Only Dull Girls Write Diaries...Myth Broken!

claire0788

Rainy I have just read back a few pages and your doing really well. Im impressed that you have managed to take 33% of the debt away in 6 months ! Even just sorting out F&F payments Im sure lots of effort and worrying went into that time so I hope you get some well deserved "me time" this year

Rainy_2

:hello: Helloo!

It has been a manic couple of weeks at work and with no internet at home at the moment my diary writing has suffered slightly (no excuse I know, I have slapped my wrists!)

I suppose I have also had a bit of 'head in sand' syndrome. While I've still been budgeting and coloured squaring and debt potting etc, I've lost a bit of fizz - probably due to Christmas and a 5 week month (where's Mr Rolly Eyes when you need him?!) So I’m upping my MSE consumption to get a much needed kick on the buttocks! I was £27 over my monthly budget and didn’t manage my Debt Pot goal for January (£750 – not quite £900!) so trying not to feel too deflated.

I realise that one of my ‘things’ is to only talk/write about stuff when things are ok or on the up, not when things are looking less rosy, which is when I could do with it the most! I realise this after catching up with friends and family over the Christmas period, many exclaiming – “where have you been this year?!” Er, in the sand pit full of stress and worry and not wanting to share it! I’m making this a belated resolution. I know that I’m not on my own, so I shouldn’t try and do everything on my own

New developments on the debt front – Barclaycard are still not playing ball, despite 9 months of me desperately trying to arrange monthly payments with them. They must not want my money (er…Ms Shruggy Shoulders needed here! I will pay the ransom Martin!) The last letter from them stated that they will not accept monthly payments of less than 1% of the balance, minimum £25, with the next paragraph saying that if I approached them through CAB, they would accept £5 a month. I am actually wishing that they would pass it on to a ‘proper’ DCA who would bite my hand off for any type of offer! :rotfl:

Rainy_2

All that drivel and still not really gotten to the point of my feeling deflated! I’m not good at this sort of thing! I think it is stemming from lack of support from the other half. Now that I have a steady job with a salary and he is earning a bit more than he is used to, he thinks that everything is magically ok, when really this is still just the beginning. I have expressed this to him several times - there’s an absolute minimum of 6 years to go yet. Because he has a bit more money, he is wanting to spend more money and that is something I just can’t afford to do!

He gets very huffy when I say I can’t afford stuff as “you should be able to, you’ve just been paid” Er, well yes but when 76% of my wage (yes I worked it out ) goes towards my debts its little wonder! Ho hum (Mr Rolly Eyes, I miss you!)

Now I’m becoming stable in the areas of my life that have been in a mess for so long, I am now realising that I have been putting up with carp from other areas for an equally long time

savingholmes

Rainy wrote: »

He gets very huffy when I say I can’t afford stuff as “you should be able to, you’ve just been paid” Er, well yes but when 76% of my wage (yes I worked it out ) goes towards my debts its little wonder! Ho hum (Mr Rolly Eyes, I miss you!)

Now I’m becoming stable in the areas of my life that have been in a mess for so long, I am now realising that I have been putting up with carp from other areas for an equally long time

Yup!

I think though that when you start to change one area - you become more aware of the other areas of your life that still need "fixing". Try and tackle manageable chunks....

Keep posting - we are here for you!

Rainy_2

Very true savingholmes, very true.

I have increased my FlyLady involvement recently (*gulp!*) as a big area of my life that has been neglected is my house and garden. And being as I have fought so hard over the past year to keep them I think that I need to show a little more appreciation for them!

I like the 'Babysteps' mantra and I am trying to recondition myself into thinking that I do not need to do EVERYTHING all in ONE GO! I even went to the tip yesterday after putting if off as there was so much junk sat in the back room and garden. I just took what I could manage and have cleared a good bulk of it out of the way. It's no trouble making more than one trip to the tip, it's not a million miles away, seems silly now that I put it off for so long because it seemed such a HUGE job!

So managable chunks are what I shall try and apply to house, garden, debts and life! Easier said than done but it's good to have a goal!

savingholmes

Good on you - manageable chunks is the way to go.....

I feel stupidly overwhelmed by what are actually small things to do...

Rainy_2

savingholmes wrote: »

I feel stupidly overwhelmed by what are actually small things to do...

Me too. And I end up putting them off until they escalate into something bigger and then use up more energy trying to sort the bigger mess out! Mind you, knowing my tendency to do this I am quite proud of myself for my proactiveness in the debt busting quest

No big banking news, now my monthly payments have settled down they all get done on the same day each month. Barclaycard have still not cashed the cheque I sent for my proposed monthly payment, I expect another snotty letter to arrive shortly to exclaim that I’m too cheap for them :rotfl:

I have had another couple of missed calls from the mystery NGS Corporate Ltd, I would’ve expected something in writing by now chasing whatever debt it could be. They always call early afternoon when I am at work so cannot answer to find out! Mind you I have always been instructed to deal with creditors in writing anyway so they wouldn’t get much out of me on the phone anyway!

Tomorrow is reserved solely for an Ebay shake up, as I have the house to myself. Pics and descriptions to be prepared so that I can trickle out a few listings each week. I am hoping that this will help to keep me on track for my £200 top up needed each month to make my £900 monthly Snowball goal Car boot season will be starting again soon too :j

savingholmes

good luck with ebay and with your target

Rainy_2

:hello:

Some highs and lows to share from this week! Lows being that my Ebaying hasn't quite gone to plan which I am kicking myself about :mad: I have no excuses! And apparently no motivation either but I'm trying not to dwell on it and just jump back in and get started!

Also NPower have decided to double my monthly DD for gas and electric :eek: they have not taken into account at all that I am usually in credit for the majority of the year and have just averaged the whole year based on my winter usage. I have politely pointed this out to them (with the help of MSE) so we'll see what they say!

Good points so far are that I am on NSD number 6 today, which is the fourth this week! I have planned my life around not spending any money this week and so far it is working! Apart from food shopping, which I'm under budget on so far too :j Just need to top up the Debt Pot via some Ebay work and then I'll be on track!

Rainy_2

Today's my debts payment day so I have gone through the list and made sure everyone has been paid! I am now working with 10 creditors all together, a good drop from 24 when I started :eek: Although I do half expect a few to come back through the woodwork at some point in the near future *Mr Rolly Eyes*

I still jump a mile when the landline rings or when any kind of shadow appears outside that might indicate someone at the front door but I do feel organised about it all at the moment which is doing wonders for my head space! That of course just leaves room for other stuff to creep in!

Barclaycard are still not playing though, they are the last of the 'biggies' that I want to get a settled payment plan in order but they still haven't even cashed last months cheque yet *Ms Shruggy Shoulders!* I genuinely think that they don't want my money! I've been trying to give it to them for 9 months :rotfl:

So I've been able to colour a couple of squares in today - hoorah!