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

GreenSaints

recurrent-ostrich wrote: »

Fairyface, I've put on 3st in the last 2 years, so I'd love to shift it by next Christmas too! How about a joint debt/fat-busting challenge?!

I'm in too!

hazelc56

This is just a lighthearted rendition of how it is sometimes when i shop.I know these are obstacles that shops put in front of us to tempt us.

Lidyl supermarket experience ....Walk in the door,first thing i see is mountains of chocolate,tries to resist the 250g bag of my favourite choc bar( mini bounty bars.)Cant resist the majority of times so i grab myself a bag.
I trundle on only to be faced with the wonderful smell of the in-house bakery mmmm! Averting my eyes, excruciatingly I tear myself away. I roam on further into the store only to be faced with stacks of fat ridden bacon,sausage rolls cooked meats.I ponder awhile over these trying to rationalise a good reason to buy some.I manage not to and think "its better for my health".I am also thinking about that lovely smell still drifting from the in-house bakery.It gets the better of me so i double back and grab 2 apple turnovers and shove them quickly into a bag.
Back to where the bacon etc was I wander along having still refrained from buying any and then..............ahhhhhhh!!! there it is, my addiction is confronting me head on..... The dreaded vintage mature cheddar. What can i do???Run,close my eyes? I remind myself of the possibility of Strokes,Heart attack and of my high cholesterol so settle for a low fat pack....I drift on past the crisps,(good girl) to check out and whilst waiting to be checked out, I scan through all the inviting packs of sweets and chocolate bars. I havent picked any yet and sort of half praise myself for being able to resist but the wait is too long so while i am passing the time I grab a pack of sweets or maybe a couple of Mister Choc bars(like snickers)Finally i get checked out.
Walking on my way home,I suddenly remember that i forgot to get tomatoes,lettuce,cabbage and bananas.....Didnt even notice them.
Ah well i think to myself....I can always get them tomorrow.........I hope.

[Deleted User]

Hi thanks for your kind words Kerri, no more hiding them away for me too I will open and deal with when they arrive then gradually each day go through the backlog, and Redcurrant I think the lose the weight to challenge will be good, so I will update my weight by my signature,talk later guys enjoy your afternoon.:)

kerri_dfw

Welcome aboard idristhedragon nice to have you here.
I'm a bit the opposite with food, if I'm feeling money stressed I will buy loads of food (junk mostly), but then it ends up in the fridge/cupboard and spoils as I'm too stressed to eat it. Although this does help to lose any of the fat I put on, I don't think it's healthy.

Does everyone meal plan? I need some peeps to encourage me to do this.

Ooh just been invited for free dindins on Thursday round my friends *claps* yay.

hazel, take a list with you and when you go past the bits that are definitely marketing ploys think to yourself "noooo not fooling for that one". I have to say this out loud to the OH as he'll happily grab every shiny thing possible when going around the supermarket.

Fairyface, you're welcome if you ever get scared of them tell us on here problem shared and all that

GreenSaints

kerri_dfw wrote: »

I'm a bit the opposite with food, if I'm feeling money stressed I will buy loads of food (junk mostly), but then it ends up in the fridge/cupboard and spoils as I'm too stressed to eat it. Although this does help to lose any of the fat I put on, I don't think it's healthy.

I am just the same! When I get like that, I have to leave my wallet/money/house deeds at home/work!

kerri_dfw wrote: »

Does everyone meal plan? I need some peeps to encourage me to do this.

Yes! Only as of the last few months though. Can't advocate www.theresourcefulcook.com or the Sainsbury's meal planners (though I shop at Asda!) enough.

We actually have meals to choose from now rather than open the cupboards and say "We haven't got anything" and then get takeout.

Kerri - YOU MUST MEAL PLAN! :rotfl:

loubie_lou

Hazel - I was like that the other day in co-op! Walking past all the reduced baked goods! I was strong tho and didn't buy anything. It was very VERY hard though!

Fairyface - You are doing a grand old job!

Idristhedragon - Some good advice!

Well I have lost count at the number of NSDs I have had, which of course is a good thing.

Only a couple of days left now till day of the pay I am literally climbing the walls waiting for my standing orders to come out Saturday so I can update my totals! :D:j

SAD BINT!

mf0u1098

idristhedragon wrote: »

Morning all. Right all my bills are paid this month- I was transferring £4 from one account to the other at 11.20pm last night on telephone banking cos my internet was down and I knew I had bills going out today I am so proud of myself for paying all my bills ontime this month. I never even checked my DD's dates before- they just all went out willy nilly and I prayed the money was there and sucked up the charges if not *oops*
I am sat here brassicly skint, but I know all my bills are paid, I have two freezers and a larder full of food- so I will only buy bread milk and eggs between now and 1st when the food money is replenished. I was super good and froze a loaf that was sat on the side thinking about going green this morning, so when my husband returns from working away this week that can be fished out of the freezer for him! My debts aren't catastrophic, and I am lucky I can pay them on time (just) but they are stupid, THey are with stupid high interest credit cards that I am actualy embarrassed about- the fact that I took them out and incurred debt on them and didnt pay them straight away. What a numpty

My missions are to pay off the debt, but also to make a few tweaks. I will list them here if I may:

* Shop wisely, plan and shop accordingly
* Do inventory of Freezers and use up food in there
* Possibly food shop online to stop temptation- not sure though as online food shopping riles me
* Sell loads of tatt on ebay including broken laptop (I think they sell for spares?) clothes x 100000 and nail varnishes etc.
* make flapjacks etc for packed lunches
* stop going into town and spending out of habit- get a kick out of paying off debt instead
* stop buying from Very/Littlewoods "because I can"

I was very depressed and overweight and in a job I hated for a long time and I KNOW this is intrinsically linked with my spending. I bought so many clothes- dunno why as I looked like a mammoth, but hey, theres always shoes, handbags, scarves and smellies.....I now have a job I love (albeit variable money- Im a franchisee) and am 4 dress sizes smaller and a lot happier so now its time to clear up the remaining mess. I must admit I used one of my credit cards this week BUT it was to buy some Christmas pressies online (which stops me going to town and buying stuff for me - method in my madness) and I have done nearly all my christmas shopping now, and the shopping for the two of my kids that have birthdays in the next 2 weeks.
I have weird paydays- every Tuesday, every other friday, and some on a weds if one of my franchises has earned me anything that week! My husband provides £400 a month for food every month (there are 6 of us and a dog) and I reckon if Im careful I can definitely do the entire month on that and maybe even scrimp a bit of for debtbusting!
I lovethis thread- I am a bit scared of the individual debt diaries with budgets and stuff so I am very happy here in our little less intimidating corner. Thank you for having me

We're lucky to have you! I'm loving your debt busting tweaks!!! xxx

loubie_lou

I'm up for the fat busting! Baby steps now (obv not christmas week) but monster steps from jan 2nd. Never start on Jan 1st as the alcohol was still coursing through my body! :rotfl:

idristhedragon

Meal planning is a massive must (says me who has a meal plan on my chalk board from about AUGUST still lol) Even if you start by planning day to day its a start. FOr example my boys have footy after school and they get home at 4.45, I leave for work at 5.10 so it will be pasta for boys and baby (shes 3 actually lol) and Jacket spuds for me, husband if he was here and Teenage Daughter. Jacket spuds can be filled according to taste and left in oven to be eaten whenever they want.
I have taken to shopping on a Monday in between my two work sessions and buying the 3 for £10 or 4 for £12 meat packs and then planning accordingly- normally extra lean mince for lasgane/spag bol/chilli, chicken breasts for curry, beef for a casserole (all hail the slow cooker) lamb steaks to have with new potatoes, veg etc and so on and so forth. I try to get me fruit and veg at the greengrocers, or at the very least Aldi/Lidl or better still the market on a sunday.
I must now get my hiney off this sofa and get listing that ebay! I made £100 in the last two weeks on 13 items so I am sitting on a veritable goldmine with the amount of tatt in this house. I am also on a mega declutter mish so can I add that to our debt paying, weight losing, meal planning kick a*s gang

kerri_dfw

Just a quick tip, if you sell on fleabay mostly items that are under £12, contemplate having a micropayments account. It's 5% + 5p instead of the 3.4% + 20p. Only works out cheaper if items under £12 though (£12 is the break even point). I use mine as I sell thinks on craft sites that are normally going through paypal at less than the £12