My debt free diary...determined to do it for my girls!!

helnag

Thank you so much, I feel so much better after reading your replies, I sometimes feel like I'm the only one that splurges and feels guilty afterwards and regrets it. I've been feeling like a bit of a fraud this week, I suppose cos I found it so easy last week and felt so positive then lost it this week. I haven't gone mad on the spending, just I can see old habits creeping in, popping to sainsburys to get salad and buying 2 packs of hair tyes and hair clips (cos the kids need them), and then easter eggs today but I could have got cheaper, they're 5 and 1, they wouldn't care which eggs they got but I had to get the best. I just feel like I'm cheating I guess. I suppose it's good I feel like this cos it means I've realised just how much the small spending adds up.

I keep feeling really down cos I've just sold my little ones old summer clothes on ebay, I know that part of the reason I'm in this situation is through buying stuff like that yet I can't stop feeling depressed that I can't afford to but them the best clothes this year. I don't judge people by what they and their children are wearing but I feel like people look at what my kids are wearing. I know it's silly but I just want to be at that place where my debts are gone, saving me around £700 a month, and I have savings and my kids can have nice clothes but paid for with my own money. I'm just sick of struggling but I know it's nobodys fault but my own.

i am ok though and I will do it. My snowball date is March 2011 but I aim to do it by June next year, like you Mum2one if I had no life I could do it earlier but I think half my problem at the moment is that I've set my goals too high. I've been expecting myself to fail.

I see what you mean about setting myself small challenges so next week I'm gonna aim for 2 no spend days and I'll see how I get on. Thank you so much for your encouragement. xx

helnag

By the way I just can't think of anything to aim for at the moment but as soon as I do I will post up. xx

mum2one

Big hugs, I know totally where ur coming from, I use to feel so guilty if I got dd something from Primark or asda, as though the clothes weren't good enough, what makes me feel worse is as Im a larger lady, I have to get my items most of the time from Evans, Ann Harvey if its a massive sale.

What I do with dd is get a couple of what I call posh pieces from Next then everything from wherever, shes 6, and they grow so quick, I got some trs 3 weeks ago from tesco they fitted, she went to wear them Sunday for a party and they wouldnt go near her.

Without being cheeky how old r ur 2.

Think of selling the clothes on ebay as a positve step, what ever goes you can put that up towards the posher clothes.

I've lost count of the number of clothes over the yrs that I brought and they got stuck in the wardrobe, the amount on ebay that has gone for 99p and I want to scream but I paid £15 for that, the clothes weve given away to dds friend, think I've kitted her wardrobe out.

Your incentive will come to you, and when it does it will all fall into place. xx

helnag

My 2 girls are nearly 2 and 5, they both seem to have just has a spurt, I will try and just get them a couple of nice bits from next but I'm not sure I can trust myself!!!

All I keep thinking about is a little pair of gold sandals LO had from Next last summer, I just want her to have them again, I think I must have more spending issues than I realised.

I have just sold loads of their stuff on e-bay and like you say it's so depressing when they've barely worn it and then it goes for 99p. I made around £140 but that was a lot of clothes and shoes and it was all either next or clarks. What a waste, I know, but I still want to go to Next and re-fill their wardrobes!!!! What an idiot!!!!

Oh well, I'm thinking more positive today anyway, gonna get back on the no spend wagon but like you say by setting targets. I do need to get butter today so prob not a good day to start. I'm off work today due to dd being sick in the night so I have a long list of housework that I haven't managed to do all week, fun, fun, fun, but I know I'll feel a million times better once it's done. And I'm really looking forward to putting the washing on the line with this weather, told you I'm weird lol.

Off to spend the day with Thomas tomorrow with the girls and my parents (on the steam train) so that will be nice. And my parents are treating us so a nice hopefully free day out...my first test. xx

Swinstie73

Hi helnag and the others!

Just popping in to say keep positive. I'm also trying to deal with my debts which I have managed to accumulate all on my ownsome, they have been more (even when I lived at home) but have managed to get them down although it will take about two years to clear them. As for holidays, I have a huge holiday this year which is costing a fortune but I'm visiting my sis who I haven't see for two years so who cares eh. It's paid for out of savings, which I know could wipe out some of my debt but then life wouldn't be so good.

Keep up the good work and will look out for updates x

helnag

Hi Swinstie73,

Oh it will be lovely for you to see her, like you say who cares!!! The way I've started to see it, if I don't let myself have some sort of a life then I might as well give up now because I'd just be setting myself up to fail otherwise.

Thanks for all your replies, hope you have a lovely time Swinstie73.

Helen xx

mum2one

I love Thomas days, took dd a couple of times when its been to Llangollen, that was brilliant the £140 from ebay, even if u spend half of it in Next and put the other half up for later on, that way if u go with the money in the purse u can only spend that amount. Does take a bit of practise........
Hope dd feelind better today, theres a lot of the sickness bugs going around, I had dd off school on Tuesday.
I love washing on the line, makes me feel summery, sad isnt it.
Glad ur feeling positive today, the way to think of debt busting its a lot of baby steps to get anywhere, but when u get there its a great achievement.
U take care, and have a great time 2mor xx

helnag

Wow, what a lovely day!!!

I've achieved so much today and am feeling very pleased with myself, I have 3 loads of washing on the line, I've cleaned the whole house, hoovered and swept, done my everest sized pile of ironing and even cleaned the windows. LO is now in bed napping and my eldest is at the childminders til 6 (as I should be at work!!) so I've just caught up with some work on the pc and am now about to wack on my kick boxing dvd in an attempt to fight back at this weight gain from giving up smoking!!!!

I realised about half an hour ago that I'd forgotton to put a patch on so that has to be a good sign, I'm just putting one on now though cos the last thing I need is any sneaky cravings trying to budge in without me realising.

I almost had a no spend day today but had to go to Sainsburys to pick up my prescription for an ear infection and bought some new pegs, mine have all disappeared since I moved in january. Mind you, think of all the money I'll save with not needing the tumble dryer on!!!! I do think it's maybe slightly sad to enjoy having washing on the line but I enjoy it and simple things as they say!!!

I have decided to use half of the E-bay money to buy the kids their summer essentials but that's all and the rest is going on debts. Baby steps is good I think.

Oh well, cheerio, off to kick some %$%& now, ha ha. xxxx

Swinstie73

Well done helnag, I've done the opposite, spent too much today and still got to tackle my housework - one step at a time.

Have a good weekend everyone x

YummyMummy20

Hi,

Nice to see your feeling more positive today chick!

I have the same issues with clothes for my LO the only bits hes ever had from George were because they were free with vouchers and he only has stuff from tesco when i mindlessly pick stuff up when i've nipped in for tights or something (tights for me obvs, not him!) I kinda went a bit further though; think Gap, D&G kids etc. I was majorly pleased with myself buying him 4 French Connection tops the other week only £6 each instead of £11 and now see that maybe £6 for a T-shirt thats going to last him 5mins isn't that great a bargain and he doesn't give a fig and still got drink down him within minutes I don't know how I would cope with girls, girly stuffs much cuter and I don't think i could resist getting everything!

Random question: What HLC courses are you doing? only just noticed that in your signature. I'm getting nowhere with mine, probably because theres no actual deadlines and for my OU degree theres deadlines coming out my ears. Did you get your finance at 0%? Can you still get 20% off settling early if its at 0%? I was going to just ignore mine :rolleyes:

YM20 x