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Raphaels DF Diary - A Clean Page
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x_raphael_xx
Posts: 4,410 Forumite
Happy New Year all!! 
_party_
I'll start with my story, for those of you who haven't been following...
My first post on MSE was on 31/08/06 in my diary Any help welcome, at the time I was in debt to the tune of £7298.17 comprising of 3 loans, a credit card, 2 overdrafts and a loan from the Bank of Mum & Dad.
I had nothing to show for this debt, it was just an accumilation of bad spending and no budget.
I was a little erratic in my posting to begin with but by 2007 I had knuckled down and was posting my ups & downs regularly. I also stumbled across the Weight Loss thread on the 'I wanna' boards and I took on another challenge, to lose my 6 stone of overweight flab (I weighed 17 stone :eek:)
By the end of 2007 I had lost a stone in weight and had paid off my Mum, both my overdrafts and 1 loan totalling £3578.69, almost half my total!
I started 2008 with a new diary - The Beginning of the End - with aims to pay off the remainder of my debts and get down to 14 stone. I was determined 2008 was to be my year.
2008 was a very eventful year, I had to get rid of my car and had a few unexpected bills (most costly were my laptop dying and a huge electric bill) but it was mostly positive, the main plus being meeting C, my now fiancee!
I have lost a total of 5 stone 4 lbs, a mere 10 lbs off my ultimate goal of 11 stone. And I'm just a tiny £700.00 away from being Debt Free! £550 of which I hope to be paying off this first month.
I couldn't have got this far without the help of the people on this board, and especially the help and support of my best friend.
You may (or may not) have noticed I've dropped the 'W' from the title, as by the end of February this will (hopefully) no longer be a 'Debt Free Wannabe' diary, but a Debt Free Diary! This is down to all the fantastic people on this site, who are happy to offer help and advice without prejudice or judgement. Thank you all, you're a wonderful bunch
So what do I have planned for 2009?
My 4 main challenges will be...
Lose the last few lbs then maintain my weight at 11 stone.
Start putting away savings for my future - Probably looking into a cash ISA for he moment.
Start planning and paying for the wedding & honeymoon!!
Buying and learning to play the saxophone
The saxophone was a promise to myself at the start of my DF journey, I've always wanted to learn and I've forced myself to wait until I was clear of debt before buying one, it will be my reward for all my hard work.
I also have a holiday to New York in May to save for, I can't wait
So, how is my SOA looking now?
Outgoings -
Bills = £535.51 / 2 = £267.76
Rent - £355.00
Council tax - £92.00
TV Licence - £11.61
Gas / Electric - £24.00
Telewest (Internet & TV) - £23.50
Water Rates - £29.40
Other = £75.62
Gym - £43.00
Mobile - £21.10
Pet Insurance - £11.52
Income - £1038.67
Outgoings - £343.38
Balance = +£695.30!!
C is paying half the household bills, which is a big help, things like Shadows insurance I pay myself.
I now have money to put plenty away for savings, £300 a month into a Cash ISA, £200 a month for holidays etc, which leaves £195.30 to fritter away how I want!!
I also have something set up on my Lloyds account called 'Save the Change', whenever I buy something it rounds the payment to the nearest £1 and pays the difference into my savings (i.e. I buy something for £1.99, the 1p change gets saved) I've decided to put this towards Xmas 2009 (I know Xmas 2008 has only just gone!) I have £7 in there already so should be a nice small pot of money
So bring on the New Year!!
_party_I'll start with my story, for those of you who haven't been following...
My first post on MSE was on 31/08/06 in my diary Any help welcome, at the time I was in debt to the tune of £7298.17 comprising of 3 loans, a credit card, 2 overdrafts and a loan from the Bank of Mum & Dad.
I had nothing to show for this debt, it was just an accumilation of bad spending and no budget.
I was a little erratic in my posting to begin with but by 2007 I had knuckled down and was posting my ups & downs regularly. I also stumbled across the Weight Loss thread on the 'I wanna' boards and I took on another challenge, to lose my 6 stone of overweight flab (I weighed 17 stone :eek:)
By the end of 2007 I had lost a stone in weight and had paid off my Mum, both my overdrafts and 1 loan totalling £3578.69, almost half my total!
I started 2008 with a new diary - The Beginning of the End - with aims to pay off the remainder of my debts and get down to 14 stone. I was determined 2008 was to be my year.
2008 was a very eventful year, I had to get rid of my car and had a few unexpected bills (most costly were my laptop dying and a huge electric bill) but it was mostly positive, the main plus being meeting C, my now fiancee!
I have lost a total of 5 stone 4 lbs, a mere 10 lbs off my ultimate goal of 11 stone. And I'm just a tiny £700.00 away from being Debt Free! £550 of which I hope to be paying off this first month.
I couldn't have got this far without the help of the people on this board, and especially the help and support of my best friend.
You may (or may not) have noticed I've dropped the 'W' from the title, as by the end of February this will (hopefully) no longer be a 'Debt Free Wannabe' diary, but a Debt Free Diary! This is down to all the fantastic people on this site, who are happy to offer help and advice without prejudice or judgement. Thank you all, you're a wonderful bunch
So what do I have planned for 2009?
My 4 main challenges will be...
Lose the last few lbs then maintain my weight at 11 stone.
Start putting away savings for my future - Probably looking into a cash ISA for he moment.
Start planning and paying for the wedding & honeymoon!!
Buying and learning to play the saxophone
The saxophone was a promise to myself at the start of my DF journey, I've always wanted to learn and I've forced myself to wait until I was clear of debt before buying one, it will be my reward for all my hard work.
I also have a holiday to New York in May to save for, I can't wait
So, how is my SOA looking now?
Outgoings -
Bills = £535.51 / 2 = £267.76
Rent - £355.00
Council tax - £92.00
TV Licence - £11.61
Gas / Electric - £24.00
Telewest (Internet & TV) - £23.50
Water Rates - £29.40
Other = £75.62
Gym - £43.00
Mobile - £21.10
Pet Insurance - £11.52
Income - £1038.67
Outgoings - £343.38
Balance = +£695.30!!
C is paying half the household bills, which is a big help, things like Shadows insurance I pay myself.
I now have money to put plenty away for savings, £300 a month into a Cash ISA, £200 a month for holidays etc, which leaves £195.30 to fritter away how I want!!
I also have something set up on my Lloyds account called 'Save the Change', whenever I buy something it rounds the payment to the nearest £1 and pays the difference into my savings (i.e. I buy something for £1.99, the 1p change gets saved) I've decided to put this towards Xmas 2009 (I know Xmas 2008 has only just gone!) I have £7 in there already so should be a nice small pot of money
So bring on the New Year!!
Debt Free as of 17/01/2009 Turtle Power!!
EF Challenger #3 £1543.72 / £5000
MFW 2024 #100 £1300.00 / £10,000
MFiT #40 Jan 2025 Target - £99,999.00
Mortgage at 30/09/22 £113,694.11 | Mortgage at 24/01/23 £110,707.87
Mortgage at 21/04/23 £107,701.01 | Mortgage at 20/07/23 £106,979.65
Mortgage at 04/10/23 £106,253.77 | Mortgage at 10/01/24 £105,324.57
Mortgage at 01/04/24 £104,424.73 | Mortgage at 01/10/24 £103,594.98
0
Comments
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Happy new diary raph. congrats on your contiuned weight loss ~ your pic is fab and you relationship with c. Take care of yourself in 2009 0
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Turtle Power reigns supreme! 2009 is going to be the best year yet for you Raph!
Just one quick question - you did let the Council know that you are now co-habiting didn't you? I am guessing that prior to C moving in you got the single person allowance on the Council Tax.
Oh and I can't wait for your sig to have DF instead of DFW in it!Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for thou art crunchy and good with catsup
NSD 15/20, OS WL 21-6 (4)
C.R.A.P R.O.L.L.Z #44 Twisted Firestarter, VSP #57 - £39.43
Every Penny's a Prisoner
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The_Dragon wrote: »Just one quick question - you did let the Council know that you are now co-habiting didn't you? I am guessing that prior to C moving in you got the single person allowance on the Council Tax.
Yeah I let them know, that's why council tax has gone up to £92 a month :rolleyes: at least C is paying half, so in effect I'm paying less.
Just finished my last shift (double pay too) so now on leave til the 12th. My birthday is coming up so I will be expecting some nice things coming in the post (dad has sent me something that 'I have always dreamed of') so I an very curious and excited!!
Debt Free as of 17/01/2009 Turtle Power!!
EF Challenger #3 £1543.72 / £5000
MFW 2024 #100 £1300.00 / £10,000
MFiT #40 Jan 2025 Target - £99,999.00
Mortgage at 30/09/22 £113,694.11 | Mortgage at 24/01/23 £110,707.87
Mortgage at 21/04/23 £107,701.01 | Mortgage at 20/07/23 £106,979.65
Mortgage at 04/10/23 £106,253.77 | Mortgage at 10/01/24 £105,324.57
Mortgage at 01/04/24 £104,424.73 | Mortgage at 01/10/24 £103,594.980 -
Thanks to my double pay over xmas I have managed to pay a nice sizable chunk off the credit card, it now stands at £400 left to pay!! Debt Free as of 17/01/2009 Turtle Power!!
EF Challenger #3 £1543.72 / £5000
MFW 2024 #100 £1300.00 / £10,000
MFiT #40 Jan 2025 Target - £99,999.00
Mortgage at 30/09/22 £113,694.11 | Mortgage at 24/01/23 £110,707.87
Mortgage at 21/04/23 £107,701.01 | Mortgage at 20/07/23 £106,979.65
Mortgage at 04/10/23 £106,253.77 | Mortgage at 10/01/24 £105,324.57
Mortgage at 01/04/24 £104,424.73 | Mortgage at 01/10/24 £103,594.980 -
x_raphael_xx wrote: »Thanks to my double pay over xmas I have managed to pay a nice sizable chunk off the credit card, it now stands at £400 left to pay!!
:j Congrats Raph, when do you think you will be df then? next month? I cant beleive it, you are one of the first I have seen/followed go from dispare to debt free ~ woo hoo :T0 -
Cowabunga dude!
Great news raphael
So, what shape is the mystery parcel?Official DFW Nerd Club - Member no: 203.0 -
x_raphael_xx wrote: »Thanks to my double pay over xmas I have managed to pay a nice sizable chunk off the credit card, it now stands at £400 left to pay!!
Brilliant news Raph! another couple of months and that will be all gone and then it will be salting that money away for the wedding and honeymoon!Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for thou art crunchy and good with catsup
NSD 15/20, OS WL 21-6 (4)C.R.A.P R.O.L.L.Z #44 Twisted Firestarter, VSP #57 - £39.43
Every Penny's a Prisoner
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Well done ! You will be a big inspiration to others showing you can turn it around0
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Congratulations on being so close! :T :TNo longer using this account for new posts from 20130
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Wow well done on being so close to being DF xx Target debt - Loan left over from previous relationship - c. £3700
“Courage is found in unlikely places” — J.R.R. Tolkien0
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