Changing habits, wanting freedom

Huskyrunner · 15 November 2016 at 5:54PM

If your puppys a rocky pup try whats called a stagbar they are quite expensive but last ages we use them with our dogs.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stag-Bar-Deer-Antler-Large/dp/B0058NVKTE

We have 7 siberian huskies 2 of them pups and 2 of our youngens are chewers these really help.

SpekySquarehead · 15 November 2016 at 6:04PM

Hello jvr.

Just came across your diary and wanted to say a huge well done on starting a diary and your path to becoming debt free. It'll be a huge weight off your shoulders and you'll be able to save for the really important stuff.

You're a year older than me so I understand the pressures that we have of maintaining a social life and I firmly believe it's important to continue to enjoy life so there has to be some give and take.

If I could give any advice it would be 2 simple things;

1 - Try You Need A Budget, or YNAB for short. The first 4 weeks or something is free and thereafter it costs me £4 a month and I have no hesitation to say that I cleared £3k of debt in less than a year thanks to YNAB. It truly does work, so give it ago.

2 - Although I may slightly contradict what I said earlier, something has to give in order to get rid of the debt. Paying £100 a month is amazing and it'll slowly get your debt away however if you keep going at that rate you'll clear your debt in over 4 years. With your combined wage, I recon there is ways to save some cash.

Getting your OH on board is difficult. In fact, I found it impossible. However if you both share the same goals (become debt free and save for a visa) that should be motivation enough to do it.

You can do it but it does take hard work and the fact you're on the forum in the first place is sign that you will do it.

I've subscribed and I look forward to hearing you diminish that debt.

jvr · 15 November 2016 at 6:12PM

Thanks Huskyrunner will order those and try them our jack Russell was a chewer but obviously nowhere near as destructive!!

jvr · 15 November 2016 at 6:18PM

Thanks SpekySquarehead I have seen that lots of people rave about ynab maybe it's time I tried it! Sorry I wasn't very clear I meant 100 more a month off it at moment aiming to pay £200 off a month so will go up to £300 and then up to £450 a month once I pass my driving test (driving lessons are crazy expensive!!) I just get so demoralised when anything pops up that upsets the plan and I have realised paid too much off at the beginning of the month and maybe left things a bit too tight!
Thanks for subscribing to my ramblings do you have a diary?

Huskyrunner · 15 November 2016 at 6:25PM

jvr wrote: »

Thanks Huskyrunner will order those and try them our jack Russell was a chewer but obviously nowhere near as destructive!!

Other option is these but i dont know the age of your dog

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/kevin.tratt2012/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

we feed our guys bones and turkey necks from this guy no more chewing

jvr · 16 November 2016 at 10:06AM

Hi

She is about 10 months old now, are they okay with necks etc. and being left alone. I always panic about choking if bits split off or do they not splinter? I never had a dog before we got out Jack Russell about 18 months ago so its all fairly new to me!

Thanks

SpekySquarehead · 16 November 2016 at 10:22AM

jvr wrote: »

Thanks SpekySquarehead I have seen that lots of people rave about ynab maybe it's time I tried it! Sorry I wasn't very clear I meant 100 more a month off it at moment aiming to pay £200 off a month so will go up to £300 and then up to £450 a month once I pass my driving test (driving lessons are crazy expensive!!) I just get so demoralised when anything pops up that upsets the plan and I have realised paid too much off at the beginning of the month and maybe left things a bit too tight!
Thanks for subscribing to my ramblings do you have a diary?

I do indeed;

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5430752#topofpage

Yeah driving lessons are expensive and if I remember right, so are the tests themselves! Then you've got the most expensive bit - a car, insurance, tax, MOT's, servicing, repairs and petrol.

Providing you're paying off some of your debt when you get paid and then living off the rest, then it's fine to be tight for the rest of the month. In fact is probably a good thing. It should limit your spending so that some nights you'll decide against a take away and pull something out the freezer.

Huskyrunner · 16 November 2016 at 9:51PM

If its a Rocky i cant see it being an issue they are up there with Siberian Huskies for biting power.

My guys we give rib bones and anything we get from the butchers and they are fit as a fiddle.

jvr · 17 November 2016 at 8:57AM

Hi SpekySquarehead just busy reading your diary! Driving lessons are crazy expensive and I'm already paying off a car and insurance for the OH seems only fair I get to drive it!
Yea I think I left a crazy small food budget and then had no food in so got takeaways... working on the having things in can shove in the oven so made a lasagne last night and popped two portions in the freezer.

Thanks Huskyrunner the antler arrived (amazon prime free trial to get Christmas presents) an they are both obsessed. I only got one to try it out so they had to take turns which they weren't very happy about! Will have to get to the butchers for them! Noticed a sudden change in their behaviour too, much more obedient and now I feel like they have been quite bored and unstimulated. All there other toys they seem to want us to play with them.

No spends so far still got lunch food in the fridge I bought the other day although not sure it will be enough till Friday. Out of loads of stuff like shampoo and coffee so may have to go to the shop and use the overdraft which is annoying but I am slightly in anyway due to the phone. Will sort out on Monday with pay day. Finally got into my banking apps on the new phone and things aren't quite as bad as I thought they would be so pretty happy although just realised I have driving lesson tonight and haven't accounted for the £45... I have two hour lessons so its a bit more each week.

jvr · 22 November 2016 at 11:53AM

So been absent a bit because been a bit embarrassed about handling of finances. Lent some money to OH which he will pay most back on pay day. Obviously I had all the extra phone stuff and dog stuff (to stop them destroying my house) Otherwise spend a fortune on drinks and food, went climbing and afterwards bought rounds in the pub, had too many takeaways etc. In the end on pay day yesterday I had to pay £600 back to my overdraft (about 200 was OH’s). I felt so embarrassed that had messed up the month. Think I went so ultra tight with money that when I failed I just stopped keeping track and went way over

So instead of moping I have a plan for December. Not many presents left to buy now and me and sisters agreed a £10 limit to presents as all a bit tight for funds. Paid the minimum off credit cards which is about £70 but then I only had £41 to get it down to 5100 so paid that as well. Have no savings now but plan is to stick within budget more generous than last months. So fingers crossed come pay day on 21st of December I can pay off £200 from cards to get me to below the 5000 mark and put £300 in to savings setting me up ready for the new year and the big pay off! I need to also go through bank statement and see where I went so insanely wrong there is at least £200 I really can’t account for but it has gone somewhere so I have to sort it out.

Changing habits, wanting freedom

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