Debt free the Fly lady way - anyone?

Snaggles

Hello - not really had chance to fully get into the swing of this yet as I've been off work this week, but next week I will be following it to the letter (might cheat a bit with the mobile phone though, as I'm getting a new one delivered tomorrow....but....the contract is half the price of the one I've been on for the last 2 years, so it's not all bad!).

The weather is horrible today isn't it - me & DS nearly got blown away on the way to school this morning!

Paige

I have completed the first 7 days now, please can someone tell me how to get the next 7 Thanks Paige X

Tondella

Paige wrote:

I have completed the first 7 days now, please can someone tell me how to get the next 7 Thanks Paige X

I'm going to post them tonight, sorry for the delay, snowed under at work for the last couple of days.

Tondella

mizmir wrote:

Ok - have been writing down everything I've spent and confessing each day to Moozie and friends! Have my spending e-diary at the ready for tomorrow. This morning wanted to phone OH (away with work) but thought of you lot and txted instead!

Thought I'd say all the good stuff before I admit the bad - I can't do today's challenge . Have to go to the vets today to pay the bill and don't have any cash to do it - so it will have to go on my credit card. In my defence - the card was cleared last month so there will be no interest on this for 50 days and I am going to prioritise paying it back first - hopefully will be a temporary solution to solve a cash flow problem. I will take all my other cards out of my purse though - haven't spent on them for many months!

Am I allowed to stay...? Please...? Will try not to say "no" again!

I do this too, at the moment i prioritise all my extra cash on debt repayments and don't budget for emergencies. When they arise they get paid for from the excess money that would usually go on the credit cards. That way I get the benefit of repaying of the maximum i can in non-emergency months. I think Martin suggests that until debts are paid off it is acceptable to pay for emergencies (real, genuine ones only) on credit, rather than divert your repayment efforts into building a savings fund. You shouldn't spend on any card with a balance transfer offer on it though.

Tondella

mizmir wrote:

Last day of the first week for me - how is everyone doing today?

I haven't managed to get everything into my e-spending diary yet - will do that after work. But I do know I have spent a lot less this month than last month. :j:j:j

Will report on the damage later..... hope noone is getting too blown away today!

Well I'm still not doing so well! It's the first challenge, writing down everything i spend as i spend it. I tot things up in my head but never get around to writing them down, and then days have flown before i remember. Anyone got any tips?

dinkylou

Tondella,

Leave a small notepad around somewhere you'll see it (kitchen or bedside is good), that way you can jot down at the end of the day what you've spent - not an essay, just a note.

I find that helps me hugely and then when I have time or remember, I put all the little notes into my spreadsheet, even if its a few days.

Am pretty much done with week 1 successfully apart from the mobile bit. Instead am using the work one more so its not my credit!

Bring on week 2!

bobble_hat

Tondella wrote:

Well I'm still not doing so well! It's the first challenge, writing down everything i spend as i spend it. I tot things up in my head but never get around to writing them down, and then days have flown before i remember. Anyone got any tips?

Hi,

It took me ages to crack this. The trick is to carry your spend diary with you everywhere and don't be embarrassed about getting it out and writing down straight away.

Like anything you need to get into the habit with it, then it becomes automatic. Sometimes it's useful to put a line item in for spends you know you will need to make in a day, then just fill in the amount later.

Oh and always ask for a receipt, before they take the money because smaller shops don't always turn the receipt option on (to save paper/money).

Avogirly

I haven't been here for a while because I ashamably (sp?) fell of the wagon AGAIN! And I can't believe how far this thread has progressed. I joined at the beginning, but haven't done any flying yet. Therefore I will start today, not tomorrow, or next week, but here and now. Please feel free to harass me and kick me up the behind if I don't update my progress! Congrats to all those on their way, I hope it's making a difference.

newlywed

Tondella, I've got a small red cash book style notebook that I keep in my work bag (weekdays I always seem to spend more as I do food shop etc). That way, when I check my meal plan- it's also in my work bag- I see it and remember to write in it.

I think the comments about making the book noticeable so you remember to write in it is the key

Seaxwyn

HI Tondella.

No form of paper-based spending diary worked for me. I now have a spreadsheet and whenever I log on to my computer I open it up and add any new expenditure. I can't explain why but I find the spreadsheet far easier to keep up to date than a book.

It also has the added advantage of totalling things up for you. I've got income in one column and expenditure in another and it gives me a running total of how one compares with the other (badly, unfortunately, but it's as well to know).