Put away your purse & become debt-averse

foxgloves

Hello all,
A useful day on the whole. I'm going to go & sort out leftover spicy pulled pork for tonight's meal in a minute, but wanted to post today's loan busting efforts first.
I've paid the Paypal money from Toluna & our last Ziffit trade across to our Loan Pay Down Fund today & that's taken it up to £481-96. It was just under £1000 last year, but as I said in my introductory post, we had a string of expenses, as well as emotionally, a very difficult year, & by Christmas it was down to £60. I'm feeling positive about building it up again. The last one-off lump sum we were able to pay off the loan reduced the overall term by nearly 2 years, so it does feel worth doing. So I only need another £18-05 & the 'We can rebuild it' LPDF will break £500.
Carried on with decluttering & looking for 'treasure'. Found a few more things to list on ebay & weighed everything for postage costs, but didn't get round to listing, as found one of my charity shop pile of books was worth £2.34 on Ziffit (just a thin stapled paperback) so decided to see if I could get a box together. Managed it! They didn't want most things I tried, but I have boxed up £9-43's worth of books & CDs and that will go into the LPDF too, as all these little odds & sods do. Just to add......9 of the items had previously been tried on Ziffit & not been wanted. This time, they wanted them, so I will remember that & maybe make sure I wait 2 or 3 weeks & try them again. Great to make a bit of cash out of decluttering. I probably won't get the ebay stuff listed till Thursday now, but it'll give me a chance to see if any there are further items to add to the pile.

Oh, & I finished making my Easter cards. As I said on the DFW Small Things thread, they do look a bit of a pig's breakfast, but I have saved a few quid as I always send a few, & have used up some of the craft supplies that have been sitting around for a very long time doing nothing.

As I said in my first post, we've achieved debt-free in the past.....neither of us really wanted to borrow to help us buy a decent (not new) car, but we knew the timings would mean that it was pretty much inevitable. We both used to borrow & squander money at the drop of a hat, but we are so debt-averse now, we just want this gone as soon as possible, then the monthly loan repayment amount can go into savings instead. Am feeling like Mrs Focussed of Focussed Land at the moment!
Hope you've all had a productive day & that all the lergies are starting to get better.
F x

foxgloves

Morning all,
Been outside early this morning clearing the herb bed & digging it over. It's great to see new Spring growth just coming through, as that means we'll soon be picking bunches of free herbs. The sorrel is leafing up nicely too, so will soon be picking a few of its nice new lemony leaves for adding to salads, as turning the bigger tougher ones into soup. The rosemary bush is looking lush. I picked a few sprigs the other week when I baked an onion & rosemary-topped focaccia-style loaf. It was so tasty...nothing special, just standard A*di bread flour, which does a good job, & really, with a bowl of soup, its a meal. I found a pot of sage cuttings I took last year, so hope they will have survived the recent cold sufficiently for me to add them to the herb bed. I haven't had to buy any parsley over the winter, either, as around November, I separated out some of the straggly roots from a supermarket pot & planted them in the greenhouse border, where they rallied & I now have some really strong free plants, so I shall transfer those outside too. Isn't it lovely when garden food supplies start re-appearing? It's early days, but I think we're all quite ready to see some Spring sunshine.
Other loan-busting activity (apart from being generally frugal): Decided it's time now to start cutting down energy use. The cold snap has gone, so it's line-drying for our laundry now, as often as possible & the downstairs heating will go on at 6pm if needed. I've already turned the upstairs radiators down a notch. I think energy bills will keep rising, & likely to be worse post-Brexit, so I want to build up a decent amount of credit.
Only little things.....but 3 more items decluttered & weighed ready for listing on ebay, & 3 Prolific Academic surveys done this morning - my PA total is now up to just below £37. I can cash out at just £5, but I thought I would try & get to £50 first, so that I can withdraw it from Paypal & pay a nice little chunk straight into the Loan Pay Down Fund.
Planning a greenhouse day tomorrow, as need to get more of this year's food supplies sown. We really do buy a LOT less fresh veg in growing season, so a bit of hard work now does pay off - & good free exercise too.
If I could get rid of this last bit of loan just by thinking about it & wishing it gone, I'd have paid it off 100 times over this last week!
Oh well, onwards....
F x

wishingthemortgaheaway

If you set up a circle account (another version of PayPal) you can cash out of PA for no fees once you've hit £20.00.

I only use circle for cashing out PA

foxgloves

Thanks - that's useful advice. I'll look into that.
F

Working_Mum

I also got a circle account for cashing out PA and it saves a few pennies vs Paypal each time. I am a bit paranoid and I cash out everything when I can and "stash" the spoils in various places like Am4zon gift cards etc
It is lovely that Spring is nibbling at the edges of our lives and everything seems slightly hopeful doesn't it!!

PS I also got a Pockit account via Swagb@cks and I have started to pop a few of my spoils in there so I can access it for a small emergency or treat fund!

wishingthemortgaheaway

What's Pockit? I've not heard of that one.

foxgloves

Thanks, WorkingMum. I shall have to look into Circle.
Big job list here today. Had better stop drinking coffee & dreaming about loans magically disappearing, & crack on!
We didn't get the snow that was forecast here overnight so I am hoping to have a productive session in the greenhouse sowing veggie seed.
Back later.

Working_Mum

wishingthemortgaheaway wrote: »

What's Pockit? I've not heard of that one.

It is a debit card facility - a bit like PayPal - I got some bonus Sw@gbux by doing it -- it is a debit card with pin and is accessed online - pre-paid type card I suppose with a direct debit facility coming soon. I have been rounding down my current account to it and my survey pennies so that I can access it quickly if needed.

wishingthemortgaheaway

Working_Mum wrote: »

It is a debit card facility - a bit like PayPal - I got some bonus Sw@gbux by doing it -- it is a debit card with pin and is accessed online - pre-paid type card I suppose with a direct debit facility coming soon. I have been rounding down my current account to it and my survey pennies so that I can access it quickly if needed.

Thank you, I'll look into it.
Could be good for work expenses

Onebrokelady

Well done on using some of your craft stash to make the Easter cards, spring is definitely showing signs of being around the corner here today,I have crocuses in my garden and today the sun was so warm it was nearly possible to take my coat off,I didnt need my scarf or gloves either,I really cant wait for the warmer weather to arrive