Nerd stress

Snich

Hey fellow DFWs,

I'm feeling very stressed at the moment and think a rant would help. I'll try to make it coherent...;)

Firstly, I got paid on Thursday - usually a cause for celebration but this month I got paid £60 less than usual. I don't understand why because I was actually due inflation pay rise this month (but due to NHS cash crisis, there is a 'delay' in this being implemented) but this still should have left net pay the same.

Secondly, being the DFW nerd I am, I was actually looking forward to the Student Loans Company taking their first payment out of my paycheque. However, they have forgotten to do this for both me and my other half. Talking to other recent graduates who are also earning over the threshold, about half of them have paid and the other half are like us... Yes, we did fill in all the forms in plenty of time and they sent a letter confirming that we would be paying from April. It's a mystery. Meanwhile loan doesn't go down this month, only UP. I am reluctant to send them money because I have heard bad things about them 'losing' extra payments and also because these aren't our highest APR loans so extra money should go to Professional Studies Loan.

Thirdly, I have started doing the £120 month grocery challenge. This is making me feel really stressed and it's causing arguments between me and BF. I don't know why because we're actually doing quite well (av spend per week is £25) but I'm feeling pressured and taking it out on BF when he says he wants to make a large cottage pie. Goodness only knows why I got cross about that - he was offering to cook a budget meal !!!!!!! I'm a moron.

The problem is that I want to be debt free now. We're doing so well. We're living off 3/4 of one paycheque while the rest goes solely to pay off debts. We're in a really strong position to be finished in Aug 2009 - maybe sooner.
Every day I hear about yet another friend who has bought a new car or a new house or a great holiday. I know that it's another debt and most of them are in a similar financial situation to us, they just have a different mentality to us. However, I see them doing these things and I'm jealous.

I really want to go on holiday in the summer. I can't contemplate not going. We can afford to go without adding to the debt and it won't delay our Debt Free Date. Unfortunately, thinking about going makes me feel really stressed. Thinking about not going makes me feel even more stressed. I don't want to feel like this for the next 3 years.

Please give a good kicking as you see fit.
Many thanks
Snich x

southernscouser

Broken_hearted

Damn you SS now I want new boots:mad:

Snich

thanks SS. That hurt.

southernscouser

:rotfl:

Snich, I know it always get's said but you are doing bloody brilliantly. And I know exactly how you are feeling. I imagine most people do. We just have to take the rough with the smooth. Tomorrow is another day closer to freedom.

But if you can afford a holiday then why not reward yourself? As long as your doing it the MSE way. Not on credit, best deal, plenty of research, then you deserve it. It's like a learning curve of how you will be when you are debt free. Why not get some practice in?

tesuhoha

I was like that about not having a holiday. I could not BEAR not having a holiday in the Med every year. Because of that and other things, it is now 3 years since we've had any kind of holiday at all, even a weekend away. Better to miss one year while you get straight rather than still be paying the interest on those holidays you had 3 years later.

southernscouser

Broken_hearted wrote:

Damn you SS now I want new boots:mad:

You can have those ones BH! They've got Snich's bum prints on them now! :rotfl:

kathfisch

Hi Snitch!

I hope it helped to have a rant!

Trying to spend as little as possible to pay off debts and/or save is a stressful business so its natural to feel under pressure etc. Its so tempting to want it all sorted (right now!), you just need to be proud of small steps.

First thing - you're paying off your debts instead of increasing them :T
Second - you're determined to save money through grocery challenge etc :j
Third - you're considering the impact of things you want to do (like holiday) instead of just putting it on credit :j :T

Be proud of every little thing you do - even if its just find a bargain or BOGOF in the supermarket. Everything won't be magically sorted overnight but at least you're going in the right direction now

Snich

BH - I have a very nice bottom so the boots will be extra special with that print on them. The nice bottom is slightly marred by the scarring imprint of the boots but that's another story.

SS - thanks. That's what I needed to hear. In an ideal world, we wouldn't go at all but this isn't an ideal world and I'm only human, just a wee little nerd with wants and needs. See, look how pitiful I am and how nice it would be for me to go to Slovenia for two weeks... lol.

Snich x

Snich

Kathfisch - you're the best virtual cheerleader ever!!! Thanks

kathfisch

Snich wrote:

Kathfisch - you're the best virtual cheerleader ever!!! Thanks

No problem!!

Now, where did I put my pompoms?! :rotfl: :rotfl: