Miss Optimistic's Diary to stay focused & stay organised!

MissOptimistic

Hi Everyone
I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and start an online diary to keep me on track with getting rid of my debt and staying organised.
I am generally quite an organised person, but with a husband, 3 kids and a business to run, sometimes its easy to lose track of things.
First up - a bit about me - well, financially I am in a lot of doo-dah. As of yesterday my current debt stood at £74,762.06. Really, professional advice would probably suggest a DMP or bankruptcy as the best options, but I am not going to give in that easily. Earlier in the week saw my lowest point ever, I felt like I had been backed up against a wall with nowhere to go, but I am now starting to think positive and fight back as hard as I can. As you can see I started the £10 a day challenge just a couple of days ago, and look how well Im doing! :T
Despite owing a small fortune, I also believe that I could be in a far worse position, at least my family are all well and happy, so this diary will not just be about debt, but life in general.
So If I haven't bored you all to death already I hope you will stick around to encourage me with this mammoth task I face!

MissOptimistic

Right - jobs for today are: -

• List 5 items on e bay
• wash kitchen and bathroom floors
• look at balance transferring some money between credit cards
• hoover house from top to bottom
• look through boots xmas catalogue for gifts I can buy with points

Have just sent my two DS's down to the post office with 25 Euros and 8US Dollars I found to see if they can change it back into English money
Right, best get on with some jobs

MissOptimistic

Quick Update
List 5 items on e bay (One Down 4 to Go)
[STRIKE]wash kitchen and bathroom floors[/STRIKE] Done
look at balance transferring some money between credit cards
[STRIKE]hoover house from top to bottom[/STRIKE] Done
look through boots xmas catalogue for gifts I can buy with points

What is it with Ebay - I read so many diaries where people have things to list on ebay but procrastinate, (and I am one of them!)
Managed to list one item this morning but need to get taking some photos and listing some more
Boys are back from the post office and those few foreign notes netted me £23.55 - not bad to say it has been lying around the house for ages!

Bowski_1011

Hi MissOptimistic, you've made a great start, well done. I'll look forward to reading your diary!

bookseller1980

Hi MissOptimistic
Just thought I'd say well done for being so cheerful! I too own a small business and know the worries and challenges. Keep going and enjoy the Boots shopping.
I have been lurking for ages and this is my first ever post so thanks also for making me be brave enough to take the plunge!

clearmydebts

Hi,

Just wanted to pop in and say hi and good luck. I find the challenges on here very useful as well for motivating me!

MissOptimistic

Thanks everyone!
I have just ticked another item off my list - written a credit card cheque to pay £1500 off the Citicard - The interest on the Citicard is horrendous (27.9%) writing this cheque leaves about £700 left on there, which will be the next debt I will tackle from Next week. The credit card cheque I have written means it will be 0% until March, which will save me some interest between now and then.
This week I have been concentrating on my NEXT account - I have used this account for years and have to admit that I haven't really seen it as 'debt' but of course it is - Over the years, whenever me or the kids have needed some clothes, I have just picked up the NEXT directory. Anyway at the beginning of last week the balance was £147, but thanks to the £10 a day challenge, by Monday it should all be gone, leaving me free to concentrate on the Citicard.
After the Citicard comes the Mint card on which I owe about £640, but after that the challenge becomes harder, as the rest of the cards all have bit balances on them!
Oh well, small steps so they say!

MissOptimistic

Sorry that should have said 'big' balances on them - I wish they were 'bit' balances:rotfl:

paybacktime2008

You have made a great start. Well done and keep it up.

WorkingHardDFW

Hi I just wanted to say Hi and good luck :cool:

Its hard keeping the momentum going which is why the challenges come into their own. They help to keep you focused on a small achieveable target rather than the total of your debt.

keep up the good work :T

hypno06

Welcome aboard, and well done for making a good start.

There are a few of us who have been around a while, battling big big numbers, and as you will see, we are generally feeling a whole lot more in control of things than we were when we first started.

Take time to mooch around the boards, there are loads of ideas - from cutting back shopping bills to entering competitions, and getting freebies etc. These will all help bit by bit on the journey to becoming in control of your debt, and getting rid of it!