taking responsibilty to get me where I want to be

efes_shareholder

Well Tesco said no - Was kind of expected with my credit history and if I am brutually honest probably the best thing
The 22 months interest free would have been helpful but I am not sure I could have been trusted not to load it up with the festive period - also I need to get this clear and seeing interest may well be a big enough incentive for me not to be complacent and take my sweet time getting rid of it

I really have to focus in the new year and get this budget business working - I'm not quite getting the handle on it so its a must
I'm seriously thinking that a secondary account is going to the way forward
There is absolutely no reason to me having little available at the end of the month then perhaps not fully considering my choices , on paper I should have plenty of surplus cash but I rarely do so obviously something needs looking at.
That said I no longer have a 1.5k overdraft which was the case when I first started to address this problem
Also the need to purchase the car has slowed down my progress although technically its covered by the money I once spent on ciggerettes

OnlyPariah

It might be worth you doing an updated SOA. Take a look at the last month of spends and pop it in there.

Well done on clearing the overdraft though. You're clearly moving in the right direction so give yourself a well earned pat on the back.

efes_shareholder

Hi Only Pariah

I think this is the way forward and I am thinking of going back across the previous year spends to work out an accurate SOA.
Realistically I think this is best done in the new year as its hard to stay on track at this time of year let alone put anything aside

Thank you for the praise - I'm not quite where I wanted to be but life happens and I haven't increased , I don't see the car amongst my other debts which are "old" debts with nothing to show for

efes_shareholder

How is it only Thursday !

Last night over with the NM last night and thats my quota until Sunday when we are going to dinner on his return
Work is busy busy busy - we seem no closer to acquiring a new team member and I've had little input on it , I've racked up 7 hours over time this month but I don't particulary want to do anymore as the days are very full on and draining without adding time to them
Blew the gym out last night due to being tired so have to make sure I go tonight

Going to use my available time this weekend to sort my room out , look at what I have bought for xmas and get my mum out of the house for a few hours shopping and lunch
also going to make hit lists of what I've bought for xmas and what I need to buy

Next weekend is my brothers wedding - the spare laptop has been purchased by my dad will help cover the costs for this
Still need to buy a wedding gift

efes_shareholder

Bought a wedding gift , the cost to be shared between my sister and I

Had quite a relaxing weekend , caught up a few jobs and kept the spends down

NM returned back from his weekender yesterday so we went out for dinner and had a chill out evening
He wants to meet my ex and explain the situation to him , I think this is the right thing man to man to do however I am not sure given his health when is the right time.
He doesn't seem to accept there is no way back

I pranged the car at the weekend and have popped the bumper slightly - completely my own fault and thankfully no paintwork damage but very very annoying and although minimal I am going to have to get it fixed.

efes_shareholder

2 days until payday !!

I still have to think of something for the NM birthday , he has his eye on a vintage sports jacket but its like finding rocking horse poo but when I asked him what he would like , he said something thoughtful and inexpensive ...............he has a bursting wardrobe and numerous gadgets so I am a little stumped

I will take him out for dinner ( he asked if we could go meerkat! ) and was thinking maybe an evening at the comedy club which is inexpensive
I'm usually really good at these sorts of things but there has been so much going on at work and with xmas coming I haven't been able to give it much thought

My other option is a night away in Brighton where we could also do some xmas shopping

I have £7.00 in my purse and think im ok for fuel until the weekend so nothing to spend before pay day

frantically trying to get ready for my brothers wedding at the weekend

efes_shareholder

so I've a solution to the birthday thing in that his football team are playing the night before and he hasnt yet been to their new stadium - so thats the evening out sorted
I will buy a couple of token gifts as I can't really think of anything to buy and to prove I'm not a women of wealth
Fortunately we both appear to have the same take on these occassions that it isn't about how much things cost , its about the thought behind it

I've had to spend £5 of my £7 in my purse this morning as I've left my lunch in the fridge at home so that is a bit annoying but oh well

Enough fuel to last until tomorrow when its payday - will then top the tank up completely as have an airport run early saturday morning.

I've tallied up the months spends and will continue to do so in to the new year to try and get an accurate SOA together and see where I can make savings.

efes_shareholder

So today is payday

An extra £90 in overtime this month but this basically accounts for the overdraft I managed to use and means I start the month on an even keel

Had to fill the car this morning which was nearly £70 ( ouch!) but hopefully will last me a while (about 500 miles which is about 7 - 10 days) I am doing more miles since I met NM however my wine purchases have decreased !

Tomorrow I'm off to Scotland for my brothers wedding - hoping this will be fairly pocket friendly since our food is included and my dad is flying in with a litre bottle of gin
Looking forward to seeing my dad with all of his offspring but havent seen my half sister for about 20 years and she is now 32 so that wil be interesting

efes_shareholder

Ps another 2lb off in 2 weeks at the gym

I feel the last 4 are going to take some shifting

efes_shareholder

Returned home from Scottish highland after a wonderful weekend at my brothers wedding.
bit weird being around siblings you weren't raised with or indeed ever really see but it was nice to be there repping the family
Relatively low expenses as turns were taken buying drinks and paying taxis , I think I got through around £50 over the weekend which wasn't too shabby at all

Its that time of month where I sadly wave farewell to another payment each day this month and then next week the reality of whats left starts to hit !!

Need to get my bum in gear with the xmas shopping - daughters are particulary tricky to cater for and likely to do lots of mind swapping so I usually leave them last
Luckily mums at home and loves wrapping so she can have that job