2009 diary - time to make changes!

Shoe_Gal

Time to make some serious plans for August, this is an update from earlier in my thread

Summary of August targets :

• clear Barclaycard
• exercise twice per week
• lose 6lbs
• tidy apartment
• goddess stuff

Think I will try doing the 'self helpy' thing of imagining I am already my 'perfect' self and acting how she would - eating well, exercising, being efficient at working, looking groomed and being F Fabulous

Karen_30

Shoe_Gal wrote: »

Time to make some serious plans for August, this is an update from earlier in my thread


Summary of August targets :

• clear Barclaycard
• exercise twice per week
• lose 6lbs
• tidy apartment
• goddess stuff

Think I will try doing the 'self helpy' thing of imagining I am already my 'perfect' self and acting how she would - eating well, exercising, being efficient at working, looking groomed and being F Fabulous

Sound like good plans to me.....and you are F Fabulous!!!! xx

LittleBoots

Shoe_Gal wrote: »

Time to make some serious plans for August, this is an update from earlier in my thread


Summary of August targets :

• clear Barclaycard
• exercise twice per week
• lose 6lbs
• tidy apartment
• goddess stuff

Think I will try doing the 'self helpy' thing of imagining I am already my 'perfect' self and acting how she would - eating well, exercising, being efficient at working, looking groomed and being F Fabulous

Wonderful
I love this list (esp the goddess stuff)

Shoe_Gal

Just paid £257.47 off my Barclaycard :j before I can spend it on anything else

And put petrol money to one side

Shoe_Gal

Today I have

• eaten well
• cleaned and tidied kitchen and living area
• bought only essentials including not buying a facial fake tan
• sorted post and filed paperwork
• coins in pigs
• started a spending diary
• written a realisitc budget
• internet banking

and I'm about to do a home pedicure and fake tan

Shoe_Gal

It's been a bit of a strange week and I've felt really down and hopeless sometimes Have done a lot of thinking and I THINK things are starting to fall into place

I'm sure all you DFW's out there will already know this but it's been a bit of a news flash for me I can't afford my current lifestyle and spending habits :eek: Not sure why it's taken me so long to work this out but I've got there in the end

My faithful readers will know that there are certain Shoe Gal Essentials that I just can't give up - shoes, going out, fantastic nails, a sunshine holiday every year and I can't really make any big changes to my income/expenditure - changing jobs is not an option and I don't really want to move somewhere cheaper so I need to focus on sticking to a realistic budget

I have worked out a budget that I think I can live with and started a spending diary. The basic plan is to pay all minimum payments plus £100 per month over payment to one debt at a time until they are all gone. I currently have about £25k of debt so this is going to be a long haul

The second part of the plan is not to increase my overall debt so everything must be paid for from my current account. I have managed to put £500 of non essentials on my Barclaycard in the last couple of months after paying it off once

So that I can still have my Shoe Girl Essentials on this new budget I have to make savings in other areas. I have to control my food shopping including taking lunch to work, cut out magazines and other non-essential purchases. Hopefully there will then be about £100 of 'fun' money each month for nails, nights out - and shoes :j

I have got to do this - no more one step forward and 2 steps back :rolleyes:

LittleBoots

Shoe_Gal wrote: »

It's been a bit of a strange week and I've felt really down and hopeless sometimes Have done a lot of thinking and I THINK things are starting to fall into place

I'm sure all you DFW's out there will already know this but it's been a bit of a news flash for me I can't afford my current lifestyle and spending habits :eek: Not sure why it's taken me so long to work this out but I've got there in the end

My faithful readers will know that there are certain Shoe Gal Essentials that I just can't give up - shoes, going out, fantastic nails, a sunshine holiday every year and I can't really make any big changes to my income/expenditure - changing jobs is not an option and I don't really want to move somewhere cheaper so I need to focus on sticking to a realistic budget

I have worked out a budget that I think I can live with and started a spending diary. The basic plan is to pay all minimum payments plus £100 per month over payment to one debt at a time until they are all gone. I currently have about £25k of debt so this is going to be a long haul

The second part of the plan is not to increase my overall debt so everything must be paid for from my current account. I have managed to put £500 of non essentials on my Barclaycard in the last couple of months after paying it off once

So that I can still have my Shoe Girl Essentials on this new budget I have to make savings in other areas. I have to control my food shopping including taking lunch to work, cut out magazines and other non-essential purchases. Hopefully there will then be about £100 of 'fun' money each month for nails, nights out - and shoes :j

I have got to do this - no more one step forward and 2 steps back :rolleyes:

Hello

I am thinking that there may be people in here who say you should put your Shoe Girl Essentials fund towards your debt but I think its a good thing for you. You have to have some treats And if youre budgeting for them then hopefully you wont get into more debt.

Am sure youll get to grips with packed lunches, you'll probably even find yours are much better than anything you can buy! As for the mags, well thats a toughie as I am an addict :rolleyes:, u could spend an afternoon in the doctors surgery...

Shoe_Gal

LittleBoots wrote: »

Hello

I am thinking that there may be people in here who say you should put your Shoe Girl Essentials fund towards your debt but I think its a good thing for you. You have to have some treats And if youre budgeting for them then hopefully you wont get into more debt.

Am sure youll get to grips with packed lunches, you'll probably even find yours are much better than anything you can buy! As for the mags, well thats a toughie as I am an addict :rolleyes:, u could spend an afternoon in the doctors surgery...

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: I already have far more than the doctor's - and they are more up to date

Shoe_Gal

Today I have

• been to the gym
• bought only essentials in Asda
• updated spending diary
• coins in piggies
• cleaned both bathrooms - I hate this job
• washing

Have loads on in the next couple of weeks :j, looks like it's going to be a tight month again, moneywise :eek: Will have to concentrate of food bills and random spending if I want to achieve this month's target to pay off my Barclaycard - again

Karen_30

Shoe_Gal wrote: »

It's been a bit of a strange week and I've felt really down and hopeless sometimes Have done a lot of thinking and I THINK things are starting to fall into place

I'm sure all you DFW's out there will already know this but it's been a bit of a news flash for me I can't afford my current lifestyle and spending habits :eek: Not sure why it's taken me so long to work this out but I've got there in the end

My faithful readers will know that there are certain Shoe Gal Essentials that I just can't give up - shoes, going out, fantastic nails, a sunshine holiday every year and I can't really make any big changes to my income/expenditure - changing jobs is not an option and I don't really want to move somewhere cheaper so I need to focus on sticking to a realistic budget

I have worked out a budget that I think I can live with and started a spending diary. The basic plan is to pay all minimum payments plus £100 per month over payment to one debt at a time until they are all gone. I currently have about £25k of debt so this is going to be a long haul

The second part of the plan is not to increase my overall debt so everything must be paid for from my current account. I have managed to put £500 of non essentials on my Barclaycard in the last couple of months after paying it off once

So that I can still have my Shoe Girl Essentials on this new budget I have to make savings in other areas. I have to control my food shopping including taking lunch to work, cut out magazines and other non-essential purchases. Hopefully there will then be about £100 of 'fun' money each month for nails, nights out - and shoes :j

I have got to do this - no more one step forward and 2 steps back :rolleyes:

Sounds as if you may have just had your 'proper' lighbulb moment so to speak Your way sounds good and very much suited to you. We're all different in life and all have different ways of dealing with things.

Funnily enough OH and I had a bit of a heart to heart and we've decided that we would like to buy early 2010 so for the remainder of this year debt busting takes a back burner and saving starts for me. This isn't to say I will ignore my debts, just keep paying them as I am and save money towards house. The debts still come down and I won't increase them so to me this is my way to suit me

You've done really well this weekend at sorting/getting things done.....well done you :T

K xx