Cheeseface makes a plan

jvr

Hi


Yea some of the other sections on here seem quite terrifying and people can be really harsh but the diaries bit is fab, I think I'm a bit addicted to reading them now!
We have the jumper thing at my work... will hang some tinsel round my neck and donate instead ... I love Christmas but only at home with the fire on and mulled wine!

Cheeseface

Hi Chandelier and JVR

My son also has a Christmas Jumper day but there is a mufti option, they also ask for voluntary contributions. I had forgotten about it actually but he always reminds me.

I went to London for a work meeting today. I had to buy lunch there as all the other participants had arranged to have lunch in a cafe. I spent £7 so not too horrendous. I had to pay £2 for the youngest to go to breakfast club so I get to the meeting on time. All other costs I will get refunded. I work remotely so it was nice to have lunch with all my colleagues.

I took the opportunity to sell them some raffle tickets too, which was great. A friend and I have organised a raffle as we have charity entries for the London Marathon. I have pledged to raise £2000 for my charity in return for a marathon place. The fundraising is harder than the running! I only have £600 to go though now so it's not too bad. I'm planning to organise a ladies night next year and I'll do a "guess the finish time" sweepstake on the marathon which should hopefully cover it.

I'm having an early night tonight, as I felt really nauseous this afternoon. Not sure why, I didn't eat anything dodgy. I should be at my SE job tonight but I've found cover for that. I could not face that today. Obviously I'm not going to earn anything but it's quiet in December so I wouldn't make too much anyway. Still a bit disappointing though.

Bobarella

Hope you haven't got the dreaded Norovirus Cheeseface. I have seen so many saying they have.

Cheeseface

Thanks Bob. I'm feeling much better today. Not sure what happened at all!

So finances are almost still track for the month. I have also claimed my travel expenses from yesterday so I should receive that back next week. Hubby informs me that he has the dentist tomorrow at will be £96. :mad: not accounted for. I only paid £350 off the debt at the start of the month while I sorted out everything so this is still in the current account, there's a buffer. I'm going to take this as a lesson learnt! It does come under everyday emergency I suppose.

I've finished proper work for the day as I worked extra on Sunday, so I'm going to do some housework before running club tonight. We're all going to the pub afterward, but I don't drink so that will only be one drink. I'm a cheap date.

Bobarella

Oh that's good news, phew

jvr

Thanks for reminder that me and OH need to budget for dentist trip!! As a dentist daughter I should be better but haven't been in years.... may be a scary expensive trip!

Cheeseface

The dentist thinks that further work may be need, but he needs to see how things go. At least we are making plans into budgeting for these things.

Cheap date last night was better than expected as the group clubbed together to buy me a drink as a thank you. I only had a Coke so it was only about 20p each.

We have £176 left to last until Christmas Day, this is doable. Hubby needs £35 for haircut and beard trim, I need £40 maximum for my Christmas dos, need petrol to get to Birmingham and Manchester and food but otherwise I'm ok. We are at relatives for Christmas and I'm in charge of the kid's drinks, cheese and biscuits. I'll go to Lidl and pick everything up for less than £10 so that's great value for Christmas and Boxing Day! Christmas Eve food is already in the freezer, along with lots of other miscellaneous food stuffs. I think I'll try and clear that over the festive period, I might not have to food shop this side of new year 😂

Stuff for doing nothing has gone well today. One of my long distance colleagues (we all work from home) has had to buy a new printer but had a surplus of ink cartridges for her now defunct printer. This is the same as mine so she sent me some new and half used cartridges. We do get reimbursed when we buy them but this way I don't have to shell out at all.

I realised it was the anniversary of my life insurance plan last week so I called today to find out that my premium has gone up by just 50p per month from last year (phew) but that I get £100 cash back as a reward, which becomes payable in February. It's great insurance plan because it rewards you for a healthy lifestyle. Most insurance feels like dead money but I earn points for things like steps, running, volunteering at Parkrun and having health checks. They soon mount up when you're a runner.

Last year I got to the highest points level, hence £100 cash back. But the best thing is I also get a free Starbucks drink and a cinema ticket for me and my youngest each week. We are going to see Rogue One at the weekend. The one cinema trip alone covers the cost of my policy each month. :j:j it does mean that I don't begrudge going to watch something I don't want to with the youngest, or I can take a chance on something I'm unsure about.

Cheeseface

:mad:my credit card statement is due today but it's not online yet. It's the 0% card and I want to know what I'm paying.

Live on [STRIKE]£30[/STRIKE] £16 day until Christmas Day
finish Christmas shopping on everyday card. Just a bottle of vodka and a tin of chocs left to buy
Pay minimum to Next, everyday credit card and 0% credit card Waiting for statements
Pay tax bill. I will do that tomorrow or today if I get the chance
Buy parking season ticket. Due in January
Buy GNR membership. I am hoping that I get Christmas money, not due until end of January

Another unexpected expense is that my toilet flush is broken. It happened on my other toilet, it was because the limecsale had corroded the mechanism. I've taped a do not use sign to it and I have the plumber coming tomorrow. I left it for ages when it happened last time but the water just keeps trickling through. Not only is it annoying to hear but it's really wasteful.

Work today then running club tonight, last one before Christmas in my teaching capacity. It's an early finish so I'll come back and finish a blanket I'm making. Crocheting blankets keeps you ever so snug on the winter evenings! Hopefully I will have time to see a friend in between. It will be at her house. I might just pull a NSD out the bag.

JWPopps

Hello! I feel like we might be in quite a similar boat - I would love to get cracking on my house improvements (I bought the house in September '15 and am yet to finish decorating a single room! Plus I want a shower room installing on the first floor!) and it really is my debt payments that stop me paying for this - I know I could get another loan (Barclays keep trying to give me one!!) but why would I want to get in more debt when I'd feel better paying off what I owe and then paying cash as far as possible for the improvements?

But it's hard work - so it's really nice to read other diaries and see other people in a similar boat and steal tips and hints from them!!

Subscribed

Seasidegal58

Cheeseface wrote: »

Our problems have come from thinking that we earn good money so can spend good money, but not paying attention to how often we are spending!

Hi Cheeseface - read through your diary and have subscribed.:wave:

Re your quote above - that's exactly what happened to me! Good job, low outgoings, no dependant children and I still managed to rack up £33,000 debt at its highest! I kept bouncing from one 0% balance card to the next until I couldn't get any more! Then I had to knuckle down and sort things out!

Good luck on your journey! As others have said, you have thought out your plan very well.