Ding- there goes the bulb!!

Claw_back_money

MissShoes wrote: »

Back onto the spending diary and keeping track of NSDs.

Tuesday 3rd Feb
NSD- not venturing outside today...gonna blitz the flat.

Blitzing the flat - should also keep you warm - so NSD and free heat - you sound like you're well and truely back on the MSE path!

I've read back the last couple of pages of your diary. It sounds like you have a huge target... does that feel achievable? For myself, I had to break it down into smaller ones and have a massive celebration at each small step. I'm currently working on my HSBC visa - £770 to go, which is not as daunting as the massive number in my sig. Also, a small amount sounds like it will make a difference so I'm less likely to spend. Just a thought - feel free to dismiss.

There are loads of us in here that do a step forward and then have a little slip, so you're not alone. Well done you for stopping. Life throws daft spanners in the works that need money. Some people may be able to help you with the Council Tax (if you want help) if they ever look for a lump of money again. There are ways of cutting your phone bills. But these things take a lot of time and energy - doesn't sound like you had loads of either.

If you have a nose around some of the other threads you may discover other little ways of living DFW (or OS) which you can incorporate, to help you on your journey, and even to make it fun!! I get a ridiculous amount of pleasure out of a daily scratchcard, for example, and for watching my old junk creeping up in price on eBay, but that's not everyone's bag! Whatever you like to do, see if you can do a bit cheaper, so life isn't just struggle.

So endeth the sermon (sorry!)

Cbm

Raychee

So, last year you paid back nearly £4000? That sounds like a good start to me.

Taking stock and going for it is a big moment, and it takes a while to adjust. Pick yourself up from where you are, and start again. You CAN do it! :j

Friends and family take a while to adjust. The other weekend, I told my outlaw mother and my outlaw sister (my OH's mum and his sister-in-law) that I couldn't afford a 3 day trip to Dublin with them in the summer, and my priorities were paying off my CC and having a holiday with my OH (we haven't been away, just the 2 of us for 5 years.)

In the past 2 weeks, she's phoned up asking us to go to Paris (£199 each for 4 days, B&B and a couple of tours) and to go camping for a week in Cornwall. Which part of 'I can't afford to' does she not get?

Stay strong, and believe in what you can do!

Claw_back_money

MissShoes wrote: »

Thursday 5th February

£22.00 paid to Vanquis :j

Otherwise, no spend day. Does it count as a no spend day if you've spent money on paying debts off?


Difficult day today. I'm tired, run-down, peed off, skint, frustrated and annoyed. Grr.

Love Miss Shoes xx

Hiya MissS :hello:
A NSD for you and me both yesterday then, as I'm sure paying a debt doesn't count as a spend. And £22 on vanquishing the Vanquis is another little step.
I had a really rubbish day yesterday too. I miscalculated one of the bank a/c and it went £15 over the overdraft limit on Monday. Letter from teh bank yesterday, and £15 borrowing for ONE NIGHT will cost us £21 - how carp is that?
Today is going to be better though, I've phoned work and agreed to work from home today, and just did the scratch cards and got £5 on one and 25p on the other.:T Highest amount ever. I then had enough to make my first withdrawal, so will be able to pay an extra £12.50 of the VISA card early next week - hooray. So a NSD as I'm at home, I'll get loads done as I won't have all the distractions, and an unexpected extra sum to come next week.

No one tells you when you spend £10 or £20 on a credit card how difficult it will be to pay it all back, do they.

I need to get ready to 'start work'! Ho hum.... keep smiling.
Cbm

beanielou

Wow you are going to be busy!

Claw_back_money

MissShoes wrote: »

Ah what a week.

So so so stressed st awork, if I was debt-free I'd have handed in my notice by now. Just think of the money. Just think of the money.

I have a lot of massive massive payments to make with February's wages, which I get next weekend. I estimate it'll be around £2350 so that should be enough to cover everything.

This weekend I will...

• sort out payments for payday
• laundry
• ironing
• tidy tidy tidy
• sort out all work folders and work copies
• have a big sort out at work
• have a big sort out of my wardrobe
• list phone on ebay
• list necklace on ebay
• Job 2 for an hour
• Arrange 2 hours at job 3

Oh, and get a valentine's...I'd better get a valentine's! :A

Hi MissS
Hmm, a bit of ebay listing for you this weekend. Have you any clever tips for making it less tedious?
I have a word doc that has the text in the font I want, with the various sections in different colours, and all comic sans, and the bit about paying with cheque etc at the bottom. So really it ought to be easy just putting in the different bits. I've found that the more I say, the more bids and money I got. I also do a mega photo session every so often. But I find it so-o-o boring - any tips would be great! I had a resolution to list 10 things a week, and managed that... once. I have listed something each weekend - this week its four small items.
Anything for fun? I'm going to try and curl up with a book. I saw some of the 'reading week' stuff on tv, and realised I haven't had any time to do something like that for ages, its been work-ebay-survey-housework-sleep at a really crazy pace. And I'm lucky enough only have one job at the mo, I don't know how you juggle the demands of 3.
Cheers and have a good weekend
Cbm

Jolly2009

Hi Miss Shoes,

Just wanted to pop in and say hi. Have just been reading the past few pages of your diary (will be reading it from beginning soon!) and wanted to wish you lots of luck!

I think you mad fab progress with your debts last year and i'm sure you'll do even better this year - you seem determined!!

I've subscribed and will be catching up and popping in regularly. Hope you get that valentine

Jolly2009

Afternoon,

You can have some of my chocs and flowers OH brought me, I don't mind sharing

I'm the same as you, although on a dmp so slightly different in the way of paying debt - i'm still rubbish at the food shopping, wasting money etc and money is even tighter obviously because of dmp. Only saving grace is the overtime available that gives me a boost but my main aim is to save enough to pay off a lump sum of debt towards dmp and try and get back to managing it normally myself.....lets hope we both meet our targets. What am I say..... we WILL meet our targets

Hope you are having a nice day, xx

beanielou

Well done on resisting spending:T

Claw_back_money

Good morning MissS
I hope you're having a good weekend? Flowers and chocolates for valentines? :rotfl: my OH (married 8 years) said for a (romantic??) valentine's present he wants to get our wedding rings cleaned.
I sort of cheated though, as I did a mystery shop on valentine's flowers and so got flowers delivered. I will make about 50p out of it in 'profit', but I have got a £25 bunch of flowers, ones that I like too. It really doesn't feel the same though!
When reading your thoughts about ebaying, I wondered if you had come across this site ? I have been weighing my goods on the kitchen scales, use a gadget to see if they are thin enough to be a 'large letter', and then the site tells you how much the postage is going to cost. I have loads of stamps from doing the Royal Mail survey and get as close to the cost as I can with them, before going to the post office and getting them to check the weight/cost, and paying the few pence in difference. I think it makes it easier, certainly cheaper, and I know roughly what the postage is going to be before I list things.
As you are listing lots (10 things a day?? _pale_ ) you might already have a good sense of how much things are going to be though. Tis still a complete mystery to me!
Hope you have a good Sunday...
Cbm

Claw_back_money

MissShoes wrote: »

Well well well

what a difference a day makes.... 24 little hours....

I might have a lodger!!! A good friend of mine who lives in a bedsit-type place might take over half my big lounger as her room. We'll separate it with screens to start with until we're certain where to divide (it's an awkward shape) then we'll put up a stud-wall. I've checked on my contract and I'm allowed another person to live with me- 2 adults. I think the wall is ok as long as when I hand the keys back, the layout of the flat is the same. It's a special keyworker place with quite an unusual contract and a reduced rent.

She needs to get out of her place and I need some extra mula...so I suppose it's an ideal situation for us both!!!

I think my only question is how much to charge? Until the wall is put up the lounge is to all intents and purposes her room so I'll need to do a massive sort out of my stuff and get rid of clutter to make enough space and my room will have to have shelves etc for all of my stuff that's in the lounge.

My bills are as follows:
Rent 340
Elec 20 (will go up once she moves in)
Gas 25 (will go up once she moves in)
Water 20 (will go up once she moves in)
TV License 10
Phone/internet 15
Council Tax 68 (will be over 100 as I'll lose single person discount)

Bill totals- 498 (will be 530-550 with increased council tax)

She pays 410 for a bedsit with shared kitchen and shared bathroom. How about £275?

Is that too much or too little??

Please post,

Love Miss Shoes xx :A

Dear MissS
How exciting!
DD has been through the room hunt, as a lodger a couple of times, and it seems to vary loads from town to town - and even across towns. Is it worth looking in your local freebie papers to get an idea of the approx prices, at least in your town? I've absolutely no idea how much a room-share would cost you - in terms of bills going up.
Is your bedroom big enough for you to be able to spend time in there if you end up wanting some space? And is there more than one 'living area'... ie if you lose much of your big lounger, can one of you sit in the kitchen/diner if you want to 'entertain'?
I think I've seen a thread on here about renting out a room in your house - I'll see if I can find it.

Cheers
Cbm

PS - Good morning!