Amatheya's £4,000 in 2011 Diary

archiecoles80

Hi Amatheya,
This is very nice posting. And Best of luck for year 2011.

Amatheya81

Day 1

I had intended to start my diet today however my mother asked me out to dinner and as she was paying I wasn't going to argue... I ended up eating way more than I should have but I've only had a salad and a yoghurt for dinner so never mind. I'm hoping my diet goes a little better tomorrow, I really want to try to lose a lb a week until I reach my goal. I also need to start my sit-ups as soon as this blasted cold goes away!

On the money front I've worked out that I was right to be worried about my finances this month. I'm a little over £150 down on what I should have in the bank "eek!" I'm probably going to have to rely on the bank of mum to help me out which I don't like doing but I don't think I have much choice I'm also going to have to shell out on some DIY stuff as I've got a small mould probem in my bathroom, it's only about 10cmx5cm but it's got behind the plaster so I'm going to have to strip the area back, treat it, dry the bard out and then fill it and paint it... Such a lot of effort but it's all I can think of to do as the aternative it to get a professional to come in and cut out the section of plaster board and replace it.

I've done a start of month snowball calculator for my two credit cards and my loan today. It's the first one I've done since making clearing my highest rate credit card my priority. It only takes into account my regulare payments and not any over payments I hope to make but still it's made a difference to the predicted pay-off dates.

Loan - Predicted March '13
CC1 - Predicted Oct '13 (-13months on my last snowball)
CC2 - Predicted March '14 (-1month on my last snowball)

I'm going to make a habbit of doing a snowball calculation at the begining of each month to keep track of how I'm doing when it comes to predicted debt free dates. Hopefuly the ones above are still on the pessimistic side as they account for cash rates on the cards but both of my cards now attribute money to the highest rate borrowing first. Also I hope to be able to make at least some over payments even if they will be very small for the next couple of months. Every little helps!

Amatheya81

D'oh! I just went to explore the mould problem in the bathroom, and by explore I mean knock a load of plaster off and hope for the best... Unfortunately what I found was a damp patch with a hole in the middle which looks to me like the result of a small dripping leak. I guess I'm going to spend Tuesday trying to get the housing association (my appartment is part buy) to came and have a look

Herewego

Fingers crossed they can repair it and the wall saving you a few £££'s

Amatheya81

Thank, hope so... it does look like the leak is very small so I'm guessing it's a small tear in the membrain on the under side of the tiles... unfortunately if that's true they'll have to take down a section of the plaster board to get to it

Oh well, I could be wrong, I've got a couple of days to keep an eye on it.

Amatheya81

Day 2

Nothing to report on the finance side today.

Diet side is better today. I had a pork chop and jacket potato for dinner with a yoghurt for desert and a salad with the other port chop for lunch and grapes for a snack.

The mould patch is still confusing me, I'm still not sure if it's caused by a leak or weather the mark on the plaster board and the crumbling at the edge is as a result of staining from mould getting behind the plaster and the gneral appauling build standard of my appartment. All of the plaster work is appailing. You can see the joining tape on several of the corners and there are lots cracks in the plaster where the wall changes angle which is either how the mould got behing the plaster or of the mould started on the roof side it's how it got to the top of the paint... I am slightly obsessed with the mould patch

Amatheya81

Day 3

I've figured out that I'm worse off for money this month than I thought on all fronts. It's rubbish but things will get better soon.

Diet's still going well, I've managed to eat healthily today and I'm hoping to have dropped 2lb by the end of the week I'll start those sit-ups next week.

Right, need an early night as I've got to go back to work tomorrow.

Herewego

Started the sit ups this morning no doubt i will have to roll out of bed in the morning LOL

Enjoy your first day back, i'm going back too but having to think of it as 1 day closer to payday which is 3 weeks tomorrow

archiecoles80

Diary 2011 is such helpful to all.

Amatheya81

Day 4

Ugh! That is the word of the day. Back to work and and had insomnia all night, I got to sleep at about 2:30am and I had to get up at 6am!! Then when I got to work I had a very full mailbox and several reports and my collegue was off ill leaving me to coap on my own. Oh yes and tummy crapls started today, that's a week of pain to look forward to. I've also been worrying about what I'll do if mom can't lend me some money to get by on All in all I wish I'd stayed in bed but on the bright side I had to get milk and bread and decided to treat myself to some strawberry laces to cheer me up. Not good for my diet but sugar makes me happy

Speaking of the diet, I'm doing pretty good appart from the laces and I'm sure they don't count lol!

Herewego - How's your tummy?

To help myself stay motivated I've been having a look online at houses. Once I've paid off my debt I want to save a deposite, sell my 1 bed apartment and buy a 2 bed house. I will never be able to do this while I'm in debt so it's a very good incentive It also gives me a scary insight into how much depisite I will need as when I purchased my apartment lenders were still happy to give 100% mortgages.