Tales from a country cottage

Igamogam

ani*fan wrote: »

Good morning Igamogam...how's your sunday going? This is my usual time to sit down with a cup of tea and obsess about how much debt we have, how much money we don't have to pay it back, how we are going to manage, cry a bit then decide to ignore it all and get on with my day. I'm trying to change this routine by making small plans that I can carry through without becoming overwhelmed. Sitting staring at a computer isn't going to sort it out.

Small plans,small changes great idea. It easy to be overwhelmed and put head in sand

The smoking...I know...I know...I've been trying to quit since I was 16. Honestly. It's a lousy, nasty, money and health wasting addiction that I just can't seem to get a handle on. I will keep trying though.
Yep - do yourself a favour!
Unexpected bills...thanks for reminding me. I have a garage bill due soon that I had totally forgotten about. Need to prepare for that somehow.

ani*fan wrote: »

Why do I feel as though I'm struggling to even get off the starting block? It's so frustrating. :mad:

Small manageable chunks. I think that's the answer right now.
Thats it !
I need to go out to work this afternoon but should get paid while I'm there so will report back later.

ani*fan wrote: »

Just redid my snowball calculator 'cos I missed out 2 debts the first time, my £300 bill for supervision and my £100 overdraft. So I've added them in and reduced my monthly repayments to £100 over the minimum. My new debt free date is August 2014, almost 3 years away.

It's quite hard to imagine how things will be in 3 years' time. It seems so far away.
3 years is no time at all but it gives you a date t0 aim for
However, I think £100 is a better target to aim for as I just have no confidence that £200 overpayments will happen. I'm very much an all or nothing kind of person. If I can't meet that goal I'll not overpay anything. Sounds childish and pathetic, but then so are my money managing skills. :rotfl:
Doesnt sound pathetic to me - just dont put your head in the sand
According to the calculator, I should pay off my supervision bill first in 3 monthly payments of £100. This can't happen; it needs to be paid at the end of the month. I'm due expenses which should cover some of it, maybe half, then I need to find the rest from somewhere. If I use my £100 overpayment, then maybe I can pay £250 and carry £50 over to the next month. That's a plan.

I need to work out how to print off my snowball calculations. It seems to be a handy thing to have.

Why dont I listen to myself a bit more:rotfl:

Igamogam

Really must go but just thought have you looked at the payment a day thread - keep meaning to but never get round to it. Not sure how it works but lots of people rate it. Just a thought

Decluttering

ani*fan wrote: »

Why do I feel as though I'm struggling to even get off the starting block? It's so frustrating. :mad:

Small manageable chunks. I think that's the answer right now.

I need to go out to work this afternoon but should get paid while I'm there so will report back later.

Kepp going, you can do this. A small chunk is better than nothing at all It probably seems daunting right now but I'm sure it'll soon come as second nature.

ani*fan

Thanks Igamogam and Decluttering I truly appreciate the encouragement right now.

Today, I do not have my head in the sand and I'm focussing on small, manageable things I can do.

My aim right now is to make it to the end of the month without accruing any more debt. Which will be an achievement in itself.

Just checked the cash situation after online banking updated itself this morning. We will be seriously lucky to make it through to pay day after the stupidity of spending over the last 2 weekends.

I'm angry at myself but am certainly learning a lesson or two now I think.

Plan for today:

• Have a NSD
• Take a packed lunch to work
• Sell my theatre ticket (I can't go to it anyway)
• Get ready for my course tomorrow (pack my bag, iron some clothes)
• Car share to my meetings today
• Eat from the freezer tonight
• Pay wages from yesterday into the bank

Next payday things should get easier when money from my new job appears.

Good luck today everyone. I know I'm not the only one who struggles like this. It WILL get better.

CW2

Hello,

Just de-lurking to say that I also found it really difficult in the first few months to make progress and every time I did, something would come up and scupper my plans. However, after keeping going for a few months, the debt is slowly coming down and the day to day situation is getting better because I'm better with money and spot when I'm going off track, but also because the debt is coming down so the monthly payments are coming down and giving me a bit more leeway. It takes some time to kick in but once you're on a roll, they'll be no stopping you! Good luck and keep going!

Cx

ani*fan

Thanks CW2. I appreciate the encouragement. It's not easy this, is it?

The wind is crazy here today and I'm worried a tree will fall down. Shed roof has already blown off. Great.

Think I will need to extend my overdraft to get through the month. Travel expenses to the new job have crippled the budget. I think my expenses claim will cover the extra, but there's not enough time now to get it in before the end of the month.

I should change the title of my thread to 'Tales from a village idiot'.

:o:o:o:o:o:o

Igamogam

ani*fan wrote: »

Thanks CW2. I appreciate the encouragement. It's not easy this, is it?

The wind is crazy here today and I'm worried a tree will fall down. Shed roof has already blown off. Great.

Think I will need to extend my overdraft to get through the month. Travel expenses to the new job have crippled the budget. I think my expenses claim will cover the extra, but there's not enough time now to get it in before the end of the month.

I should change the title of my thread to 'Tales from a village idiot'.

:o:o:o:o:o:o

Keep the name its more intriguing . Me too having a lull - cant get into the debt busting during week other than the obivious no spends and not driving like lunatic - have to keep money shuffling and payments for weekend actvities as time is taken up by family,work and life in general during the week Dont fret things will start coming togther soon

ani*fan

It's the end of my first full week of working extra hours and studying too. I'm totally shattered. But it feels good.

I've been doing fairly well on the money saving front. I've hardly spent anything all week, possibly because I didn't have time. Blew it last night with a take away for me and OH but it really was worth it. It tasted extra delicious after such a hard week and I truly appreciated it.

A few things are coming to mind that I need to get sorted. These are:

• Prepare food at the weekend to freeze, like home-made ready meals for through the week
• Do all my ironing at the weekend in preparation for the week (OH does the laundry, thank goodness)
• Refuse all offers of any social stuff for the next few weeks 'til I get in a routine
• Think of ways to socialise cheaply and without driving for miles. I can see a lot of get-togethers happening at home which is way cheaper for me

I guess it's all about being organised. Not my strong point.

I've also been thinking about the snowball calculator and have decided to give myself 2 years to pay off the debt. How great would it be to finish my course and start full-time work at the same time as becoming debt free? It would be like starting a whole new financial life.

So that's my aim and I'm continuing to take baby steps and think one week at a time.

Good luck to everyone with their debt free quest today.

AFx

Igamogam

ani*fan wrote: »

It's the end of my first full week of working extra hours and studying too. I'm totally shattered. But it feels good.

I've been doing fairly well on the money saving front. I've hardly spent anything all week, possibly because I didn't have time. Blew it last night with a take away for me and OH but it really was worth it. It tasted extra delicious after such a hard week and I truly appreciated it.


A few things are coming to mind that I need to get sorted. These are:

• Prepare food at the weekend to freeze, like home-made ready meals for through the week
• Do all my ironing at the weekend in preparation for the week (OH does the laundry, thank goodness)
• Refuse all offers of any social stuff for the next few weeks 'til I get in a routine
• Think of ways to socialise cheaply and without driving for miles. I can see a lot of get-togethers happening at home which is way cheaper for me

I guess it's all about being organised. Not my strong point.

I've also been thinking about the snowball calculator and have decided to give myself 2 years to pay off the debt. How great would it be to finish my course and start full-time work at the same time as becoming debt free? It would be like starting a whole new financial life.

So that's my aim and I'm continuing to take baby steps and think one week at a time.

Good luck to everyone with their debt free quest today.

AFx

Thats a very positive post! If you like your take aways then there is a book called the Takeaway secret ( I think) - very cheap on Am*z*n and I think there is a thread on here based on it. I have ordered it but as we have takeaways as a convenience rather than the taste I am not sure if it will become my favourite but will give it a try. Good idea on the freezing meals etc. Recipe book called Economy Gastronomy has some great ideas - large book order from library;) Also do you have a slow cooker? I use mine a lot for all sorts. Slow cookers are often available on freegle.

Keep going!

ani*fan

No slow cooker I'm afraid, but I'll definitely check out those books. I'm addicted to turka daal from our local takeaway. The guys in there are absolute masters of spice combination and culinary yumminess. I've tried to make it myself but it just isn't the same at all. Maybe I should include one takeaway a month in the budget, or something?