39 weeks till the big 3-0!

tobedifferent

Sorry this is such a long one, but its helped me to really think about what I need to do, birthday :beer: for anyone who makes it to end!

39 weeks from today. It does not seem like a long time when I think about it like that. It seems scarily close. I'm not worried about turning 30, in fact I'm quite looking forward to it. But I don't want to turn 30 with things the way they are now. So I’ve set myself a 39 week challenge to get myself motivated and improve my life overall.:o

My total debt is £26563.92 as of today. I've calculated all figures as accurately as I can, most of the interest is front loaded so I can reduce this figure a lot by paying things off quicker. Now I’m a realist and don't expect to be able to pay off everything. The biggest outgoing here is a rather large loan with HSBC, currently with fl interest it stands at £16748.92. This loans not flexible so I aim to clear all other debt which totals up to £9817. This would leave me in a good position to start saving to get rid of this evil loan.:mad:

I've got a few expenses coming up, Christmas and also a few on my family members are pregnant with 4 due over the next 5 months :T . I have to go and see them when the kids are born and that’s non-negotiable, its a 600 mile round trip so petrol will cost a fortune, I’ve checked different bus companies, train prices etc and they are silly money and also take a lot longer and my time is money. I will also be making some gifts, which will require some outlay. I also need some dental work, which could be pricey, new glasses, 2 new tyres and new brake pads that I want to replace sooner rather than later. Naturally this all comes at a price which I am to keep to a total minimum, I've set maxes and aim to save as much as possible.

My SOA is looking good but I can always make savings on electricity usage, food and incidental spending. Again I've calculated figures for each and any savings that can be made then brill!

I've calculate that my total living costs for the next 39 weeks including my loan repayment of £289 per month and all my extra costs detailed above totals: £13336, include the total of the debt I wish to clear and the total amount I need to earn/save is £23153.:eek: That’s a lot of money!

My fixed income from my full time job over the same period is £12361 which means I now need to earn/save £10792 to meet my goals :eek:.

I've got a lucrative 2nd job as a telephone 'entertainer' . It looks like there will be some overtime available at my main job for a month in the new year and I also helping to canvass for the electoral register which should bring in a few hundred after tax, I’m going to maximise these as much as poss in addition I plan to:

1. OS as much as poss to reduce bills/petrol etc.
2. Ebay/Amazon/Green Metropolis - including hunting bargains to sell.
3. Quidco.
4. Mystery Shopping.
5. Selling 'naughty' stories including inspiration from my phone work (yes I have no shame )
6. Matched betting.
7. Comps and freebies.
8. Reclaiming further charges.
9. Quitting smoking.
9. Anything else I can think of!

I'm also planning to be taking antibiotics over Christmas, nasty in-grown toe nail perhaps I can then drive to the parties without being nagged and save on booze and rip-off taxis. :beer:

My debt is a big part of my goal, but its not the only one, I also want to understand more about me, I want to increase my self-esteem and understand what my long term goals are. I've been feeling quite lost and directionless for the past few years, I think this has been a contributing factor to my debt as opposed to being caused by it. The only way I will conquer the debt and depression monster is by looking at every area of my life along the way.

39 weeks till 30 and an improved and happier me!:T Any advice, criticism etc would be much appreciated. I will be updating this thread to help motivate me along.

I'll update my sig with earnings on a weekly basis as I receive the money. Savings on a monthly basis as I get paid so I can carefully monitor my progress.

Sunny_Angel

Sounds like you have already put a lot of work and thought into this,:T
Good for you,
You go for it,
Will be keeping an eye out for your progress.:cool:

BOL
Sunny Angel

clairabelle_2

I think that's about the same as me - until the big 3-0!

Will be watching carefully to see if you do it!

Good luck,

C xx

poppycracker

Good for you tobedifferent! Sounds like you've got a good plan, hope everything goes well for you...... only 15 weeks yesterday til I'm 30... I'm told it doesn't hurt

Sammz

Good luck!

I have a whole 6 days until the big 3-0

Mrs_Sparkle

Hello! I'm already in my 30s but you have a similar amount of debt to me so I can keep you company on that one. Your action plan looks good to me- good luck!

tobedifferent

Thank you for you support and a big congratulations to all of you coming up to the big day!! Extra big congrats to Mrs Sparkle with her little boy on the way! :j

Its very unusual for me to say that 1 whole day after deciding to do something I am still committed to the goal! I can be very wishy-washy at times and I feel that rather than having a vague plan just to clear my debt asap I have something in place which is a big challenge but its acheiveable.

This weeks goals look like a lot but are mainly little bits, I need to do it as it will get me in a good place to really move on. So here goes!

1. That darned spend diary.
2. Set myself up with EagerLearners SpreadSheet.
3. Hunt for the cheapest car insurance as my renewal is next week!
4. Expenses, expenses! Sort out mileage claims etc.
5. E-mail CAB about what tax deductable expenses I can claim from my second job.
6. Contact Argos Card as to why they are no longer sending any statements to me - maybe a mystery benefactor has paid off my debt to them!!
7. Cancel Equifax before they charge me.
8. Start doing pigsback/quidco daily.
9. Finish off the electoral canvassing.
10. 10 hours phone work.
11. Get an early night every night.
12. Make up my flextime deficit at my full time job.
13. Start doing Flylady babysteps.

Hmm, better run and get started if i'm going to make that early night!

TBD
xx

Mike_St_Helens

Ive got less than 6 weeks till Im 30 (Dont worry guys, Ill make sure you all know the date !..... )

Before im 30 Ill be a bankrupt. Never thought id be that when I was at University planning my life.

Glad you have a forward plan, thats just exactly what I want, a forward plan and hopefully the next 10 years before a big birthday arnt so awful !

MIke

buxtonrabbitgreen

tobedifferent wrote:

Thank you for you support and a big congratulations to all of you coming up to the big day!! Extra big congrats to Mrs Sparkle with her little boy on the way! :j

Its very unusual for me to say that 1 whole day after deciding to do something I am still committed to the goal! I can be very wishy-washy at times and I feel that rather than having a vague plan just to clear my debt asap I have something in place which is a big challenge but its acheiveable.

This weeks goals look like a lot but are mainly little bits, I need to do it as it will get me in a good place to really move on. So here goes!

1. That darned spend diary.
2. Set myself up with EagerLearners SpreadSheet.
3. Hunt for the cheapest car insurance as my renewal is next week!
4. Expenses, expenses! Sort out mileage claims etc.
5. E-mail CAB about what tax deductable expenses I can claim from my second job.
6. Contact Argos Card as to why they are no longer sending any statements to me - maybe a mystery benefactor has paid off my debt to them!!
7. Cancel Equifax before they charge me.
8. Start doing pigsback/quidco daily.
9. Finish off the electoral canvassing.
10. 10 hours phone work.
11. Get an early night every night.
12. Make up my flextime deficit at my full time job.
13. Start doing Flylady babysteps.

Hmm, better run and get started if i'm going to make that early night!

TBD
xx

It probably won't be up your street as time is money but if you go on https://www.megabus.co.uk you can go almost anywhere in the country between cities for £! Though it does take a long time. Also greasypalm have got an offer on from TSB for home and car insurance I think it was £60 cashback.

skintasusual

6 weeks today till i'm 30

not a great deal i can do to make a large dent in £27000 by then!!

that said, my DMP with CCCS starts 1st nov, so by my birthday I hope to

have settled into my dmp, including all aspects of budgeting!
have stopped smoking completely (drastically cut down at the mo)
do everything I can to save money and get those debts paid quicker!!

good luck with your plans everyone!!:j

tobedifferent

Mike_St_Helens wrote:

Ive got less than 6 weeks till Im 30 (Dont worry guys, Ill make sure you all know the date !..... )

Before im 30 Ill be a bankrupt. Never thought id be that when I was at University planning my life.

Glad you have a forward plan, thats just exactly what I want, a forward plan and hopefully the next 10 years before a big birthday arnt so awful !

MIke

I don't think any of us ever thought we would be in this position, it all seems like it will be sparkly and roses right up until that lightbulb moment hits. I'm looking forward to the next ten years much more, and i'm going to start it with some debt but with a clean fresh slate and outlook. From reading your posts it looks like you are doing just the same. I'll be thinking of you next monday, but I won't be feeling sorry for you, i'll be toasting you with my cup of tea to a positive new future! You're doing the right thing hun.

Skintasusual - well done for cutting down, i'm aiming to quit completely too but am having real trouble trying to reduce what I smoke, need to go the whole way and just stop I think. Could really do with a fresh pair of lungs!!

TBD
xx