast and alot of time spent on feet which is very unusual for an office job I think. Still, once I get used to it I think it'll be good to be more active throughout the day. Though right now my feet are protesting at the end of every day.

Pay day this week and although I haven't received any of my new job pay, I did get some overtime I was due aswell as some backpay when they forgot an annual service increment.

Still dont feel like I can make big inroads into the debts until i get my first proper wage which wont be til the end of April. Though I've paid the usual commitments today, mortgage, bills etc and managed to put the residue (mainly from the overtime) into my reserve account which is kind of my emergency/house repairs fund. I do want to get the guttering on the back of the house seen to this Spring so that will pretty much wipe out whats in there at the moment.

The good news is that I have 3 weeks off work now - Im term time so don't get paid holiday but get an allowance rolled up into my hourly rate. Havent got huge amount of plans at the moment - its been such a whirlwind in the new job that I havent really thought past this weekend.

Got to sort out some kitchen cupboards though, and sort out the ceiling in my bedroom which has gone a bit grotty with damp in the corner.

Might try and get a few bits listed on ebay and maybe take a batch of old clothes to Cash4Clothes.

What i really want to do is get my bike fixed, the gear cable has come away from the twisty gear changer thing on the handlebar. Not sure if its big job or not. Its a sturmey archer gear configuration. Im a bit afraid to take it to my local bike shop incase they charge me the earth and being not very knowledgeable about bikes I feel a bit vulnerable. Bit like having to deal with car repairs.
Would be nice to get it fixed and then me and DD3 could go out for a spin during the hols.

Well hopefully i'll get around to posting a bit more frequently whilst on easter holidays.

Hope everyone is having a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

Surg xx:)