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

helnag

Hi YM20,

I was doing sage book-keeping and payroll but they kind of ripped me off and I thought it was all cancelled cos I kicked off and never heard another thing about it. Then I looked at me Equifax credit report and saw I had 2 defaults, well I tried to argue it but got no where so have just decided to get rid of it as quick as possible.
i never actually did the courses and by the time I realised I still had to pay for them I'd moved and chucked everything out!!!!

I rang them the other day cos mine is with Apex now even though I've been making all my payments for a few months, mine is on 0% and the lady said that I can settle with 20% discount so I've been putting a bit to one side when I can and resisting the temptation to pay it off in extra dribs and drabs. Once my Cap 1 and Next are paid off I'll start using my payment a day money for that.

What course are you doing?

I definately want to do my courses because it's relevant to my job but my boss has now said he'll pay for me to go and do them at college which I think is better for me as I'm awful at leaving stuff until the last minute, at least at college I have the added incentive.

I'm glad it's not just me with the clothes although I never did the whole designer thing, I think it's different with girls, Next does such beautiful clothes for them.

Oh dear all this talk of beautiful Next summer clothes is making me need to look, just one little look wont hurt!!!!

Helen xx

helnag

Well the kids are in bed so I'm gonna e-bay!!! I have a nice chilled glass of wine (tastes a bit odd but wonder if this is cos of the smoking???) and am just gonna put on a few of the exes megadrive games!!! He left them a year ago so I'm guessing he wont miss them!!!

Night All, Helen xx

YummyMummy20

Hi again,

I'm doing the manual bookkeeping level 1 and 2 course, thinking that once i'm certified and what not i can fit that sort of work around any other commitments or use it career wise. I'm paying over a grand for the priveledge so it has to come in use sometime!!
I had major guilt issues about my LO then (horrible pregnancy, stress, drama, bonding issues etc) so I went mad spoiling him. I'm now alot more into experiences and happy memories rather than expensive clothes and so many toys he cant move and I afford to live!

Oh dear! Noooo, no clothes! surely there'll be having an everything half price weekend soon?? Do it all then instead!

A year and you still have them?? Shocking! They should of gone out the door with him, was he always rubbish at tidying up after himself?? Hope you make a bit of money out of him, good luck with it!

YM20 x

helnag

I think we all tend to go mad with the spoiling, I think mine boils down to being the last one at school to get all the trendy stuff, we weren't especially skint when I was growing up my mum and dad were just very sensible, though i didn't see it like that at the time!!!

Half the reason I'm in debt is because when my eldest was small i used to get paid and spend every penny on clothes for us both cos we were on our own and I'd worked hard for it after all!!!

Then i met my ex and we had loads of problems, he left me when I was pregnant with LO so I kind of got back into my old habits, I suppose to show him what he was missing. I had the best everything for LO and myself and I suppose the spending made me feel better and made me feel I was showing everyone else I was doing ok!!!

Now he's gone for good I'm determined to get myself straight once and for all. I've been trying for a while but still go on my binge-shops so this has been a great help for me. I really want to do it and do it earlier than planned too.

How far have you managed to get with the book-keeping?? How do you find it?

H xx

YummyMummy20

That sounds far too like me, buying things so everybody else thinks things are ok. I had that sort of mentality when I was working more, i'd earned it so i should be able to have whatever i wanted, it all went on credit cards instead and used to be paid off at the end of the month but when my hours were cut it all went a bit wrong!

I prefer my bookkeeping course to my degree, i just don't have alot of time left to really get into it. I've been doing it since Oct and only just finished the first book out of 4 (I think) It's been pretty easy so far, double entry, invoices, discounts, ledgers etc. I seem to spend all my time drawing little tables though!

I know what you mean about binge shops, i can feel one coming on. Although if i didn't have to deal with so much stress all the time i'm sure i wouldn't need quite so much retail therapy. I'm trying to behave clothes-wise since it's about pre-summer-bikini-diet time (even though theres NO chance i would EVER wear a bikini) and i'm trying to kid myself i'll lose my belly and a dress size (and a half) and need lovely size 10 stuff instead soon anyway. Will probably not happen but it's helping me save money, a bit, for now...

Your Capital One is coming down nicely, mines hovered around £300 for months now, the interest is ridiculous on it too. Think i'll get all my numbers together and do a signature tomorrow.

YM20 x

helnag

It definately helps to do a signature, mine spurs me on a lot, considering I've only been doing this money saving lark for 2 weeks my Capital one has really shrunk, I know it only had a small balance but if it wasn't for this site I'd still be paying the minimum each month. I've cut it up as well so that's it now.

I really want to go and have a binge shop but I just want to be good until I have no debt and a bit of savings and I can spend MY money!!!!
Sometimes it depresses me, as you've seen but I'm feeling good about it now and nobody said it was gonna be easy. YM20, you're lucky you've cottoned on now, I've only recently paid off a CCJ that I got from debts I had at 18...young and stupid but now I know better. (It's only taken 8 yrs lol).

Anyhoo, I've just done my weekly shop and I only spent £24.67...woop woop!!!
To be honest I've got a lot of meat in the freezer but I had to get dog food (and my dogs eat A-LOT!!!!) I also got Jeyes fluid which is expensive but I couldn't see a better alternative???

Day 15 of the stopping smoking today and I really have stopped thinking about it too much, I'm feeling so pleased with myself and just enjoying brushing my teeth ten times a day and using lots of perfume cos I can smell good without masking pongy cigs!!! (it's gonna cost me a bomb in D&G and toothpaste but hey ho at least I'm getting healthier!!!)

Another £35.00 off the Cap1 today but have to be a bit careful now cos need to start leaving some money in the bank for my 1st of the month dds.

Now, my goal this week...I have around £7.00 in my purse, (I can't take any out of the bank cos of said dds) so this will have to last me. And I would really like to still have it in my purse at the end of the week for my change pot...we will see.

Helen. xx

helnag

Right well so far I haven't spent anything, (other than the weekly shop money) although I had my 5yr and her friend nagging me for sweets all the way home but I resisted and let them raid the fruit bowl instead

They seem quite happy though and we've just finished a game of musical statues and bumps, normally I'd take them to some sort of inside play thing costing ££££s but as I don't want to spend any money (plus I don't know of any in the area I'm in now) I've been resourceful and I think this has been much more fun. We've been using my race for life medal from last year as a prize and they've loved it. If it wasn't raining I'd take them to the green with a football which has become a common hobby for me and my girls. I never really did stuff like that pre-money saving so it's been good in many ways, not just for my bank balance and do you know what everyday now I get LO saying ball, ball, ball cos she loves it so much .

The dogs get more walks now too so they're happy.

I've dug out a load of my old maternity clothes to stick on E-bay, I'd been saving them...god knows why??? So I'll be spending the next couple of days washing and ironing them ready for listing. I'm becoming E-bay obsessed, I'm thinking of raiding my Mum and Dads next time I visit too, I'm running out of stuff and getting concerned I'll start listing stuff the kids still wear just to get my E-bay buzz lol.

I'm really looking forward to statement time this month for my credit card...woop woop. I actually can't wait to see my balance. Next catalogue BEWARE...You are next for the mse treatment ***insert evil laugh here lol***

Oh well, time to prepare dinner, bye for now.

Helen. xx

Forris

"I've only been doing this money saving lark for 2 weeks "

That may be so...

"I'm really looking forward to statement time this month for my credit card...woop woop. I actually can't wait to see my balance. Next catalogue BEWARE...You are next for the mse treatment ***insert evil laugh here lol***

...but I think you're getting the hang of it though!! Well done!

helnag

Ha ha, thanks Forris, you know what I think I am getting the hang of it!!! I can't believe how much satisfaction I'm gonna get opening bills!!! :T:T

I was hoping today was gonna be a NSD (getting the lingo he he) but I've been meaning to take LO to a mums and toddler group since I moved here and always seem to have a good excuse not to go but I think it'll do me and her good to get out and meet people. It's £1.00 per family so that will come out of my purse budget but hey ho she loved it the one time we've been so it's worth it.

I've already put some washing on the line so fingers crossed it wont rain whilst I'm out...looking worrying outside but you can't beat line dried (and just think of all the money saved on not tumble drying!!!).

I think if I carry on eating how I am I'll be able to sell all my clothes on E-bay..I'm getting porky!!! Instead of a pre summer trimming I feel like I'm growing by the day!
Repeat after me ***1 BAR OF CHOCOLATE IS FINE BUT 7 IS NOT... 1 BAR OF CHOCOLATE IS FINE BUT 7 IS NOT!!!!!!***

Ahhh well, time to get on and get ready.

Annamarie_2

hey helnag well done you are doing brillant

and that is so fantastic that you have stopped smoking

i smoke and wish i could give up