Joining the club

pandapaws

Sounds like you're doing really well at keeping yourself motivated. It's all these little things that make a difference - not so much for the odd quid here and there, but the way it makes you think about money. Sometimes I see something that's 'only a fiver', but remember how much clicking I had to do to earn that fiver and don't bother.

Fingers crossed for the bonus!

the_drifter

PP - your so right.

Managed to sell my car, picked up an old run about for £500. Bonus was higher than expected, so when I take my next snapshot at the end of Feb, I will have made real progress.

Been doing the scratchcards and it's amazing how differently you end up looking at 10p or 50p!

Managed to find some more bits and pieces for ebay. Also got some old mobile phone bits and pieces that no one probably wants, but I hate for anything to go to waste.

thanks for the encouragement PP

pandapaws

I've got a load of mobile phone bits like that too. I'm considering dumping them all in a heap on the floor, taking a single photo and sticking on Ebay auction for 99p with no description other than 'everything you see in the photo - please don't ask what it is as I don't know!'. If not, there are always plenty of people on Freecycle who just don't seem to have enough clutter in their own homes and will gladly take some extra tat off your hands to stuff into their drawers!

Have you got a 'squares' chart on the go? It's fab motivation to colour in a square (like a 7 yr old!) every time you pay off £50 or £70 in my case. Mine has been lagging lately because of excess spending but hoping to get back into it soon.

the_drifter

not got squares, but got myself a spreadsheet, where I log daily spends, current debt balances, balance expected at the end of the month, my expected dfw date (which has been coming down!) - geeky I know, but is keeping my focus in these crazy times.

I know in the past all my money would go and I wouldn't even now where. Not going to happen now!

pandapaws

Yep, got several of them here too. They're not working at the moment though!

the_drifter

well was keeping pretty good of tracking everything, until last couple of days where I have bought and sold a few things on ebay, pay day and a few other expenses, now I have no idea what my position is. hopefully become clearer in a day or so!

the_drifter

Well, all in all has been a very productive month in reducing down the debts. Bonus at work and tax refund was all good

Been playing around with spreadsheets and estimate on a conservative basis that I will be able to reduce my debt by around £800 per month. Been trying to anticipate expenses going out 6 months. Updated my snowball calculator and came out with a DFD of October 2015.

Did make nearly £200 off ebay which should come in next month which I have not accounted for. The last week quite expensive, though new month, new focus comes to mind.

Looking after the pennies and hopefully the pounds will follow.

Good luck everyone on the challenges ahead

the_drifter

seems to have been all go this month. Busy at work, been trying to ebay, so flat is a mess with bits and pieces everywhere.

Lost track a bit as to where I am at, but I seem to have been making some progress on the ebay.

Just had the electric bill for the winter, £344 eek. A bit hard to cut down when you have a flatmate that doesn't have the same money constraints.

not had much overtime so far this year, hopefully get a few days this month, though I feel like I need a break.

urg123

Hi

Just read your thread - you've done really well! What a great chunk off your debt!

Do you have a new debt free date (using the snowball calculator)?

urg x x

the_drifter

Well it's down 2 years from my original date.

Been trying to buy and sell off ebay. Time consuming, but managed to make about £150 last month. May make another £50-100 this month too.

thankfully interest rates on my borrowings arn't high, highest is 6% and managed to borrow from family temporarily, so saving on interest on that.

Been keeping a daily spending diary that really makes me think twice before spending, and have now got addicted to the supermarket late night markdowns!

Long slog, but so far so good.