£77,366.35 reasons to be debt free!

InaPickle

Hi IMD!

I personally think that you should get the trainers: they are a necessity not a frivolous 'want'. Necessities cannot be neglected, but frivoloties can (and must be).

I have to admit, I have doubts about not having the pet insurance as well. I know it's nice to put all that money in a tin/bank account, but all it will take is one thing to happen to one of the dogs and you could end up with a very hefty bill: our last dog cost us £900 before we had insurance one time she needed to go to the vets with X-rays etc. included. Can you afford £900 out of your budget, if required? (Sorry, not meaning to be pessimistic, but it's risk-cost analysis.)

Best of luck. You are doing really well. Give OH a few more days to ruminate about it, then sit down with a 'moving forward' plan if necessary telling him how blame etc. is just causing resentment and could, ultimately, cost you your marriage if not nipped in the bud now. Four years of potentially being put on a guilt trip would drive anyone mad! :A

Keeping_Motivated

I think you are doing so well, the attitude and the ebaying etc.

I'm just wondering does your OH believe/think that you spent most of the money on things for you seen as he seems to blame you at the moment?

clarab_3

I've come late to your diary IMD but just wanted to say how much I admire you and your attitude.

For half your willpower I'd be debt free by now... but wanted to say if I'm proof of anything (and if you can take anything from my own experience) its that 1 slip doesnt mean the wheels have to come off the wagon, and to aknowledge it and move on - dont beat yourself up. If you are in this for the long haul, there will be slips, but as long as those totals come down each month, you are in control, and its a fabulous feeling.

go girl! Its a very very rewarding thing, in its own way! x

taxi73

IMD...You are doing fantastically and have come to terms with the debt and how it came about.Your DH is only just realising it and am sure he'll be fine in a few days when he gets over the shock.
Maybe him being quiet is him realising that he is to blame as well as last night he acknoledged about the holidays,car etc.
You will be debt free and you'll both do it together.The journey will be easy sometimes and hard others.
There are plenty of us here to vouch for that .
RE the pet insurance..I have 2 dogs and the 16 year old dog has rarely needed a vet and the 3 year old has only had a couple of visits..so pet insurance would have been a waste of money for us.
I guess what I'm saying is go with your gut feeling to if you think you will need it or whether putting money aside would be better..which is what I would do.

jay1976

I just wanted to say keep up the good work, i was in a simular situation but when you see the debt slowly reducing it keeps you going, i reduced and finaly got rid of credit cards and loans. just got the mortgage to work on now, anyway good luck and keep going :T

Spirit_2

Hi. I pop in now and then to read a number of diaries but do not usually post on them.

From your recent posts....

OH commitment to debt busting.....just because I had had a LBM it did not mean Mr Spirit had one. He did get it a bit, but it has grown on him. We have been doing this for the last 2.5.years should finish this year . He wasn't obstructive he did slow his spending but not to the extent I had changed. It did change and he has been committed to not spending for about the last 10 months. He has shopped around for cheaper insurances, and sold his car to reduce our debt and outgoings. I am still the 'financial controller' but he respects me for it and now appreciates what 'I' have managed to do to reduce our debts. His bonus all went to debt busting in December where as previously he would have wanted 'something'.

We do include leisure activities as essential .....they keep us sane and well. Your trainers would come into that catagory. You are in this for the long haul, being fit and healthy is wonderful. Enjoy it. Maintain it.

Pet insurance.

You need a lot of discipline to self insure. We maintained our dog's insurance. We had never used it, then the minute we started debt busting we needed it big time...he was an older dog and the probability of something going wrong increased.

Other pets we do not insure (we have a lot). In the last week we have had almost £240 of vet bills. 3 weeks ago £58. For several months prior to that no costs at all.

The notional 'vet fund' (when I had it) I have paid off our debts/ spent/paid a bill with. It was just too easy to get to.

Good luck, you have a common sense approach to this and your realism will prevail.

Spirit

40somethingmum

In_my_dreams wrote: »

Only problem is that my trainers have a big hole in them and I have a long race in a few weeks. Seen the same pair reduced by £40 but shouldn't get them......

x

But you need them . Running is your release, something which we all need when life is so stressful. Enjoy your time with the kids.:)

40Smx

In_my_dreams

Wow what an amazing amount of inspirational posts to wake up to. Thank you so so much!

In a predicament re the pet insurance - we have an elderly cat, a 9 year old dog and a puppy who causes havoc - we are tending to think that we will insure the puppy as he is bound to get himself into trouble. OH's firm opinion is that the vet will only offer lots of treatments once they know we are insured. We had a cat who had 18 months on operations and we finally had him put down, in hindsight we should have had him put down at the outset but the vet offered alternatives.....really need to make a decision on this. We are considering running up a vet fund of £750 now in a sealed tin.....

Been up since 8am, started ebaying about an hour ago. OH gone off for a walk, will no doubt brood when he's out, come back in a mood, make me feel like carp.....

Trainers - washed the copious amounts off mud off both pairs last night, gutted that both pairs have holes in. A pair I bought in October for £70 have rips and the soles are coming away - but I have run 100's of miles in them since then. The others I may be able to sew, thinking I could stick the other soles until I find that particular pair in a sale as they are expensive. Worked out I've run over 150 miles this year already - wow all that stress free time!

Not coming back on here until I've listed at least 20 items on ebay then that will be my treat

Honestly thank you so much for all the posts, particularly from people who sometimes only lurk and long timers who must have hundreds of diaries to post on - will certainly make me more committed knowing I am coming back here everynight.

Oh and the heavy snow has put paid to our afternoon out but looks like a NSD today :j

InaPickle

In_my_dreams wrote: »

Oh and the heavy snow has put paid to our afternoon out but looks like a NSD today :j

Silver linings!

But seriosuly, those trainers are a need, not a want with the amount of miles you put it. Maybe do what Hypno said and take it out of your Ebay earnings? That's what I'm having to do with my things I need to buy for my nail course (plust they are much cheaper than at the beauty wholesalers! ).

Best of luck. :T

Poolie

IMD you an inspiration. Ok OH being fully on board may take a bit longer but he will get there (eventually).

The vet fund is certainly a good idea although having the insruance may make the vet want to continue all the treatments he can. Might be worth speaking with the vet to see what the full options are and chances of the treatments working correctly rather than wasting your hard earnt cash.