Jellie's attempts to banish the wobbles and get debt free!

*Jellie*

I'm thoroughly depressed and feel like giving up.

I've just totted up all the extra expenses this month etc (which I have been avoiding) and my debt is almost back at the level where I started with my LBM. I've been trying really hard as well!

Primula

Just a quickie as sneaking on at work! Bad me!

Don't you dare give up Jellie. *wags finger!* Yeah, you have had extra expense the past few weeks on your house, but think positive, you needed to spend on this to achieve a sale so it will be worth it in the end. And...........if you hadn't been trying it would have been a lot worse so be positive as you are doing great.
P
xx

*Jellie*

Thanks Prim!
I can't bear seeing my debt going the wrong way. As you say though if I hadn't been trying so hard things would be even worse now.

I know things will be fine once the house is sold as I'll have less expenses going out for a while so it shouldn't take long to get back to where I was. I still feel really low though.

I bought the Economy Gastronomy book yesterday and a Cookery Bible for my sister as she gets her AS results. Naughty to splurge but again in the past I'd have probably blown a few hundred on clothes as well! At least the 100 days challenge kept that urge in check. Also having given so many clothes to the charity shop the other day it would be silly to immediately buy more!

Thanks for your support Prim.

vodkabarbie

Hi Jellie, don't give up!
I'm a total bookworm but I've vowed not to buy any new books, I've been using the ReadItSwapIt website so at least I get books for just the price of postage....and clear some space on the shelves for more
Though I am also considering the Economy Gastronomy book - is it any good?

*Jellie*

vodkabarbie wrote: »

Hi Jellie, don't give up!
I'm a total bookworm but I've vowed not to buy any new books, I've been using the ReadItSwapIt website so at least I get books for just the price of postage....and clear some space on the shelves for more
Though I am also considering the Economy Gastronomy book - is it any good?

Thanks vodkabarbie! I really need all the encouragement I can get at the moment. It is times like this when I get disheartened that I tend to go out and make a bad situation worse by comfort spending!

I'm a bookworm too- can easily go through a couple of hundred pounds in a trip to a book shop! I've been much better recently and have generally only blown money on books that is within budget. I'm trying not to buy new books as much. The website sounds good but most of the books I gen now are ebooks (saves space on shelves but not so good for swapping). My big weakness as far as books are concerned are ones that are work related.

I'm finding Economy Gastronomy good. I'm not OS naturally and although I try my best I'm not that creative in the kitchen. This book should add to my repertoire of batch cooking meals as well as helping me to try some things with leftovers. Let me know if you get it and we can compare efforts!!

*Jellie*

Right- time for a major effort to get out of the doldrums and not slide back into comfort spending. Although I have gone further into debt this has been for very good reasons- it hopefully means my house is more likely to sell and if I get a good price I'll be able to get back to where I was with the proceeds.
Things to be proud of at the moment

• I have cut down on the amount of Diet Coke I drink and haven't bought new clothes or magazines thanks to the 100 day challenge
• I've massively reduced spending on dvds and books
• I've managed to do lots of cooking from the store cupboard and have thrown less food out
• Without these efforts I would be in an even worse position right now
• I have been better at thinking about budgeting and have identified some of the areas and possible reasons for overspends so I can focus on addressing underlying issues
• I have decluttered the house and made it beautiful. In reducing the amount of books and clothes I have I have hopefully realised that they really don't need replacing and there are very few things I could really use in these areas I don't have
• Having reduced my debt before I know that I am capable of doing it if I just KEEP GOING!!

I might be able to add more later but hopefully re-reading this will help

shell_girl

Hi have just been reading through your diary- sounds like you're making some very positive changes so well done!

Just wanted to leave a tip of mine that has worked for me at the supermarket- feel free to use or ignore

Do your shop- go in with the mentality 'I will not spend unnecessary money'. The supermarket will wear you down (if you're anything like me!). After about 20 mins of shopping and battling trolleys, I've usually lost the will to live. Two thirds of the way through the shop, your resolve will be weakening, and things may have jumped in to your trolley. Just before you go to the till, go through your basket/ trolley, and ask yourself what items can you put back (don't actually go round putting them back- that's almost as bad as doing the shop twice- just dump them somewhere... sorry supermarket staff) and be ruthless. It's cool because you do it at the point when the end is in sight- feels like you're taking a bit of revenge on the supermarket for the soul destroying experience of the weekly shop :rotfl:
Sorry for rambling!

yukkibear

That list of achievments is great well done

*Jellie*

Thanks for the advice shell_girl. Sounds like a good idea. Maybe combined with getting into the habit of menu planning and shopping to a list I can get my grocery bill down. Your tip will certainly help cut out the non-grocery items that leap into the trolley!

Thanks yukkibear- sometimes half the battle is to keep fighting!!

ZiggyStardust_2

You sound like me with the diet coke, books and magazines! Scary how much these things add up to, and highly addictive!!

Well done on what you've achieved so far :beer: sounds really positive!