Time to focus on this properly now so i'm starting my diary!

elljay20

Hi all,

after reading some of the threads on here i've decided to start my own!:beer:
i had my lightbulb moment last year but i've not been very oraganized with it, however, i have paid off about two and a half grand!!:j

so, i'm starting with my abby cc as i'm sure the interest free period is ending on that quite soon:o Balance is £951 and i'm looking to clear that this year. I'm trying to be optimistic, but also realistic. I've been carp with my money this month and currently have £500 in my bank account to last till pay day, i don't know where it's all gone!

I really need to get on top of my finances now and need to focus, but after reading others diarys on here i still have a lot to learn!!
For example what are the scratch cards everyone is talking about, daily clicks and stuff too???

I am really going to try and stay in the black this month so that any commission i earn in julys pay can go on the cc and i can live off my basic.
thanks all for reading and any advice or help much appreciated!

epsilondraconis

elljay20 wrote: »

For example what are the scratch cards everyone is talking about, daily clicks and stuff too???

Good to see a shiny new diary.

Although the scratch cards aren't as good as they used to be; however they are still a way of making free money. See:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1412565&highlight=daily+scratch+card

Good luck with your debt-free journey!

epsilondraconis

Hi Elljay20,

If you wanted, you could post you statement of affiars, essentially your income and outgoings. Other forum members will then review your numbers and try to offer advice on how to reduce your debt. Enter your numbers into the SOA calculator using the link below and then post it back into this thread.

http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

There is also the snowball calculator which people find very useful as it indicates which debt to attack first (i.e. the one with the highest APR).

http://www.makesenseofcards.com/snowcalc.html

A lot of forum members also find it useful to keep a spending diary as well. They write down everything they spend to ensure they know where every last penny is going. Even if you only do this for a couple of months, it may help you in your debt free journey to see exactly where your money is going.

Keep posting anyway.

Good luck.

elljay20

thanks for the reply, will check that out today. was supposed to be bringing a packed lunch today but didn't get time dammit.
soup and a roll is going to be the cheapest i can get it!!

elljay20

epsilondraconis wrote: »

Hi Elljay20,

If you wanted, you could post you statement of affiars, essentially your income and outgoings. Other forum members will then review your numbers and try to offer advice on how to reduce your debt. Enter your numbers into the SOA calculator using the link below and then post it back into this thread.

http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

There is also the snowball calculator which people find very useful as it indicates which debt to attack first (i.e. the one with the highest APR).

http://www.makesenseofcards.com/snowcalc.html

A lot of forum members also find it useful to keep a spending diary as well. They write down everything they spend to ensure they know where every last penny is going. Even if you only do this for a couple of months, it may help you in your debt free journey to see exactly where your money is going.

Keep posting anyway.

Good luck.

hi and thanks for the suggestions.
I'm going to do a soa later as i don't know where i am with my finances at the moment. I'm fairly confident i've got everything as cheap as i can though too.
Its coming up to the school holidays and i've no idea what i'm going to spend on childcare. she normally goes to holiday club at £26 a day but to keep costs down i think my dad is taking 2 weeks off (waiting for confirmation) and i am going to try to take a weeks holiday. Also, my brother is on about coming up and looking after her for a week but until it's all booked and sorted i don't know!!!
Also, i'm in a fairly odd, but lucky situation.
I live on a holiday park at the seaside (which is why family want to come visit in the hols!) and my accomodation is provided.
household bills wise i only really have bt to pay for which i've just got down from £60 to £30, and my mobile phone which is £40.
the rest of my stuff is cc a loan, travel and smoking :-(

elljay20

bonus!! my virgin card is £28 in credit, woo hoo!! i paid it off with a balance transfer but they took payment anyway. will call them in the morning to get it transferred into my account.

i have been a good ish little elljay and stuck to my budget this week. i've stopped the magazine spending and just been browsing mse this week instead! i have also decided to have a wine free week!! OMG!! how will i cope???

Fire_Fox

Why do you have BT and a mobile phone? If it's for internet there have been cheaper offers, as low as £5 on this website before. I have a £15 dongle for mine so no landline required! I then have inclusive calls to landlines on my mobile, and still only pay £12 a month - can you renegotiate your contract?

Smoking ... do you want to quit or do you just think you should? If you want to then pop and see your GP for a referral to the Stop Smoking service in your area. The combination of one-to-one or group sessions and a whole raft of treatments means you are massively more likely to quit successfully.