HP is on the UP!

beanielou

Happy shiney new diary
Keep posting!

humblepii

Thanks jwil and beanielou for the giddy up! Feel like I need it!

Turns out, that bar of chocolate was only the beginning of the naughty spending for the weekend . I didn't quite throw caution to the wind, but it was still much more expensive than I would've liked. Feels a bit like on Supernanny, when the parents are inconsistent with the discipline just that one time, and then it's like a floodgate gradually opening....

However, some positives.

1) I had thought that my two 0% BTs were good into 2011, but having double-checked, it turns out out that one of them ends on 22 October 2010. This is a brilliant incentive for me to do the extra push: clear that outstanding £1150 by then, then I can focus solely on one card for the overall deadline of May 2011. I'm attacking this mainly through extra income. Have gone eBay mad - over £200 in two weeks already, and TONS more to list - plus picked up a couple of extra freelance jobs I can do outside of office hours.

2) I'm sticking with using cash where possible. Not really to stop frittering, but more because ATM withdrawls show on my online banking immediately, so I know EXACTLY where I am. It's happened so often that I've bought a few bits and pieces on my debit card, forgotten all about them, then felt really stung when they all come out at once seven days later.

3) I'm going on holiday next week! 10 days in Spain, bought and paid for ages ago. Staying with family at their villa (so free!), and planning on doing nothing but reading and lounging by the pool. Spends only on cheap sangria and fresh, local food to do some cooking. Blisssssssssssssssss. :j

beanielou

Happy holidays

humblepii

Thanks, Lou. I have a very expensive wedding weekend to get through before then, so will doubtless squeeze in a few posts before I go

And a big :T to you - your signature is very inspiring. I appreciate your support! Thank you!

beanielou

Thanks.
Getting there

Oops to the weddings.
Expensive unfortunatly

jwil

Your holiday sounds fab! Lounging around reading in the sun, sounds fantastic. Hope you have a great time.

Well done on the ebay listing, I'm trying to have a marathon listing session as well so maybe we can encourage each other!

humblepii

Just popping in to say hi and bye as I'm off on those long-awaited hols on Friday morning, and won't have time to post before then. Actually, I don't really have time to post now - I have so much work to get through before I can get on that plane! :eek:

I've resorted to lurking in my spare few mins per day, though, and am happy to report that it's helping me to stay on the straight and narrow. Bank balance is looking healthy for the month ahead. Yippy!

The reason I'm so busy because of all the extra income stuff I've been doing, which is exhausting, but SO worth it - for any DFWs looking to accelerate payments, this is SERIOUSLY the way to do it. I'm currently owed £1030 for on-top-of-my-day-job work, which will make a neat dent in that overall total, plus I've made £300 on eBay over the past couple of weeks. I've turned into an eBay bore! :rotfl: How are your listings doing, jwil? I'll be up for an eBay challenge when I'm back from Spain, so watch out.

On which note... Adios, amigos! Keep up the good work!
:beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer:

humblepii

Well, I'm back - relaxed, happy, and about 6lbs heavier! :eek: How is everyone?

SO MSE-wise, my darling OH and I did very well while we were away (better than I expected, actually): we each took out 200E (exchange rate made that about £178 each), which was probably what we'd each spend over 10 days in London anyway. And we had a lot of amazing food and good times to show for it.

Just edging towards payday now. It's going to be close, but I think I'm going to end up within budget! Not bad, considering September will have been our most expensive month after December, what with our holiday and attending our one wedding of the year. I've updated my signature, and the number is reassuring. Now to get back on the eBay hamster wheel...

I also learned this morning that my divorce has been finalised, which is a huge relief. It's been straight-forward (ie we didn't have kids, assets, etc, and have been separated for a couple of years now), but of course, the break-up wasn't quite so easy and emotionally, I associate much of my debt with my marriage. Which is just yet another incentive for me to GET RID OF IT. :mad: Onwards and upwards.

humblepii

For all my "back on the campaign trail"-ings yesterday, I ended up going out for dinner and drinks with my sis. So that's me currently -£35 on budget.

But then, it's not every day you get divorced.

Impossible for me to do an NSD today, but I shall damn well be making up for it somewhere along the line...

humblepii

So after a VERY expensive September I was hoping for a bit of respite in October but alas, it's not to be! We've been whammed with every bill under the sun, plus our TV license renewal, and are in dispute with EDF energy who guesstimate that OH and I will be using £12,000 worth of electricity in our one-bedroom flat over the next 12 months. Yeah, right. :rotfl: Try again, EDF!

That said, I'm still feeling very in control and should be ok - eBay is being a total godsend. I have SO MUCH valuable crap! And the very happy news is that I am on track to clear my Halifax card by 22 October, when the 0% runs out. It just has £250 left on it, and I should receive £250 next week for some freelance work I did last month. That one was £2,000 at LBM, so I am feeling really quite proud of myself. It's so silly, but it's the first time I've ever set myself a challenge like this and managed to stick to it! :T

Have updated my signature and can't wait for it to fall below the £3,000 when I get that £250 in. My updated goals for the next few months:

- Pay off Halifax altogether (YAY) before 22 Oct = Debt all on MBNA 0% BT card

- Pay £335 off MBNA with November pay, taking total debt below £2,500 = half of what it was when I began tackling it fully with August payday

- Pay (just over) minimum on MBNA for December and allocate the rest of usual debt payment money (£300) to Christmas, so no being 'caught by surprise' by Christmas and having to run up cards as usual (will also have a two-week break from therapy = an extra £70 saved towards train fares)

- Back on track in January. If I continue paying £300 per month that's £1,500 by May, leaving me just £1,000 to find through extra work/eBay/etc. Over 5 months = £200 per month = very achieveable

- On track to be DF with May payday! :j