Hello! Newbie!

determinedtodothis

Well to day i shall have a NSD I have my lunch with me and my dinner sorted

I've been on to do my daily scratchcards and noticed that on take-a-break they have started putting my winnings under "bonus" which is a bit naff but the littlewood balance is slowly creeping up.

i'm trying to get my head round my electricity as that is something i can control so i've posted on the electricity board to see if someone can help me out with the primary and secondary units stuff i find it all very confusing! I'm going to start charging my phone at work again I think, at the moment the only thing I leaved plugged in 24/7 is my fridge but i need to get a bit tighter I know the cost has gone up but my bills for the summer is still alot I think and I want to get into the habit before the winter comes i'm wondering whether to go the hole hog and invest in candles I know it seems a bit extreme but when you have the TV on you don't really need a light as well its more of a comfort thing isn't it?

The weekend i'm going to have a sort through and see if there is anything I can put on ebay to raise some funds.

determinedtodothis

Today will be another NSD :j my friend cancelled our catch up at lunch and she always pressures me into eating with her, i've tried just having a drink but she says it makes her feel akward so i've brough my lunch in and i have dinner defrosting in the fridge

did my free scratchcards today - again take a break money went into my bonus pot which is very annoying otherwise I would have withdrawn £20 and paid towards something!

i'm going to check out the ebay post about all the weird and wonderful things that people have sold on there so I can have an idea in my head for my sort out the weekend..i wonder if they still do the 1p ebay listing days? maybe it might be better to wait until them - maximise on profit?

I've put my council tax on direct debit today because they allow you to pay over 12 months, this works out a bit better for my cashflow situation so i've updated the budget sheet i created.

I've decided when i get paid i'm going to go down the piggy bank budget route - although i'm not sure whether to start opening additional accounts or not i don't want to make it too confusing, i might road - test it using envelopes for a month see how I go, withdraw my money for food, going out, petrol etc and put it in to envelopes i deal with money much better when I can physically see it disappearing!

justruth

Sounds like a good plan, all going well again now?

determinedtodothis

yeah much better thank i just gotta be a bit more strict with my spending for food etc...

determinedtodothis

Well today was going to be another NSD but my friend wants to come over tonight, she is having a crisis so she's bringing the wine and i need to buy something for dinner, I was going to have beans on toast but i can't offer her that so i'll have to go to the supermarket :rolleyes:

Have done my budget for next month and boy is it tight I have a friends bday party which I have budgeted £80 - sounds a lot but they live in Devon, i agreed to go months ago after no seeing her for 2 years so I really need to go, just could do with out it...

SO i need to have an action plan:

Challenge 1:
I've noticed that my cheap phone is not so cheap - i pay by DD but quite often my bill is £30+ considering its the £11.50 tariff i need to curb this im meant to get free evening and weekend calls so i need to make sure i'm using the phone properly if i can make even a £10 saving on that next month that would be good.

Challenge 2:
I've got £9 credit on my mobile and 30 free text on line so I'm going to aim to not credit my phone all month and use facebook,email and free text to contact mates

Challenge 3:
I knew this month was going to be tight so i've stock piled a few foods and cleaning products that should get me thru the month - target is to spend £10 on shopping (this really should be emergencies only)

Challenge 4:
Spend only £80 getting to and going out for mates birthday - have had a read up on the motoring board about keeping revs under 3000, the tyres pumped and as little junk in the car as possible :rolleyes:

Challenge 5:
Use as little Electricity this month as humanly possible (this wont really help this month but if i can get into the habit now I will make savings this winter plus it will mean more credit towards my winter bill)

Challenge 6:
To make at least £30 on Ebay

Challenge 7:
And this is the biggy....23 NSD's

Bring it on!!!

determinedtodothis

Well I have kinda already started this even though I have a week to go till the end of the month, I am still 7 days short of my NSD total for August and i bought some bread today so I am not allowed to spend anything more that whats been budgeted for this week.

Quite funny this week my mate commented on how much i must spend on bottled water as I drink a lot and always have a bottle in the fridge and two at work - I explained I re-fill the bottles from the tap but i did laugh if only she knew how skint I was! *LOL*

SO i need to have an action plan:

Challenge 1:
I've noticed that my cheap phone is not so cheap - i pay by DD but quite often my bill is £30+ considering its the £11.50 tariff i need to curb this im meant to get free evening and weekend calls so i need to make sure i'm using the phone properly if i can make even a £10 saving on that next month that would be good.

Have checked this out and registered myself on line so I can see how much i've spent - £7 already in 2 weeks so I need to wait to 6pm and stop ringing people on the mobile, although i'm contemplating the mobile add on for £1.50 see if that makes difference.

Challenge 2:
I've got £9 credit on my mobile and 30 free text on line so I'm going to aim to not credit my phone all month and use facebook,email and free text to contact mates

£5.14 pence left and 28 on-line text message and free text messages on my mobile until 15th Sept

Challenge 3:
I knew this month was going to be tight so i've stock piled a few foods and cleaning products that should get me thru the month - target is to spend £10 on shopping (this really should be emergencies only)

Bought some bread for the freezer £1.87

Challenge 4:
Spend only £80 getting to and going out for mates birthday - have had a read up on the motoring board about keeping revs under 3000, the tyres pumped and as little junk in the car as possible :rolleyes:


Challenge 5:
Use as little Electricity this month as humanly possible (this wont really help this month but if i can get into the habit now I will make savings this winter plus it will mean more credit towards my winter bill)

My mum gave me a few candles over the weekend so will use them and see how I get on! having been doing my washing over night too

Challenge 6:
To make at least £30 on Ebay

Challenge 7:
And this is the biggy....23 NSD's

Bring it on!!!

Verbatim

Glad to see things are going well. You sound very upbeat despite the ultra skintness this month.

determinedtodothis

Thanks Verbatim..i'm trying i did have a bit of a cry TBH which i why i tried to break it down and do the challenges, i'm just tired of looking at my DFD and worrying that life will have passed me by before I've paid it off. I've joint PAP's 100 day challenge as well tonight i'm going to takle the smaller card and then hopefully in 200 days i'll be in a position to pay it off. I figured any change I get from the shopping bills or telephone bills where i've over budgeted i'll keep a side it is a big challenge and it means i need to find an extra £20ish a week but it might keep me on track with scratchcards and surveys

Sweetpeanut

Just read the WHOLE!! of your diary, and boy are you good!!!:D well done with everything you've done, your doing brilliant, an i wish you luck, on your DF journey, ive now subscribed to see how you get on, well done and keep it up, you should be very,very,very proud of yourself:dance::dance::dance::dance::dance:

dippydan

Good luck! its the support on here that keeps everyone going!