LBM in 2003.. What have I been doing since??!

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  • DedicatedDFW
    DedicatedDFW Posts: 4,234 Forumite
    Hi Brizzle :wave:

    How have you got on today hon?
    brizzledfw wrote: »
    So as of today the plan is:

    1. Do the DFW things thread every day. Have done it today and it's nice to be back there.

    2. Track everything into the Xpensit account on OH's iPhone but then also analyse what we are spending on, with, you never know, any surplus (!) being swept off towards the debt repayment fund :rotfl:

    3. Start PADing again. It worked well before. Will do against the Co*+ CC first as that is accruing interest and given the nice NYs pressie from the bank we are not paying any interest on our OD until April

    4. Turn out the sealed pot stash and use that to pay off some of the OD. I do like collecting the £2 coins..they are so like chocolate money aren't they..and I should use those in the future, ie. keep collecting to make a PAD against one of the debts. Another idea from this site that I love

    5. EBay stuff even if OH hates doing the photos and packing/ sending off. Whens the next fee free weekend, does anyone know? We have stuff we can sell and to quote that annoying supermarket every little does help. We can't afford to be choosy. Have a bag already sorted ( since the Autumn:o) and maybe as its after Xmas it's time for even more stuff to move on as well

    6. And perhaps most importantly, make a real effort to live within our grocery budget..I am sure that's where lots of the leakage is. I just love food and it forms a large part of our budget but also its all around socialising etc. For the record..our mortgage repayments are also huge but that's our choice..want to pay off before DD1 reaches 18 so that we have options to help her if she needs it for HE or house etc. Only have 13 years to run but with significant overpayments and these days of ultra low interest rates we should be able to get it down to nearer 7 or 8 which would help with this goal. However it will be tough that's for sure.

    Anyway that's the latest..thanks guys for reading :)

    Brizzle

    It really sounds like your OH is on board with this which is brilliant :T (Shhh.. My OH doesn't know about my bills :o)

    I also agree that the food budget is a really easy place to overspend *Guilty as charged* :o So i'm trying to cut back this next couple of months just to get the debts down :o
    brizzledfw wrote: »
    Thanks Sassy..lovely advice and chimes very well with the concept that living frugally and thoughtfully is not about deprivation or never having enjoyment in your life but about in actually increasing options.. Eg. Options to reduce debt and build up savings so that you can perhaps leave a job you hate, or retire early, work less, support good causes with time or money etc etc. whatever floats your boat really.

    I love the idea of being creative. I love a project :rotfl: and maybe this can be in the title!!

    Have had a slow weekend as at my mums so no eBay listing..:( but on other hand OH has said he will take photos etc and help me list shortly..will be good if we can manage it all together. All the packing is such a hassle. I might do some as buyers collect.Easier.

    From dad have haul of wood for the stove, a paper log maker ( this could be fun and very environmentally friendly as it uses up newspapers that would be recycled) cakes and pot plants. Very good of them:T

    We are also planning to get rid of a car. Having done the sums think we are better off with me having a company car. In the meantime we will be able to sell a car, it's not worth a lot but it will at least pay off some of the new debt.. :mad:I can hardly bear to write this. It still makes me so mad that I accumulated new debt..so stupid. But write it I must.its the truth.

    Have been reading the follow on book to Your Money or Your Life, called Getting Your Life and it is interesting, just about changing your whole dysfunctional relationship with money, taking control of it and accordingly your life. For me one of the main things has to be changing your philosophy that having more stuff is always better.

    Sitting at home now with glass of wine and watching a movie, well multi tasking on this!. With OH and kids...what a blissful Sunday eve. Small pleasures like this are what it's all about.

    Have a good week all

    Brizzle

    Sounds like you had a lovely weekend which is great :beer:
    CC1:T £[STRIKE]2531[/STRIKE] £1460
    MORTGAGE OVERPAYMENTS: £10575.20 Target £12,100
    MF Date: [STRIKE]August 2042[/STRIKE] May 2035
    Declutter 1000 things by Xmas 2015! 53/1000
  • brizzledfw
    brizzledfw Posts: 7,302
    Debt-free and Proud!
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    Cheers DDFW.. Thanks for checking in.

    So, in turn:

    1. Done the small things thread today..

    2. Everything logged on Xpensit app so no hiding the truth ( good or bad!) there.

    3. Have PADed everyday since my resolution to do so in this diary. Good to have the discipline

    4. Took some of my stash of £2 coins and spare change from yonks and yonks of emptying out spare change from my purse etc- have counted it all up, £106 so far (ran out of those clear bank bags:T) and OH is taking to the bank tomorrow where it will clear immediately. Yay! If he also gets more bags there will be more, not as much but still some more small change

    5.Grocery bill..hmmm:o will keep you posted DDFW..have done a big ordere for Weds but also done meal planning, especially bulk cooking like spag Bol and fish pie which will also massively reduce stress later on. But it is my Achilles heel...I just know it is!!

    Also, today I have made HM bread and someone kindly gave me some bread and a cake from a bakery where at the end of the day they give anything spare to charity or loyal customers. Result!!

    Am a tad annoyed about car as think it may now be trickier to sell as there are new MOT test standards coming in. But we shall see. Anything is better than nothing I suppose!

    Had lovely glass of wine in a hot bath just now. Dinner from stores and freezer so simples to prepare. The joy of small things! DDs in bed and OH coming home shortly. Bliss.

    Hope everyone is having a good eve..off to catch some threads now!!

    Brizzle
    MFiT-T4 Member No. 96 - 2022 is my MF goal :D
    Winter 17/18 Savings Rate Goal: 25% [October 30%] :T
    Declutter 60 items before 31.03.18 9/60 ** LSDs Target 10 for March 03/10 **AFDs 10/15 ** Sales/TCB Target 2018 £25/£500 NSDs Target 10 for March 02/10 Trying to be a Frugalista:rotfl::T
  • DedicatedDFW
    DedicatedDFW Posts: 4,234 Forumite
    It sounds like you've made a great start brizzle :T:T:T - i too try and keep up with the PAD - its what really helped me clear some of the debt last year :) I'm thinking i should aim for target 1 and target 3 cleared by 1st April - its a bit of an ask when my salary is so low those 2 targets aren't much less than my full take home pay :eek: And i'm out of things to e-b*y :eek: I was most upset when i recently found out someone i know - who knows i'd always take anything and either keep or try and sell - has thrown loads of really good things out :mad: Ok, even if they didn't give it to me its just so wasteful chucking stuff away like that :( I know its their stuff, their choice - but then they go on about recycling and how great it is ??? erm... :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

    Hope you have a good day tomorrow too
    CC1:T £[STRIKE]2531[/STRIKE] £1460
    MORTGAGE OVERPAYMENTS: £10575.20 Target £12,100
    MF Date: [STRIKE]August 2042[/STRIKE] May 2035
    Declutter 1000 things by Xmas 2015! 53/1000
  • brizzledfw
    brizzledfw Posts: 7,302
    Debt-free and Proud!
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    edited 10 January 2012 at 11:15PM
    Hey DDFW that's mad, what was s/he thinking of? Even if you free cycle it thats better than nothing. Some people just don't know the meaning of value!

    Today has been a quiet day. Did eventually end up, after gym, having a meal with OH out in a local pub which was £10 for 2 meals with a small glass of wine for me and a pint for him so a reasonably priced treat I guess. Also meant 2 more hours of childminder fees but it was worth it as we talked about parenting and relationship stuff we just don't get around to talking about at home.. ' new' accord ( blimey sounds like the UN peace negotiations but you know what I mean!) reached on DDs bedtimes which if it holds will be a relief

    Today I did

    - PAD of £25, checked banking
    - cooked up chicken carcasses for stock. Now in fridge
    - froze some bread, more freebies from the friendly bakery..perhaps the bread maker can be pensioned off?!:rotfl:
    - big box of books for car boot, as per jwil's suggestion. Saw article about yard sales and think have decided against it. Round here it's ' free to a good home' so I think I would have no takers for asking for cash
    - decluttering some toys into a charity bag..evil laughter..achieved whilst kids at school as they are very reluctant to see anything go..I blame Toy Story 3 myself:D
    - kids meal from freezer. All family lunches from stores
    -OH paid coins into bank..


    Not got to AL&I yet, must try to go this week before I fold and go to the local sm which may be pricier..not sure what the answer will be so very keen to test AL&I out

    More tomorrow. Am finding the disciplines of all this very useful. Not perfect but feeling like its broadly going in the right direction and there is some very inspirational stuff on these forums!

    Brizzle
    MFiT-T4 Member No. 96 - 2022 is my MF goal :D
    Winter 17/18 Savings Rate Goal: 25% [October 30%] :T
    Declutter 60 items before 31.03.18 9/60 ** LSDs Target 10 for March 03/10 **AFDs 10/15 ** Sales/TCB Target 2018 £25/£500 NSDs Target 10 for March 02/10 Trying to be a Frugalista:rotfl::T
  • jwil
    jwil Posts: 18,825
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    That's loads done, well done!

    Fantastic with all the free bread too, and great idea decluttering the toys while the kids are at school. :D
    "If you can dream it, you can do it". Walt Disney
  • DedicatedDFW
    DedicatedDFW Posts: 4,234 Forumite
    Hi Brizzle :)

    Thought i'd stop by and see how you're doing and it seems you are doing great :T Well done! *wonders if i can find a bakers like that nearby* :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
    CC1:T £[STRIKE]2531[/STRIKE] £1460
    MORTGAGE OVERPAYMENTS: £10575.20 Target £12,100
    MF Date: [STRIKE]August 2042[/STRIKE] May 2035
    Declutter 1000 things by Xmas 2015! 53/1000
  • hi Brizzle, have finally caught up with your diary, you sound as though you are on the right track, made me smile about the glasses of wine, they are my downfall :D Lovely though!!

    Sorry to ask a probable obvious question, but, what is a PAD? :embarasse
    05/03/14 £15,980 0n 2 CCs
    07/04/14 £15,690 On 2 CCs

    :eek: :(
  • brizzledfw
    brizzledfw Posts: 7,302
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    Hi all

    Thanks for dropping by.

    Not a bad day working from home today which dramatically cuts down on the wasted commuter time...one day I will get around to having some French language CDs in the car ( learning French has been a New Years resolution for about the past 5 years but zilch progress made, havent even got the CDs or whatever off the BBC site yet..it all
    remains a dream!! :rotfl: ) so as not to waste it so much but until then...

    MC, a PAD is a payment a day..it might be as little as £1 but it's a way of kicking those debts into touch and I would say it seems to work for a lot of people on these forums. I am working on my C@op card debt as I am paying interest on it, probably quite high, think its over 15% actually, ouch. So every day I try and make at least £5.. Currently it means until pay day that my OD is getting bigger but as that's also at 0% for a bit I figure it's worth doing.

    Today I have :

    - checked banking and made a PAD
    - collected more eBay stuff together,including a couple of never worn eBay clothes purchases from many moons ago now need to list it..hate that:(
    - spent nothing apart from Riverfo@d order but as in our house it doesn't count unless OH hasn't spent either need to wait until he comes home to check if it is officially a NSD
    -balls, just written that and now realise DD1 will need scouts fees....WHY OH WHY is there always something:eek:
    - tweaked meal planner, now all set up and apart from single cream then with the Riverf@rd order shouldbe good for next 10 days. result! Does anyone also resent the price of breakfast cereal? Figure we are going to stick to porridge in future and maybe HM granola if I can be bothered to make it. Or kids can have toast. No more overpriced Kell&g&s Special £ for us!!
    -did turn heating down but looking forward to bath again this eve..does that undo all my good work??!;)
    - yet more free bread...this is getting to be a very nice habit!! Freezer now bulging will have to stop going until next week I think!
    - OH thinks his ISA has been paid in. We got a cancelled passbook through the post this morning..am hoping he's right!! Have asked him to keep an eye on it as you never know..it just can't go astray! Now just need to work out how to apportion it, some for mortgage some promised to the decorator in February (havent decorated in 15 years :() some to it aside for the new front door ( the current one is a security risk) and some of the OD....lord it's 'only' £6k....will it stretch that far??! In this new world of complete honesty I will keep you all updated and you can check my maths!!

    Think that's it for today. Off now to get a cuppa ( unless the sun is over the yardarm or whatever that expression is...oh it is, oh well maybe a glass of vino in the bath then:T)
    -
    MFiT-T4 Member No. 96 - 2022 is my MF goal :D
    Winter 17/18 Savings Rate Goal: 25% [October 30%] :T
    Declutter 60 items before 31.03.18 9/60 ** LSDs Target 10 for March 03/10 **AFDs 10/15 ** Sales/TCB Target 2018 £25/£500 NSDs Target 10 for March 02/10 Trying to be a Frugalista:rotfl::T
  • jwil
    jwil Posts: 18,825
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    I don't buy breakfast cereal very often, but last time I did, I was incredibly :eek: about the price - I'm sure it was about three times what I'd paid previously!

    Good luck with the apportioning of the ISA, what seems like a lot of money at the start never seems to last long when you start thinking about what you want to do with it, does it!
    "If you can dream it, you can do it". Walt Disney
  • brizzledfw
    brizzledfw Posts: 7,302
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Forumite
    edited 12 January 2012 at 10:10PM
    Hi all

    A quiet day today. Have been working so not much time to post or to think about additional income generation schemes!! But am planning to have a clear plan of action for the next 4 days as not back at work until Tuesday officially ( I am part time but always seem to pick up emails and calls!)

    So, ISA was paid in. Sorry B£itanni3 for worrying you had c8cked up. ( but in my defence sending a cancelled pass book though with no comps slip or note seems a bit sloppy) and I promptly paid £1k against the mortgage. Haven't done apportionment yet. Yep, procrastination:o..think I need to set myself the goal of having done it by Monday eve..

    Did the small DFW things thread and a PAD. I also made sure Xpensit app was all up to date with our spends. Easy to miss stuff if we're not careful.

    Had a yummy dinner of leftovers. Does the end of some HM ice cream for dessert afterwards count as leftovers???! :rotfl:

    I have done the text and details for listing 16, yes you did read it right:T, items for EBay. Think will stick with it even though FaceBay seems an interesting new venture on FB and I do so hate that parcelling up, guessing postage nonsense. Quite an achievement. All I need is for OH to take great photos ( that's his speciality ) and we're off. Pity it wasn't in the free listing weekend but oh well.

    2 girls, friends of my DDs, coming over for a sleepover on Saturday. Good excuse for pancakes on the Sunday and then an allotment excursion I think. Blow the cobwebs away...the girls can even shelter in the shed if it rains! i also joined a sustainability forum..a new forum..where on earth will I fit that in??!

    OH has been cleaning the car for what seemed all day, he spent hours on it as he is determined to get as much as we can for it. Sometimes he truly does excel himself!! ( not always though!!)

    The DDs havent even asked about where the breakfast cereal is yet so maybe we can cut it out of the budget more easily than I thought but then again it may have been that their dad has cooked them a cooked breakfast 2 days running this week!!

    And..finally..have been thinking more about why I get into debt ( as it usually me that's the spender) I think some of it is that my parents struggled for money and I don't want to have that life for my OH and DDS. But thinking rationally, we would hardly be on the breadline and we would be teaching them good lessons and values for their future lives. At the moment what we are teaching them about money is not good, they think it is on tap whenever we/they need it. They worry about being poor without really realising how 98% of the planet live..well it's all upside down really.

    So..whatever my baggage, if only for them I need to make this DFW and newly responsible lifestyle where I am accountable for my spending a permanent change and an integral part of my life. It can't, it just can't be temporary.

    Have a good evening guys

    Brizzle
    MFiT-T4 Member No. 96 - 2022 is my MF goal :D
    Winter 17/18 Savings Rate Goal: 25% [October 30%] :T
    Declutter 60 items before 31.03.18 9/60 ** LSDs Target 10 for March 03/10 **AFDs 10/15 ** Sales/TCB Target 2018 £25/£500 NSDs Target 10 for March 02/10 Trying to be a Frugalista:rotfl::T
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