LonelyRat's (not so lonely) Road to Riches

lonelyrat · 6 July 2018 at 9:59PM

Thanks Scott - will certainly have a look! Excited to put my new found space to good use!

doingitanyway I loooove fairy lights... They just make the room so cosy! It's really light here in the evenings at the moment so I'm usually asleep by the time the sun sets so don't get the full effect, but in winter they are brilliant!

Got up early and went on my walk (20,072 :cool:) Walked to the lochs which took an hour and a half, did a lap and spent some time dog watching on a bench (not at all creepy :rotfl:) then walked back again. It was great but now I'm pooped and also a tiny bit burnt on my shoulders. Probably what I deserve after having a chuckle at OH's predicament the other day.

Tomorrow after work am meeting OH and we're going to pop into M&S and see if there's anything good in store then head to Boots. Weigh in day and feeling a bit nervy as I didn't go last week... Am just worried I won't have lost anything at all. Fingers crossed that isn't the case.

41 days

p.s did not do the easy jet letter....

lonelyrat · 7 July 2018 at 5:05PM

Went to M&S after work and may have lost the plot a bit ... Got 2 pairs of sports leggings, 2 vests, a fleece and a dress. Thought it was all a brilliant idea at the time but have now re-considered.

Will be returning 1 pair of sports leggings and the dress. Wasn't too pricey as everything was in the sale but the items I'm returning were impulse spends whereas the others had been planned. OH didn't end up meeting me in town and I feel that is also a reason I spent more than I should have... If he was there he would have been grumbling at me to hurry up!

Am off work tomorrow so will take a trip (and bring OH with) to return the impulse buys.

Went to boots and weighed myself - was very nervy as I hadn't gone last week and was so worried it would be a gain BUT I lost 2.3 kg :cool: So am still on track

Currently faffing around waiting for OH to finish helping his dad with something then we are off a walk. Going to the same place I went yesterday but this time will drive and just do a few laps. I'm at 6000 steps already so shouldn't take too long.

To do tomorrow:
1. Easyjet letter (no excuses this time)
2. Laundry
3. Return impulse spends
4. 10,000 steps

Going to be a pretty chilled day which will be nice... Need to gear up for next week as am doing a little bit of overtime and it always seems to take it out of me.

40 days

lonelyrat · 8 July 2018 at 9:38AM

To do:
[STRIKE]1. Easyjet letter (no excuses this time)[/STRIKE]
Done done done done done!!!! Took all of 5 minutes... Not sure why some things seem so damn difficult when really they aren't. Will get OH to print and go post later today.
[STRIKE]2. Laundry
[/STRIKE] Just pegged out - cloudy today but supposedly going to clear up later on. Still warm though so will hope there isn't any surprise rain.
3. Return impulse spends
Will also return the vest tops as well... I can get the same in Primark for a a pound or two less.
4. 10,000 steps
Going out now - was going to wait for OH then go to Strathclyde park BUT he was up until 6.30 this morning :eek: It was someones birthday and he came to bed absolutely steaming... Was very funny but I know I'm not going to be able to get him up for about 6 hours. I know when I get him up he will be a massive grouch as well so I would rather just go on my own :rotfl:

Was getting very excited that I am so close to being debt free but then realised I think I may have miscalculated something somewhere... Santander card will be paid come pay day (woohoo) but there's still £650 on Virgin. I had calculated that somehow I was going to clear that in August... But I only get paid £750ish so unsure how I had worked that one out.

I think I may have added the £250 insurance (which I don't have yet) and the £250 deposit (which has been spent on Arran) on to the spreadsheet and not taken them off. Silly me... I had thought it all seemed a bit too good to be true

Have had a rejig and will clear it in September so still well within the interest free period.

Little annoyed at myself for getting it wrong and taking my eye off the ball but don't mind it taking one more month. Especially as we get to go on a holiday :cool: I'm so excitable it's silly... I think because Copenhagen was a no go I'm just itching to get away - even just somewhere in Scotland!

70 days (for what? The third time now?

)

dustydigger · 8 July 2018 at 1:22PM

Hi Lonelyrat!I'm very remiss, I havent visited your thread for ages,I had about 50 posts to read!
You are doing so well. And good to see you returning the impulse buys,the lady of a year ago wouldnt have even thought of it!:T
Sorry about the demise of the last of your ratty friends.Losing pets is so sad.I remember when we lost 3 cats in three years,because we live beside a major road. We have plenty of space with hedges,trees and bushes galore behind the house,but those cats insisted on crossing the road in front of the house,streaking across in front of buses and cars repeatedly.I gave up on pets after that,too much heartbreak.
So envious of your walking prowess,10,000 steps seem to be a doddle to you :T:T:TI am suffering badly with the neuropathy in my feet,the legacy of the diabetes,and I am not getting out much,and I see the sad result in the weight gain!:rotfl: Well done on your great weight loss, I'm sureyou are feeling the benefits.
Keep up the good work:j:j

doingitanyway · 8 July 2018 at 1:31PM

All your steps must have contributed to your weight loss. Well done.

A holiday in Scotland will be lovely too. It is such a beautiful country

lonelyrat · 9 July 2018 at 3:37PM

Hello Dusty! A lot of waffle and not much interesting content I'm sure! Thank you, I will miss him (will miss them all) BUT they did have good lives and were very, very loved. Will be pet free for the foreseeable (pet free, debt free, alcohol free? new diary name for when the time comes!?? :rotfl:)

Impulse buys have not been taken back yet but they will be tomorrow after work

It's for the best... I had planned for certain spends and I got what I needed, just got sucked in by the thought of NEW stuff. I think because I've dropped a dress size or two I was overly excitable in the changing room because everything looked nicer/ fit well. But the aim is to lose more weight so no point getting clothes now!!

Trust me 10,000 is not a doddle for me yet! One day, maybe, it will be but not quite yet! Have only done 3,189 today so far walking to home from the station. OH asleep (as per usual) but once he wakes up we're going to go a walk. Determined to get him fitter for our holiday too!

Speaking about OH turns out on Sunday night when he was steaming he went on his Very to order an X-box (as you do?!) ... Thankfully he didn't go ahead with it but turns out he has a balance on Very that neither of us had thought about when I was trying to sort out his debt.
It's £750 and it's various tech bits on BNPL until October :eek: Am just going to leave it as is for now but we will need to deal with that at some point as well which is frustrating. Hopefully he gets a job ASAP and it can be sorted sooner rather than later. If worst comes to worst I can always pay it with the Virgin card but I would really rather avoid that. We'll see where we stand in the next few months.

His other debt is pretty much all sorted... He only has one cc left to pay and he received a 0% balance transfer offer through the post from a cc he paid off a few months ago so will be transferring the one he still has to pay to that so we don't pay any interest.

Feeling a wee bit stressed money-wise, just feel like it's a step forward followed by two steps back. But I am confident we will still get there... This development doesn't technically affect my DFD it's just come as a surprise and will need to be dealt with at some point.

Thanks doingitanyway - I do think it's contributed! I like getting out myself sometimes as well... It can be a bit of a madhouse here sometimes and is just nice to get out on my own for a bit and just listen to music/ plod along. Did 13,714 yesterday so ended the week well

Money still good for the rest of the month. Am managing to be very frugal this month and not quite sure why/ how but am happy with it. Still got a tenner in my purse for emergencies and some loose change as well. A grand total of 50p in my Monzo as I sent OH £12.04 for some computer game thing the other day. Can't foresee needing to buy anything in the next 8 - 9 days before payday so think we will be fine. This payday will be paying off the Santander card then transferring some money into savings to keep separate until Arran

BelleOfBilboa · 9 July 2018 at 5:39PM

It may have taken me two days but I have finally read through your whole diary

You have done so well clearing your debt and not long to go until you can finally say you're debt free!! :T I'm feeling very inspired and ready to tackle my own debt!
I'm quite new to this but I'll subscribe so I never miss a post :j

lonelyrat · 11 July 2018 at 9:00AM

Hi Belle

Thanks for popping in.... I admire your determination with my thread, it can be a bit of a roller coaster haha!

Day off today thankfully so going to go a walk then mooch around the house. Feeling a bit down today but no real reason for it. Will try and have a nice, relaxing day and hopefully my mood will improve.

Just been on Amazon putting things in my basket for payday (midgie repellent, a walking guide book of Arran and a book on trees I've been eyeing up for a while!) and there was a promo for the Amazon card - if you apply you get a £25 gift voucher. So I went ahead and did it and got my stuff for free

I don't actually want the card so will cancel it soon. Had the card sent to my dad's address so I never need to see it.

Went for a walk with OH after work yesterday and I wanted to go inspect a tree as I thought there were mushrooms growing out of it but couldn't be sure. Off I trot to go investigate and I step in what I thought was just a small (about a meter and a half long) shallow bit of mud... Turns out it was very, very swampy and I sunk in up to my calves! Had to throw myself forward and push myself out onto the ground with my arms on the other side. I was seriously, seriously mucky.

OH just stood on the other side laughing at me refusing to attempt to come over. The tree was indeed covered in white/ brown mushrooms which was interesting but not really worth the faff to get there

Getting back to where OH was I had to kind of do a running leap to get over the swamp and almost fell in again! :rotfl: I got some seriously funny looks from other walkers when we started off again and OH needed to hose my trainers AND me off when we got home. Lesson learned.

Did 13,150 steps and think the swamp situation took it out of me because I was asleep by 21.43 yesterday according to my fitbit.

Going to go my walk now and walk back via Tesco. Am out of squash and special K so need to stock up. I go through a lot of squash since I stopped drinking alcohol and fizzy juice

Good news is I like the own brand stuff so it's not too pricey. Will need to break into my emergency tenner to get it but only 6 days till payday so not feeling too upset about that.

Silver_Queen · 11 July 2018 at 10:12AM

lonelyrat wrote: »

Went for a walk with OH after work yesterday and I wanted to go inspect a tree as I thought there were mushrooms growing out of it but couldn't be sure. Off I trot to go investigate and I step in what I thought was just a small (about a meter and a half long) shallow bit of mud... Turns out it was very, very swampy and I sunk in up to my calves! Had to throw myself forward and push myself out onto the ground with my arms on the other side. I was seriously, seriously mucky.

OH just stood on the other side laughing at me refusing to attempt to come over. The tree was indeed covered in white/ brown mushrooms which was interesting but not really worth the faff to get there Getting back to where OH was I had to kind of do a running leap to get over the swamp and almost fell in again! :rotfl: I got some seriously funny looks from other walkers when we started off again and OH needed to hose my trainers AND me off when we got home. Lesson learned.

Sometimes I read stuff like this and I wonder if we're not actually the same person :rotfl: what a sticky situation!

Are you good at identifying mushrooms? I find it fascinating but I have no knowledge of them whatsoever, so I normally just spend ages looking at them trying to google what they are...

redofromstart · 11 July 2018 at 11:36AM

Yes that sounds like the kind of thing I do too. Hope your trainers recovered?

LonelyRat's (not so lonely) Road to Riches

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