Another Debt Free Diary :)

ElizabethJH

So I had a couple of girls round for a film (confessions of a shopaholic love that film!!) and made some tofu stirfry (was yummy - one girl was on ramadan and one girl is on low carb so had to compromise with food) AND I tidied all up after myself

Made extra rice and froze 3 veggie chilli meals and have enough for 2 meals tonight (another girly film with a friend) so a NSD day today and feeling quite positive about everything!!

Well haven't really got anything else to add - my diary isn't very inspirational at the moment, I'm just at the clawing my way through to pay day stage and surprisingly enough it's not been too hard!!

ElizabethJH

Also - just had a thought - my reserve charges from Barclays would have been over £500 in last year - surely this could be a case of financial hardship? I think I should go with it at least!?

ElizabethJH

Asking for £492.43 back from HOF - I will be happy to accept less mind I went on at Abbey and they paid me the full amount back though, so because Frasercard is now Santander Cards, I'm hoping for the same result!!!!!

Tete_en_l'Air

You never know - best of luck with it and well done on making the food stretch! When's payday for you? Mine's not til next Friday, can't believe I've still got a week to go!

ElizabethJH

Yes - next Friday for me as well! I found some cheese and rolls in the freezer so I've and cheese and pickles sandwiches all week! Have other credit cards to do the same on but need £10 for cheques before I can send off...

I will definitel chase up Barclays for Hardship Claim, I've had the forms before but never filled in, so will find them off and send off.. think I've got about £1500 of charges to claim bank from my bank.. if I could get that sooner then it would really make my year!!!

Oh well, get paid Monday from work I do on weekend, but going to try and survive on the minimum again - maybe give myself a £5 for the week!?

ElizabethJH

Well I think the date is going to be postponed... not for bad reasons though - rearranging for next week when we're both less busy!! Had friend over again last night, and managed a NSD so I'm up to 5! I don't want to check my bank balance as it's depressing and there's nothing I can do about it, but I'm going to make myself do it. Also need to sit and speak with my Mom and Dad and explain I went off the rails a bit and am probably going to need another months where I don't pay off the debt to them. Feel like a disappointment but there's no point hiding it, another month off would mean I could get my account totally back in line and then I would just need to make up the money to them over the remaining months by working extra jobs wherever I can!

I do wonder sometimes whether I'll ever truely be good with money, ok I can get myself out of debt again now - but I've got myself out and back into debt so many times now that it just doesn't seem like the message is sinking in?

I have too many friends and a life that I could never afford - I'm 27 and if I had a choice I'd still be out partying every night. And I don't think it's even that I enjoy it all that much - it's more I want everyone else to know I'm having fun, and to have something to talk to people about!?

Oh well I'm just going to get debt free for now and then hopefully something will click properly this time!!

natsplatnat

Morning Elizabeth!

I know exactly where you are coming from - I 'spose I haven't been totally debt free since I was about 18 - am now 29! My plan at the moment is to get myself debt-free and then work at staying that way - I think you almost have to treat it as an addiction - like those who give up cigarettes or any form of drug. If you can stop yourself having 'just a little bit' you can beat it!

5 NSD's is a major achievement - and something I have never done! I'm sure your parents will be fine if you just talk to them.

Nats x

ElizabethJH

Yer - I think I got given my first credit card when I was 18 (I didn't ask for it the bank just sent it me) and after that it's been downhill since!! I wish I could be the kind of person this sort of thing came naturally too, I think I'm going to have to spend the rest of my life reigning my spending in so I never get into debt again after this - so tiring though!!!

Tete_en_l'Air

ElizabethJH wrote: »

I have too many friends and a life that I could never afford - I'm 27 and if I had a choice I'd still be out partying every night. And I don't think it's even that I enjoy it all that much - it's more I want everyone else to know I'm having fun, and to have something to talk to people about!?[/QUOTE]

Aw, Elizabeth - it doesn't matter what everyone else thinks! You don't need to be out spending money to catch up with friends, as you know, you've had enough people over for cheap nights in. If they only want to see you in places where you can't even hear what each other is saying they can't be such good friends surely?

I don't mean to sound harsh but when you're saying stuff like that it doesn't really sound like you've had your 'lightbulb moment'. As long as you keep thinking that's the kind of life you want I think you'll always be in danger of slipping back into debt because,as you say, you can't afford to go out every night. If you can't afford to have it all you need to start making choices about what you'd rather have - two nights out a weekend or two nights out a month plus a weekend away every second month plus a summer holiday?

I'm sorry to sound like I'm lecturing because you are doing so well both at earning extra and spending less, but as long as you have it niggling in the back of your mind that you really want this or that then it's dangerous territory. Sorry

ElizabethJH

Thanks - that's exactly how I feel, I was ok last year I thought that I could get rid of the debt and move onto a life with my boy where I would get on with settling down, but now I just don't know what I want!? Just to stop constantly thinking about money I guess!!

I need to get on with finishing tidying my house, growing up and starting to make something of my life!! Think I'm just having one of those days, as you say I love having nights in and do have great friends who are supportive of me. I need to get back to doing something productive in the evenings, whether it's cooking or making dresses or knitting... I know what I've got to do, sometimes I just don't want to do it though!!!