Jo_R's debt-free diary, slow and steady progress!

bevan840

I got a bit daft with being over organised this year too, I knew 2 months ago how much the Xmas budget was going to be and who was going to get how much (doing money instead of presents as much easier to post ) And posted Mum and Dad's anniversary card with her birthday card beginning of Sept (their anniversary isn't until 20th October!!!!) hehehehe saves me a stamp though

Hope the money is there and you managed to get some of your list done xxx

Jo_R_2

Got about half my list done... Need to add some more to it though!

DD1's first day at her new school. Need to get her some bits including a book bag, PE bag and a PE t-shirt. Found out a school logo cardigan is £8 but they're okay to wear a plain cardi so hoping I can persuade her a plain one is okay - might have a fight on my hands as she's quite proud to wear school logo clothes, which isn't a bad thing really - as long as it doesn't develop into logo'd clothing when she's older... :eek:

• check online banking to see if child maintenance gone in yet - checked again - still not in
• go through receipts and tot up totals and see where I am for the end of the month (prob do this evening when kids in bed) - done
• change dentist appointment - pay to see hygienist but going to move it to after Christmas
• do SOA for October (again prob when kids in bed) - still need to do
• pay council tax in time for 1st October
• think about birthday present for mum (not til mid-October but being organised LOL)
• make appointment for blood test for DD2
• buy envelopes and post ebay items

Feeling quite up and down at the mo, lots of things going on... Finding DD2 very hard work, can't seem to keep on top of housework (the living room is a tip and I only seem to manage to get done the bare minimum that keeps the house running), sister's wedding has brought out all sorts of feelings about mine and OH's relationship and got me thinking about my situation with money.

Managed to enrol successfully on my Open Uni course but no idea where thats going to fit in... Realy pleased to be doing it but is going to stretch me to the limit.

Jo_R_2

Forgot to add earlier, after totting up my receipts and working out my leftover pennies from September, I transferred £11.01 to overpay on my Virgin cc. Not loads admittedly but that's over £100 paid onto my card from the month... and that's from me thinking I don't have any spare money...

At this rate I think I could have the Virgin cc paid off by the end of January

bevan840

:j:T Well done on the overpayments for the month :T:j

SarahNeedle1872

Well done Jo, an over-payment is an over-payment, no matter how small!

Sx

beanielou

^^What Sarah says

Keeping_Positive

Ditto all the above :j

Jo_R_2

Just started to write a feelgood post but baby is sat here next to me
"helping" and deleted the lot:rolleyes:

Thanks for nice words guys - have been feeling a bit down about the DFW journey and they really helped. Keep thinking I'm kidding myself with making any inroads into my debt with the little money I have spare but seeing other people working hard too and the encouraging words does help and makes it all clearer.

So in that vein I have decided to compile a feelgood list of things I have learned from being super-stringent with my money in September...

1. I *do* have enough money for all the bills, debt repayments, some to save and some for 'pocket money.' There is enough for everything I need.
2. Just the very act of writing down what I spend makes me more conscious of it!:o
3. Using the spreadsheet to enable me to see when I will be finished paying off each debt is a real motivator to work at overpaying and bringing that date closer... The "oooh I have ABOUT x amount of debt" isn't quite the same...
4. Taking one debt and throwing every spare penny at it works well for me -tackling them one-by-one highest interest rate first means being able to tick them off is a big step closer to being debt-free

Better go as baby is destroying the living room!

bevan840

Awww bless DS

Since I learned how to use Snowball I'm feeling a little easier knowing I can get rid of my debt by end of 2011 atleast Did another SOA today as finally remembered where I'd written the loan interest rate :doh:

Your very welcome to uplifting comments Jo, your always leaving happy ones on mine And your doing really well, keep it up, we're all here for you on the not so good days xxx

EssexHebridean

I think sometimes you give yourself a harder time than you need to Jo - you do so well juggling everything, don't lose sight of that will you!

It's good that you can cover all the expenditure you need to, but what is better is that you know that is the case, and you have a track on the incomings and outgoings. Even in a month when things are - by your own admission - tight, you have still managed to make an overpayment!