Poor but happy at 55 need to be debt free to retire!!!

beanielou

You are so right elsie.
Its all about trying to get a balance I think.

Poorbuthappy55

I've been to IKEA today with DD to buy some shelving for her room - this is in the hope she will put some of the "stuff" that is on her floor onto shelves. Before Christmas we sold a freezer and a couple of other items and put the £200 aside for decorating DDs bedroom. We actually spent £178 which included a stash of low energy bulbs, a reading lamp for me and some cheap glasses to replace some broken ones.

What I didn't budget for was £6.65 coffee & snacks, 70p ice creams, £9.44 in IKEA food shop (meatballs etc for OH) and £1.80 parking so this will have to come out of this months allowance (updated sig).

Thanks for comments about Paris - haven't decided where to stay yet but will book a reasonably priced hotel via Quidco.

Now I have to be on track for the rest of the month only groceries and NSDs. lets see how I get on!!!!

Claw_back_money

We were in Ikea yesterday too, bought nothing at all but hot dog and coffee on the way out! We were looking for a spice rack but they were all really deep and I want the spices 'in single file' IYSWIM. We have had shelving stuff from there before, really good quality and reasonable. Wish the same could be said about the youngsters ability to use said shelves - poor quality 'chuck it on' and very unreasonable about tidying.....:rotfl:

Cheers
Cbm

Sun_Addict

Happy New Year Pbh!! Hope you achieve all your goals for 2010. Re your holiday - we have always still gone on holiday even though we've been in debt, we just spend a lot less on them nowadays. We could have paid it off faster if we ditched the holidays but personally I would rather it take longer and still have something to look forward to. However, I am fortunate in that I discovered this site before my debt built up too much (£5k at its highest). It's taken two years to clear it, it could have been done in a year without holidays but I have some nice memories to look back on. It's a personal decision at the end of the day.

Poorbuthappy55

I'm annoyed with myself because even though I tried to just buy absolute basics in the supermarket today I ended up spending more than I intended. It's so difficult when you have to eat and buy loo rolls and dishwasher tablets!! I am staying well clear of all shops until next weekend.

Another thing that's bothering me a bit is the heating which is on a lot at the moment.

The good thing is that hopefully I earned £100 cashback when I renewed our house/contents insurance today. I also used up all the old veg and made leek & potato soup and curried parsnip soup which will provided me with lunch at work this week.

beanielou

Yeah heating is a worry.
Trying to aviod supermarket for that very reason.

Poorbuthappy55

Sent OH out for milk just in case it snows tonight (I hope it does then I won't have to go to work). Pity about the milk really because it would have been a NSD now I've spent £1.54.

Claw_back_money

Is it a snow day for you then? It is chaos here - roads/schools/buses even police cars are disrupted!

Re groceries - have you tried online shopping? It is much easier to stick to a strict budget as you are not tempted, but lose out by not being able to get the reduced stuff. The other thing that has worked for me is only taking a certain amount of cash and no cards - that really focused my mind!!!!

Cheers
Cbm

Poorbuthappy55

No snow here this morning but it did start about 10 a.m and because my office is out in the sticks I took my work home BUT I stopped on the way home and stocked up with pet food. We can make do without most things but not pet food.

The snow has stopped now but I am guiltily watching Come Dine With Me.

I am looking at my spreadsheets and feel that I am making progress which will help to keep me focus because I have no doubt in my mind that I will pay off this debt as quickly as I can even with a few setbacks.

When I get up off my butt I am going to post 2 books that I have sold on Amazon - can't wait to get some money in my account to pay off MBNA.

CBM - I am using cash but I put the £150 in my purse at the beginning of the month which with hindsight probably wasn't the best idea. Is your snow hanging around?

PBH

Claw_back_money

Spreadsheets are fab for seeing progress and getting motivated aren't they, mine are a guilty pleasure as I probably spend tooo long looking at them!
We've still got snow here today, but the sun is shining quite hard so I think it won't be around for long. I'm not sure if the kids are back at school as its really quiet.

Cheers
Cbm