A Ditherer's Diary (again)

GeorgianaCavendish

I’ve downloaded Shoppix and Storerewards (they were giving a bonus to old Receipt Hog members who registered) and I’ll download Huyu and Snapmyeats now. I never thought of having multiple apps before, but they won’t know if I’m using the same receipt on a few different apps 😈  Thanks for that! 

Naomim

@sashybo I only heard about Shoppix through this site but will definitely look at the others.  You're right @GeorgianaCavendish I never thought of having multiple apps either! 

Amazon vouchers suit me as I'll use them at Christmas. I use my Prolific payments to go against the credit cards at the end of every month.

I have a friend who is on a very tight budget but at the moment she is paying interest on a credit card and laughs when I tell her about all my little extra money making bits.  I'm trying to get her on board. I'm hassling her to look and see if she can get a 0% balance transfer card through the eligibility checker. She keeps saying "oh it's only £12 interest I'm paying a month" but I pointed out would she walk past a £10 note on the floor? Then why throw it away giving it to the banks.  I know she's scared of getting another credit card and running up a bill but I've said if she's accepted, transfer the balance and close the old account and cut up the new card so all she's doing is paying it down a month.  She's driving me nuts but I'm going to keep on. She says I'm the only person she actually listens to with money issues. I think it's because I've been honest with her about how much I owe and she see's what I'm doing to get it paid off.   I'm keeping plodding on until she get's there. I can lead a horse to water but I can't make it drink!

Naomim

Naomim

I've had a bit of a shuffling afternoon. All my credit cards are on 0% interest and I have the dates they expire written next to them on my spreadsheet.  The first to expire is my largest card. Barclaycard currently sitting at £8,800.  The 0% expires in August 2021 and whilst I can't clear that amount by then, I have changed my DD's to my other cards - still making small overpayments to them and upped the DD to the Barclaycard from November.  By then, I should have some more 0% deals available and be able to shuffle. 

1st of the month and the DD's have started flying out of the account and my Monzo pots all nicely full up.   Still hoping to have a low spend month this month. I have a couple of day trips planned to Chessington World of Adventures and Legoland, two of which fall into half term and we have Merlin passes (Courtesy of Tesco clubcard points) so cheap days out.  

Off to MiL's for her birthday shortly, just need to wrap the pressies.

Naomim

GeorgianaCavendish

Your friend sounds like me 5 years ago! 😉
 It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking “it’s only £10, I can afford £10” but we know that quickly add up to hundreds in debt! 

Some of my friends don’t understand my enthusiasm for cash back, discount codes and survey sites but I think if I can get a payout for just doing an extra step with online shopping or spending my coffee break clicking through a survey then why not? And the shops allocate and account for discount codes in their marketing budgets, so if I don’t take up the offer someone else will. Better to have that money going into my account than someone else’s 😄

Naomim

Too true GC!  I have another friend who constantly lives in her overdraft and the credit cards, taken a loan her husband doesn't know about..usually holidays 3 times a year. She just has the "can't take it with you" attitude.  I know I have debt, but I couldn't live like that. 

Naomim

I have just paid out £200 for MrM's BUPA excess and £264 vets fees.  I feel faint.  I will be able to claim it back except for £99 excess for the vets but it's still a lot to shell out in one go.  I've removed the bank card from my purse as I can already see the overdraft creeping up and I think it's mainly me and small Sainsburys & co-op shops. 😕  I've also put my claim into work for my gym membership. £12.50 to come back! lol

I went to Chessington World of Adventures on Saturday with 10yo. Had a really good day as the rain held off all day but I think it put a lot of people off going so it was quite empty and everyone was taking note of the social distancing.  I spent £20 but that's been transferred from my Monzo "days out" pot.

Yesterday was an NSD.  Apart form it pouring down all day, I felt full of cold so chucked a chicken casserole in the slow cooker and hunkered down on the sofa with a couple of films. 10yo was bored so I did play a couple of games of UNO with her but wasn't really up to much.

Nothing more planned now, got 10's birthday so just ordered her a new tracksuit and need to look at some more bits she's requested.  I have all the money in my "birthday" pot so need to keep an eye on not spending too much.

Nothing much else to report on, this time of the month just ticks by.

Hope you are all safe and well

Naomim

Naomim

Just had a thought about something I can sell.  We have quite a lot of old pairs of football boots , most of them in good condition as the kids just grew out of them, they're just dirty.  I'm going to clean them all up and see if I can shift them. Probably got about 15 pairs hanging around.

10yo also cleared out some DVD's and books but not sure they'll go for much.

Naomim

Naomim

Tesco shop booked for Wednesday. I have the delivery saver which really is something that it says on the tin! I pay £3.49 and can have deliveries Tues - Thurs.   I've got a bit out of the habit of meal planning, I plan but then don't always cook what I planned or run out of inspiration. I'm not a great cook but always looking out for new things to do so we don't get bored, but they have to have a level of easiness to them.  Meals for this week are:

Cumberland sausage casserole
Chicken & pepper tray bake
Prawn Stir Fry
Toad in the Hole
Sea bass with pea & potato salad
Tagliatelle
Slow Cooker Lamb hotpot

Just need to add on all the usual cupboard bits and packed lunch bits and I'm done! Hoping this week might be a bit cheaper.

Naomim

GeorgianaCavendish

I’ve been getting really into meal planning now that we are in the countryside and much more dependent on shopping deliveries. I’ve been revisiting Hello Fresh recipes and trying to find ones with common ingredients otherwise it gets a bit too expensive! You can go through their recipe archive without having a current membership too, good for new ideas

Naomim

@GeorgianaCavendish we enjoyed quite a few of the Hello Fresh recipes and have kept the cards to try and repeat them.  My herbs and spices are building up!

Checked out on Tesco on £82.40 which I don't think is too bad.  Popped out to Matalan earlier and picked up 3 pairs of pj's for the 10yo.  One pair for her birthday in a few weeks and two for Christmas, so I need to refund the bank account from the pots. Also had a £5 off voucher so all in it came to £31.  I also picked up a tracksuit I have ordered for her from Next and have ordered her a new stunt scooter.  So all I need to do now is visit Wilko's and The Works for a couple of small bits of stationery/art bits for her and her birthday is all done.

Naomim