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

kerri_dfw

Mum and Dad bought me a double slow cooker which I didn't think I was going to get for xmas, this means a massive cutdown in grocery spends as will buy a veg box each week and do lots of soup/casseroles/stews/etc anything bought for work in new job will be expensed if on customer site, or take in slow cooked lunch om nom nom. I pledge to stop eating takeaway all the time honest!
I think my next statements arrive tomorrow, hope so, I want to bust more debt already.

savingforarainyday

Well as all family have now left after Christmas. I decided to have a look at the 2012 budget. I have tweaked and shaved and manipulated.

Our biggest stumbling block at the moment is that we are paying for dd's driving lessons. I don't grudge this one bit but once she passes that will be another £165 a month in the pot.

I need to up my income significantly in 2012. I have a couple of things in the offing but at the moment I am unsure of what income they will create. I also have an insurance claim on the go from a car accident in 2010 and I have my out of pocket expenses to get back and what ever my payout for my injuries will be.

I am going to have to be much stricter about the money we put by for things as for us this will be the key to it being successful, as we always seem to pay for things on credit as we haven't put anything by. I know there is an argument to pay off all credit before saving, but we aim to do some and some otherwise we will come unstuck again.

My next task is to make sure the credit we have is at the best rate we can possibly get.

Well friend has popped in for tea and chat. So a good excuse for a rest

Fedupofbeingindebt

Oooh I'm loving all the hints, tips and inspiration on here! Please could you count me in for £9.5k? Good luck everyone!!!

mf0u1098

Hi all.

Sorry I have not been around for the lasst couple of days but I'm afraid things got a whole lot worse around here. My parents spent Christmas Day evening screaming at each other and then slept in separate rooms. My mum then asked me to move her to my grandmas and our 2nd family day was canceled. My older sister (I have 3 sisters!) came down and we talked and sobbed with my dad for hours. I've don't remember ever hugging my dad or us telling each other that we love each other as we don't express emotion at all but today we did for the first time. It was a huge moment for us both. We then went to see my mum and tried to explain my dads point of view to her. She was sobbing too and so was my grandma. We left 2 hours later completely drained and went back to my dad at home.

The last 2 days have been without a doubt the toughest days I've ever had and my cheeks are red raw from crying so much. I wish there was a quick fix for this but there isn't. I know they love each other and we all love our family but it may not be enough.

I am hoping that 2012 will see my parents reconciled with a stronger relationship, I will be debt free, I will finally lose this last 1.5 stone and hopefully will leave the spinsterhood (if someone will have me!). If there is one year that I am happy to leave it is this one...

If you are a newbie then I'm sorry if this is an intense post but I just need to put my feelings into words. Please consider yourself part of the team and I will give you a number as soon as I can. If you are already a member then I may not be around for the next few days but I will read each and every post and update your totals as soon as possible.

I am proud of all of you and no matter what happens next year then we can make our lives better by getting rid of the noose around our necks i.e. our debt.

Let's make 2012 count!!!

Superheavy

Hi mf0u,

I'm sorry to hear you had a crappy Christmas, I think there must be something about the season and all the people spending time together that brings issues to the fore. Two years ago my nephew ended up storming out leaving my sister in tears over an argument about his missus, and it is generally quite a turbulent time.

I think we can all do with improving ourselves next year, god knows I have weight to shed, sins to pay for and maybe even some debts to get rid of. Hard work may be an unpopular solution, but it's one I'm going to be applying.

Hope everyone on this thread can do what they want next year, and that next Christmas will be much more restful, or at least without the stress of money worries. I know I'm determined to get there.

DorsetGirl_2

Sorry things are bad for you at the moment mf0u. I always think the stress of Christmas can put an extra strain on relationships. Sorry that you didn't get to enjoy the last couple of days. I hope the new year brings you and your parents new beginnings. Maybe some time apart will make them see what they have. My parents split for a year a while ago and it did make them stronger in the end. My DH and I have also separated for a while (18 months) and now things are alot better between us once we worked through our differences. I hope you have someone to support you.

miss_empty_piggy

I was wondering if I could join. Not sure of the exact amounts at the moment, but definitely want it gone by this time next year.

(mfou1098 sorry to hear about your very emotional christmas. I hope that things turn around for you all) x

superduperloop

I'd like to sign up to this. About £4k I think

mf0u1098

Thank you everyone, just had another long conversation with my dad as it's just the 2 of us here now. This problem has been coming on over the last couple of years so it's going to take a long time to fix. I think they just need to start "courting" again and try to find that spark that brought them together and has kept them together for the last 40 years until recently. I'm hoping that it won't come to them be permanently separated but if it does then it's good to know that there is still hope if they do.

Thank you for all your kind words of support and welcome to all our new members. Don't worry, I am not usually like this! I'm normally upbeat and actually a little nutty, just had a lot going on the last few days. Hope to be back to my usual self soon and then we can all kick this debt booty, hand in hand, skipping over the finish line by next Christmas!!!

Goodnight all xxx

kerri_dfw

Sorry to hear it wasn't as you had hoped Jemma, hope your NYE is a better one *hugs*

I'm glad to be going to see my OH in Wales tomorrow, 3 days with my family is my maximum tolerance it seems. Thank goodness for laptops and Jane Austen on iPlayer

Welcome to the newbies, we've got 365 days to go! (leap year). How much better we'll all feel when we've got rid of this massive burden we carry around. Baby steps and hard work will get us there, and when one of us is feeling low the rest of us are here to carry them until their footprints can join alongside ours.
xx