Debt free and buy a house by 35

andymc29

Money saving's taken a backseat the last few days. My uncle died on thursday last week. Was veyr shocking, he was ill, but we didn't expect him to go down hill this quickly.

It's strange how a death in the family affects people's attitudes on money, you basicaly don't care about how much things cost, you just want to avoid thinking about what's happened so you do what you like. I haven't wasted a load of money or anything. But I can see why people do after someone dies.

andymc29

I've spent nearly £300 this month on petrol!!!! And I still have to buy more before pay day!!! I figure I'll need at least another full tank by next monday, which is pay day. I've got driving to and from work all week, then driving to my uncle funeral. That means by teh end of the month I'll have spent £350 on petrol! Bloody hell this is !!!!!
Hardly any money left in the bank until next Monday now, so need to watch my self. Am only seeing the girlfriend once before then and the only cost then will be giving her some flowers (god that makes me sound like a cheap BF).

andymc29

6 days till payday! It feels really tight this month. Maybe need to make a smaller overpayment on payday this time. I've got a few things coming up which I'll need cash for. Like paying for this holiday in may, it's only a few hundred, just a one bedroom holiday cottage in the new forest with the GF in May. Should be a brilliant holiday, and hopefully only about six weeks before my DFD.

Will find out soon what my annual bonus will be this year. This is the biggest step in paying off my debts, it will hopefully half what I owe. It would be lovely to spend it on a massive holiday abroad and a few toys but that just can't happen, that's something I've done in previous years and really regretted later on. This year's different, I have a real goal of getting debt free this year and by Christmas I should be deep in the black on my bank statement and much much happier about things (might even have bought a few toys for myself too).

CashStrappedTeen89

I dont usually read Diaries but when i do i enjoy watching people like you Andy pay off your way to hapiness, it may be hard at times especially when your gf has a house that you can call home but i think your both doing the right thing.
Im 21 and have naff all debt never really have and never will, i have anbout 5k in savings, my gf whos 23 has around 7k debt (so shes told me) and rising, no savings ect, i've told her the same as your gf told you i WILL NOT allow her to move in with me with any debt when i start looking for a house, she's to comfy at home anyway but thats another story.
Back on track .... im just trying to say stick in there!, reading your diary your not un-happy, not ploughing everything into your debt your enjoying life, im sure its not just me that look at your diary and take a few notes from your book! .

andymc29

Thanks CashStrappedTeen. It's always nice getting replied from people on this diary.There's so many times when you feel like your never going to clear your debts and it's all hopeless. I do worry a lot that my GF won't wait for me. We're going on holiday in May together and if things were different, I'd be asking her the big question then, but that can't happen. Maybe later in the year. If things work out then I might be seeing my debt's gone by the end of June. We're looking at going away in either September or October, I should be debt free and have enough in saving to buy a nice ring to pop the question with. That's the plan anyway. Just wish I didn't have this nagging doubt over whether she'll wait for me and whether I'll be able to get DF as soon as I'm hoping.

CashStrappedTeen89

Only one person can make it happen Andy!.. Your doing it!.

andymc29

Yay! Payday came early, thought it would be Monday but just checked my account and it's already gone in. Paid off the balance on my card (have done this every payday now like a good boy) and paid another £200 off my Natwest Loan.

Having to work this weekend. I've had some days off over the last week with my uncle dieing and now need to make up what I've not done. Got my head buried in an excel spreadsheet for the weekend. Well, at least I can work from home I suppose.

andymc29

Loan payment today today for Natwest. Made another overpayment too just for good measure. Natwest is now just under 13k, which is brilliant, total debts just over 14k now, should go under 14k before next payday.

Am sat at work feeling like I should go home, am full of cold and aches and pains. Will see how I go, maybe go home at lunch. Am meant to be going into London tomorrow for the day to visit a customer but can see this not happening now.

andymc29

See? this is what happens when I don't check my current account for a more than a few days! I'm now too scared to check it. I spent quite a lot last weekend for valentines (possibly related to feeling guilty for being in debt and not being able to move in with her), and now I'm worried about checking my account balance! It's stupid I know, I'm just trying to spend as little as I can and then check it on payday. In theory I should have over 900 quicd in the bank but there's some stupid part of me that's convinced it's a lot lower. I know I wouldn't get in a state like this if I didn't have debts as I'd always have a healthy balance and savings to use if things do get a little low.

Otherwise, only 11 days till payday, which should include a big bonus. Best case scenario is that I'll pay off nearly seven grand of debt in one go. so halving my current debt level. that's the best case, worst case is that it'll be two grand less than that. either way I'll be under the ten grand mark, and considering my official starting point was over 23k, that's not bad!

Am glad I've got other targets right now besides debt, I've got my Taekwondo black belt exam in 8 weeks time, then going on holiday in three months to the new forest. so I'm not totally focussed on debts, which is great, as I think I'd go mad!

andymc29

I've just been told my bonus amount by my boss.

It's £9,721. That's brilliant! I know I'll pay 40% tax on that (blood sucking sods!) but it'll still give me 5800 take home pay plus my regular salary. So should be able to pay off over seven grand in debt next week, meaning I'll be under seven grand in debt! I can't beleive it, I've got from over 23k to under 7k in less than eighteen months!

I know I could've done this quicker if I'd not been stupid and got my own flat a while back. but the move back home has made a big difference and I'm now well on track to clearing my debt by the summer.:T