Its worth a go isn't it?

Itsarandom

I have been a lurker for quite a while - but now I am needing some inspiration and maybe just to write myself on what I am doing each day, how much I am spending and being brutally honest with myself! Its easy to convince yourself in your mind you do really need to buy that coffee because you are so gosh darn tired! Or buying that bacon/sausage roll would be ever so easy!


No more I say! I am going to (hopefully) write here everyday, listing what I bought.

Everyday I will also take 1.99 (my coffee) and put it into my ISA - and at the end of each week put that on the credit card.

A little background:

a 24 (on Saturday!) year old with what used to be a good state of affairs - sure I had some debt but I had the finances to deal with it all (and of course i convinced myself that I didn't really need to pay off as much as i could each month... Cause i really needed that game/dvd/electronic junk). But suddenly my flatmate, two weeks before I was going to move in with him decided he would much rather have his partner live with him instead - and as such said there was no room at the inn.

Me being the bright young soul I am have had no savings and not really concentrating on burning off my debt for the last while - suddenly found myself facing nowhere to live and all the furniture and other gubbins I had bought and was getting delivered...well...out came the credit card. The one I had just cleared of all money and was just about to cancel (luckily I didn't else it would of gone on one of my Balance Transfer cards :eek:).

The last week has been a rush to get a flat - thankfully found somewhere very close to work - getting paperwork, insurances, moving (my parents are travelling 100 miles to help to save me movers cost), agent fees (only ones who could promise me the keys this weekend) has come to about another 1000 pounds as of noon tomorrow. While I had just started to turn on my lightbulb for sorting out my debts - they suddenly gained a quarter of their value.

On last count i was on 4200 debt - by about Monday (or when the money clears on my current credit card) and a new SOA. The plus side to all of this I no longer have to take the 30 minute train to work and can cycle once again - saving approximately 160 a month, which covers the 150 hike in rent, of course not including the increased council tax and such... but one step at a time!

It also doesn't help that this is the first month that my pension finally starts coming off - I was expecting about 115 or there abouts to come off once you did the maths of being tax-free etc...

At first I look at my wage sleep and saw 195 off - I think I pretty much _pale_ but once I sat down and worked it out it came to about the 160 mark. So my wage was a shock and of course perfectly timed.

So now I get out of the big city and need to start facing the fact that my person goal of being debt-free by Feb 2010 Will fly out the window unless I start breaking a sweat. The one good thing about moving? You find TONS of stuff you really don't use anymore just lying around and you beaming friend Ebay whispers seductively in your ear...

Thankfully it means a healthier lifestyle, and a far less hectic lifestyle and no longer will I pass starbucks on the way to work in the morning and convince myself I am just that tired.

So - no time like the present, today is a classic example of overindulgence

morning:
4.8 - train ticket to work (because I am under 25 and have my railcard - works out cheaper)
0.85 - morning roll with sausage in the morning (when I have bread i bought for making toast for the week at work - but i wanted a "treat"...)

Lunch:
2.95 - lunch (again, this has to stop - its back to marmite sandwiches - or at least sandwiches from home again!!)

Hometime:
1.99 Coffee from starbucks (Although there is a fiver on my starbucks card which means I didn't technically spend a penny today, I still count it.)


To be honest this was a cheap day in consideration of the norm, lunch was cheaper than normal (usually hits about 3.50), breakfast is usually a coffee in the morning (1.99/1.00 at work) PLUS coffee on the way home (1.99) then snacks and rubbish at work...

Time to keep track and pay attention!

Itsarandom

So Today didn't start as a good day. Already 1.99 from my starbucks card as I woke up late (which I am counting as real money!) and 25 pence for a scone.
I keep telling myself "every penny counts" yet when that bakery home-cooked scone looks at me all my mind then says is "well it is only 25 pence".
Well that is 25 pence less towards my goal of being debt-free.
However I also have defined a reason for wanting to be debt-free, although the noble cause of wanting to be debt-free because you can be is plenty enough in its own right, I also have another goal in mind.

This one is my long-suffering OH who slapped a ring on my finger in January. Together for three and a bit years now and engaged for 6 months - hopefully the goal is to get a place together once he finishes studying. At the moment he is completing his degree back home while I am working 100 miles away. Now while getting enough cash together to match his deposit will happen anytime soon... at least I can do is get rid of my debt I have and save up some cash to at least help towards the moving costs and furniture as well as look good on our application!

So what I think I need to start doing to changing my thinking - from "that is 25 pence towards being debt-free!" to "that is 25 pence towards OH and I having a place of our own together...". Maybe that final push shall help my motivation, I know I have willpower buried inside me somewhere as it helped me quit smoking (5 months and counting...).

So, today lets go for no more! Not another penny Random!!
Total so far:
Coffee: 1.99
Scone: 0.25
Train Ticket £4.80
TOTAL :: 7.04

Next week I think I might set a challenge to have a No Spend Week beyond my loaf of bread for lunch/breakfasts! If you think about it on average I am spending about 8 pounds a day - while 4.80 of that can't be avoided until Monday (no more trains yay!)- what about the other 3.20?! :eek: so i would save about 40 quid next week if i manage that!!:T

Fire_Fox

Happy birthday and happy debt-busting! :beer: Congratulations on quitting smoking - if you can do that you can do anything as many experts suggest it's more addictive than heroin!

Why don't you stop carrying money/ cards with you so you can't be tempted by random food and drink purchases? Either buy a weekly ticket for the train, or change some twenties up into £5 notes and pick up one a day.

kirstenc

I was about to suggest the same thing.

I havent taken cash to work with me for the last 2 weeks and therefore I havent withdrawn a penny that hasnt paid a bill, or the childminder lol

Its amazing how it adds up...when I go shopping i take out the cash i plan on spending, that way i cant say 'well im only a bit over, and i have my card...'

how about investing in one of those coffee mugs/flask type things that keeps your drink warm?? that way your excuse is in your bag, and it will no doubt pay for itself in no time!!

well done on starting your diary, its the most motivational part, and now you have readers, you will work to impress! :rotfl:

Itsarandom

Thanks for your encouragement folks!


Sadly at the new place there is no internet yet - so I haven't been able to post recently - however hopefully this will all change come wednesday!

So the weekend I was fairly well behaved! It helps having your birthday though with your parents to help moving and my partner taking me out for lovely meals... best not get used to that!

Thankfully the temptation to go to starbucks is now a healthy 20 miles away, and the only thing between my work and my house is large fields i walk/cycle past - so I no longer have that excuse. Add on top of that I am saving a fortune on travel now (that is an extra 120-160 a month in my pocket) i am in a bit of a good mood...

Well I am today, sadly my birthday did kind of go with a bang - but from the washing machine in my new rented property.

We moved most of my stuff over and lunchtime was upon me and my family and partner and hunger decided we needed to obviously go for a birthday brunch. So we pop a small wash into the washing machine and head straight back out to the local pub for some good nosh.

When we come back - the washing machine decided to spew all its water out onto the floor - so glad this place is rented... hopefully they are getting someone out on Wednesday to have a look at it. See how things go from there! Hopefully they will replace the machine, but as long as they do something by end of the week I have no complaints!

However - Time to write up my expenditures today - this will be fun!

Today's shopping was a little expensive.. but it isn't too bad! Sadly I can't remember how much the food bags were... i think they were about 70 odd pence...

Bread for breakfast/lunches: 75p
Travel: FREE!! :j Nice healthy 2 mile walk to work! Wish i were walking home!!
Batteries: £1 (for a portable light in my cupboard of my new place).
Biscuits: 33p - some of asda smart price chocolate digestives. Although a luxury, i figured it is better than taking the risk of deciding to get starving by lunchtime and going to asda and getting money out and suddenly spending a tenner...! worst comes to worst they last a month!
Asda smart price food bags: 70 pence(ish) - normally on a Monday and Sunday I meet up with friends in Edinburgh which is nice and cheap as it is all off-peak travel with my railcard, so these are for taking dinner with me.

I am considering these trips my luxury and if for whatever reason I can't afford them one month then I don't go. However the biggest killer is food and drink and on Mondays I leave straight from work, so for the short-term I am going to make some sandwiches and take them with me along with my flask of squash, a lesson i learnt from my student days! If you don't go out and buy a sandwich or a quick "bite to eat" before these things - you can save a fortune per month.
Long-term? Start looking at getting a lunch box for this and take something more substantal that I could eat on the train - i suspect this evening I will end up in the living room grazing as a marmite sandwich and some juice won't keep me going long enough...luckily still got birthday cake this week!!:D

TOTAL :: 2.78

So far - so good! Sure the washing machine is a bit of an upset and the house smells damp now (had the windows open all weekend) - they have to fix it soon enough and as I say, as long as it is fixed I should have enough clothes!!

Even if I look at today compared to Friday last week - am already nearly a fiver up - and I don't plan to buy anything else this week - including the weekend!! So that would be 6 days of no outgoings apart from bills... Crossed fingers!

Looking forward to getting internet again in the flat though!!! Now it is time for my marmite sandwiches and maybe a nice cup of tea

Itsarandom

Just did a quick snowball calculator test to see what my recommended DFD would be following its advice and paying off 350 a month..


November 2010...:eek:



I have to get this down to July So i can start saving up for a house!!

Better re-do a budget and SOA ASAP and get planning!!!

linz

Just a quick one that stood out in your first couple of posts -

Could you get a flask (asda sell them) and make a flask of coffee before you leave for work to last you through your working day? Maybe that would stop the temptation of buying them at 2 quid a go? Might not taste as nice as a shop bought one - I'm a tea drinker myself so I wouldn't know but just an idea

Itsarandom

Hey Linz - thanks for your support!:D

Since moving there is no Coffee stops along the route i travel to work - just fields now, so I solved that temptation by moving home!! It was always something i meant to do though, making a flask for work. However the 6/6.30am start usually meant i didn't have enough coordination to trust myself with hot water!!

Itsarandom

Ooooh dear... what have I done?

So I have spent over 100 pounds in the last 24 hours... let me explain how.


First of all I completely forgotten I hadn't paid the cleaner yet for the cleaning of the old flat - that came to a total of 90 quid, even worse is that they haven't cleaned the washing machine or the shower curtain... so I will be going over there Friday night to finish the property off anyway!! :mad:

Thankfully my flatmate had already given me 45 quid towards that before we parted ways... but it doesn't make life any easier!!

Of course in my mad panic of forgetting and rushing to the old flat i forgot to take my sandwiches for dinner - however - somehow this ended up with my spending 5.37 on a sandwich, a drink, cookies for my friends and a nice pastry for me!!! Why did that seem like a good idea?!

Add to that I was now running late for meeting them, I ended up paying 2.40 in buses to get there and back in time to get home!! ARGH!

Add to that me discovering I had forgotten my railcard and ended up paying 4.60 for the train to go visit them... it was an expensive yesterday!!

Today isn't getting any better I have to admit.... I already spent 5 pounds on lunch and breakfast... However as punishment that has come out of some of my birthday money - but still has to be noted down because I won't have birthday cash forever, this will also be considered a one-off. No more of that!!

Total today:

Travel: Free - definitely walking home now!! Walk in this morning was lovely though.. boiling sunshine! Had to even take my jumper off!!

Breakfast+Lunch = 5.00


However!! There is good news... kinda. I have just been put on a high-profile project which has unlimited overtime! This means that if it is going to shave a few hours off the project deadline then we are allowed to work as much as we can. By also living close to Work it means at weekends I can always be the second person (can't open the buildings at the weekend unless two people are working).

This means Overtime pay at time and a half :j! So have already said I am perfectly happy to do any and all overtime required! Should get at least a couple of hours this month! That could be the equivalent as getting a second job - especially if i end up working a sunday at double-time! The downside is the stress... but to be honest might be good to take my mind of my bank account for a little while and concentrate on work!

Lets see how the rest of this day goes...

Fire_Fox

Why don't you bulk buy dry breakfast/ lunch food and keep it at work and a bottle of neat squash? Then you will only have to remember the fresh stuff on a daily basis, if you forget then you don't have to buy a full day of meals. Also why are you taking money to work if you don't need it for transport? That is just putting temptation in your path.

Itsarandom

before i forget!! I best put this here!

Important points on this: I pay my home insurance annually - so that is already 107 gone however its not coming off monthly... a little change from my old one but I think I need to put this down!

I don't think I am going to change it - it is how things are at the moment and although I can see areas I can trim down... I would rather set that as the bar and aim lower - rather than disappoint myself by setting the bar lower and falling flat on my face each month!!

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household......... 0
Number of cars owned.................... 0
Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1291
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 1291
Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 395
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 125
Electricity............................. 22
Gas..................................... 22
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 0
Telephone (land line)................... 21
Mobile phone............................ 30
TV Licence.............................. 0
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 21
Groceries etc. ......................... 80
Clothing................................ 5
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 50
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 11
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 5
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 20
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Guitar.................................. 44
Total monthly expenses.................. 851

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 0
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 0

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts
Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
egg card.......................3437.01...72........16.9
barclaycard....................1074.24...25........6.3
Total unsecured debts..........4511.25...97........-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,291
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 851
Available for debt repayments........... 440
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 97
Amount left after debt repayments....... 343
Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 0
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -4,511.25
Net Assets.............................. -4,511.25
Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using IE browser.