My First Debt Free Diary- Pay the debt and lose 70lbs!!!!!!!

clearmydebts

Hi Tasha,

You are doing really well and well done for having the willpower to resist the holiday in the end. You are doing the right thing and think about how good it will feel to book a holiday when you have no debt.

I am also hoping to get rid of my debt by April 2010 and my major weakness is travel. This week I managed to resist booking a week away to Mallorca so am proud of myself.

I have subscribed to your diary so I can keep up to date with how you are getting on!

tasha-debt

Thank you for your messages, all this support is amazing.

I have been calculating my finances and the only way I am going to be debt free by next April is if I earn more money, Im thinking about looking for a part-time job some where. Not sure what to do though and if their is even any jobs out their!!!!! I think I need to do some research. I don't seem to have had many MS jobs latley, might need to sign up to a few more companies.

Hope your all having a good week.
x

tasha-debt

Hi all,

I had a really nice valentines, I cooked for my Boyfriend (loads cheaper than a restaurant).

I have been trying to lose weight recently so when I go on my first holiday after being debt free paid for in cash I look hot in my bikini. I have been doing rubbish. Got weighed tonight and I put on 2 1/2 lbs..................

So I am going to use my debt free diary as a weight loss diary as well, list what I have eaten. Any great diet tips are much appreciated.

Im going to start tomorrow morning. I hope by eating less will mean I spend less money.

Wish me luck

xxxxxxx

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Hi Tasha...tell me about it, I hoped I'd lost weight this week...put on 2lb!! There must be a full moon or something making us heavier??! Boo!!

Good luck with the weight loss...I'm hoping for the same, to go on holiday without having bikini-related nightmares for two months beforehand!:rotfl:

tasha-debt

Well today I have made a Tuna, pasta and salad dish for lunch. I have bought a box of special flakes (tesco discount brand £1.38 for a big box) for my breakfast this week. Think they are the same as special K but half the price. I have also got grapes and a bannana. So I am all set today. Meeting a few friends for a drink tonight so it will be water or diet coke for me.

HOOS - I thought I have done well this week too, I put on 2.5lbs!!!!!!!!!

Have a good day everyone.

tasha-debt

Hi,

Well today I have had a no spend day which is great. My aim is to spend no money until Saturday when I have a session with my tutor.

Diet wise has been okay, cereal and a bannana for brekfast, tuna pasta salad for lunch and a little snack of cottage cheese on rivita. But it was someone's birthday today so I had a small slice of cake!!! It was really small though.

Its payday next Friday so I will be making a lot of payments on these debts and it will be great to see my debt amount go down again.

xx

tasha-debt

I text the friend that I was meant to be meeting in Thailand yesterday, she replied with a really blunt text. We have been friends for 14 years, I feel really let down that she does not understand my financial situation (and as she has been away for a lot of the 'credit crunch' I don’t think she realises how bad the situation is over here.

I feel really down today, like I am trying not to burst into tears, feel like I am taking two steps forward and one step back in life. I am trying so hard to clear my debts but as I can’t get a 0% or life of balance deal on a credit card I am paying 19.9% interest on them. My Dad has excellent credit and he tried to get a lower card in his name to balance transfer mine too (I would take over the responsibility of paying it every month) but he got turned down.

I don’t get paid until next Friday and only have £2.10 in the bank so I can’t go out over the weekend as everything seems to cost money…….. Guess it would be a good time to add everything to eBay.

I am normally an up beat person but last few weeks I have felt rubbish. I don't feel like myself any more. Sorry to go on but writing on here helps as I don’t want to talk to my family as they have enough stress as it is and my boyfriend is already being very loving and supportive of me trying to clear my debts. I am the one stopping us moving out as I was the one who got in debt for no reason and not once has ever said anything to me.

I quit eating chocolate last week maybe im having coco withdrawal symptoms.

LittleEmms

Hi Tasha

Just popped in - been having an on and off read of your diary. I wanted to give you a :grouphug: ... these days are the worst and the most tempting to go and spend money... so you're doing the right thing by posting here.

Try not to feel too let down by your friends reaction, some people just react very quickly without thinking and more than often regret it. Let it simmer for a few days - even a week and then perhaps can you send her an email? with a bit more explanation. I always think that texts have 'no tone'.

Maybe write explaining you're really gutted you haven't been able to go, things are difficult at the moment and you hope that by becoming debt free you will be looking forward to more fun opportunities in the future. Write the email, save it and don't send for a few days - re-read it when you feel back to the upbeat person you normally are!

As for your credit card situation - that sucks!! I went for one of the less popular deals & got it. As for your dad - its probably that he has good credit is the reason he gets turned down - he's not making them money. If you read Martins article on this, its quite interesting;

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/credit-rating-credit-score

And don't apologise for writing on here - that's what this place is for!!! x

tasha-debt

Feeling much more positive today, I think I need stop worrying about things, I know my friend and I will be okay, it will just take some time. Its just she is teh person I would usally talk to when I am down so not having my go to person around is hard.......... im also upset by un-supportive she is being as she is so wrapped up in her self and her problems (she splitt up with her boyfriend last May and is still not over him, hence the round the world travel trip). I have been listening to her talk about him for nearly a year and I have never complained as I am her friend, would have been nice to have had the favour returned.

I have been thinking that I need to look for a second job as I am not going to meet my debt free date on my salary alone. I have had no MS jobs for a while and ebay is a bit slow. Im thinking though it won't be easy trying to find a second job but I need to look.

I need to think of other ideas to save money, mobile contract is new so I have got a new deal that saves me £20 a month and being on a diet is good as I am not spending money on food, also trying to avoid buying magazines.

I really miss buying new clothes though!!!!!!!!

Diet is going well, went for a long walk today to burn some extra caleries (and spend no money) and cooked a really nice low fat vegetable curry for dinner.

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Hey Tasha!

Sorry you had a rubbish day yesterday, glad you're feeling better today!

You're doing something that is HUGE and really important, but is also really hard work - you're allowed to have a bad day every now and again, just don't let it knock you off track, you're doing great

If your DFD seems overwhelming and ages away, why not set yourself smaller targets to help keep you motivated? Keep track of the little milestones along your journey, like your first 10% paid off, first £1000 etc. And do a little dance and congratulate yourself every time you achieve one! You deserve to, you've made a tough decision to deal with your debts and start living in your new home with your BF with a clean slate - brilliant! How much easier would it have been for you to carry on, not make the changes and pretend it wasn't a problem?

Your mate will come round. Maybe write her a letter and just explain how things are for you at the moment. It sounds like you've been a good friend to her and been understanding about her problems, and it's not unreasonable to expect the same from her. Just because she "needs" a holiday to get over her heartbreak, does not mean she should expect you to put yourself in financial trouble to help her do that. No reasonable person would expect that of a friend.

Keep on track, you're doing really well - (I'm going to mis-quote some profound saying, the origins of which I do not know...) - it's not where you start your journey from, it's where you're going. You've addressed why you got into debt. It's in the past and it's irrelevant now. What's important now is what you do from now on.