The Ultimate Incentive proposed! Time for an ultimate challenge... 27 October 2009 at 11:01AM edited 27 October 2009 at 7:27PM in Debt Free Diaries 2.2K replies 103.7K views

Dinah93

Well, I'm already onto my fourth diary! First three can be found below:

Diary 1: The Ultimate Incentive to get debt free, can I do it by New Years?
Diary 2: The Ultimate Incentive worked! Now onto phase two...
Diary 3: The Ultimate Incentive proposed! Buying a house, wedding and staying debt free

My full story is at the start of diary 2, and how I cleared my debt is mainly in diary 1. My ultimate incentive to clear my debts was my amazing boyfriend (known here as NIM) who told me he would move from Ireland to England when I had cleared them. He moved over last February in the end, and as of 23rd August he asked me to marry him! It is now -



till our wedding. With 10 months and 1 week to go we have chosen the venue and roughly told our pastor we want the church that date, but as yet we haven't paid the deposit on the venue, or done anything formally with the church.

Paying for a wedding is a huge expense, we're looking at £12,000-£14,000 for our big day. Thats not including the honeymoon, so about £17,000-£19,000 all in. Added to this we don't yet have a house! We're going to view a complete wreak in our dream village this evening, will see how that goes. I am determined we won't get back into debt paying for everything, but its going to be a tight year.

I'm starting a new thread today as I'm setting myself a new challenge. When I cleared the debt I averaged out at clearing over £65 per day! NIM and I are going to Birmingham in a months time, and we'd like to buy our wedding rings. These will be platinum, so not cheap, and we're looking at around £2000 for the two. Our current savings towards these is about £35. If we buy these on a credit card we'll have 30 days until they start charging interest. So that gives us 66 days from today to make £2000 above our normal wage.

As if that isn't enough, we currently have a small £871 overdraft I want rid of. So, I'm aiming to save/clear £2871 by the 31st December. This is exactly £43.50 per day I need to make everyday, until the end of the year! Huge, impossible challenge right?!

To make it worse church takes up 2 evenings a week for me, and I do a night class in dressmaking another evening. For NIM church takes up 3 evenings and hes currently doing a second degree which takes up another 3 evenings, so hes really got very little time to help me raise the funds.

My signiture is not enough space to keep track of all my totals and challenges, and I want to make better headway and keep track of more of these, so excuse me for reserving the first few posts of this thread!

Wish me luck.

Dinah93

~Reserved for challenges~

Challenge 1: £10 a day challenge 2009 - £21.85 a day!
Challenge 2: Achieved! DFD 24/04/09 £16,456 cleared in 250 days - £65.82 a day!
Challenge 4: Loose another stone by new years 0/14
Challenge 6: Dooyoo Amazon vouchers for new house stuff: £0 (£40 5 pan set purchased October, £35 George Forman purchased november, £55 spent on GHDs and £45 on presents in December) - aiming for £350 by 31/12/2010 £180/£350

Current ideas:
Onepoll
Dooyoo
Surveys
STP
Ciao
Car Boot sale
Ebay larger items (Grrr, hate ebay!)
Selling my photos on etsy
Selling prints of my paintings on etsy
Making other things to sell on etsy (probably simple sewing related)
Bingoport (and deduct vouchers from my house fund in exchange)
Doing free offers on Quidco, and other cashback sites I've never tried.
Free offers on ipoints
Mystery shopping.
Quidco - its your view

Thinking to 2010....

Overdraft Challenge: Debt free by wedding:£0/£1500
Savings Challenge: Savings for wedding £8080/£19500(£1000 venue deposit paid) 46.56% to target

My Medals Challenges

Cinnys Amazon Voucher Challenge:Bronze £350 Silver £500 Gold £1000. Current tally: £180
30 before I'm 30 challenge: Bronze 3 completed, Silver 6 Completed, Gold 10 completed Current tally:
Wedding Challenge: Bronze wedding on under £12,500, silver wedding on under 10,500, gold wedding on under 8,500 (all excluding honeymoon) Current tally: £1029
Extra income in 2010: Bronze £1000, Silver £2500, Gold, £4000 Current tally:
Etsy items sold by 31/12/2010: Bronze 5, Silver 20, Gold 50 Current tally:
Japan Savings by 31/12/2010: Bronze £1000, Silver £3000, Gold, £6000 Current tally:
Books Challenge (cut down the number I buy!): Bronze 20, Silver 10, Gold 5 Current tally:
Clotthes Challenge (again, stop buyng more!): Bronze £500, Silver £250, Gold £100 Current tally:
Tesco vouchers for uni fees and New York by 31/12/2010: Bronze £100 Silver £250 Gold £500 Current tally:


Etsy profit/loss made in 2010: - £30

Dinah93

Wedding Budget:

Ceremony

Marriage Licence - inc in church fees
Banns - £34
Church Ceremony - £382 (inc licence)
Church extras - £[STRIKE]100[/STRIKE] £50
Bride's Wedding Ring - [STRIKE]£1300[/STRIKE] £450
Groom's Wedding Ring - [STRIKE]£700[/STRIKE] £400

Reception

Venue Hire - £0
Wedding Breakfast Meals:
................................Starters - [STRIKE]£620[/STRIKE] £550
................................Mains - [STRIKE]£2000[/STRIKE] £1850
................................Puds - [STRIKE]£620[/STRIKE] £590
Evening Food - [STRIKE]£1300[/STRIKE] £1000
Day drinks - [STRIKE]£1200[/STRIKE] £1100
Cake - [STRIKE]£300[/STRIKE] [STRIKE]£100[/STRIKE] £200
DJ - £300
Entertainment - £500
First night room - £0
Favours - [STRIKE]£300[/STRIKE] £200

Outfits & Rings

Wedding Dress - £0
Bride's Shoes - [STRIKE]£50[/STRIKE] £0
Veil/headdress - [STRIKE]£200[/STRIKE] £0
Jewellery - £200
Lingerie - [STRIKE]£100[/STRIKE] £0
Bridesmaids dresses - [STRIKE]£200[/STRIKE] £100
Bridesmaids accessories/shoes - [STRIKE]£150[/STRIKE] £80
Groomsmens suits - [STRIKE]£300[/STRIKE] £500
Grooms suit - £100
Make-up - [STRIKE]£50[/STRIKE] £100
Hair - £75

Decorative

Bridal Bouquet - £80
Church flowers - £100
Reception flowers - £200
Bridesmaids flowers - £160
Buttonholes - £60
Other decoration - £200

Stationary

Save the dates - [STRIKE]£20[/STRIKE]
Postage - [STRIKE]£30[/STRIKE]
Invitations - [STRIKE]£300[/STRIKE] £250
Postage - £70
Orders of service - £ 70
Placecards - included in venue package
Menus - included in venue package
Table Names/Numbers - [STRIKE]included in venue package[/STRIKE] £20
Seating plan - £50

Honeymoon & Stag/Hen parties
Honeymoon - [STRIKE]£4000[/STRIKE] £5500
Honeymoon spending money - [STRIKE]£800[/STRIKE] £2000
Stag Party - £150
Hen Party - £150
Sten Party - £50

Other

Photography - £900
Videographer - [STRIKE]£500[/STRIKE]
Car Hire - £500
Gifts for bridesmaids - [STRIKE]£120[/STRIKE] £100 - £26 spent so far
Gift for maid of honour - £200
Gifts for groomsmen - [STRIKE]£120[/STRIKE] £100 - £3 spent so far
Wedding insurance - £100

Total Budget Estimate: £20,011 .... £11 more than I had mentally guessed! Not as horrified at that as I feel I should be!

ETA: New budget: £17,321. And already spent £1000 of this - only £16,321 to find! .... Minus proposed savings if we buy the house, this still leaves us £3821 short....

ETA2: £16,771... Coming down slowly but surely. Only another £3271 to shave off!

ETA3: !!!!! Back up to £19,771!!!! So thats £6271 we're short by now. Ouch.

Timeline

12 months to go

• [STRIKE]Set a wedding date.[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Draw up a guest list[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Agree your budget.[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Book the ceremony and reception venue.[/STRIKE]
• Start trying on wedding dresses.
• [STRIKE]Get engaged![/STRIKE]

11 months to go

• [STRIKE]Book a photographer [/STRIKE][STRIKE]Check that photos can be taken during the ceremony.[/STRIKE]
• Order your wedding cake.
• [STRIKE]Choose your bridesmaids, best man, pageboys and ushers.[/STRIKE]

10 months to go

• Choose your wedding dress - allow at least four months for a made-to-measure dress.
• Choose your bridesmaids' dresses.
• Organise flowers, including buttonholes, bouquets and flowers for the ceremony and reception.

9 months to go

• Organise a wedding gift list.
• Choose the wedding rings.
• [STRIKE]Start looking at honeymoon brochures[/STRIKE]. Book early if you're going at peak season.

8 months to go

• Confirm arrangements for the ceremony and discuss the service, readings and music. If you're getting married in a church, talk to the minister about the music and see the organist. If you're getting married in a civil venue, decide if you want music for the ceremony. Discuss the form of service and choose your readings.

7 months to go

• Order invitations and envelopes - you'll only need one invitation per married couple or family - plus stationery for the reception, such as place cards, favours and a table plan.
• Order your order-of-service sheets for the ceremony.
• If you plan to send out wedding cake after the day, order boxes from a stationer.

6 months to go

• Order your wedding transport.
• Send out invitations at least six weeks before the day.
• Buy going-away and honeymoon clothes.
• Make sure outfits are organised for the groom, best man and ushers.
• Choose wedding jewellery for you and your bridesmaids.
• Choose thank-you gifts for your bridesmaids, best man, both sets of parents and other members of your wedding party.

5 months to go

• If you are changing your name, allow at least six weeks for a new passport. Notify your bank, building, doctor, dentist, etc.
• [STRIKE]Book your first-night hotel.[/STRIKE]
• Choose your first dance.

4 months to go

• Work out a seating plan.
• Visit the hairdresser with your headdress or veil.
• Practise your wedding make-up.

3 months to go

• Make a list of acceptances and refusals.
• As wedding presents arrive, send out thank you notes.
• Work out seating plan.
• Finalise your honeymoon plans.
• Start to plan your hen and stag parties.

2 months to go

• Make sure that your fiance has organised the rings, his wedding clothes and accessories, the first night hotel and honeymoon. Check whether you need visas or inoculations and order foreign currency.
• Check your wedding clothes and try on the whole outfit, including headdress, shoes, underwear and jewellery.
• Give final menu and numbers to venue.

1 month to go

• Hold a ceremony rehearsal.
• Check if traffic delays are expected on the day en route to your place of marriage.
• Send your honeymoon luggage to the reception or first-night hotel.
• Make sure your outfit is complete. Wear-in shoes at home.
• Have a final hair/make-up practice. Remind your groom to have a trim.
• Remind your fiance to write his speech.

The big day!

• Check the best man has the wedding rings.

Dinah93

~Reserved for the stone by new year challenge~

PLEASE ONLY THANK THIS POST IF YOU ARE TAKING PART, SO THAT I CAN ADD YOU

Dinah: Starting weight/BMI: 10st0/22; target 9st0/19.8 (want to go another half stone after this but not part of challenge)
Bails: Starting weight/BMI: 10st12/26.3; target: 9st12/23.9
Tete: Starting weight/BMI: 10st6/20.4; target: 9st6/18.5
Swinstie: Starting weight/BMI: 10st0lbs/24.8; target 9 st 5lbs/??.?
Zig: Starting weight/BMI: None/None; target 1 stone less!/None
Poddle: Starting weight/BMI: 10st4lbs/25.3; target 9st4/BMI 22.6

..................Week 1 ...Week 2......Week 3 .. Week 4 .. Running total
Dinah.......... -4lbs ...... +2lbs ....... -1lb ....... +1lb...........2/14
Bails
Tete .......... -1.5lbs .... +0.5lbs ..... -1lb........................2/14
Swinstie .......STS ........ +1lbs........ -1lb ..... +2.5lbs ...-2.5/9
Zig ............. STS .....................................................0/14
Poddle......... - - - ...... -1.5lbs ....... -1lbs ...... -1lbs ....... 13lbs ..7/14
Birdie ......................................... - 1lbs ...... +1lb ...... 0/14

Dinah93

~Reserved for to do list~

1. Do ironing pile
2. Nag NIM to call company who have his CRB check
3. Find log in details and check survey companies for cashout levels on remaining companies
4. Update Toluna profile info (14 still to do)
5. Do Toluna polls
6. Finish Ombudsman form
7. List laptop
8. Get NIM to do kitten insurance forms
9. Call Tesco and ask to resend clubcard points
10. Call O2
11. Scan TAB ID details
12. Do photobooks
13. Book photographers
14. Finish updating zeezaw list
15. Check I still want all the items on my amazon wishlist!
16. Get wedding insurance
17. Call Butlins

Dinah93

~Dinah's 30 before 30 list~

1. Travel to all continents (except Antartica)
- [STRIKE]Europe[/STRIKE]
- Africa
- [STRIKE]Asia[/STRIKE]
- North America
- South America
- Australasia
2. Buy a house
3.[STRIKE] Sell something I have made[/STRIKE]
4. Read all Jane Austen's Books
- Sense and Sensibility
- [STRIKE]Pride and Prejudice[/STRIKE]
- Mansfield Park
- Emma
- Northanger Abbey
- Pursuasion
5. Stay in the ice hotel/a glass igloo
6. [STRIKE]Create my own website[/STRIKE]
7. Get back under 9 stone
8. Go cross country riding
9. [STRIKE]See a real penguin[/STRIKE]
10. Go whale watching
11. Go to venice and ride a gondola
12. Build a dolls house
13. Make a patchwork quilt
14. Swim a mile without stopping
15. See the grand conyon
16. [STRIKE]Own an expensive piece of jewellery[/STRIKE]
17. Make a 40 before I'm 40 list!
18. Ice skate in New York at Christmas
19. Write a book
20. Complete the 5 peaks challenge
21. Grow a fruit or vegetable and eat it
22. Cook a meal with chocolate in every course
23. Go to a spa
24. Go to the ballet
25. Sing karaoke
26. Do the aerial extreme course
27. Sew a dress I can and want to wear
28. Not for public view (outside)
29. Not for public view (homemade)
30. Sleep under the stars with someone I love.

I made my list less than a year ago, nothing was crossed off (except Europe!), so don't think I'm doing too badly.

bails

Ooh, thought I was late - popped into the sauna on the way past! Yae, new thread!

I'm also losing weight Dinah, so can I join in or is it too late?

I have no idea how you'll do it (not as in I don't think you can, as in I'll be taking tips from the master!) and wish you every luck for the next 66 days :T

Cinny91

Hiya New Thread :hello:

Should feel like home in no time!

Dinah93

Course you can join Bails. We're aiming for a stone by New Year, we started 2 or 3 weeks ago so its up to you if you go for the full stone. Weigh in days are Wednesdays, although you might have a struggle depending on when the lady appears with her scales!

bails

lol, cool, thanks! A stone by new year eh? Right, I'll just work out my stats... okay, so 9 weeks til then, guess I'll see if I can lose 9 lbs (want to do it slowly as have more than a stone to lose possibly). Can't keep anything else in my sig right now but will log it somewhere.

Dinah93

Well I will log it in the 4th post for you as well, ideally give starting weight and bmi, and then post any losses or gains each week, but if you are not comfortable giving starting weight/bmi, then don't worry about it.