Cash outs, cars and work stuff

The Blue Rooster of Trafalgar Square

I believe I've shared the above photo before, or at least a similar one, but I think it's just so much fun I had to post it again!

This week has been a bit crazy. I've had several bollockings (I love that word!) at work for things that were - or weren't - done as asked. All deserved, but something I need to work harder at avoiding, so have noted the issues. Part of the problem is that my brain seems extra-fuzzy at the moment (I'm not eating right or drinking enough water) and nothing is sticking, not even when I write it down. I'm feeling desperate to get to a gym, but unclear where exactly it would fit into my current lifestyle. Do I rejoin the one in the Forest and go when I get back from work (7:30) or go straight after work in Chertsey and get home an hour later? I'll have to look into the Chertsey gym as it would mean missing the worst of the traffic if I did that, so that should count as motivation on its own.

The commute hasn't been too crazy this week. The drive home always feels faster and I seem to arrive at my travel points much more easily than I do on the morning run. It's absolutely miserable when it's raining, but on a typical night it's not so bad.

Renee Verde is running well. I FINALLY managed to get her into the local garage this morning to have the temperature sensor replaced (it's only taken me two weeks). I called my CC company this morning to prepare them for a big hit and to let them know it would be okay, as it was me doing it. An hour after I presented my car for the work, it was complete and I took a deep breath as the jobsheet was handed over. I think I squawked. £83.10!!! I was anticipating two or three times that amount, so to say that I'm pleased is an understatement. I also want to take her over to have them look at the list of things I was given in Chertsey and give me a second opinion. I still have to get a few things done and want to make sure it's all absolutely necessary. If I can save some £££, it will be worth it. The new temperature sensor will stop me worrying if the car is overheating and the fellow topped up the coolant as well, so I'm all set there.

My cousin and I then went to do a grocery shop and spent over £100! That's a big one for us, but we got lots of stuff for the freezer and I got more apples and snacks for work (like hummous & rice cakes, some fruity biscuits and things like that). New Year's resolution for both of us: stop wasting so much food! We're truly terrible in that respect. I bought some coconut milk this time, too. I don't like milk much, but drink a lot of tea and feel that I can cut back a little bit there.

On an accomplishment roll, I then figured out how to cash out my Canada Savings Bonds. I was a bit sad to do it, as I do like the CSBs, but it simply doesn't make sense to have money "stored" when I still have debt. Besides, the amount of interest I'm making on the CSBs is so small, it's hardly worth it, because the of the higher CC and LOC interest rates. So in about 4 days I will have another $2,899.17 towards my debt!

The next step is to find out how much a Power of Attorney costs, as I need some "fiddling" to clear the remaining debt. I'm not sure what I'd like to do is possible, or makes sense to do, but it's the only way I can think of to fully clear it. I have two RRSPs. One is locked in, one is flexible. I'm hoping that I can cash out the locked in one and use the funds to pay off the remaining LLP amount (approx $8600) owing to the flexible plan (which is where it came from), my LOC ($5800), and then just get the rest transferred to me here, although the exchange rate is horrendous right now. I can't do anything at all from here, so it would have to be done with a PoA. Hm. I have to look into this. I'll ask my mum to ask her lawyer how much it would cost to get a PoA done and get some guidance from my bank about cashing out over the next couple of months. I'll have plenty in the bank to continue monthly payments in the meantime, so at least I'm not stressing about that on top of everthing else. This is part of what the psychic said - I know what I need to do, I just need to do it, clear it and let it go.

Anyone have any insight/thoughts/etc on that? I'd love some feedback.