taking responsibilty to get me where I want to be

efes_shareholder

Happy hump day people

the plodding feeling continues so I have just given myself a little reminder that this time last year I was already £300 in to my overdraft a week after payday with a maxed out credit card and a noddle report that made me flinch whenever I opened it , the overdraft is no longer used , the credit card balance is on 0% and reduced by over a third and I have one default left on my report which will paid off next month

Things have without doubt improved but I can still improve and I have to take more steps too - I need to keep the travel bug under control and I need to start being a bit more cute and slightly less generous with the kids , It is my sons 21st next week and that will be his last big present giving.

Today I have so far spent nothing but I will be purchasing a knob of ginger for my soup make tonight. I also have a birthday card to buy for a friend before Friday but nothing substantial

My antibiotics are starting to lift my congestion so the £8.80 script was a worthwhile investment

This evening I am taking my nephew to our local pub about a job , hes back in this area following the break down of his relationship and keen to get working , I do know the guvnor and the chef is leaving to go on maternity leave soon so hopefully something will come of it for him
I may have a glass of sparkling water fermented with Grape whilst I am in there.

efes_shareholder

Happy Wednesday people

so a lots happened in the last week - my nephew is now employed at my local as the chef , the youngest had his 21st celebrations ( 500 miles from this tank of petrol and still hanging in there ) I've finished my antibiotics but still have a lurgie although its gone from clear nose runnings to horrible greeny stuff being coughed up !!

Hoping it departs before next week as this time next week it will be VEGAS baby

Not much to report on the money matters , another PPI rejection so it looks like I will be out of luck with that game , recieved phone back from mazuma so will look for other outlets

Still no smoking , however the amount I've spent on medication since Xmas it feels like I have been supporting a nicotine habit

efes_shareholder

well its another new week and in a couple of days I will be waking up in Vegas.
Why is it when you try and spend nothing , it feels like you spend more then usual ?

I have changed some dollars and paid all of this months bills and I'm optomistic that I can cover the trip from what is left from this months salary but I refuse to stress over it - I intend to enjoy the city as its a once in a lifetime trip but try and keep a level of sensibility surrounding my spends

I have a bill to pay for my sons birthday cake , I got a work mate to do it and I feel really horrible confessing that I was really disapointed with it
It felt like she rushed it and the finish didn't live up to expectations however its done and I am too polite to tell her that it was a bit of an abortion of a cake
I will pay her what she asked for but I won't use the services again as in hindsight I would have rather gone to marks and spencer
Its a shame as obviously as its more expensive as you are paying for someones time and also a unique cake

efes_shareholder

Hello MSER's

A very tired EFES shareholder checking back in - I returned from Las Vegas yesterday morning and straight in to work today
My body clock is slightly confused and my sleep pattern slightly deranged but I have a smile on my face from the memories I have made

Vegas , What a place ! its quite possibly not the best place for a recovering irresponsible spender, I was completely dumb founded by the amount of cash I saw brazenly being showered across the casino's without any concern.
It certainly isn't the place to go for bargains and although you can find a "budget" range everything comes with an inflated Vegas price tag
2 cocktails in a bar during happy hour = 29 dollars , well there isn't anything HAPPY about that
However the buildings and their themes , the detail , the vibe , the atnosphere , the "anything goes" outlook all make it such a great place to visit
I rode the zipline by the Link hotel but the highlight of my week was absolutely a helicopter ride down the strip - WOW , it was something I will never forget.
To my absolute amazement I managed to cover my spends from my salary which is something on arrival I didn't deem possible
I didn't drink much by my standards and I only had a small flutter in the slot machines in the casino but most importantly I had a great time and I didn't over spend

I would so love to return one day

In other news I came home to a small PPI cheque which is a win , it won't solve my problems but its "free" money
Its my nephews birthday this weekend so I have bought two tickets to the north london derby at the weekend which I know he will love

2 days until payday when I can regroup and allocate expenses out again

Mum coped ok without me although very little has been done around the house , I will never change this. I noticed her finances seemed to be stretched again before I went away so discretely left some money out as if I had forgotten it , in case she was as short as I thought as I knew she wouldn't ask
She had " borrowed" it but i did get it back on my return and she said that she had contacted two of her credit cards and arranged a £1 payment with interest frozen , this is great progress. Its a bad time in our family for outgoings as pretty much every birthday falls between January and April and we have two 21st and an 18th this year so I had thought she would revisit her state of affairs once these were over but it looks like finally she is starting to see the hill she has to climb
To her absolute credit she is still not smoking which is an amazing acheivement to her , she vapes like a chimney but that is considerably cheaper then the nicotine sticks

anyway , off to get some shut eye I hope - Hope everyone is well and having a good week

Scott-Weiland

Sleep well Efes Vegas sounded good but expensive gerrrrrr its annoying when stuff is over inflated ie taking tourists eyes out

efes_shareholder

The only minus of the place Scott is in fact you feel like you have had your pants pulled down on your purchases until you get in to "vegas prices"

I am just glad I managed to do the trip without dipping in to my savings.

Today is payday - one payment sent to an upcoming annual trip away with the girls which is just the reminder that I need that I need to reign these trips in and not try to have a champagne break schedule on a lemonade budget

I justify these by telling myself I deserve a break as home life is not how I would like ( bathroom gate , barking dog etc) and that if I don't take a break from it I will go mad and lose it - this is quite possibly true! but I need to be more selective , I have always been very good at finding deals at great prices and packaging things together but I need to stop agreeing to everything and I have made progress with this but tempation is there every time I see a deal.

Need to make some Very and Credit card payments but I like to look at my money for as long as possible before it gets allocated

Starting to recover from the long journey although since being back at work , My cold has returned.
diagnosed myself with "work related" sneezing , I think I am allergic to the office.

efes_shareholder

Pinch punch first day of the month

My body aches - I went to aqua aerobics for the first time in 3 weeks last night and pushed myself a little too much!
I need to get back in to routine of going , I thought it would help me sleep if I went and there is also the lure of a shower following the class

Direct debits all start going out today , the big hitters excluding the car have been drawn and it looks like I will have a "moderate" month

its middle sprogs birthday this month but now she earns her own way , she won't be getting the level she used too. I have to start reigning this in as they are now all well in to their 20's - I am sure I over compensate for the fact that we don't all share the same roof any more but if I want that to ever be a possibility then I have to stop being so generous with the "occassions"

I've been invited to go to prague for the weekend at the end of next month and it is very tempting but today I have realised it means being away for mothers day so I don't think it will be plausible
This is probably a god send - I will however need to tell my potential companion asap

This weekend I am taking my nephew to the football for his birthday present , really looking forward to this but as its derby day I am very very nervous.
Other then this I don't plan on doing much at all , Sort my room out , unpack all of my baggage and put washing away etc and all of those tedious jobs that none of us particulary want to do when we get home.
Haven't been able to do this yet as my friend and I shared a case home and she took it back to hers ( its her case ) so I will pick my belongings up after work tonight.

efes_shareholder

Happy new week MSE'rs

I've made a schoolgirl error - I put vegas trips on my b/card as it was all i had in my purse when I booked them and forgot that the 0% was only for balance transfers...............Now I have them accumulating interest , I have emailed barclaycard to find out how I make sure my payment is allocated to this section of the bill but I could kick myself

Still everyday is a school day

Took my nephew to the football on Saturday - For a 10 year old the boy can eat and cost me a small fortune at the food counter
My sister had sent him off with a fry up in his belly and I thought he would make it through to the end of the game but at half time needed refilling !!
The game finished with a draw - prob a fair result

In other news and perhaps the best news for a long long time - The middle sprog yesterday passed her driving test at the first attempt
This has meant so much to her that I am really pleased and also will mean an end to my 10pm pick ups ( and this girl owes me some lifts in return)
It will also open up more employment options as she will be able to get herself about etc.
She has given me the job of helping her find a car as apparantly I am better at it then her dad ! We are currently looking at Toyota Aygo's and VW fox's although open to any suggestions
She has been burrowing her money away and now doesn't want to spend it all..............she is her mothers daughter

efes_shareholder

I don't know what is up with me today but the last few days I have felt really overwhelmed with life and today I feel very very tearful although I have no clear idea as to why

I'm then getting upset with myself for feeling like it ...............we have a history of mental health in my family and I know when I am in danger of sinking and right now I feel like this but don't seem to be able to fight my way back out of it

I have a doctors appt tomorrow to give myself piece of mind over a new mole on my back which I can't see properly but my daughter says looks a bit fierce
I am tempted to discuss how I'm feeling - maybe a low dose anti depressant may just help lift it but I feel slightly concerned taking this route as I haven't touched them for a good few years

Everyone thinks I am mentally strong , I don't feel this myself right now - I'm sat at my desk hoping no one gives me too big a task or asks if I am ok

Home life and my personal life often gets me down and I don't see this changing any time soon , I am not sure I can continue to "cope" or put up with it

efes_shareholder

Good afternoon
Well this week at work is truly manic - its nearing end of financial year and that puts pressure on just having two of us now

I went to the docs and my mole is nothing to worry about but due to location I am down to have it removed as its right on my bra line and I keep catching it.
I went in to my mental state in depth with the doctor , she thinks I could be entering in to menopause , she isnt the first doctor to suggest this but as yet although I am still regular as clockwork I am having other symptons
I am well aware that I could be suffering from mild depression , an accumulation of factors are minor contributers to this. Having lived around mental health for most of my life I am well aware that a lot is down to mind wiring and there doesn't have to be a trigger. She suggested some self help methods before we look at "happy pills"
Its very hard to get peace and quiet and relaxation in a messy house with a yapping dog but I shall be trying to take more care of myself and do things for "me"

Have been looking for cars for middle , I missed out on a lovely little car last night as she wasnt able to see it before the listing ended and I couldn't just spend her money. I am not a fan of buying cars on ebay but it was local and I thought I had nothing to lose by popping by to see it.
I was honest with the seller and told him I liked the car but couldn't go ahead and spend middles money without her consent so had the car been for me I would have snapped his hand off but it wasnt and he should let the auction run. It sold today for £200 more then what he offered it to me for , I have told him should he get messed about to let me know.
We have a test drive booked on saturday for another car so hopefully this will fit the bill and I can sign off from 10pm mum duty.

I have a handle on the budget and am have got barclaycard to freeze the interest for this month on the purchases I hadnt cleared as I was away and assumed they were wrongly on 0%
It will make things very tight but I always intended to pay them so will have to suck it up.
There is a little bit of "vegas" still hanging around for payment , things like car parks and airport spends soon mount up.

My default is now clear , I logged on to check it was all paid and there was an outstanding balance of 2p so I couldnt have set the standing order up with the correct amounts.
I've paid it , I want the default off my account ASAP as its the thing that puts a black cloud over my report

Aqua aerobics tonight , not feeling it but I sleep better after and the DR suggested excercise would improve my mindset - not sure I will agree when i step in to the cold pool but lets give it a go