We will get this debt down & the savings up

Makingabobor2

It was actually neither @Tescodealqueen, it was SparksPay. Turns out I already have a Sparks account from years ago.....didn't remember that.  Anyway, what they were offering on the website is like a digital credit card really....order now and they will send me a bill, if I pay it all off, that's great, if not there will be interest. But there's 20% discount on first order.   So after discussing it with DH, I decided to give it a go, wasn't even sure if I'd  be accepted, but lo & behold I was.  So when it came to the bit about payments, it says do I want to pay it all off every month or minimum payment, so I have ticked for paying it all off. Also it asked if they should inform me if they want to increase the credit limit, or just do it automatically. I said to inform me. There is a £500 credit limit, and I am not even going to spend £100, so think I'll be fine.  I'm pleased that its not actually a physical card, and can only be used if I order online, which TBH is not likely to happen very often at all. The only reason I was going to order this time is because I bought a pair before, after spending weeks looking for some  and they were so nice I wanted some more and can't be bothered to go and get them, as I hate shopping so much these days. Was interesting to find out I actually have a Sparks card though, so I have downloaded the app, as I certainly don't have a physical card. Don't even remember having one in the past....lol

So not much more to report really. I will go ahead and order my leggings and get the discount. 
Surveys a bit slow at the moment. 
The tentacled ones took our payment this month. We are now on the new tariff, which they said would be £156 a month. We had been paying £111 on the old one which came to an end in August. So when we signed to this one, the rates are higher as we had been on the old one for 2 years. So why they have only taken £111 I am not sure. I know we are over £300 in credit, but with the higher KWH rate now, I can't imagine £111 being enough as we go into winter. So It think I need to go online and amend the payment. Maybe not to the £156 as I did think that was a bit high, but maybe £120-£130 or something, and see how we go with that. 
Just had a nice survey for £1.75 while I was typing this, so every little helps. 
That's about it for now. Have a nice afternoon everyone. 

Makingabobor2

Oh and BTW @Tescodealqueen, when I discovered I actually have a Sparks card and I looked at the offers, mine weren't for 20% off joggers, but 10% off any clothes and £5 off a £40 food shop. Wonder if we are all given different offers, bit like Nectar point offers, which are very much tailored to what we normally buy. 

Tescodealqueen

Oh I hadn’t come across Sparks Pay but I guess it’s similar to some of the others available. Yes the offers are different for everyone. When I left the civil Service for a while a local contact centre did the M/S contract from September to January for the busy Christmas period. Although retired early I did several seasons as it was just down the  road from me and different from anything I had done and only 16 weeks a year.  Learned quite a bit about M/s and was quite sorry when they stopped using that place for its Xmas staffing . Glad you got a good deal on your order

Makingabobor2

Tescodealqueen said:

Oh I hadn’t come across Sparks Pay but I guess it’s similar to some of the others available. Yes the offers are different for everyone. When I left the civil Service for a while a local contact centre did the M/S contract from September to January for the busy Christmas period. Although retired early I did several seasons as it was just down the  road from me and different from anything I had done and only 16 weeks a year.  Learned quite a bit about M/s and was quite sorry when they stopped using that place for its Xmas staffing . Glad you got a good deal on your order

That sounds good. I could do with some work for Christmas period or something. Been retired 3 years now, private pension to start with and then State pension kicked in this year, but TBH, I am getting a bit bored. Wouldn't want anything too much but just maybe 1 day a week or 2 or 3 hours a day for 2 or 3 days. Although I have plenty to do at home, I am missing the people connection and as DH is still working, I get fed up sometimes. Can't keep going for coffee with friends...costs too much...lol

Sun_Addict

You could do voluntary work, charity shops and food banks would welcome you with open arms. A lot of places still advertise for Christmas staff so you could keep an eye open for that. Maybe some places could do with an extra pair of hands over the lunchtime period. 

My mum used to do Christmas work many years ago, just to get some extra money for Christmas. I remember her working at Woolworths a few years running. 

Makingabobor2

Yes, I am looking for voluntary work actually @Sun_Addict. tried the local food bank, but they only open one evening a week and I don't really want evenings. Then I tried the local community hospital, but it was like having to jump through hoops to actually get in. Then one popped up with our local council that I thought looked ideal, but when I went to chat to the chap, it turned out that it was actually nothing like they had made it sound on their FB page...lol.  Not sure I fancy a charity shop, I spent enough years of my life working in shops...lol.  I will keep looking though and also try and find some Christmas work maybe, it would bring in a few extra pennies. 
 

EssexHebridean

It may have been too close to the payment date for the tentacled ones to change the amount MAB - I've just had that too, they sent an email saying they were increasing the monthly payment. I went in to the app to change it back to the old amount as I have a good handle on where we are with payments, and it said that changes might not be actioned as the DD was 10 days away, but in fact as it turns out their own change - increasing it - also falls under the "too close to the DD date" thig, so the amount going out this time is the level I wanted anyway! I was actually quite impressed that they apply that rule to themselves as well as to their customers! 

Great thought processes on the credit application too - I think that slightly uncomfortable feeling is something that a lot of us here can identify with. In some ways it's good, but we do also need to learn to move past it sometimes and go ahead anyway once we have reached the point where we know we can trust ourselves. 

Makingabobor2

No it wasn't because it was too close to the payment date. We started the new tariff in August, so they still took the £111 in August, and I was expecting it to be changed for September, but no, they still took £111. I have been into the account now and changed it to £130 and we'll see how that goes. 

Makingabobor2

Just a quick update before we go for a quick cheapie few days away. So looking forward to it. The bags are packed with lots of food and list for the local A!d* near the lodge park. Flask is out on the kitchen worktop ready for coffee in the morning and I just have to make some tuna rolls to take for our lunch.  

So yesterday I nipped in local charity shop and saw an amazing present for DGS4's birthday coming up in November. Cost me £8.50 and in excellent condition and would have been about £25 brand new. So that is ready and waiting, just need to find a nice box to put it in so he can "unwrap" it.

Other than that, not much to report, just used up the leftovers from the fridge for dinner, so nothing went to waste while we are away, nice chicken stir fry with lots of veg. I could eat meals like that every day, but DH would soon complain...lol. 

So plan for when I get back is to start more batch cooking & baking in an effort to save more money, get more healthy and have more spare time.  Also to spend more time on my free online OU course, as I haven't done much to it for ages. 
Hope you're all having a good weekend....enjoy Strictly. 

Sun_Addict

That’s an excellent find with the present for DGS4. Wow 4 GS’s! I have one of each.