Starting my Journey

elfen

Nectar points = very useful for Xmas

Ashamed_2

pennywisepoundstupid wrote: »

Hi Ash, just wanted to well done and good luck.
Wish i could log onto Nectar and find that many points:D, what will you spend them on, i tend to spend my on food shopping at sainsburys.

Unfotunately they are not as good as clubcard points. 500pts = £2.50 or if you use them at thorpe park / alton towers or Ask resturants (plus a few more) then you get 500pts = £5.00 so I've got about £320 or £640 worth.

However I dont really want to be encouraged to spend them on anything other than my debts so I think they will go on food or essentials from homebase / argos when needed.

Keeping them for a rainy day I guess. )

saorsie

Hi Ash - hope you don't mind me popping in :wave:

Re: your lovely nectar points, have you thought about using them for your food shopping but then immediately transferring the equivalent amount you 'technically spent' out of your food budget and onto a debt repayment? eg if you spend £80 at sainsbugs, paid with your nectar points, then transferred £80 out of your food budget and paid it towards one of your cards. You earn no interest whilst all those lovely points are sitting in your nectar account, so make them work for you by paying off some debt Win - win situation - well it works for me anyway!

-s-

Ashamed_2

saorsie wrote: »

Hi Ash - hope you don't mind me popping in :wave:

Re: your lovely nectar points, have you thought about using them for your food shopping but then immediately transferring the equivalent amount you 'technically spent' out of your food budget and onto a debt repayment? eg if you spend £80 at sainsbugs, paid with your nectar points, then transferred £80 out of your food budget and paid it towards one of your cards. You earn no interest whilst all those lovely points are sitting in your nectar account, so make them work for you by paying off some debt Win - win situation - well it works for me anyway!

-s-

Welcome to my special little thread . Everyone is welcome here.

That's a great Idea. I usually shop at Tesco but I'm sure we can go to sainsbury's for a change .

I'm feeling really good about this now. Just over a week ago I was feeling like a sinking ship, but now I feel like I'm standing at the front of it with my arms out wide and the wind in my face. I can smell the freedom... it may be 4 years away.. but it has a strong aroma and it smells GOOD !!!!

Determined_2b_Debt_Free

Hi Ash - soooo pleased you're feeling the buzz of debt busting, I feel the same as you at the moment and I love reading threads that spur me on.

We often shop at Sainsburys as I hate Tesco and I would really really recommend a lot of their own range items if you're never tried them. Personally I like their own brand beans better than Heinz and there are plenty of things like cereal that I really can't taste the difference on - that might make your Nectar points go even further...

[Deleted User]

You're doing an amazing job to date Ash. Congratulations!

Can I ask how you managed travel when your wife wasn't a driver... I think you mentioned she's only been driving for one year.

You've had great advice, but I ask the question above since child care costs are massive and I'm trying to think how this can be changed to the benefit of you all.

Firewalker

Hi Ashamed,

your daily spending reminds me of mine - I used to spend over £10 everytime I went to the office and that was everyday. About £5 was on coffee and the rest on little things and lunch. Now I go to the office two-three times a week (I am one of the lucky ones who can seriously work from home) and when there spend nothing - the coffee maker in my office helps; and I always freeze little boxes of food which I take with me for lunch. A side effect is visible weight loss - eating wholsome, homecooked lunch is good for one.

Let me move to the smoking and believe me I have loads of experience there. For about five years I, like Bernard Show, found that giving up is the easiest thing on Earth - gave up about ten times a day. After that gave up and didn't smoke for 7 years - all on will-power. Missed it all the time, fidgeted, had angry ourbusrsts and put on weight. I knew exactly when I gave up and everytime someone smoked in a movie my lungs would hurt with longing. Even worse - crached and started again. Smoked for couple of years and then did the best move ever - went to the EasyWay clinic for a one day workshop. It was £240 roughly four years ago - at the time I thought it is a lot of money but it is slightly over what a smoker spends in a month. Since than my identity as a smoker is gone - never tempted, never edgy...Can recomend very highly.

And good luck.

Firewalker

Ashamed_2

Deleted_User wrote: »

You're doing an amazing job to date Ash. Congratulations!

Can I ask how you managed travel when your wife wasn't a driver... I think you mentioned she's only been driving for one year.

Thanks, Wife didnt work so our daughter wasnt in nursery, so we didnt need another car at the time.

Firewalker wrote: »

et me move to the smoking and believe me I have loads of experience there. For about five years I, like Bernard Show, found that giving up is the easiest thing on Earth - gave up about ten times a day. After that gave up and didn't smoke for 7 years - all on will-power. Missed it all the time, fidgeted, had angry ourbusrsts and put on weight. I knew exactly when I gave up and everytime someone smoked in a movie my lungs would hurt with longing. Even worse - crached and started again. Smoked for couple of years and then did the best move ever - went to the EasyWay clinic for a one day workshop. It was £240 roughly four years ago - at the time I thought it is a lot of money but it is slightly over what a smoker spends in a month. Since than my identity as a smoker is gone - never tempted, never edgy...Can recomend very highly.

And good luck.

Firewalker

I will give this a shot. I think the hardest bit is not just the quitting, it's getting rid of the feeling. I quit before for 4 years and then started again because I gave in to a strong craving. I need hypnotheropy or something to make my body forget I ever smoked.

purty

Hi Ashamed!

I just wanted to pop on to say it's brilliant how you're doing such a good job already. And what a bonus finding all of those nectar points!

[Deleted User]

Hello Ash,

Hope you're OK... your thread's gone a bit quiet.

Good luck with your journey. It's always good to read about people starting out as it gives those of us on the road for a while a fresh look at where we are and where we should be going.

I stopped smoking on 22 Jan 2006 and am delighted I did - feel great, but it's also made a massive difference on quotes for insurance - a 40% difference on life insurance. Hope that's a bit of motivation if the going gets tough.

Wishing you and your young family well. You're laying the foundations for a future beyond dreams with this financial journey... the security in uncertain times is priceless, particularly with little ones.