New DFW - Now my diary!!!

LittleEmms

Thanks ElizabethJH!! I use to get embarrassed a bit – even when it’s my right. However chicken isn’t cheap and I do like it a lot (easy for quick stir fry etc). I’m going to try and get into Turkey a bit next year – I’ve heard its cheaper (although not at Christmas! :rolleyes:) I also wanna try making turkey burgers – meant to be lovely!!

Thanks DTDT– I do feel lucky!! I had 4 days holiday left at beginning of December – was gonna save 1 to go xmas shopping – then looked at how it falls this year. We’re fortunate at our work that tomorrow & NYE is half day hols, so you only take 1 day to get them both off. So with that & the days off inbetween I have taken it! Haven’t had a really long break since May though – so am in need of it by now!! Just know I won’t wanna come back on the 5th :rotfl:

Sorry to hear you have to work through – but hopefully it won’t be too busy?!

determinedtodothis

have fun x

LittleEmms

Ok so I'm planning to sneak off early - I hope!! Need to go butter someone up (not literally... you know what I mean!!)

Not sure I'll get on here tomorrow or for the next few days - so wanted to wish everyone a FANTASTIC christmas, eat lots and be merry!!!

:xmastree: :snow_grin :xmassmile :rudolf: :xmassign: :xmassign: :snow_grin :xmassmile :rudolf: :xmastree:

ElizabethJH

Have a fab Christmas

LittleEmms

Hi Guys

Well firstly HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Hope you all had a good one!

Secondly – I haven’t fallen off the wagon! Have spent most of my January wages already – but mainly on presents for people prior to Christmas (and bearing in mind I don’t’ have a lot spare in the first place!) I have accounted for all the money I spent over xmas which meant going through my online statement to catch up on spend diary that I hadnt’ wrote in for a few weeks. Only money I couldn't account for was £20 cash I got out well before xmas…

However, the money I moved to my bills account for food & petrol (essential) is doing well – I think I’m spending below budget for those, so whatever I have left is going on the credit card and rent arrears.

I for once also have some money put towards my car tax due end of January.

I can’t wait til February when I don’t have to spend my money on other people. I do have a big night out planned in February though as its my birthday (a big birthday) – but I’m going to be careful not to go over the top, and spend only what is reasonable for a nice meal and boogie afterwards! (all in the same place so not only one cab journey needed!!)

Anyways – I still need to get to a library and do my council tax claim – as I need some hard evidence of sales prices back in 1991. That is programmed in for Saturday and very embarrassingly I still haven’t rang Sky!!

But new year’s resolution is to do at least one thing a day and that’s on my list for tomorrow!!

So glad to get back to normal – normal shopping – meal planning and knowing what I’m doing!! Is that sad!?!? :rolleyes:

Emms J

LittleEmms

Ok so back to the diary – I need to keep track of things and I need to feel that I’m getting somewhere.

Food shopping last night – bought stuff for lunch for next two weeks, no buying lunch with money I don’t have!!! Unfortunately food shopping hasn’t come under budget as much as I’d like, but did include Christmas food shopping and my budget was £20 below what I gave myself the first month I started my DFW journey.

Yesterday … guess what …………. I FINALLY RANG SKY!!! :T Got a bloomin foreign call centre :mad: (really winds me up) and found out that my broadband contract runs out on 14th January – then I can reduce usage – so reminder in calendar to do that. Will only reduce my bill by £5 a month, but all these little £5 add up.

Am just about to transfer £20 to credit card. Cheque from Nan for xmas that cleared today is going to paying the towels I bought on C Card (via the net) the other day for house. They were in the sale and I’ve been desperate for towels, so heres to me paying it off immediately. :T

(I know keeping the credit is a bit mad, but until I build up emergency fund – I really can’t risk getting rid of it completely)

Tomorrow I am off to the library to get evidence of sale prices to back up my council tax claim.

I need to sit down and work out birthdays. On transferring calendar last night I realise I have 4 birthdays in March and 4/5 in June!!! So I’m determined to buy 2 presents in February for March and in April & May for the June birthdays.

I am proud I still have Car Tax money put aside. Not all of it, but half, which normally I don’t have any!!!

Still got a lot to work on, but I’m getting there!! Hopefully check in over the weekend and hope you’re all ok???

Emms

determinedtodothis

Hey welcome back!

I'm in the same boat although i get paid weekly so officially i have a 3rd saved for it now *LOL* i feel very smug i have to say - but i'm determined to start as i mean to go on!

Thats good news about sky, every little saving helps and fingers crossed on the council tax, i'm in the other position so i'm staying very quiet!

LittleEmms

Ok so the usually happy LittleEmms is on a downer a bit...

I looked at credit card, I had put a few more presents than I should have on it over Xmas. It's not gone up majorly - but more than it should. I really need to talk to my family now and explain I am not in a good place and need to get my debt down.

I can't earn any extra (explained at the beginning of diary) although secretly lap dancing at the weekends is becoming more tempting (joking btw... I could never!)

I don't know how to get through this stuff quicker... I hate the fact its going to take me ages.

Crap_with_money.com

Good morning, good morning - and a Happy New year to ye!!

Sorry you're feeling down Ems - it's not like you at all!! Try not to get too despondant - I know it seems when you first start out as though you're in a never ending vicious circle of debt - but you'll be amazed at just how quickly the time passes and that debt goes down!

If you're anything like me, you should set yourself lots of little goals - like changing even just one type of behaviour (Starting with saving for the car tax instead of using credit to pay it is a great one, because you'll feel so proud of yourself when it's paid off!!).

As for the pressies - who are they actually for? I have quite a big family, and when I used to buy for friends as well, it meant I had a min of 3 birthdays per month. At the beginning of last year, I sent out a message to the friends I would normally buy for, and just said to them that as none of us really had the cash to spare, would they mind if we stopped the pressies. They all still tend to have birthday nights out, so by the time I was adding the cost of that to the pressie - it was costing a bloomin' fortune!!

If you can't cut them out altogether, there are probably loads of ways you can cut the cost down drastically.

How was your Christmas and New year anyway? Did you have a good time?

My DFW diary has totally fallen by the wayside over the festive period - but I will get back on track at some point!

xx

retrocircles

Maybe try to put a little aside for Christmas starting this month so the same doesn't happen in December?

Lovely diary! Good luck!