Russell's 'New Leaf' Spend Less, Make Money, Pay off Debts Diary

rustysmart

Well I made it to Thursday and remain 'in credit' for this week's budget which means I get to roll over a little for next week. Can't wait to see what I have left at the end of the month.

I'm away for three days in a couple of weeks and won't be near shops or using petrol so looking quite positive!!

rustysmart

Just won a tenner on the Lottery - first time in blooming ages, happy days!!

rustysmart

Won a massive £6.80 on the Euromillions last night - that's two lottery wins (ok, smallest prize lottery wins) this week - think I may go out and spend a little in town this afternoon, guilt free!!

rustysmart

Managed to come home from the pub with £10 left last night which is pretty good.

Treated myself to a Wii game yesterday so although my budget was looking very rosy, it now just looks a little rosy!

13 days until pay day. 3 of which I am away from home so don't need petrol / food. Looking promising. Will this be the first month since my LBM where I don't dip into my overdraft - even by a couple of ££ ?!

rustysmart

Just read my diary back from my LBM to present (boring Sunday pm!!) and did not realise how far I have come. Granted, I received a huge boost from selling my car, but had forgotten how much I had sold on ebay / amazon.

I remember a signature update a while back questioned whether I could be debt free by the end of 2010 - that now looks unlikely, but I can seriously see myself being debt free by mid-2011. There, I've said it... probably just jinxed myself now!!

minniepoos_2

Hey Rusty

You've had a very impressive year - and you HAVE worked hard for it!

I'll definitely be looking forward to seeing you write about your DFD in the new year

rustysmart

Thanks mini, let's hope that I can write about my DFD sooner rather than later - if I concentrate on building up my savings to pay off the credit card then it could be in the first half of the year, maybe even in the first quarter of the year?! Credit card is now my only debt and I only have one as opposed to about 4 a year ago!!

rustysmart

A little under budget this week which is good. Tomorrow sees the start of my final week of the budget for this month. Although it's the last week of the budget, this one will have to last me 9 days until payday - but it can and will be done!!

Bank account is looking healthier than my budget has predicted so think I may have missed something, but at least it is looking better than expected rather than worse!

rustysmart

"it's the final countdown" he sings as today marks 7 days until payday. Not much happening next week which is great news for the budget. I am still in line to stay in credit by the end of next week so fingers crossed it doesn't all go 'wrong'.

I'm also due to get my payrise next payday (and back pay owed) so november will be a month of topping up the savings.

Last week I wrote about how I had re-read my early diary entries. Something for me to think about this weekend is whether I have lost sight of paying off my credit card? Overdraft and loans have gone but my credit card has remained and in reality isn't a huge amount lower than when I transferred the balance just under a year ago. (thinking smiley!)

rustysmart

Not sure what happened last night (and before you ask I wasn't drunk!). Went out with £20 and a small amount of change and came back with about £19. I ate and had 4 drinks and although I didn't buy all the drinks it just doesn't add up - not complaining though!!