Jazee's Diary

Jazee · 10 August 2012 at 5:14PM

Hello to anyone who decides to read my diary.

I'm starting this diary as I want to collect my thoughts in one place. I have unsuccessfully put posts on some other threads, and some have disappeared, so I assume that I've broken some rule or other and think that here I can't break my own rules.

I have been in debt since 1997, so that's 15 years and the usual nothing to show for it. I have been a long term lurker on MSE but have only started posting, mainly on the flylady thread, quite recently.

Thanks to this site, my debts are manageable and my days of pawning items and pay day loans are long over. My debt free date is March 2015.

I have tried and failed at some of the challenges: £1 a day pot, really successful for two years, but now I'm not really keeping any cash in the house and am trying for as many NSDs as possible, it doesn't really work.

Which brings me to NSDs. Spectacular failure most days. Must try harder.

Off to do tea now, will carry on another time and work out a plan of action to bring forward that date.

ionafan · 10 August 2012 at 11:15PM

Hello Jazee

Congratulations on starting a new thread! I found you here because I was searching for the flylady thread and your new thread popped up at the top of the list.

Collecting your thoughts together is a good idea. It will make it easier to look back in March 2015 - or before! - when you are finally debt-free, and see how much you have overcome to reach that milestone.

>I have been in debt since 1997...
>I have tried and failed at some of the challenges...

Don't call it failure - it's all experience. Some challenges work well for some people, whilst other people find them impossible to maintain. Take me, for example - I can't stick to any diet for more than 3 weeks because I get bored with not being able to cook proper meals. But I was watching 'The Hairy Dieters' yesterday and thinking "Ah, real food and proper cooking!" so maybe if I give their recipes a try I might eventually succeed in losing a third or more of my current body weight and get back to my proper shape.

>Spectacular failure most days. Must try harder.

Do what they say on the flylady site - take baby steps until you have developed the strength to do more. From everything I've read about the flyladies, there are some on that thread who have struggled for years to bring their home and family under control. You say your debts are now manageable, so you already achieved a lot. Are you dealing with your debts entirely on your own, or do you have real-life support?

I hope this encourages you to think positive thoughts and continue with your diary.

Go for it!!!

Jazee · 11 August 2012 at 8:18AM

ionafan wrote: »

Don't call it failure - it's all experience. Some challenges work well for some people, whilst other people find them impossible to maintain. Take me, for example - I can't stick to any diet for more than 3 weeks because I get bored with not being able to cook proper meals. But I was watching 'The Hairy Dieters' yesterday and thinking "Ah, real food and proper cooking!" so maybe if I give their recipes a try I might eventually succeed in losing a third or more of my current body weight and get back to my proper shape.

Are you dealing with your debts entirely on your own, or do you have real-life support?

I hope this encourages you to think positive thoughts and continue with your diary.

Go for it!!!

Thanks for your comments. Now I know someone is reading, I'll have to keep this up!

I'm not on my own but sometimes feel I am with the trying not to overspend. DH only has access to his card when he needs petrol but sometimes uses that opportunity for a splurge so I feel I banging my head against a brick wall.

Good luck with the dieting. I now have my gym back at home as DS doesn't need a room full time now, just somewhere to put his head down a couple of times a week term time. I've been in there three times this week, so not bad.

Ok, so to explain my grocery budget. I have been spending min £580 per month. This covers food for 3 adults, food for 3 dogs, all toiletries, all cleaning stuff, human meds, lottery and paper bill.
It does not include refreshments (non alcoholic) for DH or dog grooming/vet bills/meds. I need to shave £100 off this this month or I will need to dip into our meagre savings to cover the cost of MOT and fitting of new flooring.

Yesterday I spent £2 of my budget on a lottery ticket after being persuaded by DH. Otherwise my only spend yesterday would have been dog grooming which is budgeted for.

Today, I am doing my weekly shop (fresh meat, veg, bread, milk) to a meal plan as usual and hoping that I can keep it under £60 if I'm to reach my target.

Wish me luck.

Jazee · 11 August 2012 at 11:12AM

I wish I'd started this diary years ago, as already I'm finding it focuses the mind and makes me think of all the things in my life I really should get in gear.

The first is keeping up with the housework, this is now going ok thanks to the flyladies.

Then there is the keeping fit. I would rather exercise more than eat less. I love my food. I have been roughly the same weight for the last decade but it is still too much for my height. This morning I cycled to do the weekly shop (a bit ambitious actually, as cycling 2 miles with 3 bags on the handle bars and full panniers takes a bit of balancing). I still have my dog walks to do today, gardening is exercise and I will get in the gym later.

The other thing to sort of course is the spending less. I didn't quite keep to my £60 budget for the weekly shop. The bill came in at £64.39, but in my defence I bought extra bread which has gone in the freezer so I won't need to buy so much next week.

Jazee · 12 August 2012 at 8:37AM

I did my first online shopping order with Tes*o last night. Used a voucher to get £10 off, am having it delivered to save on petrol so total saving was actually £7. This is not grocery shopping, its non alcoholic drinks for DH, and comes out of the budget that used to be for his alcohol.

Was thinking about wasting food last night. I'm pretty good at meal planning and keeping to it so don't waste much. Last week, I threw away one potato only.

Off to do 'big' monthly shop today. It won't be as big as normal as I'm only replacing those things we've run out of/will run out of instead of just stocking up on everything as I normally do.

Jazee · 12 August 2012 at 12:49PM

Just back from big monthly shop. In addition to what was on the list I also bought enough tea bags for about a year for £10, and enough washing powder for 3-4 months for £14.99. In total, my bill was £78.75 which considering our big monthly shop normally comes out at £150 - £200 is really good.

My initial overspend when planning this month was going to be £100 due to MOT and floor fitting, which I don't want to take out of savings even though that's what savings are for. Now the overspend is £90 and will be even lower now the GC challenge is going well amongst other things.

A lazy afternoon is planned.

ionafan · 12 August 2012 at 4:07PM

>In total, my bill was £78.75 which considering our big monthly shop normally comes out at £150 - £200 is really good.

Well done, Jazee! Enjoy your lazy afternoon.

Jazee · 13 August 2012 at 5:12PM

I appreciate the company of Ionafan as I plod along trying not to spend too much, and am beginning to think of this diary as my invisible friend. Someone to bore with all the minute details of my life. I am happy with my life, the pace is just right for me.

Today started early as gas man was due to service the boiler which is a back boiler in my living room which didn't have any flylady attention last week apart from the odd quick vacuum round. So I polished and hoovered and moved stuff out of the way like a whirlwind. I then started the paid stuff as of course he could arrive at any time so no point in going out with the dogs.

Mid morning came and went, I cancelled on one work call and rescheduled another as I didn't want gas man's knock of the door to interrupt them. The dogs were giving me sad eyes and wondering why they hadn't been out. Lunch time came and went, and then at 2pm a call to say he couldn't make it today. AAAAGH!

Anyway, dogs walked now, paid stuff finished for another day and unless DH needs petrol later, today should be a no spend day.

In case anyone is reading and wondering why my 'month' has strange dates, it's because pay day is four weekly, so technically 13 months in a year for me, which means for one of them I should be really rich, but it never works out like that.

Just got some free cinema tickets for next Tuesday so that's a free evening out (excepting petrol of course) for me and DH. Really pleased with that.

ionafan · 14 August 2012 at 8:08AM

Jazee wrote: »

...I am happy with my life, the pace is just right for me..

If you are enjoying the pace of life, you are onto a good thing.

Jazee wrote: »

Today started early as gas man was due to service the boiler...

Sounds like my day waiting for the plumber!

Jazee wrote: »

... pay day is four weekly, so technically 13 months in a year for me, which means for one of them I should be really rich, but it never works out like that.

The same goes for my DH.

Jazee wrote: »

Just got some free cinema tickets for next Tuesday so that's a free evening out (excepting petrol of course) for me and DH. Really pleased with that.

Enjoy! What are you going to see?

Jazee · 14 August 2012 at 8:58AM

We're going to see A Few Best Men, so should be ok. I've made some bad choices with free tickets before.

Anyway diary/Ionafan, yesterday was not a NSD as DH did need petrol and I picked up a couple of bits while we were out.

Today will definitely not be a NSD as it's the dreaded MOT day. Will post an update later.

MinniMe_2 · 14 August 2012 at 9:11AM

good luck with the MOt and keep posting - we will all stay on te right track together!

Jazee's Diary

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