Taking the Plunge - desperatelyseekingmoney's diary

desperatelyseekingmoney_2

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. I did and it was not very expensive. Went to Brewsters on Saturday for D2 birthday treat and spent £23.48, and yesterday spent £8.80 going swimming (that is for 4 people!).

Tomorrow it will be a whole month since I last used my credit card and I feel so proud of myself that I have managed to budget and use what money I have instead of using my credit card. I have used cash for everything this last month and I find that I can control my spending habits more and once the cash has gone that is it!

I am aiming on having 3 no spend days this week, that will be one more than last week. Will keep you updated on how I go.

ozzyfan_2

Hi DSM

You've done so well this month using cash instead of credit card, really well done! :j
Great to hear the meal plannings going well too :T
Are you still keeping your spending diary? I started one about a month ago & it's really helping me understand where it's all been going!
Aiming to have 3 no spend days this week too! Hope you manage it, I'm sure you will

desperatelyseekingmoney_2

Thanks Ozzyfan. I am still keeping a spending diary and I have to say it is the best thing I have done to keep me on the straight and narrow. I now question everything before I buy.

Good luck with your 3 no spend days.

lessonlearned

Just read your thread - you are going great guns - well done.

Don't beat yourself up over your new furnture. Enjoy it.

Like you I had a few backward steps - in my case the first week of trying to sort out my money it was my son's dentist bill. £240 but he was in such pain with toothache I had to help him out - a loving mum can't just watch their baby suffer- even if he is 6'3" so on the cc it went.

I've been MSEing for about six months and this site has helped me so much.

Have you bought Martin's book. Worth every penny.

So far I've saved about £1400 a year by switching suppliers.
Can't do the mortgage yet because we are locked in and the penalty payments would negate any savings.

Currently doing the "Credit Card Shuffle" - saving a small fortune in interest and starting to make a bit of headway off the debt.

Reduced my grocery bill by about a third, hoping to try and get it down a bit more. OS thread very helpful.

Like you I keep a spending diary - my little red book. It really helps.

Started a new job recently. Just had my first month's pay which was at basic rate and managed to put about a third of this to my cc debt. From this month I will start getting commission and I'm going to throw all my commission at my debts.

Keep up the good work - it does take a while to kick in and show results but after a while you'll really start to notice your finances improve.

For me MSE has become a whole new way of thinking about money and I wouldn't dream of buying something without haggling or trying to get a better deal.

Thanks to Martin and everyone for all the tips and advice.

desperatelyseekingmoney_2

Thanks Lessonlearned.

I have bought Martin's book and it has been a fantastic read. I too have changed some utility bills and am hoping to see the benefit of them when we are next billed.

Unfortunately I can't change any credit cards at the moment as have been refused a few but thankfully my highest one is on a 4.9% balance for life and I have got just under a thousand on one that is 11.9% and the rest of my debt is on a catalogue at no interest so I know that I am not too bad, I may leave it a few more months and then look to see if I can do a deal and transfer the thousand on to the lower card, if not I will just throw everything at the higher APR.

I have really suprised myself with getting my grocery bill down as much as I have, last month I reduced it by £30.00, this month I am trying to get that to between £50-£60 reduction.

Today it has been a whole month that I have not used my credit card and I am going to celebrate tonight with some chocolate (that has already been paid for by CASH!!!).

I am in the middle of sorting out a load of stuff to car boot and ebay. We are doing a car boot in 2 weeks time (weather pemitting) and hoping to sell most if it so wish me luck!

lessonlearned

You are so right. You can't beat a choccy treat. Well done you.

Good luck with the ebays and carboots.

I work on Sundays so my o/h and youngest soon are going to do a car boot soon.

Every little helps!

desperatelyseekingmoney_2

Hi

I have been feeling really down today and yesterday.

I just feel really tired and can't be bothered to do anything. I have got so many things going round my head as to what to do to raise extra cash or cut back even more that I think that it is getting too me a bit. I am getting too obsessed with trying to get myself out of debt that I think it is becoming to get on top of me.

I am doing a car boot in a couple of weeks and have been selling stuff on ebay, even though I know I am doing all I can, I still feel a failure.

Is this just middle of the month blues? Does anyone else get this?

Imelda

Hi desparately seeking...

I know exactly how you feel, for the first week after I have been paid I feel really good as all the direct debits and cheques go out, but then 2 weeks later the bills start returning and you feel back to square one again! I have identified this (through my spending diary) as the danger time, I usually think "sod it" and treat myself to something to cheer myself up. I am determined to stick to my budget this month and have promised myself a little present if I do (nothing grand, just a new light for the bathroom- £6 in B&Q).


Good luck with it all, keep posting it might help you get through the tough times!

desperatelyseekingmoney_2

Thanks Imelda. It's true what you have said, at the beginning of the month all of my dd's go out and this week and next week it is going to be hard but like you I am determined to stick to my budget and try not and fall off the wagon. I think I will feel better once I have done my car boot as well as I have got my spare room as a holding ground and I can hardly move! Once that has been cleared and hopefully made some money I will feel better.

I have got to learn that this will not go away overnight and it will take time, unfortunately I don't have a lot of patience and if I don't see results straight away I loose interest so at the same time of trying to sort my money out I am having to re educate myself to slow down and be patient!

lessonlearned

Hi desperately seeking

Sorry you feel down today. I get my low days too. This week I've been getting a lot of headaches. Sometimes I don't sleep too well 'cos I wake up very early in the morning (about 4) thinking about money.

It makes your head spin doesn't it.

I cheer myself up with no spend treats like a homemade facial and a long soak in the bath followed by a "girlie" DVD - something really light like Legally Blonde.

I've also copied the idea of Pin Money Savings from the O/S money saving threads. I save the money I've saved from BOGOF's and my loose change money pot and salt it away. Then when I feel the urge to splash out then, rather than putting it on the CC like the old me used to do. I've actually got a little put by.

Keep at hon you'll get there. I've been MSEing for about six months now and I'm starting to see quite an improvement in my finances. I guess it just takes time and patience.