So here's to you, Mrs R....

hypno06

In_my_dreams wrote: »

Oh to have only £20k of debt :rotfl:

It is not that far off - four years ago, my debt was at £100k.....just two years ago it was still at £70k......and now it is at £23k........

If I can do it, anyone can - my income is less than yours so it is certainly possible.

Think positive!!

WorkingHardDFW

I would agree with H anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Mine debt has really tumbled from small beginnings (just note using CC's) to full on DFW's at each and every turn. It does make you questions everything you spent but whats wrong with that. People who have money, or no debt, have it for a reason and its probably got to do with watching what they spend.

Keep posting and staying in control it will get you there probably before you expect it...

In_my_dreams

I'm just thinking getting under £70k would be good right now! I would love to pay £20k off in one year and that would be a massive achievement!

mrs_robinson_3

Dear all who have replied to my diary - would name check y'all but too tired and frankly, one glass of wine too many just now. 3 for a tenner though, Asda, so not bad, but all 13.5% ABV bizzarely. Do they want to get me sloshed, or what? - but PROMISE to check in with all of you and reply properly tomorrow - but, just wnated to say, isn't this fun? Obviously we are all slightly driven and obsessive types, so where we once chanelled that into fun, excitement, doing, being, seeing and being seen and racking up our spends, now we channel all of that ENERGY into our debts - the clearing thereof, natch. So have high hopes for us all!!

Just to big up though, massive achievements by Hypno - massive respect from Mrs R. And I know from her posts that Mrs mcr has high levels of energy too, and stickability, which is inspiring me no end. So, let's GO girls (are we all, maybe not, but have a feeling??)....we will do this thing and be better for it!

Hic

Mrs R

mrs_robinson_3

So, post 4, in which Mrs R ruminates on the how the debt came to be……..

In the absence of anything concrete to report on the debt front (still no time for Ebay, Amazon etc though got to carve some out soon) - other than it’s probably going to be another NSD - I’ve been thinking about the nature of my debt

And ironically, what I find is that, general impulsiveness aside, a lot of it has been caused by….saving! Which breaks one of MSE’s cardinal rules – being in debt with money in the bank - but as the secondary schools here are not so great, we always know we’d want to go the independent route.

So as Mr R is a sensible sort of chap (apart from his fondness for fine wine), he’s always made sure we put money aside each month to save up. And then when DS1 started, we paid out of our income, but carried on saving in readiness for DS2. Stuffed twice over – or three times, if you count that tax we’ve already paid for their education (I know, amongst other things, and it is our choice, but still…)

All of which meant, there was always too much month left, so ended up putting essentials (like food shopping, petrol etc) on cards to bridge the gap. But since embracing the Divine Path of Thriftfulness last year, not had to do that, as obviously spending less overall, and saying no much more often. What also helped was a rearrangement of the finances, so grocery money now comes from the joint a/c. Whereas had always thought, oh nice little gee-gaw for the house, have that – forgetting there would be a big supermarket spend looming – hence the CCs grew.

Mr R finds all this most amusing, as he’s been doing thrift (he claims – wine and running shoes aside) ever since we had the boys. When we met, he was a bit of a fancy pants, always nicely turned out. And then when the DSs arrived, as he embraced his new responsibilities, we entered the era of THE CARDIGANS. He had these nice lambswool ones, kind of young fogey-ish - I liked. But he wore them and wore them until they became threadbare, fragile things, and then he got his mum to patch them, and wore them some more, and then I said NO MORE CARDIGANS.

Also and again largely due to Mr R, we will be OK in the future – long term, I think we're quite well catered for. But now is when we really need that money, so the challenge is to get rid of the debts, free up more cash, live a bit more now like will be able to when am older, but whilst can still enjoy it!

All of which brings me back to BOBAH’s tip about the 25% pay rise, which has really captured my imagination . Thought had done all possible to trim the household expenses, but reckon now there’s more pips to squeak yet, so that’s the new challenge.

Also, if you will indulge me in a little boast - last night used up 6 week old fresh beetroots – roasted them and they were fine – from little acorns…and so good for the anti-oxidants!.

Laters y’all

Mrs R

mrscmr

ah the school fee problem.... i suffer the same prob for 2 of mine! luckily grandparents fund 1 and as i have no money .. grandparents fund 2... hmm big guilty trip.. but as my dad said to me this week... just adding to ur tab... hmm now my tab with him is approaching 27k... unlikely i am gonna pay it back by the time i reach 140 years old.

enjoying ur diary.. keep strong! get ebaying.. if i told u i have sold nearly 5k worth since march.. would that interest u and make u want to start? get on it.
find the 10 a day ebay challenge thread and get motivated!
x

mrs_robinson_3

Mrs mcr

5k since March is amazing! What a lot of effort that must've been too - I could just tell you've got masses of energy from your posts.

Have decided Friday, am gonna do a sneaky "working at home day" for pix and listings. Find it almost impossible to do when kids around (with breaking up the interminable squabbling, and one hanging off my shoulder now as I type) and the rest of the time, am at work. So Friday, ebay for me, oh yes....

Also am thinking, must do those "claim back your bank charges" letters. Never had a lot TBH, as my bank generally kindly calls to tell me when I'm about to go over my o/d limit (can you believe it, told you I've been lucky!) but it has happened sometimes, and to our joint a/c too, so now, it's payback time.....

Thanks again for your posts and your great diary - love it

Mrs R

hypno06

Why not set yourself a target, to say clear your Tesco CC by Christmas by the power of ebay? Do-able I reckon!

mrscmr

have got back about 9k on mis sold ppi's too just through sending 1 letter to each co! thanks to martin and support on this forum!

mrs_robinson_3

Hypno - you know I like a challenge.....
Mrscmr - what can i say? 9k? Amazing.

Mrs R