The Ultimate Incentive to have an amazing 2010.

Dinah93
Dinah93 Posts: 11,466 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Bake Off Boss!
edited 5 January 2010 at 1:31PM in Debt free diaries
Wow, already onto my 5th diary. Doesn't time fly when you're clearing debt.

Diary 1: The Ultimate Incentive to get debt free, can I do it by New Years?
How I cleared £16,456 of debt in 250 days (£65.82 that works out at!), leading to my DFD of the 24th April 2009.
My Ultimate Incentive to clear the debt was that my boyfriend (known here as NIM, Naked Irish Man, poor fella was nicknamed by the girlies on my thread and it kind of stuck, he's not always naked, honest!) told me he would move to England from Ireland when I cleared my debt. I actually cleared more debt than I had take home pay in the same period, through doing a lot of little extra income earners mostly online. If you're fighting for ideas on how to clear your debt, this diary is chock full of suggestions.

Diary 2: The Ultimate Incentive worked! Now onto phase two...
My second diary, where NIM has just moved to England, and we start to save up for a house

Diary 3: The Ultimate Incentive proposed! Buying a house, wedding and staying debt free
My third diary, after NIM has proposed and we're faced with the task of saving for a house and a wedding, in the space of a year, and staying debt free.

Diary 4: The Ultimate Incentive proposed! Time for an ultimate challenge...
My fourth diary, where I set myself a challenge I failed miserably at and never really got started due to lack of time. Moving swiftly on from this one!

NIM and I have now been together for a little over 18 months, engaged for 4 of those, and getting married in another 8. We're both in our mid 20s, but I have very high blood pressure, so being financially stable is important to us as we want to start a family sooner rather than later.

We didn't want to get back into debt, but through mostly buying things for our new house (which we don't yet have!) we're about £2000 in the red. Add to that the fact that I never cleared my 0% student overdraft in the first place, we've got £3000 to clear. I'm hoping to have cleared certainly the credit card by the end of March, and the overdraft not long after, certainly by the end of May.

We're also running about £3000 short for our wedding, so after the debt is recleared, we're going to need to save that, which needs to be done by August, since the wedding is September 3rd. We currently put around £1000 a month into savings, and have nearly £10,000 stored for the wedding.

We're planning the absolute dream honeymoon for us, of 5 days in a 5* hotel in Dubai, followed by 14 days in a water villa in the Maldives. But that doesn't come cheap, hence the £20,000 wedding and honeymoon fund.

We have the luxury of being able to spend this because this is money we were going to use for the house deposit (we currently live with my parents), however my soon to be father in law has said he will give us a 20% house deposit for whatever house we choose, which means we made the decision to go all out on the wedding.

However I'm quite an old hand to DFW now, and one challenge isn't enough for me, not by a long shot. Even counting the wedding savings challenge, thats only two. So seperately to these two objectives I've set myself a medal system for the year of personal goals and challenges. I also have a little weight to loose to get back to where I am happiest which is around 122lbs, I lost 14lbs between June and September last year, which I've kept off, so I know I can do it.

Debt free take 2 Challenge: Debt free by wedding: £3000 to clear as of January 1st 2010
Savings Challenge: Savings for wedding £8080/£19500(£1000 venue deposit paid) 46.56% to target
Weight Loss Challenge: 0/20lbs
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:
Clothes Challenge (again, stop buying 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:
Turn £100 into £10,000 by 31/12/2010: Bronze £1000 Silver £5000 Gold £10000 Current tally: £52 spent, nothing made...yet

Etsy profit/loss made in 2010: - £30

In all of the challenges here bronze is pretty attainable I feel with a little effort, silver would require some effort, and gold would require a lot of effort but I do like to rise to the occassion!

The lovely Cinny set the challenge of making £350 from Amazon by the end of 2010, this started around 2 months ago, so I've got a really good start on things. For this reason I set her £350 target as my bronze goal. However while clearing the debt I'm going to be taking dooyoo earnings as cheques rather than vouchers, which will slow down the earnings on these quite substantially.

My 30 before I'm 30 list will be coming up in one of the next posts, this is a list of things I want to achieve in the next 5 years. I wrote it when I was 24, and I've made a decent start this year, but would like to see more crossed off in a years time.

The wedding challenge is exactly what it says on the tin. How much can I save from my original budget estimates. Certain things I will compromise on and certain things I won't. At present we are considering making the invitations, flowers, and cake ourselves, and not having makeup done professionally, so lets see what I end up with on the day.

My extra income in 2010 again is quite self explanitory. I currently write dooyoo reviews, babysit, sell on etsy, amazon and ebay, occassionally go on STP, do paid surveys, free scratchies, and the free offers on cashback sites, but am always up to take advantage of any other free offers I see coming my way. Last year I did the £10 a day challenge most months, and in total last year I made an additional £21.85 per day. Unfortunately I've sold almost everything of any value, plus I have less time this year, so I can't see me getting even close to that this year.

Etsy items sold is prints of my paintings and photographs, which I currently list on Etsy (for anyone curious my website is in my MSE profile). I haven't even listed my painting prints yet, which I really need to get around to doing, and I'm yet to sell a photograph. So far the only prints sold have been through craft fairs. So I also need to consider doing some more of these. I have great plans for an etsy empire though, and plan to start making upcycled clothing later in the year as a follow on from the dressmaking and tailoring course I'm currently on.

Japan Savings is a challenge for later in the year, after the wedding most likely. We are planning to go to Japan for two weeks in March/April 2011, and need to save up for this. I estimate it will cost around £6000 in total, so it might not be possible, we'll have to see.

I think my books challenge is going to be the hardest. I have a distinct problem, I singlehandedly keep Amazon in business. I own in excess of 80 cookery books, 50 craft/arty books, over 2000 fiction books, and an additional 1000 fiction books I haven't even read yet. I really don't need any more. The reason gold level is 5 not 0 is there will undoubtedly be a travel guide or something I need to buy during the year, so I want it something I at least have a chance in hell of achieving.

My clothes challenge is the same, I just don't need any. The only thing I need are some work trousers, as I only own two pairs and its chilly on site in winter in a skirt!

Our Tesco vouchers one is an interesting one to me. NIM is currently doing an open university course we're trying to pay for with Tesco vouchers. We already have about £600 of OU vouchers ready to pay for his next module whenever that is (although we do need to find them!), and about £35ish of Tesco vouchers currently. We bought all those pre-order bonus points CDs and DVDs and resold them on Amazon for about £1 loss each, which means £5 of points each (working out at about £100 of Tesco points). So we're going to try to make the most of any extra points deals we can to up the number of vouchers. The dream is to have £371 of Tesco vouchers to turn into 5 days in New York around easter this year, but that may well be a pipe dream unless some great bonus point offers come up in the next few weeks!

I've had some fantastic support from my friends on here since I started, and I'm always up for making more, so heres to an amazing and productive 2010.
Debt January 1st 2018 £96,999.81
Debt September 20th 2022 £2991.68- 96.92% paid off
Met NIM 23/06/2008
«134567442

Comments

  • Dinah93
    Dinah93 Posts: 11,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Bake Off Boss!
    edited 5 October 2010 at 2:24PM
    Challenge Tracking

    Debt free take 2 Challenge:
    Debt free by wedding: £3000 to clear as of January 1st 2010
    Debt free
    Savings Challenge: Savings for wedding £15229/£19500 78.10% to target as of January 1st 2010
    Weight Loss Challenge: 0/20lbs as of January 1st 2010 6.2/22.8lbs as of April 2010
    My Medals Challenges
    30 before I'm 30 challenge:[STRIKE] Bronze 3 completed[/STRIKE], Silver 6 Completed, Gold 10 completed Current tally: 3
    Wedding Challenge:
    [STRIKE] Bronze wedding on under £12,500, silver wedding on under 10,500, Gold wedding on under 8,500 (all excluding honeymoon)[/STRIKE] Final tally: 7892.05
    Extra income in 2010: [strike] Bronze[/strike][strike] £1000 [/strike], Silver £2500, Gold, £4000 Current tally: £1694.11 to May 14th. (£45 greenhouses to add on)
    Etsy items sold by 31/12/2010: Bronze 5, Silver 20, Gold 50 Current tally: 2
    Tesco vouchers for uni fees and New York by 31/12/2010:
    [STRIKE] Bronze £100 [/STRIKE] [strike] Silver[/strike][strike] £250 [/strike] [strike]Gold[/strike][strike] £500 [/strike]Current tally: £567.50 (All OU vouchers ordered, now £217.50 towards New York!)
    Clear wedding/moving debts by 31/12/2010:
    Bronze £5000 debt, Silver £2000 debt, Gold, debt free! Current tally: under review!

    Previous Challenges from 2009

    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 3: 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
    Debt January 1st 2018 £96,999.81
    Debt September 20th 2022 £2991.68- 96.92% paid off
    Met NIM 23/06/2008
  • Dinah93
    Dinah93 Posts: 11,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Bake Off Boss!
    edited 5 October 2010 at 2:17PM
    ~Dinah's 30 before 30 list~

    1. Travel to all continents (except Antartica)
    - [STRIKE]Europe[/STRIKE]
    - [STRIKE]Africa[/STRIKE]
    - [STRIKE]Asia[/STRIKE]
    - North America
    - South America
    - Australasia
    2. [STRIKE]Buy a house[/STRIKE]
    3. [STRIKE]Sell something I have made[/STRIKE]
    4. Set up my own business
    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 canyon
    16. [STRIKE]Own an expensive piece of jewellery[/STRIKE]
    17. Go to Japan
    18. Eat a cupcake in New York
    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.[STRIKE] Sew a dress I can and want to wear[/STRIKE]
    28. [STRIKE]Not for public view (outside)[/STRIKE]
    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.
    Debt January 1st 2018 £96,999.81
    Debt September 20th 2022 £2991.68- 96.92% paid off
    Met NIM 23/06/2008
  • Dinah93
    Dinah93 Posts: 11,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Bake Off Boss!
    edited 1 January 2010 at 9:20PM
    ~ NIMs 30 before I’m 30 list~

    1. Be on £30,000 salary
    2. Own my own house mortgage free
    3. Go on a skiing holiday together
    4. Complete and get a 2.1 or better in my OU degree
    5. Successfully complete a triathlon
    6. Be able to swim 1.5 km without stopping
    7. Be able to cycle 40 km without stopping
    8. Be able to run 10km without stopping
    9. Become an associate member of the MRS
    10. Visit Japan
    11. Visit China
    12. Achieve 5 belts in a martial art
    13. Write a 40 before I’m 40 list
    14. Get to like, not just tolerate, 5 fruits
    15. Drive from the East to the West coast of America in Ford Mustang
    16. Have a child
    17. Teach afore mentioned child at least one phrase in Irish
    18. See the Northern Lights
    19. Go on a nature survival course
    20. Put said course into action for a week
    21. Go on a blacksmithing course
    22. Make a good baked Alaska
    23. Go boat racing
    24. Complete Fable, Halo, and all 4 Onimusha games.
    25. See Rammstein live
    26. Get a suit made to measure
    27. Brew my own pint, and drink it.
    28. Go zorbing
    29. Go deep sea fishing and eat my catch
    Debt January 1st 2018 £96,999.81
    Debt September 20th 2022 £2991.68- 96.92% paid off
    Met NIM 23/06/2008
  • Dinah93
    Dinah93 Posts: 11,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Bake Off Boss!
    edited 8 March 2010 at 11:51AM
    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] £600
    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 £100[/STRIKE] £200
    DJ - £300
    Entertainment - £500
    First night room - £0
    Favours - [STRIKE]£300[/STRIKE] [STRIKE]£200[/STRIKE] £100

    Outfits & Rings

    Wedding Dress - £0
    Bride's Shoes - [STRIKE]£50[/STRIKE] £0
    Veil/headdress - [STRIKE]£200[/STRIKE] £0
    Jewellery - [STRIKE]£200[/STRIKE] £0
    Lingerie - [STRIKE]£100[/STRIKE] £0
    Bridesmaids dresses - [STRIKE]£200[/STRIKE] £100
    Bridesmaids accessories/shoes - [STRIKE]£150[/STRIKE] £80
    Groom & Groomsmens suits - [STRIKE]£300[/STRIKE] [STRIKE]£600[/STRIKE] £450
    Make-up - [STRIKE]£50[/STRIKE] [STRIKE]£100[/STRIKE] £0
    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]£250[/STRIKE] Thank you mummy!
    Postage - £70
    Orders of service - [STRIKE]£ 70[/STRIKE]
    Placecards - included in venue package
    Menus - included in venue package
    Table Names/Numbers - [STRIKE]included in venue package[/STRIKE] [STRIKE]£20[/STRIKE]
    Seating plan - [STRIKE]£50[/STRIKE]

    Honeymoon & Stag/Hen parties
    Honeymoon - [STRIKE]£4000 [/STRIKE]£6500
    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 - [STRIKE]£500[/STRIKE] £300
    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 - [STRIKE]£100[/STRIKE]

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

    ETA: 11th Jan: Currently estimating £12,071 for wedding, £8500 for honeymoon.

    ETA 8th March: £11,181 for wedding, £8500 for honeymoon. Wow, that sure has come crashing down! This is all through hunting for the best deals, we haven't actually cut back on anything yet!
    Debt January 1st 2018 £96,999.81
    Debt September 20th 2022 £2991.68- 96.92% paid off
    Met NIM 23/06/2008
  • Dinah93
    Dinah93 Posts: 11,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Bake Off Boss!
    edited 16 May 2010 at 8:20PM
    Wedding Timeline/To do list

    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]
    • [STRIKE]Start trying on wedding dresses.[/STRIKE]
    • [STRIKE]Get engaged![/STRIKE]
    11 months to go
    • [STRIKE]Book a photographer 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
    • [STRIKE]Choose your wedding dress - allow at least four months for a made-to-measure dress.[/STRIKE]
    • [STRIKE]Choose your bridesmaids' dresses.[/STRIKE]
    • Organise flowers, including buttonholes, bouquets and flowers for the ceremony and reception.
    9 months to go
    • [STRIKE]Organise a wedding gift list.[/STRIKE]
    • [STRIKE]Choose the wedding rings.[/STRIKE]
    • [STRIKE]Start looking at honeymoon brochures.[/STRIKE]
    8 months to go
    • [STRIKE]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.[/STRIKE]
    7 months to go
    • [STRIKE]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.[/STRIKE]
    • Order your order-of-service sheets for the ceremony.
    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.
    • Book dance lessons
    • Book DJ
    • Book evening entertainment
    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.
    • [STRIKE]Finalise your honeymoon plans.[/STRIKE]
    • 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.
    Debt January 1st 2018 £96,999.81
    Debt September 20th 2022 £2991.68- 96.92% paid off
    Met NIM 23/06/2008
  • Dinah93
    Dinah93 Posts: 11,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Bake Off Boss!
    edited 1 January 2010 at 6:42PM
    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
    Debt January 1st 2018 £96,999.81
    Debt September 20th 2022 £2991.68- 96.92% paid off
    Met NIM 23/06/2008
  • Dinah93
    Dinah93 Posts: 11,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Bake Off Boss!
    edited 1 January 2010 at 6:46PM
    Moneymaking 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)
    Bingobritain
    Doing free offers on Quidco, and other cashback sites I've never tried.
    Free offers on ipoints
    Mystery shopping.
    Quidco - its your view
    Debt January 1st 2018 £96,999.81
    Debt September 20th 2022 £2991.68- 96.92% paid off
    Met NIM 23/06/2008
  • Cinny91
    Cinny91 Posts: 6,022 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Debt-free and Proud!
    Hello New Thread! :D

    Wowzer to the challenges though Dinah, worrying part is I have no doubt you'll crack them all!

    Here's to 2010 then! :beer:
  • Dinah93
    Dinah93 Posts: 11,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Bake Off Boss!
    Impressive Cinny, you found me before I'd even said there was a new thread!
    Debt January 1st 2018 £96,999.81
    Debt September 20th 2022 £2991.68- 96.92% paid off
    Met NIM 23/06/2008
  • dippykitty
    dippykitty Posts: 1,138 Forumite
    I've been reading all of your diaries over the last couple of months and am in awe of everything you've achieved! Good luck with the challenges that you've set for this year! :D

    ETA- Hope you don't mind me just barging into the new thread like this!
    ISA savings: £25,139 Other Savings: £1750 (tied up in bond)
This discussion has been closed.
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