I'm a wannabe!

shopgirl6035

Thats right, Iam a wannabe debt-free junkie (not literally).

Iam a 23 yr old shopping tragic. I have had a few attempts at gettings my debt and saving under control, and im still not better off- So here we go again, third time lucky.

My current situation & Aims....
9000k Car Loan
6500k Credit Card
8000k Canada Trip
= 23500k

In working this out, I have given myself until July 2012.

This will leave me completely debt free, and once that is complete I can use the 2000k disposable income to save for a home instead of paying off debts and splurging...

Not only is this a huge lesson and massive goals, but its about changing my ways. I want to be responsible, I want to be 25 yrs old with a house deposit to contribute to my future family....

Why didnt they give me life lessons at school- or a saving class. hehe I hope you can follow me on the journey, provide me with tips, hints and plans!

Best wishes for a HUGE 2011 xxx

beanielou

Wishing you well on your DFW journey!

shopgirl6035

I have $35 to last me 1 week. I will today do some menu plans for the next few days and organise what i need to buy at food shopping with my $35.

Then from next Tuesday the fun starts. Menu Plans & Shopping lists, which I will stick too. No buying my lunches at work. Putting all loose change into a money tin (and not dipping into it), having a month of completely not going out and being a home-body, just for one month to keep my saving and spending under control!

Its me and OH engagement party next month, we are having it at home, and everything seems to be under control, i dont even have to buy a dress.... im going to use one already in the wardrobe- Theres a start.

I would love to start looking at Home & Garden pictures and magazines to give me ideas and dedication to saving, possibly a picutre could help me.

CosmoCat

Use whatever you need to motivate you, visual reminders are always fantastic.

£35 is a great budget, me and the OH usually plan a fiver a day for all meals, whatever we don't spend on any given day gets added to the next and so on. It's great fun when you choose to look at it that way, and we have a fab time getting really creative with meals and stuff. Last week alone we were left with a whole £5! Which was added to this week of course. I see treats in our near future

All the very best with your plans and ideas. Support is right here whenever you need it.

shopgirl6035

I have just found out you can purchase your groceries online! This is a great idea, as Iam normally someone who crawls the aisles with my trolley and come across many things that arent on my list. Although now with the comfort of doing it from the computer, organising delivery suitable for me with a 2 hours time frame (when im doing house work), it makes me work out a weekly shopping list and also meal plan! Amazing idea. So normally a $200 shop, now I can get around $100 with a few extra bits and pieces where we can go longer than normal- PERFECT.
Going through the trial run this week, receive my groceries on Sat morning and will let you know how it goes.

Monthly pay next Tuesday. I already have to spend $1000 on my wedding dress, i got it on at sale time, and its great that i have been able to purchase and now can hide at my mums house until our big day (not until 2012), but means one less thing I have to do, and i go back for the alterations a few months before the big day- perfect!

Once Feb is out of the way I can focus on getting rid of a few amounts next to my name.... Looking forward to a brighter future now. I can see I need to be much much better with my money and focus on having no debts as of 2012 at all!!!! Then married life and debt free, perfect!

Going to a BBQ tonight and only have to take a pasta salad, and then tomorrow night dinner at the in-laws, I think I can make it until Saturday morning shopping arrives, and spending no money on the weekend..... Can I make it?

Hope everyones week has gone well. Will check in tomorrow with an update, as today is a NSD! My first one since I started the blog.

shopgirl6035

Made it through the weekend without bringing another debt on my hands, yay!

I have been thinking about rolling my credit card debt and car loan into one? and looking at setting it so i pay it off by October 2012... As i have set myself debt free by the end of 2012... and this will give me a 2x month levy.

Having a look my car can be paid off by July 2012... and then another 6 months later my Credit Card... But if I can include this additional Credit Card in my Loan, I will up my payments from the current rate and put extra payments in.... as Iam already ahead of the July 2012 set date...

I will ring the bank and ask for advice today

shopgirl6035

Pay Day.

I have put money aside in a Bills account for the next 3 months, as I dont want to be stuck with a large chunk to pay.

I paid a bit off credit card, bit into savings, paid off the rest of my wedding dress (thank god, DONE) so Iam set for the month and ontrack to get into a better financial position...

I will update my signature... although its not much, every bit helps. And as we speak will be cutting up my credit card.

Aims for Wed, Thurs and Fri as NSD and even Sat and Sun....

Wed- fitness at the beach to work on toning up the body and healthy new me!
Thurs- Girlfriend coming over for dinner, all food all ready to go... yummy homemade pizzas.
Fri- Date night with OH, probably his shout, otherwise at home for yummy dinner
Sat- Work tickets to the cricket in a corporate box and then babysitting my neice, and Sunday, no plans! Love it.

I think I can honestly make it! Its a brand new pay month and a brand new me, working on things I want to achieve and little goals to help me get there.

shopgirl6035

So day after pay day and Im not broke and shopped-out or caved in! Yay. Made it.

First day of the rest of my life... All bills paid, money put away for food and bills later in the month and paid off some of credit card.... onwards from here. Just need to stay focused and on track.

This month I have one night planned with the girlfriends, and if I can make it through without going overboard Im well on my way. Thats next weekend- so lets see how I go.

Final preparations are coming along for our engagement party... Just going to look into music, but something not very expensive, jukebox or something...

I have a smile and now headache about money. Its very exciting. Now to not have a shopaholic moment and jump online shopping or something like a disaster

Hoping your all on track
xxxxx

shopgirl6035

Have sent myself a 15 month Debt Free Day.... 15th July 2012....

Slowly organising my finances and being better with money. We had our engagement party on Sat just gone and received a fair bit of money to go towards our Canada Trip which will be helpful, although will forget about it and use it to book and pay deposit so then will help in the end.

Hanging out for April 15th, and then my birthday in the following weeks, hopefully will be an opportunity to save and not spend heaps, planning on a raodtrip and relaxing long weekend for Easter... so should get onto planning that now

This week I have absolutely no money to spend... and the next few weeks, so Im going to be a good girl, just pay the bills, sell a few things on ebay and hopefully go from there!

Updating my signature with my Debt Free Date I would like to achieve. YAY!!!

shopgirl6035

A few things on ebay are slowly getting some interest, hopefully this can help towards Credit Card Debt.... Would be amazing! Or even Canada Trip... i dont mind what it will pay off, I just want it paid off.... getting fair impatient but need to focus on the bigger picture.

If I can pay off another $100-$200 off my credit card before next pay, that would be amazing. About 3 weeks to earn/organise that additional money.

Iam wondering if I should get another job, one or two shifts a week at a pub or something? Just to help out and earn a little bit more....

Will keep you posted on my ebay sales and debt busting