Introducing myself - Small changes, big effect!

*KT*

This weekend I was at uni. That would normally mean a spend of at least £10 each day (so ~£20 total) on sweats and snacks and energy drinks from the shop and bought sandwiches or hot food.

I spent just under £4 total. I needed to buy drinks on the first day (we normally have access to free tea and coffee but not this time) and on the second day I underestimated the food and drink I'd need so needed a top up. But sandwiches were made and brought with me and a banana. That, for me, is progress.

Last night I spent my last Audible credit and this morning I cancelled (well, put my account on hold with a note plus reminder in my calendar to cancel officially before the account wakes up again.) I feel quite proud - they offered me 3 months at half price but I rejected that and wend for the suspension instead. I have one audible book left to listen to now and the set of CDs. That plus a couple of podcasts that I've downloaded (and some iTunes U material - there is a Martin Lewis interview at Coventry Uni there...!) should see me through comfortably and if not there are a few sugestions above to try.

I realised something this morning, I haven't been to the cinema even once since I started up this diary. That's been weeks! There have been plenty of films I'd have liked to have seen but I haven't had the time and the money at the same time to go and see anything!

I need to be quite strict this week, I have a weekend of being out on Friday night for the charity even and I am out on a date with bf on Saturday (although I think most of that will be his treat, dinner pub and even out past dark to a night club! I can act my age! Yay!)

I hope everyone is doing well. So far I haven't been quite as strict as I thought but I'm definitely still on target for a great month. The uni bill of £275 gets paid tomorrow!:eek: If I haven't come on here to say that it's done, please give me a kick up the rear end!

Byatt

Hi KT, I have just read through your diary, and want to say well done! I agree with all that kaz says about friends (and boyfriends not being the be all and end all of our social lives, even when we love them so much). It is harder to make friends as we get older (and I'm ancient lol), and they don't drop into our laps as they did when in school perhaps. So we need to be more proactive and take the initiative often, so maybe invite someone round for a coffee, or if you budget for the cinema, ask someone if they'd like to go with you. I know myself I would be delighted if someone asked me. (because of depression, I'm not always sociable, but I do appreciate being asked). And maybe with some of your old friends, make a set date, no matter how busy they seem. Plan, plan and plan again.

I have 2 very busy friends, and we see each other maybe 2-3 times a year now, but that's better than nothing. But we have to plan and coordinate.

As for Amazon, things can go quiet for a long time; I have had my uni text books up for sale since 2009, and although I have sold most of them, I do have about 19 that are still there, but have sold about 6 books in the last month, though I expect it to go quiet again.

Ebay is very much the same; are your items on buy it now? or auction? If just BIN, perhaps put some on auction so your items get near the front page when listings are coming to an end. I know you have to relist again if they don't sell, but that applies to BIN too. It's pretty slow right now, depending on what you are selling, but don't give up, you only need one person to want the item.

Anyway, keep posting...

xxx

*KT*

I'm just dropping in for a quick update before getting on with some work.

I haven't been quite as strict as I planned but I have been strict. I haven't been buying anything else when I pay for petrol. I have had 2 energy drinks in the last week (both were on offer). last night I went out for dinner with bf which wasn't planned but I am going to see where that leaves me if I take that money out of the food budget. I haven't been writing everything down (shame on me!) but I have been keeping all receipts to keep track of what is going where.

Tonight I pay my dad back £30, £20 of that was my now regular payment from bf this month.

I haven't been around to list much on ebay but I am home tonight. 4 items end tonight, only 1 has a watcher and they were all relists so I'm not hugely hopeful but you never know. last minute bidding war anyone?!

Verbatim

You're getting there KT. How much spare have you got for debt busting once your regular bills are paid?

*KT*

This monthmy debt payments are my uni bill of £275, paying my dad back £30 and I have paid £27.45 (its a weird number because 7.45 was what I made on amazon and I took a takeaway I said no to and the £8 I saved on audible and put it straight to me card too.) in addition to the minimum payment on my credit card (really need to get that on a 0% if at all possible... I'm scared of getting a new card though) so that's £332.45 total going on debt this month.

That's actually quite a lot isn't it?! ~26% of my income
There is more this month because of the no council tax payments. and I'm still not 100% sure I'm not going to really struggle again in a couple of weeks. I'm really trying to pace myself.

That will be my uni bills up to date (with about £1000 to pay over the rest of the year when the bills come in). That just leaves my credit card (just under £900) and overdraft (usually just nearing the limit there at the end of the month and that is £800)

*KT*

As I suspected my dad wouldn't accept the £30 back... I was getting really annoyed, I don't think he understood why I wanted to pay him back. Anyway, that £30 that I had in my purse is now my budget for my charity race night tonight. I don't really drink so I am expecting to come back with money still in my purse.

I sold a book on ebay last night. 99p! Every little helps, as Mr T would say...

Verbatim

Well that's not too bad! Well done on making such excellent payments. Paying the extras you've saved makes complete sense and is exactly what I did!

If you're paying interest on your cc is there a way you can stop spending on it? (Sorry if you've explained already and don't spend on it.) Otherwise you're just adding to the amount you pay interest on, and then interest on the interest etc each month.

*KT*

I almost always don't spend on it but I did last month for petrol. Currently that card isn't in my purse anymore (hidden in my bedside drawers instead...)

That is definitely one of my aims for this month is to not spend any more on that bloomin' card. And my budget, tight as it is, should make sure of that.

I really think I should look for a 0% card in the next couple of days but I am scared of credit checks and getting more credit at all. I'm not sure if it's a good move or not. That sounds really silly...

Verbatim

If you can be disciplined and remember NEVER to spend on the 0% cc you can pay down the more expensive card first and save a lot of interest. Just stick to the budget and don't add to the debt by using the cards. You could get a free trial credit report thing and cancel before you're charged. That way you can see if you're likely to get approved before you apply.

*KT*

Ok, I should have been on here with an update before now...

The weekend - Friday was the charity race night. I left my house with £30 in my purse. I came home with £14.55 and a bottle of wine!

Saturday - This was supposed to be date night but because of bfs bad back, he was in pain so we stayed in. I spent ~£10 on food and he bought himself beer to go with the bottle of wine that I won. I broke my "I don't drink" rule this once and enjoyed the wine throughout the evening with a House boxset.

Sunday we stayed in again until it was time for bf to go home. No spend day.

All in all I'd call that a success.

I don't have anything like that planned for this weekend yet but I suppose it's still early. So far I have had to buy lunch once this week as I needed to go to the uni library and had to eat on the hoof. Other than that I've been good.

I'm holding off until the last minute to pay the uni bill, kind of to reasure myself that the money will be there and I'll cope. It might not be the best strategy ever but it's working so far.

Hope everyone is good

*KT*