Millie's debt diary

freebyfifty

mildredalien wrote: »

I've started playing around with January's spreadsheet now, I think I'm obsessed!

I know that feeling. I can sometimes spend hours on my spreadsheet only for it to end up back where I started At least we have a spreadsheet now this time last year I would have said ....'spread who???@

mildredalien wrote: »

So I'm going through my annual 'aaargh Christmas' meltdown, where usually I go out and splurge on extra presents for everyone because I'm unhappy with what I bought/think I didn't buy enough/find something new that I think someone will love.... trying really hard to resist this temptation this year!!

Are we twins??? I went through this yesterday when I was wrapping the presents but I just had to keep telling myself that they got what I can afford and Christmas is about the thought and not the amount of cash


Keep strong, only 4 days to go :j

mildredalien

Thanks, it's nice to know I'm not alone! I'll just have to lump it this year, and that'll teach me for being impulsive when buying Christmas pressies!

mildredalien

Minor changes to the gifts lists but no major splurges, hooray! Picked up my last xmas pressie, secret santa gift and one extra for DB. Bank account is still looking healthy though so that's good. I randomly seem to be £50 better off than my spreadsheet says I should be. Why can't I add up?! Guh, oh well, least it's in my favour for now

Next month is going to be tight as I'll have a days less pay. Hopefully I can squeeze the grocery budget a little, I've actually only spent about £15 on food and sundries this week, so £50 budgeted all groceries in is more than enough. Shouldn't be much going in or out of the account in the next few days it being christmas and all.

Anyway Merry Christmas everyone!

mildredalien

Phew, is Christmas over already?!! Nah, it's still Christmas in my book til I get back to work on 3rd January We actually put MORE decorations up yesterday hah, as my lovely parents gave me and DB a big hamper full of festive treats including more decorations, they had obviously noticed my moaning about our paltry collection! Bless em

Nothing much has happened to the bank account over the last few days, it's still looking fairly healthy and on track to be on budget thankfully. Last January I started the year well over my overdraft, scrabbling to not only claw back into my agreed OD but also to pay back the fees.... this year I'm still in OD but no fees and no spending on credit! Hopefully next year I'll actually start in the black :j

mildredalien

I'm continuing to pore over the bank account and make sure no nasty surprises happen between now and Friday, this budgeting lark sure is addictive.

Having a quandry about what to do with all this leftover christmas food... we got two big hampers of stuff from DB's work/my parents, which was lovely, but now we have so much naughty food and I'm not sure my willpower will stand up to it! It's mainly biscuits, cookies, cakes, chocolate, nuts etc. I've been trying to follow a healthy eating plan where I don't eat anything sweet, have big (more than one normal plate) portions at meals, or snack at all during weekdays. I find this really difficult when I have sweet treats in the house so tend just not to have them so the diet part of me is thinking 'maybe I should just chuck it all out' and the MSE part of me is saying 'are you mad woman?? what a waste!!'

Maybe I should just get a grip on my willpower and spread the treats out over the next month or two on weekends!

freebyfifty

Hey Millie,

Have you got any birthdays or anniversaries coming up soon??? Check the use by date on them and store them away to give to others.......or are they very obviously Christmas goods???

Just a thought.

I too am obsessing over my bank account and my spreadsheets. I am addicted but at least its a good addiction

When we get to the end of 2012 we will be very grateful for all the obsessing we are doing now. I won't be debt free but I'll be a darn sight closer

ETA - Ohhh just saw your sig - you WILL be debt free - Yay!!!!

mildredalien

Ooh that's a good idea, might be worth it to put away the wine and port at least for future pressies! A lot of the rest is christmas cakes, puddings, christmassy biscuits etc. although I swear my mum has christmas pudding from 5 years ago still in her larder!!

And yes, I will be debt free this (coming) year! :j Feels amazing to say it! You'll be loads closer by the end of 2012, I can feel it in my bones as crazy old ladies say....

mildredalien

Today will be a NSD hooray! :j:D

Took my mum shopping in Ikea as she needed some picture frames (and apparently a load more stuff as is always the case with Ikea!) and she treated me to a couple of bits of tasty swedish food and some tupperware for driving her around So I have food and drink in the house, nothing else to buy today, I am determined to have at least one NSD in December :rotfl:

Spent some money yesterday though, my sister wanted to swap an extra copy of Just Dance 3 for the Wii that she got for xmas, so I've bought her an alternative game in exchange for the princely sum of £11. Gotta love a bit of dancing, although it might not be quite as fun on my own... DB has absolutely no rhythm bless him.

Think I'll curl up with some TV and be glad I'm not still outside, the wind is howling!

debtfreewannabe321

i've just unplugged my wii (not really my best move considering the lb's i need to lose lol) but ds2 kept sticking everything from c.ds, dvds, toast & cars in to the little disc hole :eek: might have to find somewhere else to put it as i love the zumba on there!

Only 9 months till your DFD :j:T how exciting :T:j

mildredalien

Oh boy, that little DVD slot is just too tempting I guess?! I need to get my bum on the Wii today actually, haven't even turned it on since Christmas Although I have been concentrating on my weights workout, but given the amount of crap I've eaten over the last week I need to get myself off the sofa ASAP!

On the money front, got paid today hooray :j although nothing major will come out til next Tuesday I'd imagine... it's so annoying having all that money in my account and knowing it'll all disappear in a few days. Updated my current debt totals - now down to £4746.61 woop, under the £5k mark! :T I also made a hefty payment towards my Barclaycard (£406.06 :eek::eek:) so once that comes down I'll owe a grand total of:

£4340.55

Oof I can't believe quite how quickly it's coming down! In 3 short months I'll have paid off about £1500 of my debt. Why didn't I start this sooner?!

I also succeeded on the grocery front last month - spent a total of £165 on assorted groceries and sundries, which is £35 under my budget. Not bad for December considering all the random crap I bought!