My diary... becoming debt free whilst still having a life!!!

savingholmes

Hi all - well I achieved something major tonight! I felt truly miserable and didn't got shopping despite permission from OH. If you knew me and how we'd got into debt in the first place you would know that is truly fantastic!

I did however manage to finish a pamper basket for a friend for Xmas... including my first ever flannel cupcake!

sistercas

SH well done you for resisting the shopping spree:T hope you got your winnings sorted

is everybody out at a bonfire? we havent bothered as both girls are training tonight so that will save some money.
having tea out tomorrow as we are having a get together at OH's sister to see the new baby cant wait

then on friday DD2 is playing sax in the school band at meadowhall shopping centre for the turning on of the xmas lights. I think Vernon Kay is switching them on so we are all excited about that

hope you are all feeling better
have a great guy fawkes night xx

edited to say lovely pamper basket SH how are yours coming on Ruby?

Cat_Addict

I was in the same boat with my DDs birthday in August. She wanted something fancy and I couldn't afford it. So we just went for pizza and back to ours for a sleepover with two friends. Then I got her a jar, gave her an idea of what various parties will cost and she started saving for her next birthday - her 10th. She's pretty sure she wants a pink limo with a few friends. That will cost £140 and she already has about £40 saved. I think she will appreciate it so much more than if I had just booked in on my card. I just pop a couple of quid in her jar whenever I have it.

Wendy x

savingholmes

Cat Addict - I agree with your philosophy there!

Sister Cas - I got my deposit refunded but couldn't withdraw my winnings which was frustrating (£8.62). I ended up with a tummy bug the other night when I was feeling miserable so felt better afterwards as I knew it was temporary if you know what I mean....

How is everyone else? Not heard from Ruby, Belle or Irish Chick recently?

rubydoiwannabee

Hi everyone, how are you all this November evening?

Friday tomorrow which means my day off YIPPEE!! I'm thinking I will wrap the first of my baskets and head out to town and buy the ingredients for my snowman soup. If you don't know what that is then head over to the celebrations board and see the lovely pics. Basically they are cone shaped bags with hot choc, mini marshmallows and choc chips in. Wrapped up with a ribbon and tag and given to friends and family.

Money saving is seeming to get harder and harder for us at the moment, I worked out the other evening that we are £400 short for the expenditure we have between now and Feb 1st. So that was a bit of a blow because we had been doing so well. I think we both got a little carried away about the money we were putting aside each month and started using some of it for the odd treat (nothing huge, I think we have had one takeaway since June), but things like coffee in town on a saturday, or the odd night out with friends. Anyway, we will have to make a BIG effort to find as much as it as possible and the way I look at it is, this time last year I wouldn't have known what was needed one week to the next, let alone months ahead.

Tell me ladies, how are you all doing.... do you ever feel like these debts take over your life??

I could write for hours tonight, but won't bore you.

Please write and tell me how you are all getting along, YB how are you?

Sistercas and Savinghomes, how are your creative projects coming along.

Love to you all.

:beer:

irishchick_3

Hi Everyone! Been a bit down in the dumps recently, as Im picking up everyone else is too!!? But Im back now and ready to fight the debt battle another day!
Ruby
I TOTALLY understand. It really does seem sometimes like debt is taking over your life!! You eat, sleep and live it and spend all your energy trying to work out how to make a few more pounds! Whats more frustrating is that every time I make a bit of headway and have a few pounds saved, something comes along and eats it up! Im getting so sick of it!! I also could go on for hours and hours and hours and hours.....

No parties this weekend but hoping to sell off my previous season Virgin Vie stuff tomorrow, so should make a few pounds. All towards Edinburgh, cause I havent even saved enough to pay the hotel yet, never mind spending money! And we go in 3 weeks!!!
Have 11 parties from now until then so it should be ok, fingers crossed!

Anyway, hope everyone is surviving the pre-xmas stress. :santa2: We should be more in touch with each other for support at the minute, but surprisingly we are corresponding less!

Come on Girls, lets get festive and remember to enjoy the holidays and be thankful for what we can give to our loved one's, however small and if they think it's small, they arent the type of folk you want to surround yourself with!:rudolf:

Love to all! Glad I have you girls!!

rubydoiwannabee

Morning IC (and everyone)
Thanks for your post, brilliantly written, poignant and true.

I for one feel inspired to be more positive!! Trouble is I know that positivity comes from the fact that I am just about to go out and spend!!! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Have a good day everyone and I agree lets support each other more.

xxxxx

sistercas

pic of my nieces new baby she is so sweet. and her mum loved the basket and so did everyone else, I am so pleased I did it

have to say I am fed up on the debt front too I keep looking at my snowball but it still tells me its ages before we are debt free.
with birthdays and xmas it puts strain on everybody, but it is a fabulous time of year and I am determined to enjoy it. i have all my xmas pressies apart from OH and DD's ( the most expensive of course!) some of them are wrapped.
ruby I am facinated by the snowmans soup? I will take a look where would you get cone bags from?

sistercas

irishchick wrote: »

Glad I have you girls!!

Absolutely!! I dont know what I would do without you all. I am so glad I can come and talk to people who understand and dont judge. I havent told anyone in the family about our debts and OH will not talk about it at all ,so without you all I would have noone! :T :T

rubydoiwannabee

SC, she is soooooo scrummy and cute. Almost made me broody!!!!