Another month has come and gone and another payment out of the account and we are now coming up to two years.   I am awaiting our annual review, but somehow don’t expect it to be done early this year as  I think Payplan are a little snowed under!  I feel as though things are slowing down now.  We’re not halfway and certainly nowhere the end.  I’m sure I’ll feel better in a few months.

Real problems with the salary this month.   Checked the bank and realised I was quite a bit down on normal pay, and somone hadn’t put in our enhanced pay for Saturday working for December.   Thank goodness for the free month on council tax - we would have had trouble otherwise.  OK, it will be in my pay next month, but that doesn’t help me now!

I can’t believe the really bad weather this winter.   So depressing.  Fed up of snow and not being able to get into work.

 Hopefully all of that will go away and I see the nights are now starting to get lighter thank goodness.

 I await my annual review with interest and some trepidation.

A bit belated, but a Happy New Year to all, regular and new posters, experts and non experts.

Another frugal Christmas in our household. Hubby and I just exchanged token bottles and that was it. We did have a few pressies from other relatives but it really doesn’t bother me any more. I can’t wait until the IVA is paid off and we can afford to go away somewhere hot for the festive season.

I was happy once again though that we put on a decent spread for my parents and daughter and her fiancé and it was all paid for in cash. No worries about nasty statements dropping through the letter box this month. This is our second Christmas like this and I have to admit that I do like the feeling.

The start of December saw us sending off our payslips again for our quarterly review. This we did and then waited to see what was happening. Heard nothing, so hubby phoned and was told that yes, they had our payslips and would be doing the review shortly. Nothing heard again.

The week before Christmas Payplan phoned me to see if they could quote me for car insurance (due this month) so I said yes, and again asked about our review. It was on the desk I was told, and we would get it before Christmas.

The 23^rd of December came, and the post. I was not impressed when I received a letter telling me that I needed to forward my payslips from September, October and November in order for me not to be in breach of my arrangement! Tried to get in touch but they were closed for Christmas and not due to reopen before January 4^th!

Now I know that people do need a break over Christmas and New Year, but almost two weeks is disgusting when you can’t get hold of anyone at the firm. I had to stew on this all over the holidays.

Phoned them up on the 4^th January to be told that as the review was late, the computer automatically generates a letter but it was nothing to worry about, they did have the payslips! Not good when you’ve been wondering about it for two weeks!

Finally, yesterday, we had the results, and we don’t have to make any extra payments, which is good news as we have dentists appointments coming up next week!

Next one is the biggie – the annual review! It will be our second one and I hope it goes as smoothly as the last one did. I fully expect to have to pay more as I have had a pay rise since then.

Time will tell.

On a personal note, the weight loss has now slowed down and it’s the odd pound or two that goes, but I’m only half a stone short of my target.  I’ve now lost 9 1/2 stones in just over 12 months.  I feel great, have loads of energy and can do so much more.   I did suffer a disappointment last week when I found out that the criteria for plastic surgery to get rid of loose skin has now changed in my area and I have to wait at least another 12 months. 

I’ll just have to put up with that I suppose!

Another Christmas is rapidly looming!  I did my Christmas shopping last Friday (or most of it!) in Birmingham with my daughter.  We go every year, get the train and then hit the shops!

I means I can spend some quality time with her as she is usually either at Uni, work or fiance’s.  I can indulge myself with a Starbucks eggnog latte coffee which I adore, and look around the shops!

This is the second frugal Christmas we have spent.  I have all the vouchers I get for doing the online surveys to use for presents, plus money I have managed to save to spend on other gifts, and other vouchers which I get throught the year also help.

A cheap pub lunch, a walk round the German market and a bit of spending and that’s me more or less done.   I love the fact that I won’t be worrying about overspending again this year, no worries about nasty bills dropping through the letter box, and no nasty calls from creditors.

Can’t believe that we are now 20 months into the IVA, the 20th payment having left the bank today.  Payslips go in every three months and so far payments havent’t altered.  I hope they don’t as food and petrol have gone up quite a lot recently, and of course we have the prospect of VAT going up again on January 1st.

Good luck to everyone with meetings coming up soon, hope you all get the news you want for Christmas.

Frugal Friends Christmas party has come and gone for another year, and what a wonderful weekend it was as well.

It started for me on Friday afternoon when me and hubby picked ladyh up from the station. We spent a lovely evening together just chilling and having the odd drink or two (!).

Saturday morning was spent getting ready for the afternoon and evening ahead. Arrived at the hotel about 2.30 and checked in. Had the same room that we had the last time as well – not a good view out of the window (a roof!) but other than that the rooms are clean and adequate.

I had arranged for Julie and Carrie to phone me so I could collect them from reception. I know how daunting it is to arrive at one of these parties never having actually met anyone before. Doesn’t matter how often you speak to them via email or the forum, it’s not quite the same as meeting them in the flesh.

The experts had a meeting arranged with Andy for the afternoon and Lisa and Julie had to do some filming so we made our way to the room – we thought it was going to be the same as last time, but it wasn’t. I have to admit to being a little concerned when I saw it as it was bigger and I knew there weren’t going to be a lot of us there and I worried we would rattle round in it

The filming done, we sat around and chatted for a while and I was so glad that I wasn’t driving a long distance in the rain that was lashing down – I don’t think we could have picked a much worse day weather wise. We finally figured out the heating in the room as well as it was quite chilly.

Andy had thoughtfully provided us experts with some badges so that posters knew who we were and we could greet everyone who arrived.

People soon started arriving. My thanks to the lovely marksam1 who bought me a box of choccies. It was a lovely gesture and very much appreciated. I think everyone was soon made to feel at ease. I had to rush off and get changed! I did rather feel like mutton dressed up as lamb though.

We had the fsg and his partner, me and hubby, Lisa and her hubby, Julie, Lesley and her hubby, Roadrunners x2, Mitsu9 and his wife, Carrie and her hubby, marksam1, Melanie Giles, Mel n. and Tina from Mel’s office. Andy Davie and Indra from Vincent Bond, Mike Morgan from Cleardebt/Abacus and not forgetting my houseguest for the weekend, Ladyh.

I think that was it, but if I have left anyone out I really apologise!

As you can see, not many but it is difficult to find the money for a hotel room at this time of year and it really didn’t seem to make any difference to the atmosphere which was fantastic.  You can tell how good it was - Lisa and her hubby were only staying for the experts meeting as their little boy had swine flu, but as he seemed to have improved during the evening, they stayed until quite late.

We used our little fibre optic Christmas tree and Mel had provided some crackers, table confetti and party poppers which made the room feel really festive. We also had some silly string and had a whale of a time with that! The tree looked quite good as well as we had the Secret Santa presents under it.

The disco was good – mostly used as background music I think although some people did get up and dance. I have to confess that I wasn’t one of them as I was afraid of falling off my heels!

An excellent buffet was provided, even the food was better than at last years party.

I was utterly gob smacked and embarrassed when Mel got up to sing my praises and then presented me with a bottle of champagne! It was a lovely thought and I was very touched by the gesture, especially as there are others who give just as good information (or sometimes better!) than I do. Andy also received a bottle of champagne for his work as spokesperson on the site, and very well deserved it was as well. My hubby, who makes lots of jam, received a bottle of Welsh Malt Whisky from Mel as a thank you and he was really pleased with that.

Secret Santa was great fun as well, and considering we only spent £1 each, the gifts were lovely. I had a very nice manicure set. Other gifts included a diary, pens, cuddly toys. It was great

The hotel actually had to boot us out of the room shortly after midnight! We adjourned to the bar for a nightcap and then went to bed.

Those of us who stayed met up for breakfast in the morning and then wended our way home. Thankfully the weather had improved!

Hopefully we will be sorting out another one in the summer next year and perhaps more people will able to attend.

Without Mel, this party wouldn’t have happened so it is a big THANK YOU to her for sponsoring it.

Met up with old friends and made some new ones. Couldn’t have been a better weekend.

 Apologies that I didn’t get a lot of time to speak to everyone.  Hopefully when we have a summer do, outside hopefully, it will be easier to speak to everyone.

 

 

Sat here waiting to go out and collect ladyh from the station and the forum is quiet so thought I would do a short post.

 It’s Frugal Friends night tomorrow night and I can’t wait.   It’s been 12 months since the last one and that was a good night.  This one should be just as good and a big thank you in advance to Melanie for very kindly sponsoring it.

I remember being really nervous last year as I had not met any of the other posters before but I needn’t have worried, and if anyone going tomorrow night reads this, please don’t worry as you will be put at your ease immediately.  We’re all one big happy family.

I have now got some super friends on here now, some of whom I have met and will see again tomorrow and some I haven’t but am really looking forward to meeting.   Anyone who went last year will notice a difference in me now with weight as I was a right porker last year and am now a shadow of my former self!

As to the forum, it is quiet at the moment on the debt front, but plenty of interesting debates on the social side - we will never all agree on things, but that’s what makes it good.

On the negative side, posters (myself included) do seem to have had a lot of letters telling us we have been ‘missold our IVA’.    I get so annoyed with this - I know I haven’t been and am managing with the IVA.  OK, no money for anything exciting but as long as I can pay all the bills and have money left at the end of the month then I’m fine with that.   My online survey vouchers are providing a lot of people with presents again this year and that makes it good for me as it costs nothing other than my time.  

Going back to the original part of the last paragraph, I wish these companies could be totally outlawed - ok the majority of  people on the forum either know to ignore them or will come on and ask.  It’s the people who don’t know about us and think that they are being offered a way out so they can go back to their normal lives who suffer.    They will probably end up thousands of pounds out of pocket and possibly in a worse position than they are now.   All to line the pockets of people who really couldn’t care less about them or their circumstances.

 Rant over!   I shall post after the weekend to let everyone know how things went.

I’m finally able to get back into my blog.  I’ve had to reset the password but it does seem to be working thank goodness!

 I notice that I last posted in August - where has the year gone?   Almost the middle of November now and yet another Christmas looming round the corner.  I thought it was about time I did a bit of a catch up.

 The IVA continues to run fairly smoothly, and despite having had a payrise the payments haven’t altered.  Good job really as we seem to have had little bits of expense recently which all add up and we just about manage at the end of the month.  We do still have a tiny bit of money left in the bank but, even though it wouldn’t buy us a portion of chips from the chippie, it still means we are in the black!

Once again for Christmas this year we are having a practical gift from my parents, a new vacuum cleaner.  Last year it was two tyres for the car!  Hubby and I will only be exchanging token gifts.  We have nothing we want really, so that’s our excuse to our parents! The rest of the family will be getting the vouchers I have earned by doing online surveys.  Some of our food will be funded by these vouchers as well. 

On a personal note, my weight loss is now 8st 12lbs.  I have never felt better or fitter.   I can fit into size 12 clothes and I never thought I would ever do that again.   I have just over a stone to lose now to get down to my original target.   I’ve been referred for plastic surgery now to get rid of some of the flabby skin.

Can’t believe it is now almost 12 months since I had the operation done.

Looking forward to the 21st November when Melanie Giles is very kindly hosting another Frugal Friends Christmas Party at the same location as last year.   Hopefully it will be as good a night as that was.  It will be great to meet up with old friends and make some new ones and put a few more faces to names.

The forum has been fairly quiet recently - possibly because once again people will struggle on and fund Christmas on credit again as they don’t want to cut down on things.   It’s the bills coming through the door in January that are a killer.

We do still get posters coming on whose sole purpose in life seems to be to try and disrupt proceedings.   Even when they are barred, they come back as someone else but it is easy to see that they are the same person and they will be banned again.

They do seem to think it is clever to put nasty comments on people’s blogs.  They actually make me laugh and I can always predict when I am going to get the comments.

What sad individuals they must be if their sole purpose in life is to try and upset people.

Once again I have looked at my blog and realised how much time has passed since I last put fingers on the keyboard!

To be honest, not a lot has happened.  Summer has appeared and disappeared again!   Yesterday was lovely but today is more like Autumn again.  It would be nice to have more than a couple of days sunshine at a time!

I notice that in some places, Christmas goods are already going on sale!   It just gets earlier and earlier each year.   I reckon things shouldn’t go on sale until after Bonfire Night.    The last time I was in America during November, they didn’t start Christmas until after Thanksgiving.  Much more sensible and you’re not likely to get fed up with it either!

Our IVA’s continue to go well.   We are managing our payments, we don’t have much left at the end of the month but at least we do have a little in the bank, which is much better than there being a big minus sign next to it.  Next month will see us 17 months in and I think that has gone so fast.

All of my budgeting now is done via online banking.   I check our account several times a week - I know exactly what is to come out, and the date it is due as well.   I never used to bother with that before the IVA - I knew that we were overdrawn almost as soon as the salaries went in so there wasn’t much point.   I sometimes wish we had a debit card, but Nationwide are never likely to upgrade the account to give me one of those!  We use cash though for shopping and I’m happy to do that (it does mean that I can’t overspend in Asda!)  I have my Paypal card for internet purchases and DD’s for all the bills.  Brilliant!

Last month we had the first Thrifty Friends meeting in Manchester, hosted by David Mond and Size5.   It was a small gathering, but I think everyone had a good time.  It does make a change to be able to go out and not worry about how much it is going to cost you.

The forum continues to grow, but we do still seem to be attracting posters whose sole purpose in life is to cause disruption on there.   Fortunately it is well moderated and any abusive threads or advertising are immediately removed and the posters locked out.   It is annoying when trouble is caused as it detracts from the purpose of the forum - to help people in debt.   If we are having to keep an eye open for the minority who are not genuine posters, we’re not always able to deal immediatly with the people who are desperate.

My weight continues to fall.   I have now lost 7 1/2 stones in total and am lighter than I have been for years - I can’t remember the last time I was this weight!   Hopefully it will continue until I hit my target weight.  

I’ll go now and stop boring you all!

Hopefully I will have something more interesting to blog about next time!

I can’t believe it has been so long since I updated my blog!   I’ve been meaning to do it but somehow the forum and work and dogs have always seemed to stop me!

 Daughter had her 21st party on the 3rd May (how long ago is that!) and whilst the weather could have been better (it was a bit chilly!) it remained dry.   The barbecue went really well (stepson had to take over those duties!), hubby’s curries went down a storm and pretty much everyone had a good time.  Until the end of the night that is.   Fortunately most people had gone but stepdaughter (who was drunk) decided that she had been hard done by in her childhood, her father was never there for her, our one dog used to be hers, our daughter has had more than she has.   It went on and on and ended up in a screaming match between me, her, her dad, brother and sister in law and the friend she had brought with her.   We finally managed to get her out of the house and off home, where apparantly she kept threatening to jump out of the car!  Bit of a drama queen!   My parents were upset, daughter’s friends were embarrassed and if they could have left, they would have done.  I was mortified.     Poor hubby strained his vocal chords with all the shouting and couldn’t speak properly for the next couple of weeks!  Her parents had split up,  but we’ve always got on with his ex and he always saw the kids so I think she was feeling a bit sorry for herself.  And yes, we have got her dog - she couldn’t cope with him after she’d had a baby and the poor thing was never walked and was left at home all day, so at least he has a good home with us and she can still see him.

Anyway, she apologised afterwards but it’s still left a bit of a nasty taste, and when our daughter went across to visit her, she brought it up again and had a bit of a moan.   I think it’s probably best left now.

On the IVA front we will shortly be making our 15th payment across.    Can’t believe how quickly the time is going.   We have just had to send off payslips to Payplan for our three monthly review, and even though hubby has had a rise on his pension, they’re not altering the payments so that’s good news.

 My weight loss continues - 6.5 stones now and still losing, albeit a lot slower.   I feel fitter than I have done in ages and there isn’t a lot I can’t do now.     I had to go for a checkup a couple of weeks ago and there was another woman there who had had the same op - she had put about 1.5 stones ON!   She’s eating junk food and chocolate, had eaten a full breakfast that day AND a carvery before going to the hospital!   Why on earth did she have that op done?    Another woman had a gastric band (she chickened out of the full op) and had put on 3 stone!   It makes me mad when you think about all of the women who could have benefited from the op and kept the weight off!

 Sorry - bit of a rant there!

Daughter has been very generous with us - she has had an insurance policy  come up and has generously paid for us to go away for a week in September to Egypt.   Not been away since December 2005 and it will probably be the only time we can afford it until our IVA finishes so I am really looking forward to it.

That’s my catch up done.   I’ll try not to leave it so long next time!

The weather has taken a turn for the worse again!   I presume that last week was spring?   Or was it summer and we have just leapt forward into autumn/winter?    It’s cold enough for it.

 I’m now well into the routine back at work, weight continues to come off - over 5 1/2 stone now.   I’m really pleased.   I can get into a lot of my smaller clothes now which I haven’t worn in about 3 years!

 This week I have had off as holiday though.   It is our daughter’s 21st birthday party at home next Sunday.  I really hope the weather will be better by then as we have a fair few people attending!   This week is being spent getting the house ready for this big event!   I am just thankful that these events only happen once in a lifetime!

 Yesterday was spent clearing out our smallest bedroom, which was just totally full of stuff!   A lot of rubbish has now gone down to the tip, and I found clothes in there which I was going to put on Ebay at least 12 months ago and which were hidden under all sorts of stuff!   Some of the clothes either fit me (again) now, or will shortly so they are now back in my wardrobe.  Great, because it means I won’t have to spend any money on new stuff!   I shall be putting a lot of old, and big stuff on.  For the first time in my life I will not be needing them again!   Any money I make will fund purchases in the future.

 This party has cost us a fair bit, but we have been getting stuff every week out of the weekly shopping and putting it away, and no doubt everyone will bring some booze with them.   I am very proud of the fact that it has been done totally using cash.   Just over 12 months ago it would have been funded on the plastic, and payment worried about later.  Now I have no problems with bills dropping through the letterbox!  The only thing we have bought extra today is a gazebo (half price in Argos - bargain!)  so at least if it rains we have somewhere other than the house for people to go and it’s also useful for the smokers.

 Hubby is doing two of his curry’s - a ‘big boys’ curry and a ‘wimps’ curry.  Self explanatory really!  Plus a barbecue and normal nibbly bits as well.   Should keep everyone happy!

 Thirteenth payment into our IVA at the end of this week as well! 

I’ll let you know how the event goes.

The end of another Easter Bank Holiday, and my second week back at work will start tomorrow.   I rather gather that as I haven’t had  a text from work this weekend that we didn’t win the lottery!

 The weather has been gorgeous today, warm enough to sit outside, which does make a change!   I hope the weather is like this in three weeks time as it is daughter’s 21st birthday party and hubby intends to get the barbecue going and we really don’t have room in the house for all the guests!

 Can’t believe that April is half way through already!  The IVA is running along quite well, but I’m coming up to a lot of birthdays in the next few weeks, so that is going to be an expense I can do without.   I think Ebay is going to be on my list of places to visit to buy presents from!

I continue to do well with the recovery from my operation.   I came to a standstill last week with the weight loss, which was a bit discouraging as I hadn’t changed the foods I was eating, and I was back at work, but of course my dog walking went down!   I’ve now started using the treadmill as well doing a very fast walk and doing just over a mile in 20 minutes.   It does seem to be working as well!

Returning to the work scenario - we have a scoring system at work for when you are off sick, and I have now triggered an attendance review interview with HR.   Now I have had one of these before, and it was like the Spanish Inquisition!   Not looking forward to this one either - don’t know why I have to have one as they know exactly what I have had done and why!

 If she starts with the interrogation, then I think I may well be walking out!