Jolly's new start....another diary!!

Jolly2009

Hi there, hope you don't mind but yet another diary i'm afraid! I'm a long term lurker and have been on a dmp for over a year now but want to start bringing down my debt free date and not going to do it without keeping myself on track.

So, from now onwards I am going to track all my positives and negative (i'm sure there will be some!) to keep me motivated and hopefully well on my way to finishing my dmp early and becoming debt free.

My dmp is set up and running well, so for now my aim is to earn/make/save as much money as possible with the aim to be able to pay off my debt (or a large sum in full) as soon as possible. My OH, we have no financial links, has opened a savings account in his name (I trust him not to run away with it!) so I can't readily take from it and I hope that this is the beginning of a quest to save, save, save - no matter how little.

1st positive is that work has gained a little backlog so in January there is likely to be overtime available - woo hoo:j Therefore I will be doing every hour possible and it will go straight into savings account. A good start to 2009! Unfortunately overtime is on and off and therefore can not include it in my budget with payplan or will end up suffering. But, what ever I do make will go into my savings account - I will be good!

That's it for now. Will be updating my diary regularly to keep me on track............

mooomin

Jolly2009 wrote: »

Hi there, hope you don't mind but yet another diary i'm afraid! I'm a long term lurker and have been on a dmp for over a year now but want to start bringing down my debt free date and not going to do it without keeping myself on track.

So, from now onwards I am going to track all my positives and negative (i'm sure there will be some!) to keep me motivated and hopefully well on my way to finishing my dmp early and becoming debt free.

My dmp is set up and running well, so for now my aim is to earn/make/save as much money as possible with the aim to be able to pay off my debt (or a large sum in full) as soon as possible. My OH, we have no financial links, has opened a savings account in his name (I trust him not to run away with it!) so I can't readily take from it and I hope that this is the beginning of a quest to save, save, save - no matter how little.

1st positive is that work has gained a little backlog so in January there is likely to be overtime available - woo hoo:j Therefore I will be doing every hour possible and it will go straight into savings account. A good start to 2009! Unfortunately overtime is on and off and therefore can not include it in my budget with payplan or will end up suffering. But, what ever I do make will go into my savings account - I will be good!

That's it for now. Will be updating my diary regularly to keep me on track............

Hello and well done for starting your own diary :T If you keep up with it regularly it will really help to keep you on the straight and narrow

I'll be subscibing with interest! I love a good diary me!

*edit* Subscibing? Can't type at this time of night.

Jolly2009

Thanks, i'm really hoping it does keep me on track.

For now I need to think of ways to motivate me to save/earn more and spend less....any suggestions??

From reading others posts, I think first as of tomorrow I will keep a spending diary and try (when I can) to log it on here...might help me think more before I spend! Aim to have as many NSD as possible from now on

mooomin

Jolly2009 wrote: »

Thanks, i'm really hoping it does keep me on track.

For now I need to think of ways to motivate me to save/earn more and spend less....any suggestions??

From reading others posts, I think first as of tomorrow I will keep a spending diary and try (when I can) to log it on here...might help me think more before I spend! Aim to have as many NSD as possible from now on

Save money

1. Post a SOA when you can and people on here will give you an idea of ways that you can save on your monthly spending
2. Less "little spends" - the spending diary will help with that
3. Figure out what way of recording your spending works for you - I use a spending diary website that works out my spending into pie charts for me. I love a good pie chart. I also have my own diary thread that I use for the good and bad spends and a muckle big notebook to write it all down.
4. Reduce mobile phone costs
5. Reduce internet/gas/electric by shopping around
6. Join cashback website like Quidco *other are available!* to gain money back on your shopping if you do a lot of online shops

And that's just off the top of my head, not too bad given that I'm about to go to bed :rotfl::rotfl:

Make money

• Ebay. Sell anything that isn't nailed down. It's what I'm going to do in the New Year! Some people complain that it is too geared towards the buyers now, so I am also going to sell on Amazon etc too
• Try the Up Your Income forum for more ideas and helpful suggestions.

I would give you more ideas but I'm sleepy! Enjoy the rest of your night.

ff

Jolly2009

Morning!

Thanks for the tips - will certainly be trying some of them!

For today my aim is to have a no spend day - if i can do that then i'm off to a good start! In fact I should be able to have no spend days until the end of the week as have everything sorted for Christmas present and food wise....no need to spend a penny....lets hope.

Can't beleive I am still stuck at work, seems my whole office are off apart from me :rolleyes:

Jolly2009

Ok, aims for this today......

1. NSD - a must!
2. Tidy/sort flat this evening - ready for crimbo.
3. Clear washing (without using tumble dryer!)
4. Clean and pack away fish tank - have given fish to a bigger better home it a bid to save money on electric cost. Every bit helps I guess.

That's it for now...........

Jolly2009

Woo hoo - managed a no spend day! At home now and don't intend on going out so no need to spend any pennies.

Now on to the rest of my list......well maybe after a cuppa :-)

mooomin

Jolly2009 wrote: »

Woo hoo - managed a no spend day! At home now and don't intend on going out so no need to spend any pennies.

Now on to the rest of my list......well maybe after a cuppa :-)

WooHoo! Well done on the NSD Are you going to join the NSD thread in January? It's really motivating

Jolly2009

Ok, feel better now that kitchen and living room are spotless ready for Crimbo, now I think I deserve a sit down :j

Have updated my signature per the estimates of debt management plan with Payplan (PP) in an effort to keep me motivated and spur me into getting myself sorted asap. There is NO WAY I am going to have this hanging over me until Jan 2014 - I can't.

Thinking back it makes me sick, angry, annoyed.....and so many more emotions that I care to write down as to why I am in this mess. Mainly my fault but also that of others who I have helped in the past only to be let down and end up paying it all myself. No time for dwelling though, must get on and clear this.

Thankfully I am in a great relationship with a fantastic guy and although my budget is tight, he is fantastic and pays for a lot of our social life. Very understanding but we are now at the point or should I say ready to settle and with this hanging over me I can't help but think it's stopping us from doing all the things we want (or should I say it is!) to do together and start planning our future.

Sorry think this is turning into a rambling moan but just need to get it all out I guess - where better place then on my own diary to let me read back and remind me from time to time why things have to change.

So, onwards and upwards. Payday January 2009 (15th) is the start of new beginnings for me and I am going ensure I keep it up as best I can. I want to be looking back this time next year at what I achieve and be proud...............................now off to reseach everyone elses threads and postings for ideas and ways to start my df journey.

Lemon_Tree

hello, and well done on a NSD, i should get back in the habit of recording mine again. it's the little things like this that help. i think i'll take up the challenge of a payment a day for my next challenge.

Jolly2009

Thanks guys, it's amazing how one no spend day can make you feel isn't it?!

Think I will be joining the NSD challenge, just finding my way around this site and it's different threads at the mo.....there is so much! Kinda excited actually, am I weird?!