Debtbegone's Debtbusting Diary

debtbegone

Hello :hello:

Today I had my first real omg :shocked: lightbulb moment, so I'm here, starting a wee mini diary / challenge to keep me on track.

Currently still living at home, hoping to move out next year. My income is greatly variable due to my job but my outgoings are small so I'm not struggling with payments at the moment (though I did only make the minimums the past couple of months ).

The real wake up factors have been that I got the letter in the post from my bank letting me know about the new overdraft charges -I've only a few hundred pounds overdraft but am in it a lot so the charges would be crazy for not a lot of money And if I am going to move out then I'm going to have proper bills to pay and with my debt as it is it'd be a struggle.

I've got just over £6000 on cc's / my od - £4500 is 0% until the end of next year, £300 on my od and the rest is on a lower balance transfer rate.

My priority at the moment is to get out of the overdraft before the charges kick in.

I've sold nearly everything I have that will sell, have a few small items left that will be listed over the next week but I REALLY need to tackle my lunchtime spending

I'll spend anything upwards of £3 six days a week at the local shop on pre-made sandwiches, fizzy juice and a choc :eek: so the main reason for starting the wee diary is to keep me on the straight and narrow.

I've spent a wee while brainstorming some ideas (no micro in work) and want to do them as cheap and as yummy as poss but with some variety in there so I don't get bored.

The first few days I'm going to raid the cupboards & freezer to see what's in there that I can use up (Bacon & tom for tomorrow) then I have £10 of tesco vouchers to use, and after than we'll see how it goes! Ohh, going to get me a small thermos so I can take soup in, especially now the weather's getting colder!

So after all that waffle - Sorry! - my first mini challenge is to get out of my overdraft and stay out of it and take my lunch with me to work every day until Christmas (at least).

Marru

HI,

I also spend £silly on lunches and then struggle with my grocery budget as noone money left. I have been meaning to start THIS thread for a long time and finally got around doing it. I hope it will help both of us.

debtbegone

Thanks Marru - I think with me it's a bit of laziness and a bit of whatever I end up buying for my lunches gets eaten by others in the house :mad:

Today it's a Bacon & Tomato sandwich, a mini choc and a couple of bottles of tap water. The mission now will to be avoid going to the shop to buy some fizzy juice, I always struggle with that

I think I need to get myself up a bit earlier to make sure I have some breakfast - it's only half ten and I'm so hungry already, going to get stuck into work to try get my mind off it

On the overdraft busting front, last night I looked out a few things to list on ebay, going to get started on listing those tonight. Have £7.94 in paypal from a couple of tiny sales this week, need to get that up to the £50 so I don't have to pay fees to withdraw it to my bank acc :cool:

debtbegone

Yeay! Day one has been a success I managed to only spend £1 and that was on a vital ingredient for tonights tea that the other half didn't have in :rolleyes:

No sandwiches, no fizzy juice but, it's only day one and these things always start off well. . . . . .

Currently going to go hunting through the big freezer to see what's in there to make tomorrow's lunch

I've joined the payment a day (to be done in online banking) and I'm already squirrelling away my loose change at the end of every week into a big sealed pot. It's about half full at the moment and I don't know whether to keep it sealed until it's full or to empty it before my authorised od charges start and throw it towards that?

I suppose I'll wait and see if I've manage to get myself out of it by then or not - answered my own question there!

Right - to the freezer!

debtbegone

Morning all! (anyone :rotfl:)

My rummaging in the freezer produced some good results last night - I know there's food in the house to provide me with a varied lunch for at least all of next week

Today's lunch is a cheese, onion & mayo wrap - when I made it last night I REALLY wanted it, now I don't so must resist the urge to run to the sandwich shop :cool:

Have paid £1.33 into the "get rid of overdraft fund" today and bought myself a stainless steel thermos flask so I can have soup for my lunchs somedays (love, love, love soup)

Also took photos last night of 10 items to go on ebay over the next few days, my motivation seems to run out when I get home though but really, really, really need to get stuck into this whole debt-ridding malarkey!

dallas85

hi debtbegone!

Sounds like you are making an excellent start - i've been pretty lazy lately with lunch-making so thanks for giving me a bit of a kickstart

debtbegone

Thanks Dallas

Have made day two without buying lunch, snacks or fizzy juice. Actually enjoyed my wrap too.

How sad is it that I can't wait for my thermos to arrive lol! Going to see what I can dig out tonight - if I don't make something now I'll end up buying a roll in the shop tomorrow morning.

Purpleroses

evening! Just noticed your diary!

I'm also attempting to get out of my blasted overdraft! its the lowest its been in several years which has given me some much needed ebay motivation. So i'll kick you if you kick me

well done on 2 days resisting buying lunches.

debtbegone

Hi purple - thought I needed to do something to stop me procrastinating (even if I do end up talking to myself lol)

I'm always yoyoing in my overdraft but need to get out and stay out of it for good as £1 a day charge for not a lot is crazy! Then I can get to work on the cc's which also manage to go up and down frequently (but never get rid of totally :mad:)

Yesterday ended up being a NSD! First I've had in blooming ages Got a couple of ebay items listed too. Going to work on write ups for others tonight ready for listing tomorrow. Paid £1 to my "groof" and will chuck my spare change from my purse into my sealed tin tonight when I get home from work.

Made myself a roll & tuna last night, took some crisps to put on it though as there's no sweetcorn or spring onion in and wanted some crunch lol!

Also scored some home baking which I'm well chuffed with, it's delish and will prob all be gone by the time I get home :rolleyes:

debtbegone

Woop! Have finally got the fraud form through for one on my cc's - it's only taken nearly 2 months and numerous phonecalls :mad:

Filled them out ready for sending first thing on Monday, if I manage to get the transactions written off/money back that's over £100 off the debt total Don't have a clue how on earth they got my details either as I'm always so careful - one of three places and none of them seem like my details wouldn't be safe but obv not the case!

Lunchtime

debtbegone

Managed day three of not buying lunch yesterday, well chuffed! Day off work today so will be another nsd for me today since I won't be leaving the house and have got quite good at looking at stuff on the net but not buying.

Another £1 put into the "groof" fund and I'm just about to go start listing stuff on ebay - aiming for 5 items this afternoon.