The Debt Monster Must Die!

mum2one

Mags_cat wrote: »

Whispering very quietly.....have a look at this post here....Oh - and this picture here. No blaming me if the monster's got ears like radar, ok?

The Trans-Siberian adventure starts in 12 months time! I'm 40 next year so have decided to have a proper mid life crisis . I'll be going from Birmingham to Vladivostok on 5 trains, taking 18 days. I'm so excited I could burst...and there's still a year to go :eek:. (Mind you, it'll take me that long to save enough money to go!)

That sounds an absolutely fab trip, I have the big 40 next yr, taking dd to Dom Rep...... did want Las Vegas and Califorina, but very slightly!!!! way over budget, that be me debt free wish. xx

lucielle

Love your writing style so have subscribed.
L

Keebs

Thank you to all the peeps who’ve popped by, good to know you’re out there.


Have always dismissed the idea of volunteering as I'm not sure I'd be of any actual use to anyone. Partly because I have no particular talents and partly because I work erratic shifts and so could never commit to set days. However seeing it written down (thank you Savingholmes) has made me think 'hmmm, what if...' Giving of my time would certainly make for a rich and rewarding experience. So, should there be any voluntary organisations in the Fife who could make use of a willing, if not particularly able, body then I’ll give of my time in abundance. Just got to figure out who they are and make them want me. :think:

Speaking of abundance, seems like this past week has been chock full of good fortune and lovely things. Was gifted a fabulous jar of honey from someone at work who’s hubby keeps bees. Of course I immediately opened it (even though an open jar of Morrisons savers honey currently languishes unloved in the fridge) and it’s simply divine *where’s a swoony smilie when you need one* A lovely gift, must try to think of something I could give in return.

Then today I got an unexpected tax rebate of £76.06. Hurrah! Am in dire need of a new pair of trainers for work and this will do nicely. Plan was to spend £30 on the shoes and put the remaining £46 towards my debt. Hasn’t quite worked out that way as I made an elementary error…. I took my monster shopping :doh: Oops! Ended up treating ourselves to 3 books for £5 from bookworld. So now the plan is to spend £25 on trainers and still have £46 to put towards my debt.

Am feeling quite enamoured of my monster today, he was ever so restrained when we went shopping and (even better) was absolutely tickled pink at the book purchase. Felt like an honest to goodness luxurious treat. Indeed, I begin to suspect his death sentence may be wavering, if I can but rid him of his avaricious ways and retrain him to appreciate the simpler side of life then I suspect I may quite enjoy having him around.

In summary then. A blimmin good week all round! :beer:


Am off now to try and tweak the artisan bread in five recipe, my first attempt was too wet (although still made delicious bread using a loaf tin) and also try my hand at Memory Girls baked bean recipe. Given my penchant for burning things (forgetful?... moi?... nooooooo :whistle:) I truly hope the cooking Gods are in a benevolent mood.

savingholmes

You are sounding upbeat. Always nice to get a tax refund! Books call to me too so I know that feeling...

Keebs

*sigh*

Right there with you on the book thing savinghomes, those 3 I bought are long since read (whilst swinging in my hammock, sun blazing, sound of waves gently lapping at the shore [courtesy of ipod, alas, not lucky enough to actually live on the beach] and sipping pineapple juice – bliss!!!) and I’ve been champing at the bit for more. Cashed in enough Lightspeed points today to get £20 of Amazon vouchers and can’t wait for the order to arrive. Yes, yes, I know all about libraries but gosh darn it pains me to have to hand a good book back. Besides, one day when I’m debt free and in a place of my own I hope to have my own library, with plenty of bean bags for lazing on and one of those moving ladders to boot. So, technically it’s an investment, no? :whistle:



Ah well, anyhow, another payday has been and gone and another chunk of debt has vanished into never never land. Managed to make an overpayment of £771 this month (making a total payment of £1,150.48 :j). Quite frankly that’s a whole wheen of spare cash. Have no idea where it all went before I upped sticks and moved to the land of frugaldom for I was constantly brassic and have sod all to show for it. Have been eyeing up my monster all day searching for clues but he’s an innocuous beastie and so far giving nothing away.

The £50 challenge is erm... well… still out there. Managed to save £32 in July but only because I sneekilly eeked out the petrol so as I could fill up on Augusts budget . If I’m honest with myself that’s not really within the spirit of the game (not to mention meaning I set off on a back foot right off this time) so promise not to do that again.


Just waiting for Halifax's monthly statement to work out exactly where I stand now. Why do they always take sooooo looong *stamps feet*....

clippy_girl

Keebs wrote: »

Managed to save £32 in July but only because I sneekilly eeked out the petrol so as I could fill up on Augusts budget . If I’m honest with myself that’s not really within the spirit of the game (not to mention meaning I set off on a back foot right off this time) so promise not to do that again.QUOTE]

glad to see i am not the only person that does this. i have been known to put £10 in my car rather than fill it up so i dont overspend my budget for that month!

Keebs

clippy_girl wrote: »

glad to see i am not the only person that does this. i have been known to put £10 in my car rather than fill it up so i dont overspend my budget for that month!

Ha! I knew I couldn’t be the only one surreptitiously moving goalposts, thank you for ‘fessing up Clippy_girl nice to know I’m not alone. Mayhap we need to set ourselves a bigger petrol budget?

Anyhoo, has been quite a while since I last posted, during which time I’ve gotten into a bit of a pickle, meddled some to try and fix things and ended up in a big muddle. Have tried to make the best of the situation but it fairly rankles as ‘tis all my own fault. Nicely highlights 3 of the major shortcomings that got me here in the first place:

Laziness: Inherently so!
.....Tried to set up direct debit for cc bill, unable to do so online, too lazy to phone/write, ergo no direct debit. Grand so, I’m debt busting, no way I’ll forget to pay... :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


Procrastination: ties in nicely with laziness above
.....This particular account is a total fouter to log into, can never remember log in details (too lazy to dig them out), kept putting it off to tomorrow. Tomorrow eventually came on 7th July, logged in (cursing system royally), discovered payment due 6th July and happy charge of £12 added to account (cursed self royally) :mad:


Impulsiveness: This is where it gets really complicated
.....Tis a zero % card, normally if you miss a payment on these the zero % vanishes. Panicked (16.9% on £3000 :eek:)! Fortunately statement came and offer not void. Unfortunately I’d since super balance transferred £6500 into current account from Virgin cc (don’t ask, I had a plan, it made sense at the time) but with offer still in place no longer financially viable to follow plan.

So, bit of a pickle and all my own fault. Bah! Anyway, ended up paying off Tesco loan in full and putting remaining £900 towards Halifax cc. On the up side, at least I can overpay Virgin, couldn’t do so with loan. All in, I should come out even or, if really lucky with extra hours at work, may even save a few bob in the end.

Total debt at present £12,875.57 which means I’ve paid off £8,095.28 (or 38.6%) since January. Hurrah!

Keebs

Ooooooh, newsflash – think I may have turned a corner from lacklustre to productive… :j


Couldn’t sleep (been troubled by insomnia for months now) so 6am this morning I dragged a very reluctant dog out for a lovely tramp through woods. Alas, half way through dog made a mad dash for the car and refused to budge, think something in the bushes spooked her. So 7am and dog dragged reluctant owner back indoors (kinda like restitution I suppose). Shortly after dog is fed and back in bed snoring, me wishing very much I could follow.

Drummed my fingers for a while, lurked a little on my favourite diaries, went back to bed, couldn’t sleep, got up, drummed and lurked some more and then (finally!!!) got productive (a little). Whilst I must confess I am not a tidy person, I do not function well without space. Untidy nature coupled with having only one room to live in means space fills up very quickly. Have cleared one corner of said room and am amazed at how much lighter I feel, definitely more relaxed and hopefully thinking clearer too. Am pretty sure I’ve found the source of my insomnia, off to see what inroads I can make on the next corner!



PS is it wrong that my first impulse on discovering this declutter side effect is to come here and post?

Keebs

Forgot to add that it was the superb declutering efforts of many diarists on here that acted as the catalyst for today’s effort. Thank you all.

Have now cleared the strip of floor down left hand side of bed (and under the bed to boot) and it’s marvellous to be able to walk into room without tripping over stuff, knocking down piles, edging round things etc.


Even found time to meander into the garden to see what needs harvested. Now have two bunches of lavender hanging up to dry (room smells divine) with a view to making lavender sugar at some point. Also have courgette cake cooling on the counter (adapted a carrot cake recipe – fingers crossed!), more courgette chopped and ready to add to risotto this evening and even more courgette languishing in the fridge begging for some ideas. Alas, the peas and raspberries never made it to the kitchen, mysteriously they disappeared as fast as I picked them. :silenced:


Have discovered I am spending a ludicrous amount of my grocery budget on snacky foods so, in an effort to keep this down have resolved to make more at home. To wit I am currently munching on some freshly roasted spicy chick peas. Yum! Off shortly to scour the OS board for cheap home made snacky stuff.

Budget wise I have £27 until payday, so much for my £50 challenge. :mad:

clippy_girl

hi i am quite inspired by your snacks! are the chick peas easy to make? sound yummy in an effort to cut down i bough morrisons own brand quavers. they are ok but not a patch on the real ones will have to try and find some on offer somewhere!

i really need to tidy my bedroom, buying another cheap bed this week which needs to be added to the massive pile of stuff for my new house in the corner of the room. hope house sale goes through smoothly or i will be stick renting a room with a whole house worth of stuff in here!