Cocoon

Most strenuous activity in the last 7 days has been playing on the Wii with the kids. Skin is showing signs of lack of fresh air, we've been 'out ' as in walking the dog, quick dash round the supermarket, and to see the Golden Compass (less said the better). Other than that been totally cocooned indoors. I am really enjoying it, but I'm feeling the effects. Very lethargic.

I'll be yearning for time like this in a month when all the normal routines kick in again, so I should make the most of it.

Don't like New Years Eve, I think the last one we celebrated was 2000, when we had an on the spot impulse party with a few neighbours , other than that I can't remember the last time we stayed up til midnight !

Added a few more want to acheive for 2008 :
Tea, I love tea, but drink way too much, no more tea drinking at work, go on to water.
Batch cooking, going to cook double quantities in the way of lasagnes, stews etc and freeze half, makes for light work when I'm daunted at what to cook some nights.

Game of Bigs on the Wii anyone ?

All this turkey talk.

That was nice, two days of doing nothing, all four of us ate rubbish, watch TV, play games and generally laze about. Good for the soul. Although I can feel the extra poundage (weight wise not cash wise !) settling in around the hips.

As predicted the turkey is a definete no next year, I mean that. Somebody direct me to this post in the third week of December 2008. It's not that it was hard work, I honestly don't think it was appreciated by those that insisted we had it. Kids were too over the moon with their gifts (We got it soo right this year :), Mr Marbles was slightly squiffy, and I just don't like it. I think the taste is almost gamey. The one thing I will say is that Jamie Oliver's suggestion of carving the breast off and then slicing was so much easier than attempting the thin slices off the bone. So that's it no more talk of turkey's.

Talking of all things culinary, I was the recipient of Nigella Express on Christmas Day. Great book great recipes. Loads of shortcuts to cooking on the go. Yes there are the ones I'm never going to touch, but the simple suppers are hugely appealing. Cans of cannelini beans, shop bought salads are amonst the admissions. But the thing I like best is how she relates to the 'after work/homework/picking up up droppin off - Oh hell got to to cook dinner' state of mind. You know when chopping an onion is the last thing you want to do - that's why she's already done it and it's in the freezer. She writes interesting intros to her chapters aswell. Highly recommended. (apart from the turkey recipes).

So 2008 approaches. No I haven't stopped smoking and I haven't updated my Exhaler blog for months. So here goes, short list of what I would like to acheive in the next 12 months;
1. Stop Smoking - essential.
2. Pay off my Marbles card - need to make at least £150 extra a month to do this.
3. Lose weight - a stone will do.
4. Learn a new language - preferably Italian
5. Restart jewellery making - which will enhance my income.
6. Organisation - Flylady style, little and often.
7. Be more positive - and active - no more procrastination.
8. Go vegetarian for at least a week.
9. No more turkey.

That's No.9 acheived then, only 8 to go :)

Love to know yours.

Have a good day my fellow PFers. Here's to a successful 2008 for us all.

One Day To Go

Christmas Eve. I love this day more than the day itself. The anticipation and atmostphere. Having done close to nothing these weekend except watch movies and little else, feeling like we should 'do' something. Perhaps wander into town, not sure really, just nice to have the choice.

We watched Miracle On 34th Street yesterday, can you believe that Mara Wilson the cute little actress who also played Matilda and Natalie in Mrs Doubtfire is 20 ? Also subjected the children to 'The Holiday' not really a kids movie, probably why they dissappeared to the land of the Playstation halfway through.

Anyway Mr Marbles had to go to work at 5 this morning, I found myself with a cup of tea in bed, thinking those New Year resolution thoughts. Like many other PF bloggers I have a few targets I want to reach. Going to mull them over before I post them, bit of realistic fine tuning required.

Anyway have a good time everyone, just in case I don't make it back until the madness has passed !

Turkey

They've done it. And it happens every year. I am always resolute that I will not slave in the kitchen over a turkey each Christmas. I was determind to go for a chicken. By early December they start chipping away at me. They being those 3 menfolk I share my life with. They want turkey. Blurgh ! And those horrid sausage/bacon garnishes, yeuch !

Me - I'm a wannabe vegetarian, just don't have the discipline yet. I know I'd change my diet if I saw a glimpse of a slaughter house. My morals are protected at the moment, but I'm pretty sure the time will come.

So I've been beaten again. In 72 hours I will be protesting at the fact I did it again, how much is left, how I didn't enjoy it.

All grumbling aside, had a rough nights sleep, coughing and the like, but eventually slept and had a lie-in. Feel good and have a mountain of sympathy for anyone venturing out to any retail orientated area today.

Will continue on my mission to clean the house today.

Tinsel and Turkey

That's it no work for 10 days, first week off in six months. Been running myself ragged for the last 5 days, but it's done, wrapped, shopped, the lot .I'm paying the price physically. Caught the bug, sniffles, sore throat.
House is still in need of TLC, but I can do it slowly, don't have to be anywhere to pick up drop off be relied upon. Feelish selfish today.

Couch Potato Season

I cannot believe how lethargic I have been feeling over the past week. It's been incredibly busy at work and yes I'm tired from that, but this house resembles Christmases been and gone and left it's rubbish behind. There are bits and pieces of bits and pieces in places that they have just been 'left'. Boxes if unwritten Christmas cards, piles of cards that have yet to go up, paperwork and just stuff. Yet to wrap a single present, I guess it would help if I bought some wrapping paper.

I spent the day yesterday on the sofa with the kids watching ancient 1980's movies, then X- Factor. Mr Marbles pottered, wrote some cards.

So my Christmas food budget for the next three weeks is set at £150, one big shop this week . Meal plan and list to be done.

A good two hours clearing the clutter this afternoon, would like a suitably tidy house before Christmas Chaos really descends.

The Challenge

On the ever inspiring MSE-Debt Free Wannabe Forum there are always a host of challenges to motivate. Be it make £10 a day, lose lbs and £'s at the same time, or clear a debt by next Christmas. I've joined the Pay off £20,000 (ish) by Xmas 2008 challenge. A friendly bunch of self confessed faffers and fritterers (is that a word?) who have various targets and great ideas.

Now 20k is a bit too far off for me so I've targeted the bane of my financial life credit card which stands at £9587.40. If I can clear this beast in a year I will have cleared over a third of my debt.
I've tried these challenges in the past - with shall we say deferred success !

It's not impossible, but will take some serious discipline.

Picture This !

Being able to watch an hour of TV in the UK without those credit card and loan ads again and again .
Ban those credit ads ! Sign the petition.

Ever Increasing Marbles

A slap in the face in the post this morning. HFC Marbles have increased the APR to a whopping 26.9 % on my card and an increase of 0.5% to minimum payment. I know minimum payments are not the way to go but this doesn't help.

Been playing around on whatsthecost.com and this is now my highest interest rate card, it has to go. Have to redo my snowball and get ready to wipe these debts out from January onwards.

Confession Time

An admission:

• I spent £25 on my new interest free credit card for one Christmas present for the kids, did get 12 % cashback though via Quidco.
• I've emptied my EF fund for Christmas.

All of this is just for Christmas, I have over £190 due from cashback sites between now and the end of January so my plan is to put the EF funds back with and extra £20. The good news is I made £160 on ebay the first two weeks of December which bought wanted presents for the kids and hubby. Wanted being the operative word. As much as they have dreams of an X-Box it's not going to happen. They have one big pressie each, couple of add-ons. Grandparents and uncles are giving them cash.

The other bonus is because I shopped for Christmas on ebay again using Topcashback or Quidco I got 35% cashback on each purchase, not quite sure how the 35% is calculated but I've earnt £12 doing it.

I've just cashed in 2000 Piggy points at Pigsback for a CD Wow voucher worth £20, may use it in the sales or one extra family present in the form of a DVD Boxset I know they all want, but time is short.

I haven't started wrapping presents yet, I'm quite tempted to use newspaper, just for the green issues and the expense. I love wrapping though, sad thing that I am.

I'm feeling quite good because six months ago my credit cards were maxed, and although I've stumbled a few times - been late with payments etc -I've somehow steered things the right way and managed to 'do' Christmas. Admittedly all cc payments etc are minimum this month, but everything will be on time and up to date.

I've been is this job for 5 months without any holiday taken yet. I am so looking forward to a whole week off, just us four. Nowhere to be, no running around, picking up, dropping off, finding school bags/shoes, football kits, shin pads etc etc. Selfish I know, but just for one week. Then come January it will be all hands to the pump, renewed enthusiasm.

Oh Christmas tree !

The Christmas tree made it's annual trip from the attic this week along with the collection of tree decorations we have amassed over the years....and the lights.

Oh the lights. Like hundreds of other homes we unravelled the lights we used last year plugged them in wait for the 100 bulbs to glow. Nothing. Go through the whole set, checking fuses pushing bulbs in checking for signs of blown bulbs. Still Nothing. Admittedly this set of lights has worked for the last three years.

While out in town yesterday I check the big local household stores, only choices are foil angel lights, multicoloured flowers or snowballs, no thanks. I only like white lights me, don't know why I just do. Local bargain bucket shop has some for £8.99, no replacement bulbs and a glow, fade, dance etc option. I hate the fact that these might not work next year, but looking at the prices I paid on the last sets these will do.

I have to say our artificial tree is old. I wish had a snapshot of each Christmas it's stood in the corner. We bought it for £60 in 1990, our first proper Christmas together, some of the baubles show their age, but doesn't a Christmas tree tell a story ? Yes there's everything from 'Baby's first Christmas' in 1994 given by a neighbour, to a half chewed robin with one eye thanks to our dog in his puppy days. I'm not sure it will last another year, the kids think it's time is up. We'll see.

So Skint

What a week, ran out of cash by Tuesday ! Forgotten what money actually looks like. Mr Marbles took over the grocery spending this week, talk about skint. All happened because ebay fees arrived, not budgeted for, and youngest son invited to another party this weekend - obviously not budgeted for.

It's not all doom and gloom though, sold loads of DVD's and games on ebay, topcashback and quidco payments coming through this week so an excess income of £120 this month.

I have to sit down to menu plan today, it's Payday on Tuesday, I cannot blow things out of the water again this month. Haven't started Christmas shopping yet either.

Response from Northern Rock re claiming my PPI back, it was a flat no. I 'm not accepting it and my second letter will be fired off today.