Looking forward - my diary!

firesidemaid

love this thread btw!

re. choosing where to live - it's a bit like buying - factor in the other costs eg. heating (gas and/or elec), transport costs etc etc to the total per month.

sometimes paying a little more may be worth it......

Ellidee

Hi marc glad you posted an update have been thinking about you and I am happy to hear you still sounding positive. Looking forward to today's post. X

marc.faulkner

Oh WOW!!!

I viewed another apartment today, and it was absolutely fabulous. Rent is a managable £430 per month - including all service charges, and als Water Rates. No gas, just electric - with eco7, so again should be affordable if managed correctly.

I'm going to sleep on it, and then give the LL a call in the morning and ask him to send me the figures over, so I have everything in writing. Assuming he's okay with the delay, as I need to give notice here etc. then I think this may be the one for me. If everything goes according to plan, I could be moving in at the end of Feb.

I'll be furnishing the place on a shoestring, which shouldn't be too difficult as it's already fully carpeted and has full integrated. appliances. My one extravegance will be a brand new bed and mattress. I'll have to save for this though, so will probably make do with the airbed for the first few weeks until I have the funds available. I've found the perfect bed in TJ hughes, in the sale at £199 including mattress and bedding.

On a bit of a high right now, everything seems to be coming together at last!

debrag

where do you live to get such a low rent with service charges & water rates

marc.faulkner

I currently live in Warrington (quite a downmarket area of the town, too) and will be moving to Runcorn.

Both towns are in the Northwest, and both are predominantly lower working class in terms of income and affluence (Well, both are 'up and coming', but are currently quite inexpensive in terms of rent).

I currently pay £375, which is for a tiny bedit, so for an additional £55 I can have a proper 1 bed apartment in a new development. Obviously I also need to factor in the electricity and council tax, but it still seems better value for money - given the hugely superior quality of the accomodation and facilities.

firesidemaid

just a thought as i have been there before - the electric heaters on economy 7 go on and store up the heat at night and go off and then give the heat out during the day.

they are probably more new-fangled now, but (you may already be well aware of this) make sure you have the instructions as you can either be a) very cold or b) warmer but with a massive bill if you got it wrong like i did!

sounds great anyway!

marc.faulkner

Funny you should mention the electric, as a I started a new thread last night about it.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=685987

I reckon I should be okay - I don't use my heating even now, and I'm out of the house most of the day anyway.

I'm just trying to claw together what money I can at the moment, towards the deposit etc. I know I've got some money still in an old Fidelity Isa, but I've locked myself out of the website and the phone lines are closed So I won't find out how much until tomorrow...Think it's about £120 (obviously depending on the performance of the funds).

I also need to fire off a final letter to Polar Ford tomorrow - as they still haven't refunded the £66 they owe me, nearly 6 months later!!! Next step will be a CC claim, but I can't really afford that at the moment.

marc.faulkner

Is it just me, or have the piggy clicks been extremely good today? I've just had 6 "5 pointers", whereas I haven't had a single one all week!

Does anybody know how long the Foxy Bingo points take to track on Pigsback? Think they're the only thing of mine that haven't tracked anywhere so far.

Think I'm going to try and have a go at some matched betting tonight, if I can properly get my head around it Using Quidco, of course

firesidemaid

up until recently i got all my pigsback points through clicks - although there are a lot less clicks available these days.

in early december i decided to buy stuff from amazon through pigsback for a change (rather than nectar estores) - but no sign of the points in my account one month on.....

i've also just bought a new payg pink lobster phone (with camera) from phones4u - £14.99 plus £10 tracked cashback through quidco, so it cost me £4.99! i also had to buy £10 airtime, which i will nedd anyway:j

i have lots of insurances coming up at the moment - just got £56 tracked for my pet insurance and am looking for home and then car insurance too - last year i got great deals on these and had over £200 cashback between the two! i do love quidco!

marc.faulkner

You may remember that I was chasing Polar Ford for the return of £66 owed to me... I sent them a letter on 08/01, giving them 5 working days to refund the money in full.

Today I received the following letter

Dear Mr Faulkner

Re: - Concern

I am in receipt of your letter dated Tuesday 8 January 2008 regarding the concern you have with the deposit you paid with the intention of purchasing a used vehicle.

I have tried to telephone you a couple of times in the past few days without any success. I would be greatful therefore, if you could please contact me on the telephone number marked below at your earliest convenience so that we may discuss your concern in retai.

I look forward to speaking to you soon.

Yours Sincerely

Customer Care Co-ordinator

I have no interest in "discussing" my concern, I just want my bloody moey back!!!

I will fire off another letter tomorrow, confirming receipt of their letter and once again requesting the money is refunded to me - and also explaining that all correspondance will be in writing. I'll give them a further fortnight before lodging a CC claim, as this has already dragged on for the best part of 6 months! :mad: