Debt free by Summer 2012 (if not sooner!)

Woowoo

Hey DF

Where you hiding to? Hope your ok x

DebtFree2012

Hi All

Here I am!

I have been so unbelieably busy with one thiing and another.

Work has been MANIC but we're all done now for a while so it's back to the usual routine until it kicks off again later in the year. Also I have been studying for my exam which I have done and get the results in August time - not holding out much hope as SOOOO hard. I did what I could though and will try to get a resit if I fail - how negative does that sound but trying to be balanced.

I have been trying to stick to a budget as much as possible but I haven't even had time to look at spreadsheets properly. I have made sure everything's paid but no more than that. My grocery bill is lower than before still but I know it can be lower as I have given in to some things when been so tired and pushed for time.

However I am back in full force now. No excuses as nothing pressing taking over now!

So I have looked at my situ and it's a good month in one way as when the figures come in at the end of this month I am going down a number in some areas. See what I mean;

Balances today:
Capital 1 - 4131.34 (just made payment of 125 but they will add interest so this is staying over 4k for this month) GOOD news is they interest is < £100 which it wasn't for ages.
Next is 309.94 which will be 2xx next month! Interest is around £6 which APR wise is high but out of my pocket is low.
Virgin, the biggy is 7087.44 with payment of 170 to come off then interest to go on of ~100 will mean it's just over the 7k mark so I am going to throw anything spare at this to get it starting with a 6 - that will be so nice to see.
Tesco is 2422 and not getting anything else paid to it yet bar min.
Loan is 4059.82 and so will be sub 4k after this months figutes go through.
0% loan is sub 7k (by 50 quid)
So all in all it could be worse!!!

I need to make a meal plan for this week a running out of budget ideas - been living off same stuff that I know is cheap to make and even I am getting sick of them.

I have a 5lb bag of mince to use, we had lasagne last night so need to google mince recipes that don't look like mince recipes lol. We'll be sick of that shortly! It's what I can get cheap at the time though.

So I am back - I have been reading and keeping up with my MSE reading as that's truly what keeps me going.

Hope everyone's doing ok and I will catch up with your diaries asap.

Take Care

x x x

DebtFree2012

Just updated my sig and was nice to see it go down a bit - paid off 17.9% now.
Feels good to be back in the driving seat!

DebtFree2012

Ok so I am up to date now.

I have paid £643 to debt so far this month. Shocking. I have decided I am thinking that's 643 of clothes I have bought this month (as that's what a lot of this was - no all though) so that's curbing me thinking I deserve some more clothes!

I can't wait until I have that "spare" a month. Will it ever happen!!!

DebtFree2012

Haven't spent anything today and the plan is not to.

Tea's sorted and won't cost anything so bonus!

I am thinking I may take a leaf out of Woo's book and start a new diary as this one isn't true anymore....or I may wait until New Year. Will have a think.

Right, last night I sorted my work wardrobe out and made a note of everything I have in there. I can now take an overview of what I have and the truth is I can manage on what's in there quite easily. In the Winter I will need tights but that should be all. I am trying to ensure that I won't have to spend on clothes this year. Anything I do get will be saved for and a concious decision, not an impulse buy.

So that's work clothes done, need to do home clothes next.

Gas and Electricity are heading in the right direction consumption wise, even if prices are going in the wrong direction.

Grocery bill is also heading in the right direction however had a glitch this month but over that now.

So what else do I spend on - my hair which is my only luxury and £40 a month. I am mulling over the idea of doing it myself but I have done so before and all that happens is I end up going back for them to sort it out.

All my other expenses are needed. I may start a diary for my daily expenses. Literally everything that goes out of my back could go into it.....hmm.

rachelww1

Hi DF. Nice to 'see' you back. I hope work has settled down for you now. I need to take a leaf out of your book to sort my grocery shopping out again. Mine seems to be spiralling out of control in the wrong direction .

You're doing really well with the repayments, I just find it gets a bit stagnant at this time of year, with wanting to enjoy the nice weather and holidays.

**Kat**_2

Well done you are doing really well xx

DebtFree2012

Thanks both!!

You are right about this time of year becoming stagnant.

How are you doing with my arch enemy on the reserve charges Kat?

This morning was a good morning. After sorting my work clothes out the other night I have something on this morning that I have never worn together before and I actually feel stylish for once!! It's such a nice feeling and hasn't cost me a penny!

I have noted the colour of each of my items on my clothes inventory and as I am a creature of habit I have lots of things in similar colours. Some of them are starting to fade from the washing machine so where they are red for example, I am going to buy a dye to give them a boost. £5 for dye or god knows what for more clothes. Feels so much better doing it this way! I will wait until next pay to do that though.

I am back on the healthy eating too and had lost a stone pre my exam but them went to pot when revising and work took over and put 4lb back on which could have been so much worse. So of that 4 I have lost 3, 1 to go to be back where I was. Then I would like to lose another stone so that's my target for the remainder of this summer and the autumn. We're going on holiday in October all being well so I will hopefully feel better about my figure then.

I will try to do the same for my home clothes over the next week.

I have to start planning next month's grocery bill and meal plans too.

Today is a NSD as was yesterday.

My petrol's found a medium of around £30 a week now but with the prices still so high I am really only using it when I have to so this is the bare min I can use for me to drop kids off and work run.

Saying that, they car is in the garage tomorrow for it's brakes - I hope they don't scrap it by mistake as it is getting on my poor little (well, big) thing. It's my FIL doing it so I hope it doesn't cost too much - new brakes pads and discs I think, plus there's a clanking in the exhaust area when I go round corners - gets me lots of attention LOL.

Finally, for now, I need to start planning what I am going to get everyone for Xmas. I know I know - it's only July.....

DebtFree2012

Ok so I am starting to look for the October holiday proces but the cheap ones aren't in yet. Not that you will get cheap on October half term!

My eye wandered to some luxury family holidays which there's no way I could afford until after DFD. So that is something I am treating my family to when I am DF. Can't wait!

x x x

DebtFree2012

I now have a spreadsheet for weight management!
I have lost 12lb and have 22lb left to lose.
It's something to do when the debt busting's beem done for the month!

Target Date - October half term (24th).