Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

redofromstart

Oh no for the damp increasing :-(

If you need to buy more echinaccea might be worth trying the medicines bit in Home&Bargains if you have one. I think they were £2 today (saw them and thought of you!) but it might be a much smaller pack than you buy.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I buy the liquid echinaccea where you add drops to water. It's called 'Echinaforce'. This is because my mum said it was more effective than the tablets. But maybe I should get the tablets next time. It would certainly save a lot of money. How many tablets were in the Home & Bargains pack Redo?

The builders have been and found a leak under the floorboards directly under the shower. They said it's been continually dripping, which explains why the wet patch was getting worse instead of better :eek: They've changed two pipes and didn't charge for this morning. We did need a new shower anyway, because it never worked properly and the water pressure is much better now which should save gas :money:.

I've posted all our cards and parcels. I had to pay £2.90 each to post two parcels (worth £3 each) that didn't fit through the slot at the post office :mad:. I thought they would fit through but they were a mm too thick, so I was very cross :mad:. Well you live and learn. That will teach me to buy smaller parcels :mad:.

Then we went to Mr M to buy milk and loo rolls, and came out with four chocolate oranges and a large box of Christmas biscuits as well for an extra £7 . I knew I should have made DH wait in the car :mad:.

[Deleted User]

Sounds like a productive day Hun.

Boo to the postage and I'm glad the water stain has been fixed. Xx

HairyHandofDartmoor

I've managed to do all of the things on my list today :j.

- Post Christmas cards & parcels - DONE
- Ring builder about water stain - DONE
- Buy loo roll and milk -DONE
- Check for surveys - DONE
- Do some work - DONE

I've done two PA surveys and two YG surveys today :T. I've drawn a pencil line around the wet patch on the kitchen ceiling so I can monitor it and make sure the leak is fixed once and for all. The heating is on a bit higher than it needs to be to dry out the wet patch :mad:.

I've also drawn up tomorrow's list:

- Drop papers at accountants
- Collect prescriptions
- Post final parcel
- Chase DH's bank statements
- Check for surveys
- Do some work for customers
- Work on marketing
- Wash laundry

I'm hoping for another productive day tomorrow .

We need to go into town with DS1 for a bit more shopping, but will probably do that on Thursday morning.

DH wants to paint some more doors and skirting boards, but he'll do that on Friday probably. We also have a big stain to paint over on the kitchen ceiling :mad:, but hopefuly the plaster will be dry enough for DH to do that on Friday as well.

Have a relaxing evening everyone .

WannabeFree

Busy busy busy!

Hope you're all feeling better soon x

elizabethhull

National Lampoon's Xmas Vacation is my favourite Xmas film ever!

I think each daily list this time of year should include - have coffee & mince pie!!

When the new, really stupid, Post Office parcel rules came in you could get a piece of cardboard to measure your parcels at home. Maybe someone can get one for you as a stocking-filler. So aggravating to have to pay more unnecessarily.

HairyHandofDartmoor

WannabeFree wrote: »

Busy busy busy!

Hope you're all feeling better soon x

Thanks

elizabethhull wrote: »

National Lampoon's Xmas Vacation is my favourite Xmas film ever!

I think each daily list this time of year should include - have coffee & mince pie!!

When the new, really stupid, Post Office parcel rules came in you could get a piece of cardboard to measure your parcels at home. Maybe someone can get one for you as a stocking-filler. So aggravating to have to pay more unnecessarily.

I agree with you about the mince pies and coffee Elizabeth

The new post office rules are very irritating. I would like to get hold of some card for measuring parcels. I must do some research and find out where I could get one from.

[Deleted User]

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

The new post office rules are very irritating. I would like to get hold of some card for measuring parcels. I must do some research and find out where I could get one from.

I've been reading your diary with great interested after seeing you on one of the debt support threads. In fact you kindly replied to a recent query of mine on the F&F Settlement thread. Thank you:T


I'm in awe of how you've tackled your debts to become totally debt free _party_:dance::beer: and how you cope with everything that life throws at you each day:A. You're an inspiration to Debt-free wannabees like me and I've subscribed to your diary to get my regular 'fix' of inspiration and motivation.


I noticed that there's a TV prog on tonight (I think it's tonight) on Channel 5 listing the nation's all-time favourite Christmas films. As you're such a Christmas film fan you might find it entertaining.


Also. on the subject of sizing parcels etc for Royal Mail. I see someone mentioned one of those cards that they produced when pricing was all changed a few years ago.. I had one but I don't think they issue them any more as I tried to replace mine which has had so much use the slots have warped:eek:


I bought something on eBay in rigid plastic a few years ago. It didn't cost all that much and has been worth it's weight in gold:j. It has the 2 slots and is ideal for such as me who posts a lot of books. Not so much use for measuring dimensions of really big parcels but at least lets me know if it's Large Letter or not. I usually only send books anyway. Where a package just failed by a whisker to go through the slot on my own thingy I took it out of the padded envelope (before I'd written the address on/sealed it) and wrapped it in brown paper instead. It usually went through then and saved me some money. I used to hate expensive shocks at the Post Office:eek:. Never had any complaints from anyone that items had been damaged in transit.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Happy Tuesday everyone . I've done a few things on my list.

- Drop papers at accountants - DONE
- Collect prescriptions - DONE
- Post final parcel - DONE
- Chase DH's bank statements
- Check for surveys - DONE
- Do some work for customers
- Work on marketing
- Wash laundry

I feel as though my spending and eating are a bit out of control at the moment so I need to reign it in a bit.

We've bought most of the presents, but still have some Christmas food to buy. It's hard to eat healthily and spend healthily at this time of year, so I'm aiming for damage limitation .

In the new year I want to get back to minimal spending and focus on building up our savings. Although we are debt free :j we are on a low income, so I want to look at ways of raising our income.

We have work that needs doing on our house (damp etc) and I'd like to be able to overpay on our mortgage. It would also be nice to have some nice clothes, a new bathroom and a holiday one day too .

In the new year I also want to get back to my daily walks and healthy eating. If I can lose 12 pounds then I will be back at the weight I am happy with.

I would slso like my house to be cleaner, tidier and less cluttered. We are having a family party on the day after boxing day , so this is my de-cluttering/cleaning deadline. However I need to carry on de- cluttering throughout 2018 as it's an ongoing thing I need to keep on top of.

So my 2018 goals can be summarised as follows:

- Raise our income and build up savings
- Lose 12 pounds
- Clean and de- clutter house

I do want to relax and enjoy Christmas however, so I will aim for damage limitation until 2nd January and then really go for my money and weight loss goals :snow_grin .

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I've been reading your diary with great interested after seeing you on one of the debt support threads. In fact you kindly replied to a recent query of mine on the F&F Settlement thread. Thank you:T


I'm in awe of how you've tackled your debts to become totally debt free _party_:dance::beer: and how you cope with everything that life throws at you each day:A. You're an inspiration to Debt-free wannabees like me and I've subscribed to your diary to get my regular 'fix' of inspiration and motivation.


I noticed that there's a TV prog on tonight (I think it's tonight) on Channel 5 listing the nation's all-time favourite Christmas films. As you're such a Christmas film fan you might find it entertaining.


Also. on the subject of sizing parcels etc for Royal Mail. I see someone mentioned one of those cards that they produced when pricing was all changed a few years ago.. I had one but I don't think they issue them any more as I tried to replace mine which has had so much use the slots have warped:eek:


I bought something on eBay in rigid plastic a few years ago. It didn't cost all that much and has been worth it's weight in gold:j. It has the 2 slots and is ideal for such as me who posts a lot of books. Not so much use for measuring dimensions of really big parcels but at least lets me know if it's Large Letter or not. I usually only send books anyway. Where a package just failed by a whisker to go through the slot on my own thingy I took it out of the padded envelope (before I'd written the address on/sealed it) and wrapped it in brown paper instead. It usually went through then and saved me some money. I used to hate expensive shocks at the Post Office:eek:. Never had any complaints from anyone that items had been damaged in transit.

Thank you carboot for saying such nice things .

I'll look out for the programme on Christmas films and will look on ebay for a thing for measuring parcels. I hate wasting money :mad:.

How are you getting on with your full and final offers? Have you made any yet?