DFSD's motivational ramblings...

debtfreesomeday

I've had lots of survey invites today so guess I should catch up on those tonight. Will probably be screened out of most of them at the last minute though as usual.:mad:

Have been taking a look at my snowball again today just to try and kick start my motivation again. The credit card should be paid off by February, then the loan will be paid off within 12 months or so. That got me thinking about the council tax free months of March & April - we'll have an extra £220 because of that, so I think I'll use that as an extra payment towards the sofas and get them paid off early then, so final payment in June/July instead of September of next year. Actually, thinking about it, they're interest free, so will probably be better if I pay and extra £220 off the Lloyds loan in the long term which is 8.9%.

Am thinking of running some more cds past music magpie again as we have boxes of cds under the spare bed that we were intending to car boot. Think they were ones MM were offered us really pitiful amounts for before but guess any cash is better than them sitting under the bed gathering dust. Think I'll have to summon up the will to do that though, it's a tedious job!

DFSD

debtfreesomeday

Well I didn't get to do the surveys last night, I spent a bit of time researching some medical conditions and chronic diseases they think my Mum might have.
I just wish they'd hurry up and do something positive. It was a bad night again last night.

Have got back to the competitions this morning - need something to keep my mind occupied today. I'm going to try and look at the surveys tonight, but the laptop keeps playing up every time I use it at the moment so I'm getting really frustrated with it every time I use it. :mad:

No more money-saving news. It's payday in 3 days, so on Thursday I shall pay a chunk off the credit card - £311.77 this month - instead of the usual £411.77 to make up for the £100 I 'forgot about' regarding the sofa payment date. I paid £511.77 off last month so it's evened out really.

DFSD

debtfreesomeday

I've been mulling over the budget for once we get paid. Due to being overdrawn and not controlling the money very well this month:o:confused:, we are going to have an unrealistic amount left once all the bills etc have been paid, thus, resulting in us being overdrawn again next month and so the downward spiral begins...
SO, I've decided to pay less this month off the card than I was planning to. I'm going to pay off £205 this month, leaving the balance at a rounded £1500. This won't alter the date we become credit card debt free - it will still be in Feb of next year - but it just means we'll have to pay off £260 instead of £156. Considering we normally pay £411.77 off a month, we'll still be much better off in Feb than we have been in ages! I just think this is more sensible than struggling all this month, and possibly next, when the virgin card is 0% and will get paid off in the same amount of time.

DFSD

debtfreesomeday

Just typed a bit of an update and laptop lost the whole lot. :mad:

To summarise, got screened out of all surveys :mad:, did lots of quick matches so hopefully some more surveys coming my way soon.

Cooked nice healthy meal tonight and have prepared packed lunch and planned dinner for tomorrow. Rescued a couple of squidgy pears from the fruit bowl and threw them into some sugar free jellies for healthy puddings for the rest of the week.

Weighed myself and have lost 5lbs since I last jumped on the scales a few weeks ago. Considering the amount of cr&p I've been eating this past week, I'm more than happy with that.

An early (ish) night for me tonight, not been sleeping fantastically these past few weeks.

DFSD
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debtfreesomeday

Have just made a payment of £205 off the credit card, now leaving the balance at £1500. Can't wait until it's under £1K!

I've entered more comps this morning and bought last night's leftovers for lunch today - a weight watchers recipe of cod & leek gratin...mmm. Got another portion in the freezer for a yummy packed lunch one day next week.

We need to fill the car up with petrol again today - hubby has had to do quite a bit of travelling round for work this week - this tank of fuel will be coming out of next month's budget - although hubby's expenses should be paid in this week so that will more than cover it. :T

Also need to take a pair of jeans and a belt back at the weekend (£14) that I bought last weekend, but I need to change it for some that fit instead, so no money back there!

Tonight I shall be working the budget out as it's pay day tomorrow. The lower credit card payment this month will help us get back out of the overdraft and hopefully mean we won't be overdrawn next month with careful budgeting.

DFSD
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debtfreesomeday

Right, updated budget for this month:

In: £2230

Out:
Bills: £700
Loans £385.23
Petrol & Groceries: £300
Credit Card: £205
Sofa HP: £103
Tax/ins savings: £100

= £436.77 remaining.

- overdraft of £241 (rounded up to £250)

= £186.77 'left over'.

Perfectly do-able.

debtfreesomeday

Well it's payday today and I've been paid a bit more than I was expecting - an extra £83! It's backpay from a 1% payrise we had a while ago and they've only just got round to paying it, I forgot all about it.

So, £50 has gone towards another bill, the remaining £33 is being paid off as an extra payment to the credit card, so outstanding balance now at £1467. :T

I've transferred £100 over to the tax and insurance savings; given hubby the £20 I owed him and paid the few pounds I owed at work for lottery.

So there's £146 left in the pot. All I can think that I need to buy this month is a few more Christmas presents and 2 birthday presents, So should have a fair amount left over for anything else that crops up.

DFSD
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debtfreesomeday

Also got another £2 in some change last night so that's £8 in the £2 coin pot now! :rotfl:

debtfreesomeday

Monday again. .

I managed to finish the Christmas present shopping at the weekend, except for little things like chocolates and the foody jars I'll be making nearer the time. Glad that's all done now, we can concentrate on paying even more money off the credit cards the next couple of months now or saving for the car servicing which is due. :rolleyes:

Getting all the Christmas shopping done has taken a big chunk out of the left over money though - I have about £40 - £50 left for the rest of the month. This should be fine though as I don't actually NEED anything else. Oh, I do need a pair of jeans but couldn't find any at the weekend. I only intend buying a cheap £10 pair anyway!

I did lots of cleaning and laundry yesterday and wrapped most of the Christmas stuff. Also had a lovely slow cooker roast. Also updated the spending / budget lists and... did something quite brave.... I cut up the emergency credit card!:eek::D:eek:D. To be completely honest, it has been too tempting to put stuff on it lately whilst we've been feeling so down and dismal and skint. I did put £60 worth of stuff on it which I paid off within the week. It is a 0% card BUT it did make me realise that I will not be out of debt if I ever have a credit card, so it's gone. :T The account is still open, but we have no card. I'll leave it that way until we are debt free and then cancel the account too. No more wasting my money and convincing myself I can afford things when I really can't.

Onto other more important things, Mum is still poorly and each day is a struggle. I was awake at 1am and then 3am until about 5am this morning, worrying myself sick. I'm having bad and very intense dreams lately too which seems to happen when I have a lot on my mind. So, I'm knackered this morning and not loving being in work (not that I ever do!).

Tonight I'm going to try and clean the bathrooms after work if I can muster up the energy to do so. Hubby's dinner is sorted - leftovers from last night's roast - I shall grab myself something from the cupboard as and when I feel like it.

I've ordered an online shop delivery for tomorrow night. It's a bit more of an expensive one as we're out of most of the meat in the freezer so I'm stocking that up again. Should come in at around £65 - £70.

I've entered a few comps this morning but my mind's not in it much really at the moment.

DFSD
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debtfreesomeday

Had another look over the shopping order and managed to cut it down to around £60 inclusive of delivery.

Have been entering competitions like my life depends on it too!