The Happiness Fund.

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  • savingwannabe
    savingwannabe Posts: 16,610
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    Hi BB, the book was called Perfect Moneysaving by Smita Talati. Really this is the best site for saving money rather than any book. Still at least I learned that much.

    I have really cut down my spending at work. Every little helps. One week left till holidays, hurrah.
    Aiming for a minimal spend 2022
  • savingwannabe
    savingwannabe Posts: 16,610
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    edited 6 February 2016 at 9:52PM
    I am having a no spend weekend. :money:

    On Monday I gave my parents £100 for groceries and petrol but spent £1.09 on cake at work on Thursday. That was it for this week. I picked up my lovely pictures (£3 + £4 but worth a lot more) from fleabay on Wednesday and they have transformed upstairs.

    If I can maintain this attitude to not spending I will be so happy.


    I have been looking through some old summer jewellery sets that I forgot about and packed them away and might sell some of it in the summer hols when I have more time. That will be this year's fleabay project. Every little helps.

    I saw the Martin Lewis Money show on Friday and realised that I will no longer be paying tax on my savings as I earn much less than 1,000 in interest. Yay. Consequently, I am planning to move my savings when my HSBC 6% savings account closes in about two months. I am planning to put in the TSB where I should get 5% on £2000.

    I am on a roll. :rotfl:

    Mum noticed that my toaster (which I bought on the 18 July) is not working any more, it burns toast and doesn't pop and just burns coninuously! I will have to see if I have still got the box and take it back. I do have a credit card receipt but will see if I can find the till receipt too. It is pretty shocking that it has stopped working so quickly. It might have caught fire. Crumbs.
    Aiming for a minimal spend 2022
  • savingwannabe
    savingwannabe Posts: 16,610
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    http://www.open.edu/openlearn/money-management/managing-my-money/content-section-overview

    Just seen this fab free course on Managing Your Money by the Open University. You can enrol for free and will learn lots about personal finance. I will do this in the holiday starting 13 Feb.

    :money::p:D:j:beer::money::money:
    Aiming for a minimal spend 2022
  • Upsidedown_Bear
    Upsidedown_Bear Posts: 18,264
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    edited 6 February 2016 at 10:39PM
    http://www.open.edu/openlearn/money-management/managing-my-money/content-section-overview

    Just seen this fab free course on Managing Your Money by the Open University. You can enrol for free and will learn lots about personal finance. I will do this in the holiday starting 13 Feb.

    :money::p:D:j:beer::money::money:

    That looks really useful :beer::D

    ETA
    Have posted it (and credited you) on a couple of debt diaries for people I think might find it useful :):)
  • savingwannabe
    savingwannabe Posts: 16,610
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    I saw it on Martin's tweet feed thing on the MSE website. None of the credit goes to me. It's Martin and the OU. But I am glad it will help people. Yay for MSE.:j

    :money::money::money::money::money::money::money::money:
    Aiming for a minimal spend 2022
  • savingwannabe
    savingwannabe Posts: 16,610
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    edited 7 February 2016 at 2:18PM
    Has anyone seen today's Guardian article called 'Gimme Shelter'?

    http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/gallery/2016/feb/06/gimme-shelter-hard-lives-in-british-cities-1969-72

    Here I was feeling sorry for myself as I have to work on a Sunday from home. I need a sense of perspective sometimes to make me realise how fortunate I am.

    I have a warm house that I don't have to share with a crowded family, (maybe with the odd bit of damp), a career and the chance to plan for the future. I look around and I have every comfort - a computer, sofas, well decorated house, phones in every room, tv's, John Lewis lights, pictures, decor and mirrors in each room, savings in the bank, food in fridge, two freezers full of food (and I still think I have nothing to eat), a department store's worth of clothes (and I am always looking for new clothes), twelve week's holiday a year and a crime free area.

    In the sixties and seventies, it was like Kes, blimey, I had forgotten.

    :o

    I have so much. I owe my parents, people like Ken Loach and this country so much. We must fight for our NHS and the welfare state, that's all that separates us from relative poverty.
    Aiming for a minimal spend 2022
  • Yes I've seen it. My first thought was "I wonder what happened to the people in the photo's - did life get better for them?"
    My second thought was "They could take photos very similar today. I know - I've seen where".

    I've never lived in poverty like that but I know people who have and are. Poverty hasn't gone away and the way the present Government is behaving it's not going to.
  • savingwannabe
    savingwannabe Posts: 16,610
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    edited 7 February 2016 at 3:47PM
    I completely agree Mrs Upsidedown Bear.

    Benefits Street was based on the road where I went to my first school. An amazing school then but this was a lifetime ago. I went on to experience the most amazing education which has allowed me to live my life today.

    There by the grace of God....
    Aiming for a minimal spend 2022
  • savingwannabe
    savingwannabe Posts: 16,610
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    No money spent today. Yay.

    Day off tomorrow but will probably have to do urgent unpaid work at work.

    Really cold today and vvv windy. Gosh. Gobsmacked I blew home from work as I didn't want to pay for a taxi. lol.
    Aiming for a minimal spend 2022
  • savingwannabe
    savingwannabe Posts: 16,610
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    edited 11 February 2016 at 1:50PM
    Spent much of the day feeling ill with v high blood sugars so was unable to walk v far as I was v queasy. But I did plenty of work at home in between lots of rest. And it was a NSD. lol. Am literally counting down the days till the holiday (3) I feel so tired and really want to see my friends. I only ever seem to go out in the hols.

    The days are definitely getting brighter but it is cold. It has been v windy here again. Expecting a dry day tomorrow. hurrah.

    To cheer myself up I am planning mental list of all the things I can fleabay to plan for the next big summer holiday to make money and declutter:

    Silver jewellery
    Christmas lights
    Pictures
    Books
    Coats, I have several nice ones and never wear them
    Dune/Moda in Pelle shoes? barely worn
    Rayban and Dior Sunglasses

    I wonder what the rest of the year will bring? I hope I still have a job after April. I hope I can cope with a wage cut. I will enjoy the boys wedding. Summer will be here soon and I will cheer up and go for walks on the beach and enjoy my garden.
    Aiming for a minimal spend 2022
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