I have a really busy week this week. Obviously 8.30am – 6pm working, but after that I am out every evening.
Tonight – Book Club
Tuesday – Evening Sewing Class
Wednesday – Friend’s for dinner
Thursday – Seeing The Chap
Friday – and relax
I actually do not like it when I am this booked up after work, as I find it stressful. Obviously seeing TC is not stressful and neither is book club or sewing class or even being invited for dinner by a friend.
However, after having spent the last 9 years living alone, I get a teeny bit antsy when I do not have my “down time” which generally consists of a bath or some rubbish tv, or even housework in my pjs. The general theme is me by myself doing what I want to do.
This selfishness of my character concerns me even more with some general changes afoot over the next few months. I used to have a Great Uncle who never married, and pretty much the whole family thought he was a little strange. Not creepy or weird, just a little off centre. I actually get quite worried at the thought of what I could become living alone.
Anyway, with these few changes in the medium term, it has made me look more critically at my financial situation. Savings after Amsterdam weekend / Spanish flights and the about to be replaced front door (Thursday! Whoo Hoo!) are at an all time low.
Plus, it looks like over the summer I am going to have to undertake a few more repairs than anticipated.
- New garage door
- Change the hob
- Replace a couple of light fittings.
After doing some hard sums, I think part of the debt repayment budget is going to have to give, if I cannot find a way of earning some extra money in the near term.
With this is mind, I am spending some time with Mum next weekend, and she is going to show me how to sell on eBay. What tends to sell best? Any hints? I thought I would start with some “shrunk in the wardrobe clothes” specifically Sticky Fingers suit worn 2 or 3 times and absolutely pristine.
It has got me a bit down if honest, more so when I finally got my P60 (for those not UK based it is a statement given at the end of the financial year to an employee stating earnings over 12 months). I realised that my earnings have dropped 42.8% compared to 2009, that is a shed load of cash to have you income reduced by.
Whilst I am desperate to pay off my debt, and still hope to do so by December 2012, over the summer months these household repairs are going to have to take precedence. I am just really hoping to make a little extra cash to help the summer run a little more smoothly and in an ideal world, enough to pay for the garage door.
This post is a little rambling, sorry about that. I just feel a little scrambled today at the though of paying off the rest of my debt and finding the money to undertake these repairs by September, 3-4months time.
Frugally Yours
Abigail
x
Well, its amazing what you can earn on eBay. Just check before you price if something similar is being sold, check out all the prices. Make sure you cost for post and packaging. Just start and see how you go. Some things you may lose on, others gain on.Re your bills, just aim for reducing what you can, when you can. Sales on eBay will help towards these and or buying your new things. See if you have a local freecycle, amazing what you can get on there!
ReplyDeleteKeep your chin up Abigail, you are doing really well - and knowing that you are working towards paying off your debt will keep you positive. You've probably thought of all these things already, but why not have a look again at your monthly outgoings and see what can be cancelled, even short term to get you through the rest of the year, eg Sky TV, gym memberships, cut down mobile phone contract/switch to PAYG. For old clothes, books and towels/linens that can't be sold on eBay, you could re-cycle these via We Pay or similar if you have one in your area, that pays for example 50p a kilo for donated items - not much but every bit helps. Can you cut back on your heating bills - maybe change supplier and just stop using heating altogether now its a bit warmer? Can you also look at your car consumption and consider whether there are journeys you can make on foot rather than car? Or can you car share to work? Can you be even more focused on taking a packed lunch in to work everyday and absolutely disciplined as to leave the house with no cash in your purse? I'm sure like me (and lots of others!) you are doing these already but these are just a few ideas on how you might be able to save some extra cash so you can keep your plan in full swing :o)
ReplyDeleteBest Wishes
Frugal Wife
It is a good point well made frugal Wife, but the only luxury items I still pay for is my private h/c and Lovefilm which I recently cut down.
DeleteI think the heating will soon have to go off permanently until October to try and save.
Unfortunately, work is 20m from home and inaccessible by public transport. I rarely use it at a weekend.
I already take food to work and so I think earning more is the most practical.
I really want to say thank you for reading tho and taking the time to advise. I was very fed up and it was nice to know people care. So thank you.