DFSD's motivational ramblings...

debtfreesomeday

'Oh no, not another diary' I hear you say...

Don't worry, I don't expect anyone to really read this (!), but am going to record my progress in tackling our HUGE debts; to keep myself motivated and to record the little milestones along the way. Then I can remind myself how well I'm doing at times when I feel like giving in. If anyone wished to 'listen' to my mutterings or ramble on with me then feel free to join in!

So, a little about me to start... I'm nearing the big 3.0. within the next year, got married in the past year to my lovely hubby and we're wanting to start a family in the next few years. Unfortunately, for various reasons in the past we've accrued 2 massive loans and have one nasty credit card balance left to deal with and, at the moment, could not afford to have children with our present debt repayment. We would also like to save some money and build up a bit of financial security, not having to live payday to payday as we do presently!

SO... after a few flickers on the old lightbulb, it finally flashed on and stayed on for us about 4 or 5 months ago. We realised we HAD to stick to some sort of plan in order to live our lives to the full.

At that time, our debt was probably in the region of around £33K, if not a little more, all on loans & credit cards and around a £500 overdraft each month.
After many evenings of drawing up budget-sheets, searching these forums and checking out the snowball calculator (I LOVE THE SNOWBALL!), we've managed to get our debt down to under £27K. It will take us some years to be debt free (last loan repayment is in 2015 if we don't pay it off before) but at least there's now a light at the end of the tunnel!

So that's the story so far, let the rambling begin!...

debtfreesomeday

Well after exhausting our piles of cds on music magpie last month (£57 made there ) , I've recently tried selling some old books from uni on Amazon. Wasn't sure how it would go, or if any would sell, but I've made nearly £50 in the last 2 weeks! Am well chuffed! Another one sold today for £13 profit, so have paid another £13 off on our credit card. :T It's great to see it going down.

Gonna have a look at the cupboards of cookbooks tonight and check out if some are worth selling. I've never even used half of them, sadly my culinary skills have not drastically increased through ownership of so many lovely foodie books!

debtfreesomeday

Ooh, just checked my email and have a voucher for a free 'pre-opening evening' meal for two at a Wagamamas due to open soon locally. That's our Friday sorted!
I remember registering for this but never heard anything until now. It's a bit of a drive to the town, (about 20 - 30 mins) but we'll make an evening of it after work and go shopping before the meal to try and get a few more Christmas presents sorted. What a lovely treat to end the week on!

debtfreesomeday

To keep me on the DFW track...

Today I will/have:
• Charged my phone at work
• Bought breakfast & lunch to work
• Put a casserole in the slow cooker for dinner tonight (not sure how long this new, organised, domestic goddess in me will stick around for!)
• Go to gym to use free membership
• Pack up Amazon sale to send tomorrow - look into getting postage online, read on here somewhere that you can print off & pay postage on Royal Mail's website, that will be a great help as post office is a bit out of the way
• Have a NSD (apart from CC payment but that was made from Amazon sale):T
• Make packed lunch tonight for work tomorrow
• Print off free wagamama meal voucher
• Check online banking etc.
• Chase up Paypal payment from lightspeed survey - c'mon, where art thou dosh?

Think that'll do...

ltm07

First of all, well done on sticking around, I think most of us have felt the urge to give up at some time or other. Well done also on shifting £6k of debt in such a short time, that is amazing! All the best!

debtfreesomeday

Thanks ltm07, it's been a tough slog getting everything in order and starting to make a plan, but now we're getting into the habit I'm hoping it will become second nature. Can't imagine what it will be like having an extra £700+ a month in the bank when we finally become debt free!

SC01

Sounds like you've got a clear plan!

Enjoy your meal at Wagamamas - I love it there but can never justify the price when there's a very cheap and equally nice noodle place round the corner!

debtfreesomeday

Thanks SCO1, believe it or not, I've never been to a wagamamas before so I'm really looking forward to it! According to the voucher we get a side order each, a main meal each and two drinks each, FREE! I think they use the evening as a staff training exercise or something.

debtfreesomeday

Well I've learnt a lesson tonight!

I've just been on Royal Mail's website to print off and pay postage online for an Amazon sale made this morning, the lady who bought the book lives in Switzerland and I forgot how heavy it was - looks like it's gonna cost me nearly £10 out of my £13 profit to post the damn thing! :mad: Stupid me, didn't think. Have just gone back to my Amazon account and am now selling books in the uk only!

Oh well, I suppose I'll know for next time.

My slow cooker casserole didn't work too great tonight either - was a bit odd tasting! Not sure what went wrong, but I find our slow cooker meals are a bit hit and miss. Sometimes they're amazing, other times they're awful! Think I need some more practice...

Well there goes my good mood I'd found halfway through the day!

Was going to Vacumn the house now but I think a bit of 'time out' in the bath is calling louder than the hoover...

debtfreesomeday

That's it! I'm never going to Tesco ever again! I find our local one disgusting for overpriced, poor quality goods, a filthy store and rude staff. After stopping off to buy some goods for a charity event in work this morning, I was astounded at how rude some 'customer service' staff can be. To cut a long story short, I was shortchanged at a self serve till - just one of those things, didn't annoy me or anything - so politely waited for a free member of staff to be told she didn't have time to deal with me. Next staff member was incredibly rude as I couldn't remember which till it was out of 2, as lady behind me had swapped lanes. It was one or the other! Grrrrrrr.

Anyway, after some deep breaths and chocolate cake, I'm once again, calm :rotfl:

So, DFW stuff to do today:

• Bring breakfast & lunch to work (oops - had chocolate cake instead of brekkie - was for charity so that's ok I guess)
• Check online banking, CC, Quidco
• Check for Amazon sales - listed one more book last night, forgot to list the cook books!
• Go for free meal at wagamamas tonight :j
• Look for freebies on the boards
• Handwashed a few bits this morning and hung on the line to dry (or freeze solid in this weather)
• Post Amazon sale, birthday card and voucher earned from Pigsback as a pressie
That's about it I think... oh, and eat some more cake :j

debtfreesomeday

£10 from lightspeed surveys finally showed up in my paypal account, so that's another £10 just paid off the credit card :j
Hopefully, I'll manage to clear as much as possible before the 0% runs out next August...