We will get this debt down & the savings up

Makingabobor2

joedenise said:

The other thing I sometimes add to mince is grated courgette.  @Makingabobor2 can't see any reason why grated broccoli stalk wouldn't work.  The easiest way to grate it is probably with a food processor if you have one.  It's what I use when I want to grate a lot.  It's great for carrots as well!

Ooh good idea. Thanks 

Makingabobor2

How's everybody doing? I am so fed up with this rain now, nothing but rain & fog all week. Still I suppose it is November. You'd think that the bad weather would be an excuse to sit indoors and do more surveys, but they have been seriously lacking this week. P/lfc especially has been dire, not one study since last Friday. I did read someone say on another thread that they have some sort of algorithm that they use and if you'd had a lot recently, then they don't offer you any for a while. So that could be the reason, but I haven't even had any pop up that have been full, jus nothing at all.  Still doing all the others, but they are slow earners and CC's has been a bit slow, yesterday I couldn't even get to £1, they just get screening me out all the time. Will try again later.  Even £1 a day is enough to pay for Christmas. 
So apart from that I've been keeping up with my PADs when I can and putting bits in the various pots to save. I have pots for so many things now, its getting silly....lol.  Hoping that over the next couple of weeks I can get them sorted a bit more and list them so I know exactly what I have without having to log into the banking app each time to see. I must admit I have opened a couple that don't actually have any money in them yet...

Who watches I'm a celebrity?  I must say I think those so called celeb are so over paid for being in there. Especially Matt Hancock who is still earning his normal MP wages as well. Hoping a lot of them will be giving to charity this year.  

So looks like energy prices will go up drastically after April and council tax will rise by 5% instead of 3% I read. So add that to the interest rate that seems to be going up every other month and I'm not surprised there is not much saving going on. 

Well not much more interesting stuff to update for now. Things are just plodding along. Hope to do some decent batch baking/cooking in the next couple of weeks. 
Keep smiling everyone. 

Paspatur

Makingabobor2 said:

P/lfc especially has been dire, not one study since last Friday. I did read someone say on another thread that they have some sort of algorithm that they use and if you'd had a lot recently, then they don't offer you any for a while. So that could be the reason, but I haven't even had any pop up that have been full, jus nothing at all.  

I think you might be right on Plific
I took a break of about 25 days and have had £10 of studies today

Makingabobor2

Well, not updated for a few days, as not really much going on, other than I feel like I am not doing so well on the money making and PADs.  Sometimes when I make some money, I either realise I need a couple of ££ of it for something, or I put it into one of mu savings pots, so it then looks like I've not done so much with it as I don't declare it as a PAD.   It seems to me that PADs are all about clearing debt and not about savings, so maybe I should declare on my diary what I am saving as I now have little pots attached to my current account for Christmas 2023 (but this will also include birthdays as well),  Annual boiler service and insurances ( car & home).  These are new ones that I have only just started, we always had a savings pot for what I call my "medical savings"....dentists, optician & prescriptions for DH ( I get mine for free now I'm over 60). We've also always had a pot for car MOT & repairs etc.  Also we started a EF pot at the start of our DMP but had to use it for a few things and at the time weren't in a position to top it up, but since I've started seriously on the money making, I am boosting that up again.  Then there's all the other things like saving for cheap breaks away etc and I am trying to eventually start one just called "retirement"....lol.  
So, with all that in mind, tomorrow I am spending quite a while rejigging spreadsheets and savings etc and we'll see if I can get more organised. 

So surveys & studies have been slow today and yesterday, although Monday was a good day. I have quite a bit waiting to be approved on P/fc and also a little bit to cash out later today....thought I'd leave it a bit longer in case any more of it gets approved today.   There is also some winging its way in cyber space to my PP account from SB & C/wdgy. So not too bad really. CC's been a bit odd lately, keep getting screened out of so many now. But have managed to get to £1 today, which I will cash out later in case there are any more appear. 
I managed to sell something on FB MP, and would have sold 2 items but the 2nd buyer decided not to turn up and never replied to my message. Makes me so cross when they do that, especially if you have stayed in especially for them to come at their preferred time.   Anyway, I have relisted the item and see what happens.   Got a couple of other things to list as well, so will get them on either today or tomorrow.

So today has been a wet day to start with and then the sun came out, but now its really chilly and I have had to put the heating on, but thermostat is down very low. 

Pasta & sausages for dinner tonight and then I need to do my meal plan for the next week as think I can get away with no shopping this week apart from fruit & veg...

Hope everyone else is having a good day and thanks for reading as always.  

LittleMissDetermined

PADs can be savings too! I declare my savings as my PAD and always have done, going back to 2014 before the new forum style.
Declare away
LMD x

Makingabobor2

LittleMissDetermined said:

PADs can be savings too! I declare my savings as my PAD and always have done, going back to 2014 before the new forum style.
Declare away
LMD x

Really? Well, in that case I should back track and add the ones I have saved since I started this diary. Will update later and add todays as well.  It sort of seemed like cheating to me as the savings aren't actually going towards my DFD...lol

Blackcats

I think it's a good idea to declare your savings.  They are helping you not incur more debt by saving before you spend and also I feel that having savings is part of our journey to changing our mindsets and behaviours.
I finally have no debt but I get easily tempted to spend. I was focussed on paying off debt/mortgage but couldn't get motivated to grow my savings so now I set a target and treat it as a debt.

Makingabobor2

Blackcats said:

I think it's a good idea to declare your savings.  They are helping you not incur more debt by saving before you spend and also I feel that having savings is part of our journey to changing our mindsets and behaviours.
I finally have no debt but I get easily tempted to spend. I was focussed on paying off debt/mortgage but couldn't get motivated to grow my savings so now I set a target and treat it as a debt.

Yes, that makes a lot of sense. 

LittleMissDetermined

Blackcats said:

I think it's a good idea to declare your savings.  They are helping you not incur more debt by saving before you spend and also I feel that having savings is part of our journey to changing our mindsets and behaviours.
I finally have no debt but I get easily tempted to spend. I was focussed on paying off debt/mortgage but couldn't get motivated to grow my savings so now I set a target and treat it as a debt.

Exactly this! It's not just about the debt side of it, it's protecting you from having to get into debt again in the future. 
Whoop for your previous savings being added
LMD x

Sun_Addict

I think paying off debt is easier than saving psychologically.  A bit like maintaining weight once you’ve lost it. Or is it just me 🤣