The "Pay ALL your debt off by Xmas 2012" challenge

camuk81

Today massively depressing. Seen all the money go out and awaiting the next £266 to come back later in the month. However my OTT spreadsheet makes me feel better even if the silly Vanquis site hasn't updated! Got a few pokers in the fire so we will see what success I have with ebay over the next 24 hours! Up to £34 and all of Christmas paid in cash. So can't really complain! Though the winning numbers on the euromillions would not go amiss!

mf0u1098

I feel like I've really been losing my grip lately on where I am up to with my debt busting. I've not spent loads and am still on target for 15 NSD's this month but it just feels like I've been up to my neck in loads of things in the last week and I've not updated my spreadsheet at all!!! I just need to get through the next few days (all NSD's!) and have asked for money (in coins so I can put them in my SPC tub!) so it should outweigh any overspend over christmas. Next year will be different for Xmas as 1) I WILL HAVE NO DEBT!!! and 2) I will be saving up throughout the year for presents/food. I only had my LBM in Oct 11 and hadn't put any money away at all for Xmas hence the inspiration for this challenge!!!

However, I have my wall planner for 2012 up on the wall ready to start tracking my debt busting and NSD's etc. My grandma has bought me a calendar which has a number of columns so instead of names (It's a family calendar so has columns for about 5 people per day) I'm going to keep a track of NSD's, times when I take in a pack lunch, note when I buy takeaways and see if there is a pattern etc. I think it will really help to keep me focused. I've got loads of stickers for the wall planner so might have different ones for NSD's takeaways etc as something very visual xxx

ETA: oh and of course a column for weight as I WILL lose this last 1.5stone. I'm going to apply the same mentality to the weight loss as I have for my debt. Doing one of those fad diets that require sticking to strict food groups never work as they are so different from your normal thought patterns. What I need to do is change my eating/exercise habits baby steps at a time just like paying off this debt. The goal may seem a lot longer off but I know that this is best way to achieve it. I once had a doll (about 3ft tall, it talked and was called Cricket!) and she sang a song about the hare and the tortoise that I'll never forget. Why was I so slow to catch on instead of believe all the propaganda out there that I can lose the weight effortlessly and in only a few days! It isn't sustainable. I firmly believe now that just like busting this debt, it will take a lot of hard work but the feeling at the end will be amazing and better than any spending day/takeaway or chocolate...

kerri_dfw

Just written a lovely email to Mr W saying what wonderful customer service they have and how they've really made me feel like a valued and welcomed customer

They didn't deliver last night, so included a bottle of champers worth £15 today as an apology. They had called yesterday to check this was ok. Although they missed off the yule log and instead put through 2 xmas puds but only gave us one. I took the receipt back to their store and got a £16.99 popping candy Heston whatshisface chocolate and passion fruit tart as replacement for the £4.99 missing pud. I didn't even realise how much the tart cost at the time until my sister pointed it out. Hats off to them, Mr T would never do that. The OH has made me promise to take a slice to Wales for him hahaha

Did a last minute shop of crisps, fizzy and juice as parents hadn't done this for the first time this year, they simply didn't have the cash and I didn't want them to go without. Was only £13 on top of the spend I've already done. Feeling sooo much better this year than the dread of the credit card bill last year.

Jemma I hope you manage to have a good christmas regardless of the family situation. Remember this weeks challenge is to take 15mins for "you time" a day. Grab a book, shut the door, block them out, it's your holiday too

Well done to those still busting debt so close to the big day You're inspirational
xx

mf0u1098

kerri_dfw wrote: »

Feeling sooo much better this year than the dread of the credit card bill last year.

Jemma I hope you manage to have a good christmas regardless of the family situation. Remember this weeks challenge is to take 15mins for "you time" a day. Grab a book, shut the door, block them out, it's your holiday too

Well done to those still busting debt so close to the big day You're inspirational
xx

Thanks Kerri, I hope you are feeling better now, you sound like you've really had a rough time being ill!

My secret santa bought me a book called "Left for dead" about a guy in a boat race that hit a storm and they left him on the boat while they tried to escape on a life raft I think from the blurb on the back. Sounds like a perfect excuse to dissappear from the family for a bit on christmas day. It will be quite mild as well so might go for a walk in the afternoon to have a bit of a break.

I really cannot believe how much debt people are still paying off this close to Christmas. I thought the thread would go really quiet but it hasn't! I think that is absolutely brilliant and the thought that all that money that everyone has paid will have just gone on stuff they didn't need makes me feel very humbled that in some way I have helped to change their christmas and 2012 for the better. So thank you all and I hope you have a bloomin good christmas!!!

Oh and Kerri, I absolutely love your mini challenges, thank you so much for doing them :A xxx

p.s. it's gone very quiet again lately, I wonder where suzitiger has gone to...? :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Raspberrysauce

Hi, I have just checked my credit cards online and all interest and this months purchases have now been added on, so from today I have a 100% correct total of debt and it's not pretty.... £11051.73 will update signature. I have decided that I will update my total debt on 24th of every month with the new amount owing, let's see how much I can pay off in 12 months!

The new accurate figure has really scared me and I am more determined than ever that this has to go!

Superheavy

Whoop whoop. Loan payment went through yesterday, officially taking my debts I need to pay off into four figures!

#123 - 814 / 10762

Merry Xmas everyone, and here's to a very good new year!

DorsetGirl_2

Great customer service from Mr W Kerry - hope the Heston pudding is delicious

Hope you get to enjoy Christmas Jemma - its not nice when families fight but it always seesm worse at this time of year when its all supposed to be about family (I know exactly how you feel!)

£18.50 payment for me today - Happy Christmas Eve everyone :j

£308.40/£7873.87

natlie

kerri_dfw wrote: »

Hats off to them, Mr T would never do that.

Mr T substituted my panini rolls for seeded bread rolls yesterday - so much for my xmas eve lunch of brie and cranberry panini

They also sub. my 2 packets of value crumpets for 1 packet of expensive ones - but I wanted 2 packs lol

The best one was when they sub. my veggie quorn ham for real ham!!!:eek:

Credit-Crunched

Good news, my promotion has come with a Company Car picking up start of next year, so I can sell my car only worth £1k but thats 13% extra to my target!

Also no MOT / Tax or insurance or service costs, so this is going straight off my credit card

Mot = £40
Tax = £250 ! i know old car!
Insurance = £260
Servicing = £100

So over the year I will pay the amounts as they are due to my cards! May seem silly but I am used to budgeting for them so may as well keep them in the budget and use them for some good!

Have a good christmas all and lets hope we are all done by the next one and onto the save £12k in 12 months thread! :T

camuk81

Hurray credit, just watch out for the tax code changing.