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  • Lilith1980
    Lilith1980 Posts: 2,100 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Had a bit of a downer today. Just thinking of my kitty Charlie who I had to say goodbye to at the beginning of the year. Funny, when I told my husband he said he'd been thinking about him a lot today too :(

    Relatedly, I'm looking to buy a ring which I can incorporate some of my Charlie's ashes into. I guess some people might think that's a bit weird, but it'll be a comfort to me and each to their own. I've seen a ring I like but it's £255 :eek: so I told myself I'm going to save for it instead of whacking it on the card like I normally would. As it turned out, I had some gold rings I no longer wore and sent them off to Hatton Garden Metals who I've used before. I got £175 for the rings and they deposited that into my account this morning so that leaves me £80 to save :D

    I'm full of cold but went into work and just got on with some report writing so I didn't have to speak to many people :o

    Positives for today:
    • I earned another 90p on Prolific Academic yesterday after I posted in my diary. I have about £9.50 on there now. I'd rather wait until I hit £20 so I don't incur the paypal fees.
    • Signed up for PopulusLive
    • Applied for some jobs on People Per Hour. I have no idea if I'll get any ad hoc work from them
    • NSD :D
    • Hubby used some left-over coconut milk from the other day to make a thai curry meal this evening. I hate waste so I try to use half-full tins but sometimes they go to the back of the fridge and get forgotten!
    • Used leftover roast chicken from yesterday to make a nice chicken pesto-pasta for mine and hubby's lunch (he's off work sick, but he said it'd help him eat healthier otherwise he'll go out and buy junk!)
    • Despite feeling rough I still exercised this morning as it really keeps my mental health on track.

    I don't know if I'm going overboard signing up for all these sites. I have a tendency to go "all or nothing" and burn myself out. I'll just do what I can and not keep checking my points balance every other day :)

    I need to pop over to Swagbucks and see if I can earn some more points as I've not been on much today. Hope everyone had a relatively okay Monday, despite it being Monday!
    My debt-free diary :)
  • Lilith1980
    Lilith1980 Posts: 2,100 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Okay, so not a NSD today. Caved in and spent £3.99 in the local co-op on a soft drink, some chocolate for hubby, and some much needed cold and flu tablets. Scanned the receipt onto Shoppix though lol.

    Some positives though:
    • Overpayments are being made to MBNA CC as this has the highest rate. £80 extra is being paid each month which is what Charlie's food and insurance cost. This'll be paid until his vet bill on the card has been cleared. Hubby is paying half towards this, so it's actually just costing me £40.
    • An additional £23.07 was paid off which is a refund of Charlie's unused cat food. Also £60.60 came back from the pet insurance so that was paid off the card too. Obviously I'd rather have Charlie back :( but this money helps with the vet fees.
    • Signed up to switch to a Natwest account to get the £125 bonus, so will wait to hear back. Feels a bit daunting as I've been with Halifax since I started working 20 years' ago, but then I need to remember the banks are not loyal to us! I always tend to be a bit scared when it comes to the unknown :o
    • Applied for some more ad hoc jobs of People Per Hour, but heard nothing as yet. Some of the adverts are so lacking in detail that you don't really know how much you have to do for the money they offer. I do wonder how people get jobs from there. They want people to have done two jobs and got 4 star feedback in the first three months. Not sure that's gonna happen!
    • More surveys done. Swagbucks aren't being very generous with their surveys today. I keep getting told I'm not eligible. Oh well, I'll keep trying :o
    • I listed some jewellery on ebay that I no longer wear. Hoping I can get enough to pay for the rest of the ring I want. Any surplus can go in the pot towards birthdays/Christmas. I'm quite lucky in that my brothers and I only buy each other stuff at Christmas so I only buy cards for their birthdays.
    My debt-free diary :)
  • Lilith1980
    Lilith1980 Posts: 2,100 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Evening everyone :)

    Well, I was chatting in Whatsapp to the other students in my cohort who have already qualified. In order to register for our qualification there's various fees you need to pay upfront. I'm so fed up with paying out money for this qualification! It's a yearly fee too so not a one-off. I guess once it's done and I get my salary increase it won't seem too bad, but I might have to put the fees on the CC initially and pay them off once my raise has gone through, because I can't get my pay rise without being registered :o

    In other less stressful news, NSD today :)

    Being good and using food in the cupboards to cook dinners this week, which we're usually good at but the temptation for a takeaway has set in too much lately. I may compromise and buy a frozen pizza or something, which is far cheaper than the takeaway option.

    Hubby doesn't seem to be getting better from his viral infection, despite being on antibiotics since last Friday. I've said he should go back to the doctor on Friday if he's not improved. It's not like him to be unwell for so long.

    More surveys done, although Swagbucks going through a stingy phase it seems! I don't mind if they screen me out after a few questions, but I can be going for five minutes and suddenly get thrown out. Very frustrating!

    Natwest have my application and I've uploaded my ID documents so I've just got to wait. Wish I'd heard of this before, I could have switched a few times and got more money! :rotfl:

    Hope everyone's having a good money saving day :)
    My debt-free diary :)
  • Uniscots97
    Uniscots97 Posts: 6,685 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    Hi Lilith, good luck with the viva. I never finished my PhD due to a very unsupportive boss.

    Regarding the ring, I think that!!!8217;s a lovely idea. I know you!!!8217;re using Shoppix but have you thought about scanning your receipts through Receipt Hog? They pay out in cash or amazon vouchers. Also sign up for survey sites like YouGov which pays out at £50.
    CC2 = £8687.86 ([STRIKE]£10000[/STRIKE] )CC1 = £0 ([STRIKE]£9983[/STRIKE] ); Reusing shopping bags savings =£5.80 vs spent £1.05.Wine is like opera. You can enjoy it even if you don't understand it and too much can give you a headache the next day J
  • Lilith1980
    Lilith1980 Posts: 2,100 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Hi Uniscots :)

    I hadn't heard of Receipt Hog so I'll look at that, thank you! I'm signed up with YouGov so that's good. I'm on the list for quite a lot of survey sites, but for some I keep getting screened out after only a few questions so I wonder if I'll ever make anything out of them :o
    My debt-free diary :)
  • Lilith1980
    Lilith1980 Posts: 2,100 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Had a busy day at work so I was glad to get home! Didn't feel like I stopped all day but at least the time flies.

    NSD today. I'm still trying to do surveys but there are some I may bin off soon as I am literally clicking on the 'start survey' button only to be screened out. Then another 'start survey' thing pops up and the same thing happens!

    I've signed up to a freelance writing site and they've asked me to send a sample of my work to them so we'll see if anything comes of that.

    The quarterly payment for this association I'm a member of (because I have to be!) came out yesterday and it's gone up by £17 per quarter :eek: so I'm going to have to move the money I put away for Christmas savings back into my current account to stop me going overdrawn. I'll know for next time :o

    It's so nice to drive home from work now that the nights are getting lighter. I hate the dark nights/mornings so I'll be glad to get up when the sun is up before me!

    Hubby made cottage pie tonight and we followed a tip by putting baked beans in it. It was delicious and much more filling. He made a big portion so we get three portions each out of it, so that's dinner sorted for the next few nights :D

    I'll be so glad of the weekend. I could do with just curling up on the sofa under the duvet. Hope everyone is having a good week :)
    My debt-free diary :)
  • Uniscots97
    Uniscots97 Posts: 6,685 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    I've never thought about putting beans in a cottage pie, that sounds really nice!
    CC2 = £8687.86 ([STRIKE]£10000[/STRIKE] )CC1 = £0 ([STRIKE]£9983[/STRIKE] ); Reusing shopping bags savings =£5.80 vs spent £1.05.Wine is like opera. You can enjoy it even if you don't understand it and too much can give you a headache the next day J
  • Lilith1980
    Lilith1980 Posts: 2,100 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    It really was nice! :p
    My debt-free diary :)
  • Seasidegal58
    Seasidegal58 Posts: 5,677 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Photogenic
    Hi Lilith - I read your posts on Munchin’s diary so thought I would pop along.

    I’m so sorry about your cat (I take it that it is him on the left of your posts - lovely photo). I wish my working hours and dynamics of my flat would allow me to keep one but will have to wait till retirement in a few years. In the meantime I spoil DD’s cat when I see her!

    I hope all goes well with the PhD it must be very stressful. It’s been a few years, but I remember when DD was studying for her MA. Quite an expensive time!)!

    Hope your hubby improves as well - these viral infections are very odd lately. They seem to take ages to shake off.

    Anyway I’ve subscribed and will be cheering you on your journey!:j
    Finally Debt Free! - July 2016 🌟
    Finished Emergency Fund- £10,000 April 2017
    🌟
    RETIRED: MAY 2021!!!!😀🎆
    My diary: “Seasidegal's Scrimpy Retirement Diary!”
  • Lilith1980
    Lilith1980 Posts: 2,100 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Hi Seasidegal! I take it you live by the seaside or do you hope to? I love being by the coast and we like getting there when we can! Thanks for subbing :D

    Yes that's me hugging my Charlie in the photo. He loved a cuddle :)

    I'm actually in a "lull" at the moment regarding my PhD as I wait for the definite date of my viva. I'm not having to spend my evenings typing out essays which is great! It'll be great to get it over with though!

    I thought I was getting better and this evening I'm more bunged up again and can hardly breathe :mad:
    My debt-free diary :)
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