Evan's DFW & Wedding Diary

hypno06

So, you have made a good start.

For what it's worth, I would still go for paying off the additions in full asap rather than chucking money at the vanquis - I know vanquis has more interest, but additions is so small, even with the candle frame thingy that YOU DIDN'T NEED added to the bill. Once you have paid it all CLOSE THE BLOODY THING!!!!!!!!!

That is the only way you are going to get debt free - if you get RID once and for all. The candle frame purchase has just proved that you are easily able to buy things you cannot afford!

Horace

Welcome back evanesco.

There is a way to stop spending...dont take any money with you when you go out. Stop buying stuff you don't need and more importantly won't use.

Have you tried speaking to the bank to see if they will reduce your overdraft - that way you will be less inclined to overspend? Go back to keeping a spending diary to see where you are frittering money away e.g. on things you don't need like the candlestick.

As Hypno says join the challenges - £2 savers club, £10 a day - it all helps.

Think of your wedding - look at it this way - do you want the wedding of your dreams with champagne or will it be jam sandwiches and vimto? Why not save up £2 coins and put them towards the wedding?

Good luck.

~evanesco~

Thanks both of you. I can't join the £2 savers, or £10 a day club, because everything is budgeted for, and pretty much every penny has a place where it is destined to be spent, IYSWIM. The only thing we do actually do is throw 5p, 2p & 1p's in a bucket. I've just counted up and there's £6 in it. When it gets to £10, I'm going to bank it and pay it straight off something. You're right Hypno, get rid of the Additions & Grattan, then they're closed and gone. OH has ordered 2 coats, and I've insisted I'm not giving her any pocket money (we have £15.00 a week each that is generally ours to do as we please) until she's cleared it, so each week I'll pay that off the Next. Luckily she did go through cashback, and so long as I don't give in and let her have the money instead of paying off the bill, I'm fine with it. I have to be strong! She could have just got the coat fixed I bought her last year, which wasn't bloody cheap, and now looks likely to be stuck in the cupboard forever more. It only needs a new zip. I might take it in for her and take the money out her pocket money as well. That'll teach her a lesson. We do keep a spending diary, with the exception being our pocket money. She's done good today, sent her shopping with £40, she went over by 2p, normally it's about £10 over, so I was quite proud. Have put my wages in the bank, straight away, normally I would bring them home and bits and pieces get spent, not this time. Rent and council tax is paid, on time for the first time in months. I've juggled our finances so that although I get paid on the 28th (usually) It doesn't count until the 1st of the month, if that makes sence. I had to many bills all around the 24th and was forever gettin advances from my wages to pay them and then my rent would end up late, but this is sorted now. That's a good feeling. We've found some lights, from Wilko's that are £15.00 cheaper than B n Q, so I'm off for those tomorrow, and getting us a railcard, to share with our friends, since it'll save us a fair bit over the year. 2 trips and it will have paid for itself. I've decided to transfer everything into a savings account that doesn't need to be in the bank, so there's £25.77 left to last until the 1st, and I moved £27 into the savings account so it can't be accessed so easily.

Happytogetdebtfree

Hello Evan, i too am saving for a wedding and battling debts i am pretty much on track with my dfw journey and will hopefully be dfw by my year anniversary after the wedding its hard to save for a wedding and pay debts it can get you down, we will have a grand to put away next month after saving and extra jobs so thats made me really happy i get some satisfaction from saving and seeing it in my bank hehe the hard bit is not spending it xx

hobbeshalftail

Is your overdraft interst free? If so, that should be the last thing you clear - much better to put the full extent of that into your killer interest accruing repayments. If it isn't interest free perhaps have a chat with the bank and see if they will come to some agreement about a suitable interest free amount - I know I have £500 overdraft facility without paying a penny, and hubbie has £1000 on his with a really low interest amount to pay - works out about £4 a month, so far better to use those to their limit and pay the extras off the nasty interest ones.
In relation to the candle holder - sounds lovely btw! - have you got anything you could stick on EB*y? I have a theory that if I buy something on impulse I must try to get rid of something else that I don't really need to try to recoup the losses - you'd be amazed at what will sell - a few CDs, books, even used clothes, sample bottles of cosmetics, old mobile phones etc - you might be able to get your £30 back plus extra and slap that straight back onto your Additions account!

~evanesco~

hobbeshalftail wrote: »

Is your overdraft interst free? If so, that should be the last thing you clear - much better to put the full extent of that into your killer interest accruing repayments. If it isn't interest free perhaps have a chat with the bank and see if they will come to some agreement about a suitable interest free amount - I know I have £500 overdraft facility without paying a penny, and hubbie has £1000 on his with a really low interest amount to pay - works out about £4 a month, so far better to use those to their limit and pay the extras off the nasty interest ones.
In relation to the candle holder - sounds lovely btw! - have you got anything you could stick on EB*y? I have a theory that if I buy something on impulse I must try to get rid of something else that I don't really need to try to recoup the losses - you'd be amazed at what will sell - a few CDs, books, even used clothes, sample bottles of cosmetics, old mobile phones etc - you might be able to get your £30 back plus extra and slap that straight back onto your Additions account!

That's a good idea. I'll have a nose about for stuff to sell. I wonder if my old uni books will fetch anything, must check on Amazon. Re: the overdraft, it's £500, and we just live in it, it's annoying more than anything, it's not interest free, about £6.50 p/m.

~evanesco~

Had a pretty DFW weekend, due to staying in and decorating our lounge. Took 2 wgole days, but it's done now. It's the first bit of decorating we've done since we moved in 2 1/2 years ago. I've had a look at fitting our own lights, but it looks too complicated, so I'll get a sparkie, a bloke who comes in to work said about £40, but since I don't know how much these things cost, I don't know if that's reasonable or not. Today, have speant £3.60 on bus fares, but it should only have been £3.20, for some reason between 3.30pm and 4.15pm children have to pay adult buse fares, go figure. That's all though. Going to update my spreadsheet now.

redsquirrel80

Hi Evan, wanted to wish you lots of luck, but was a bit puzzled by this:

I can't join the... £10 a day club because everything is budgeted for,

- don't know if you've seen the £10 a day thread but it's about trying to raise £10 extra per day (obviously averaged out over the month), and doesn't have to involve spending money. OK, so matched betting and getting cashback on things you buy does, but surveys, daily clicks, selling stuff (eBay, carboot sale, Amazon, etc - yes there are sellers fees but it's minimal) etc doesn't cost you anything. I can't find October's challenge at the mo - braindead after work - but here's September's... even if you don't aim for the whole £10 a day it's worth a look for all the ideas in there

Lucy1982_2

Hi Evan!

I'm completely with you on the LBM and coming back with more debt (I can't admit mine to anyone yet... I'm to embrassed)

But we'll do it and be better people for it in the meantime!

Oooo and keep up informed of the wedding plans! I have some newly boxed and never used cake pillars if you need any!! (they weren't mine! and the couple who didn't use them are still married!)

~evanesco~

redsquirrel80 wrote: »

Hi Evan, wanted to wish you lots of luck, but was a bit puzzled by this:



- don't know if you've seen the £10 a day thread but it's about trying to raise £10 extra per day (obviously averaged out over the month), and doesn't have to involve spending money. OK, so matched betting and getting cashback on things you buy does, but surveys, daily clicks, selling stuff (eBay, carboot sale, Amazon, etc - yes there are sellers fees but it's minimal) etc doesn't cost you anything. I can't find October's challenge at the mo - braindead after work - but here's September's... even if you don't aim for the whole £10 a day it's worth a look for all the ideas in there

Thank you for your help. The thing is, I know this seems like I'm trying to get out of it, I'm not, but I am quite busy with work. I mystery shop, when suitable assignments come up, use cashback sites for my online stuff, and simply can't get my head around matched betting! I actually thought the challenge was to pay £10 off something, but that's a payment a day challenge :rolleyes: My brain fell asleep!