December Debt Destruction!!!

I hate New Year’s resolutions. It’s almost a prerequisite that you should have already decided to stop resoluting by February. With your debts it can’t be like that. Many of us are in for the long haul so we should start Debt Destruction TODAY! I want to encourage YOU to clear up the straggled ends, decide today how you will proceed through 2013 and nurture some good behaviours and a new mind set.

Following the success of my “Just Say NOvember” challenge it has been brought to my attention that another challenge is required for the month of December. There are a distinct collection of ruthless, money-crunching, unashamed penny-pinchers desperate to turn the heat up on those debts!!! So who am I not to indulge YOUR requests! :T:T:T


December is the most horrific money funnelling month of the year and there are some serious demands surrounding us as we prepare! You are being bombarded by messages in every form telling you what you MUST buy for Christmas, what will make it magical and what will make it memorable! I am calling a halt to all this, giving YOU the excuse to say NO and hoping that I can help you prepare for that new cleaner outlook for 2013.

I am ruthless about my debt, and I am desperate to live a debt-free life and I want to drag you with me!!! I am planning to be rid of my debt (currently standing at around £14,000) by the end of 2013 but give myself personal challenges to deal with until then…so I would appreciate some company along the way! …Please?:o

I can’t say this won’t be hard but the interaction between users has been encouraging and everyone will help you. So please, stop faffing about, take responsibility and give me your name!

There are rules to abide by! Simple ones though, meaning you can keep track of your progress, boast about, and share your successes or indeed failures and bad days. There is only so much I can dictate to you about your Christmas though. This is the most difficult month to plot for as everyone is feeding a different amount of people, budgeting differently and living in different areas with differing prices to deal with. You are an adult but this is about being honest but at least you will know you are not in this by yourself!!




• This challenge commences on the 01st December 2012 @ 00:01 and finishes on 31st December 2012 @ 23:59.
• Minimum 20 NSD. Please pledge this on the NSD board, do not do this on this thread. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4312083
• 6 X 20 MINUTE SESSION OF EXERCISE A WEEK. However you wish you do this, just get your butt moving! This needs to be broken up throughout the week!
• Food budget must decided upon before the commencement of this challenge then slashed by £30. I am assuming you have started Christmas food shopping and won’t need too much more – yes?
• “Spend” Money for anything else needs to be pre-agreed prior to the commencement of DDD. This includes last minute gifts, parties, food that’s to be taken to any party, and alcoholic drinks.
• No foods are to be purchased at work canteens / cafes etc. If you are having a family day out packed lunches are the only lunches allowed.
• All money needed for the month for food or spends is to be withdrawn and placed in envelopes clearly marked for purpose.
• 3 Wildcard Days are allowed. To qualify for one you must make the same amount of money as you plan to spend all in that same day. These are only for emergencies – if you NEED something. You make £5 on eBay; you are allowed to use it without losing an NSD etc.
• An NSD does not include petrol, car maintenance, medications, household bills and travel to work.,
• On one of your NSD’s find a homeless person and buy him/her a tea / coffee out of your budget. Don’t assume either, talk to the person and ask what they prefer.
• NO Beauty spends for the ladies over £5.
• NO extra beer for the boys at all. If it’s in your house drink it, then start on the soft drinks.
• Set a petrol allowance and stick to it. When in doubt walk.
• Those that completed NOvember get rid of what is in your cupboards before buying Christmas supplies.
• Those of you who are new to this challenge clear your cupboards and freezer BEFORE buying any more food. You DO NOT NEED reems of food for Christmas Day. Buy very CAREFULLY. What do you always buy each year that NEVER gets eaten?
• Call 5 friends / family members / acquaintances / work colleague / virtual stranger’s – and tell them you will not be buying gifts this year.
• DO NOT enter any secret Santa at work or anywhere else.
• Batch cook now, try to avoid massive tins of sweets, fancy biscuits in expensive tins and £7 cakes from M&S.
• Down-shift some “essentials” to Supermarket Own Brands…get the family used to it now!!!
• NO ENTRY to any sales in the month of DDD. Unless you have a planned budget and have been saving for a specific item PLEASE do not go to the Boxing Day Sales. I just put a dress from NEXT on eBay that I bought last Boxing Day and never wore. Its temptation you can’t handle to buy tat you really don’t need. STAY AT HOME!!!
• Buy one of these. Start filling it. You will not be given access for 1 year. Once its full you start another one.
• http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=money+tins

And finally - as annoying as this will be ( amongst everything else ) I need you to keep a spending diary. Something will always crop up that you need to spend pennies on... write it all down. ON your phone, scrap of paper.. keep these scraps safe though...

PLEASE DO NOT RE-POST THIS ENTIRE THREAD. IF U WISH TO JOIN JUST ADD YOUR NANE TO A PAGE AND I'LL GET YOU A NUMBER. I DO NOT NEED TO KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT EACH POINT WITH THE POINT RE-ADDED AS WELL- IT TAKES UP TOO MUCH ROOM!!!