Frugaling and creative debt juggling!!!

20 months interest free on balance transfers with Barclay card! This is worth looking into.  I  have also contacted child tax credit and got loan amount for repayment - 3.5k Will be less in a few days as I will have paid a wee bit more off the balance. I think I can be more creative than the CAP people and def more frugal.

I get the saving bit - that is now essential for me. I need to save £71 per month for car stuff etc etc etc. However I feel  over £200 on food /household per month is ridiculous!!!! I do fine on £40 and often have change when I am not feeding Biggles! We always have fruit and yoghurt's and veg with chicken or other lean meat. Hmmm I think If I meal planned more and if it was just me and darling Roo girl weeny one it would be less than £40 per month on a regular basis (though I do like to take advantage of a bargains and stock pile!!
I also need to get the results of council tax investigations to help me.  I  wasn't impressed with the drop the mobile phone and also cut the uncuttable fixed price or pay a penalty BT package. (Eyes roll)

Will put them on hold and not piss off my creditors Just yet!  I may have to borrow from family for the loan till the house goes which is not ideal but .... If all else fail s Roo and I are going to move into Biggles house when he moves ( posted with work - yes he is a bit military hence Biggles) and live at a much reduced rate and so can pay off debt.I may be in Carlisle or want to get to Carlisle so will look more into renting for a year. Will still have to add to cover the mortgage but will cross that bridge when I get there.

Mortgage companies are really annoying. I now get paid on the last working day of the month. The latest the Mortgage can come out is the 28th of the month - This is fine...... mostly. Hmm before I paid on the 17th or next working day to 17th. I can't go back to that either or else will cost myself an extra payment. FFS


So tomorrow/initial list to do.....

Ring council tax
Ring loans people again
Whinge at child tax credit to get realistic figures for actual salary . FFS how complicated is CTC and WTC!!!!

Work out and draw up new budget to appease CAP!!!  If this all goes to plan I will need to cnage my bank accounts back to my old favourite bank not the new one -  I really cannot be arsed to remember another sodding password/ pin number.

A hippier more positive Eeek and damn  I look good in my charity shop clothes - Could do with a hair cut though. lol ( No provision for haircuts in my budget btw  not even a trim tut tut or money for the window cleaner - an indulgence but necessary and only a fiver once a month or every two months. Maybe I will cancel it - upstairs would never get cleaned!! Eurgh!

The charity shop price book!!!! and Nasty Northumberland County Council

I thought it existed!!!  It does - I have it on good authority from a client who does voluntary work in Oxfam!!

They have a guide price book!!!  It is up to the shops discretion however as to what to actually price items but they use the book as a guide!!! How I would love to get hold of a copy of that book!!!!  For eg I was told of a Versace dress ( never went to look as its not my thing Versace - anyway prob from Turkey) in the window at a reduced price ( thanks to the managers discretion )of £25. Should have been £39.99 but Manager felt that no one in Blyth was going to pay that price for a dress!!!!! 

Also saw some fabulous items in Charity Shops today - gorgeous pink glass art decco dressing table set complete with  candle stick, ring holder, glass tray and numerous square type pots with lids. ( £20).......... My mum had a clear glass set with perfume bottle that puffed - Don't know what happened to it - such a shame.............. Great jewelery - the  bue flower brooch is still there but I cannot justify shopping I am just looking!!!! Boooooooo   (OK I caved -I bought an umberella - its oldish with a shaped clear plastic handle, brown colour with little twee leafy flower patterns on it - loved it for £1.25 and I need a brolly!!!! a ni ce one not a boring black one) Some fab homeware type things available as well .............pity. My plans for a welsh dresser for bits and pieces was shelved last year.......  Portmerion cups and saucers..... sigh, bigger sigh... and  lots of lovely treasures  - coloured glass things - One gorgeous blue one.Clothes were sparse, shoes rubbish.


Scandal!!! Happened upon this  story on in the local Gazette - The local council is now selling the contents of the textile recycling bins!!! Donors who believed they were giving to charity via the council are being ripped off. The council are now selling the clothes to a recycling company and keeping the profits!!! Enviroclothes do this for the inidivdual - I have made a few quid this way. Depending on what I want to get rid of sometimes its the charity shop other times not and given that most of mine come from a charity shop sometimes enviroclothes is the better option lol Seemingly the council have been doing this for a while. Naughty - people should be able to make the choice regarding whos pockets they want to line - greedy council who pay for ridiculous consultants, and chief exec on 175k per year!!!! or a charity!

Disgusting verging on fraudulent!!!! Ok if the charity shop has stock they cannot sell then yes sell it to a recycling company in the name of charity not fat council big wigs!!!!!!!!!!!!

Working on alternative debt plan - there must be another alternative considering I have money in the bank - not a great deal but..... I need a tide over till this house sells/I get a better job. One must happen at some point.... shouldn't it????   Few things I was not happy with with the CAP budget and that they immediately felt I should move to poor mans bankruptcy while owning a house.  I am sure I will not be eligible!!! I shall ring them tomorrow and take them to task - ok ask a few assertive questions!

Joys !!!

Off to play with the jumping child - jumping and hopping are the preferred mode of travel at present!!!!

XXXEeek