Happier Nat's debt free diary

natlie

Saturday! hooray they house needs a really good deep clean this weekend, last weekend I was exhausted and didn't do anything. 
I am also planning to start Chloe Ting's 2 week shred on YouTube which is free as I've but back on 3 lbs after loosing a stone last month. They are short 15 minute workouts so should be ok. 
My SC payment is tracking in the account to go out on Monday, I can't wait to see the balance reducing again. 
Need to get back on to my FB Marketplace to start selling some more, it was going well but has stalled recently. Now I don't have Eb@y selling is really difficult. 
Nat

natlie

Morning
I had a really busy weekend, the weather was so nice me and my son spent most of it doing work at our allotment. We managed to clear a bit, our big raised beds are cleared and covered, we've composted a load of brambles and nettles. We picked plums, potatoes and blackberries and one of the plot holders gave us 2 family size portions of runner beans.
Yesterday afternoon we had a 3pm tea and cake with other plot holders in the communal area.
I also managed to do some work in our garden, clearing up mess and digging all the grass and weeds out from between the patio, the garden looks twice the size, still one bit to finish and we need to get a trimmer to help us with the allotment and with the back garden. 
SC payment went out today. I have submitted this months UC claim and that'll be paid on the 10th. Grocery shopping and petrol was done on Saturday. Going to update my budget now as haven't done it all weekend 
Nat

natlie

Hello,
Not much financial news, everything is on track so far and no surprises.
I started following an exercise programme yesterday, free online so I am looking forward to seeing some results. 
Dinner was great last night, I had one leftover portion which went in the freezer.
I've ordered a hutch and a run in the sale as we are picking up some rabbits on the 16th August! we were going to wait but the gift from my gran and nagging children encouraged us to go ahead. 
Nat

natlie

Morning
It's my sons 9th birthday today and his presents came in under budget  
My SC payment has arrived and I have updated my signature with my new total. UC payment is going in on Monday.
I have been asked to speak to my line manager on Tuesday as they are recruiting a post to my team for me to manage but they have evaluated the post and set the salary higher than mine. HR haven't been any help. Maybe this will mean a small pay increase?
I have some extra work next week so will have some additional income, which will just reduce my UC next month really but its good to have so extra cash mid month. I will be adding to to one of my pots. 
Today I am on leave so I will be making a cake, our plan for dinner is chip shop as thats what my son wants for his b'day and they we are going to the beach for a walk. I may take him for a bike ride this morning once the fog clears. 
Nat 

natlie

Hi
I've had a long weekend and it's been really nice, but have to work this morning. 
We've had a really busy weekend, we went to the beach Friday night for my son's birthday, we didn't risk going in the day - too busy! Yesterday we took down a broken fence in the garden cut back the castor oil plant, which is huge and built the rabbit hutch (8 days to go). The garden is starting to look great, i've been doing a lot to it recently.
I popped to the allotment yesterday morning and picked a tub of plums and figs to make jam. 
Today I need to clean the kitchen and hoover the stairs, pick up a bit of grocery shopping, not a big shop. 
I need to check my budget sheet and I've got a few money jobs to do tomorrow moving my UC around and paying into savings. 
This month has been a lot more expensive than I thought it would be. 
Nat 

natlie

Hi
DMP update: both Tesc* and Barcl@ycard have added fees to my account this month £12 late fee from Barcl@ys and £37.22 interest from Tesc* last month Tesc* refunded all the charges so i thought they wouldn't charge again this month. The Bacla@ycard one is new, they didn't charge me last month, I will call SC to see if I can sort this out. I really don't want to speak to the creditors directly. I am hoping Tesc* will be easy to argue as the interest they are charging is only £2 less than my monthly payment. The rest of my creditors are ok at the moment Paypal are still charging interest but I have never had any communication from them and my monthly payment is over the minimum. 

Job update: I am possibly having a pay rise, after months of appealing against the grade they have put me on I was awarded a re-grade with no pay rise, they have been recruiting to my team and the post is advertised on more money than I earn. I spoke to my boss and he said I need to help him find the money in our budget to pay for my pay increase. So that's positive, I wouldn't be taking home much more each month £100 or so but I would be off the UC. 
Lunchtime I have a meeting in a castle so that will be nice, benefits of living in Wales. Will be taking lunch with me. 

Life update: it's too hot to do anything! I don't mind warm weather but 29 degrees outside and trying to work is unbearable!
I haven't done a grocery shop for 12 days so the kids are moaning about a lack of snacks event though we have donuts, muffins, biscuits, crips, cereal, cereal bars etc I don't know why they feel that they don't have anything to eat but sometimes as soon as I do the shopping they are moaning. My daughter has gone from eating most things to just eating crisps over lockdown, she is really unhealthy now and her sleeping pattern is terrible. 

Right that was a long one! I'm off the the allotment now to recycle my veg peelings to grow next years veg 
Nat

natlie

Hello
B@rclayc@rd sent me a default notice this morning, I am only £39 behind on payments but they said unless I pay this by the 11th September my account with be defaulted. I think this is good news as I only started the DMP in June. 

No news on the job update, my finance rep in work is off on leave so I can't work out my budget as nothing seems to be up to date. 

Bunnies are moving in on Sunday afternoon - exciting! 

PurpleFairy26

Yeah to new bunnies! 

natlie

Hi
The bunnies moved in on Sunday and they seem happy so far. They've been expensive to set up but we should have enough litter, food and hay to last a few weeks. Their names are Bonnie and Uri and they are 8 weeks old and tiny. 
Life feels a bit messy at the moment, i am off track with my budgeting i haven't done a proper food shop since 31st July so my grocery budget is a mess. I feel really bad about it my pots are depleted and we need to put more petrol in the car this month than planned as my husbands mother is ill and he's had to visit a couple of times this month.
I managed to speak to Tesc* and they said that they will be defaulting me in a month they just needed enough payments missed and then they will be refunding all the charges and interest they've put on my account. 
I've got a busy day today I am interviewing 4 people for a job in my team so I have to put make up and work clothes on (boo).
 
Nat

natlie

Morning,
Checked my budget this morning added in all my recent spends and despite an expensive month and going over on my grocery shopping I actually still have a decent amount of available money in my EF and I just haven't progressed as opposed to going backwards and i'm still making a fair amount of money through decluttering. I really need to be more accountable for my spending. I have enough food to last until payday now - groceries delivered today and veg box delivered yesterday. 
My focus this weekend will be on cleaning the house is feeling messy and every room seems to have hay in it now the rabbits have settled in. We need to move them outside but the weather has been rubbish and I've worried about them being out in the torrential rain we've had.
No news from work on my potential pay rise this should get sorted next week now I hope if it doesn't I am going to speak to HR again as they've been really unhelpful to date. 
Right thats all for today, off now to eat something healthy for breakfast and get ready for work  
Nat