2009 diary - time to make changes!

Hollyberry

Enjoy those mags - that's a great day's work, and you deserve a treat.:A Just don't fall asleep with your head in the pages; I've done it before, and print is not a good look...

Shoe_Gal

Lula-Hula wrote: »

Hey Shoe Gal,

well done on your achievements today, that's fantastic :A

I'll be looking to you for inspiration now

Lula
xx

Thanks Lula

You inspire me, especially as you always sound so upbeat :A

Shoe_Gal

Hollyberry wrote: »

Enjoy those mags - that's a great day's work, and you deserve a treat.:A Just don't fall asleep with your head in the pages; I've done it before, and print is not a good look...

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Lula-Hula

Shoe_Gal wrote: »

Thanks Lula

You inspire me, especially as you always sound so upbeat :A

Misguidedly eternal optimist that I am :rotfl:

I'm a simple creature & am learning to appreciate what I do have & not beat myself up over all the things I dont have / achieve / aspire to etc. etc. etc. ( which is actually just a get out clause for being so lazy & unambitious :shhh:;))


Have a Happy Day

lula
xx

Shoe_Gal

Still feeling quite positive - even though my legs are aching a bit from all that walking yesterday :eek: - my fitness levels definately need working on!! 3 weeks today until I go on my hols :j


Here's my list for today

1. buy Easter eggs for neices and nephew
2. small food shop for next couple of days
3. exercise
4. get petrol, check tyres and wash car
5. washing
6. sunbed
7. continue working on plan
8. eat well
9. a little treat!

Slightlly shorter list today as I am at a family event tonight - and I've only just got up!

Better get started, will update later

Shoe_Gal

Well here it is - the plan!

I have decided to give myself 6 months to get as much control of my debts as I can. I think 6 months is a reasonable enough time to make a difference and short enough not to be overwhelming. Also, my birthday is in October so it will be a nice cut off point

As I said, I don't want my debts to control my life so I am not going to change jobs, move or look for a second job at the moment. So that leaves me with needing to do lots of small things. I have done my SOA and it's all pretty good but I should have an extra £100 a month to throw at debt after my minimum payments and that never happens! Before you all shout 'spending diary' as a debit card queen going through my bank statements soon gave me the answer! Every work day I have a debit for either the Co-op, Asda or Tesco - that is obviously because I don't shop properly and meal plan, and also buy my lunch and works drinks everyday. There is also a debit for Boots every Saturday - I DO NOT need all that 'stuff' !!!!



The plan (thanks for all the suggestions, there are bits of them all in here :A)

• use cash only - I will draw out £200 on payday and pay for everything with this. (this will leave a £40 'cushion' in the bank for a real emergency)
• payment a day - it will only be £1 most days but every little will help
• all bits of change in a money box for a treat when it is full
• take lunch and drinks to work
• meal plan, cook some meals to cut down on ready meals, and shop properly

I have adjusted my signature so it does not look so overwhelming, I am going to concentrate on my Barclaycard first and have taken all the others off until that is paid off (Incidently, I have also adjusted my weight loss target. I still need to lose 2 stone but I am breaking it down into 7lb chunks so it doesn't look so daunting)

I also going totry and get any 'extra' money I can to throw at debts. I have 3 mobile phone handsets that I think I can get something for and 2 credit cards where I might be able to claim some charges so I am going to look into both of those

I have also signed up for Quidco (thanks Sarah) and a few survey sites in the hope of getting some points for treats

It doesn't look too daunting now it's down in black and white - wish me luck :D

sarahb123_3

ShoeGal, that is an excellent plan:j

Re the loose change, you could join the sealed pot challenge, I don't know if you have seen it, it involves putting spare change in a sealed pot so you can't get at it;) and then the pots are opened on Dec 1st and used for Christmas/treats. Can you guess what I will be spending mine on?;)

Good idea to change your sig to just showing the debt you are aiming for, I have also got a lesser target of 10lbs in my sig to aim for as the actual total is just too overwhelming all at once. :rolleyes:

Also re taking meals to work, I often don't as I am too busy/lazy:o but you could try bulk buying all the things to go with your lunch, snacks, drinks etc and leave them in your desk, so that if you are too busy or forget to make lunch at least you will only have to get a sandwich and not all the other things which go with it, which will be cheaper.

You could try signing up to the make £5/10 a day thread, I have done it a few times, you get seriously obsessed with making extra or saving it through quidco, coupons etc, you could give it a go for one month and see how you get on.

If you do need to get things from Boots, check the Boots thread on the grabbit board, you can often get make up or toiletries for a few pence using coupons and vouchers, you still need to have your treats:D

Shoe_Gal

A good day :j:j

1. buy Easter eggs for neices and nephew - done
2. small food shop for next couple of days - done
3. exercise - done, an hour at the gym
4. get petrol, check tyres and wash car - done
5. washing - done
6. sunbed - done
7. continue working on plan - done and posted (above)
8. eat well - fairly good (!)
9. a little treat! - FCUK shower gel, on offer!

Am really pleased I've done everything on my list and go my plan for the next 6 months sorted - feeling really positve

Hollyberry

:T That is a fine and fabulous plan. :T

I'm with Sarah on the snacky bits in the desk drawer. I normally have crackers, soup, nuts, dried fruit etc, so if I don't get time to go out, there's still something vaguely resembling a healthy meal in there. :rolleyes: Also a good call on the Boots thread; I got a £10 illuminating powder (described on the B thread as "humiliating powder" which made me howl); via the points machine it was free with any No7 purchase (£6 nail strengthener for me) last week - so good freebies/gifts to be had. :cool:

Great that you are feeling really positive - hope it's a weight off your mind, and you can get on with enjoying the second half of the long weekend.

Shoe_Gal

Hollyberry wrote: »

Great that you are feeling really positive - hope it's a weight off your mind, and you can get on with enjoying the second half of the long weekend.

Thanks Hollyberry :A

If only it was a weight off my hips too!!! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: