Muchin's diary of recover; becoming debt free and being happy

Munchin

Plans for 2017

Spends - Birthdays & events

• General £200
• Brother (40) - Hotel + Pressie - £250
• Sister visit - Hotel - £200
• Sister baby - Hotel + flight - £350
• Nephew (16) - £50
• OH birthday - £250
• 2 x communions - £100
• 1 x confirmation - £20
• 1 x baptism - £20

Total - £1440

* all estimates

Savings Goals

Birthdays & family events - £1500 (v v v spendy year)
Holiday - £1000
Xmas 2017 - £600
Wedding £1500

I already have a number of savings pots for Emergency fund, Credit union savings, a policy due to mature in Jan 18, Zopa savings and Asda gift cards x 2 for Dec 2017 but you don't need to see all that .

Challenges

• No alcohol (1 year to start)
• Pay off £4200 to car debt.
• Only spend on necessities not wants.
• Only buy when items need replaced and if possible always go for cheapest option if just as good as branded.
• Achieve all my savings targets.
• Look after myself.

MSE plans

• Update diary with spends.
• Update challenges at least monthly.
• Keep on top of NSD thread.

I know there is a saying "Men plan & God Laughs" but lets see how it goes:D.

Perryface

Merry Christmas Eve Munchkin, I don't know how I have only just read you diary but, I'm here now!

I stopped drinking in May 2014, had a glass of fizz at nieces wedding last year but that's it. I Stopped due to the lifelong medication I am now on (I was never a big drinker, but when I drunk, I made the most of it!) Stopping makes you realise you can still have a great time at social events and stay sober....I love watching the antics of drunken fools so that is entertaining in itself!

Having said that, I do have a bottle of Merlot in the house to go with cheese and crackers tomorrow evening. But one glass for me, the rest for hubby....he gets up to mischief when tipsy so always have a laugh and I love how I can replay his actions to him the next day lol x

Have a lovely time with family tomorrow

Munchin

Hi Perryface - good to know it's not a sober wilderness out there . I do love that after events when I don't drink & everyone else is dying a death. Happy sober Xmas.

So today was spendy but it's Xmas Eve & it wasn't frivolous -

Spends

• £15 wreath for Dad's grave.
• £31.50 Xmas groceries - veg, dessert etc

Brother & his family popped round on way to shops & had a nice cup of tea and a natter:). Cleaned Mum's house and peeled veg that will keep.

Bank gave me £11.50 cash credit - why??? I'm not sure but will not look gift horse in mouth:D.

I amended my 2017 spends because I forgot that 2 of my nephews are making their 1st Holy communion in May - if they eat out it will be spendy but it could just be a house party.

Have a lovely Xmas tomorrow and I hope Santa is kind :xmassmile:xmassmile

Seasidegal58

Happy Christmas munchin. Hope you have a lovely day. :xmastree::xmastree:

Munchin

Seasidegal- thank you and I hope you had a lovely Christmas as well :xmassmile.

I had a lovely day yesterday but snapped/shouted at my Mum at one point which I feel terrible about. She is really hard of hearing but will not wear her hearing aids - anyhow we were sorting dessert and I yelled across at her from 1 side of the kitchen to the other (not in a bad way) but at that point there was a lull when the manic screaming of kids stopped and adults conversation stopped so it sounded bad but it wasn't intentional. I was a wee bit nervy yesterday with all the food and the noise and the prep and I've woken up nervy today. I feel down when I shouldn't - ED you are a pain in the butt:o. Got to go find those bootstraps and pull them up .

Santa was good - I got Next vouchers from my Mum, slippers & Pjs from sister - chocs & wine from brothers. OH got me perfume, Ipad cover, torch (sounds naff but was really sweet), choccies and other wee odds and ends. We said that we were not spending more than £50 on each other so I'm happy.

Shopping front - I'm almost out of foundation so I'm busy checking the sales to see if mine is on discount (no more full price for me). I'm not even looking at the other sales stuff as there is nothing I need or want...which is a first on sales front.

OH & I are heading to his family for lunch/dinner - we are to be there for 3pm - I really just want to wrap the duvet round me and watch carpy TV and read a good book.

I've neglected keeping a record of NSDs and spends this month. I got of to a good start and then neglected it but back on form today.

December Spends

26th -

Have a lovely Boxing day.

in_need_of_direction

Glad you had a good day. My must buy in the sales is a new sports bra and curtains for the dining room. The only exceptions will be food that can be frozen.

Munchin

Hi INOD - Happy shopping - remember to keep the blinkers on in the shop and don't look left or right .

Yesterday was a bit stressful as it was dinner at OHs family and there were about 20+ people. I survived and it is done for another year. OH niece announced she was pregnant which is lovely but I've now updated my list of spends to include another baptism in 2017:).

I had a wee tiny spend yesterday - OH and I stopped at Mr Ts to get chocolate & wine for his family (we had to give the present we had got for them before Xmas to a neighbour who turned up unexpectedly on Xmas day). OH gave me £20 but once he had added on a few extra bits and bobs it came to £22.99.

I was also given a £10 Boots gift card so now I have £30 M&S card, £20 Next & £10 Boots

I would really like to spend today doing nothing but I know that isn't going to happen. I'm back into work on Thursday so I want to spend these next 2 days doing very little. I saw on Facebook that these are the days after Xmas when you don't know what to do before New Years - very apt.

December Spends

26th - £2.99 Mr Ts
27th -

Munchin

Morning all,

I didn't realise how much my work depends on those around me - we only have a skeleton staff in and I spent yesterday playing catch up and now I'm surfing the net...as it's going to be a long day with little to do. I'm on leave next week and that is when all the work will pile in.... Is it sad to say I'm glad to be back into the structure of work - I find the time in between Xmas and New Year a bit strange.


Today should be an NSD as I have no plans to go the shops and hopefully OH will have something nice for tea.

Munchin

Update - Savings Goals (Jan)

Birthdays & family events - £280/£1500 (18%)

Holiday - £400/£1000 (40%)

Xmas 2017 - £121/£600 (20%)

Wedding £125 /£1500 (8%)

Munchin

Morning all

New Year's Eve already!! My plan today is to go for a run with my pup in the forest and then potter & tidy. We've been invited to a friends house for NYE but OH isn't in the best of form so it might just be a quiet night in instead.

I was looking at my budgets and this time next year I'm due some money from a policy which I took out just when everything crashed ...typical and this could be used to clear my debt to OH for my car but only if I stick to my budgets this year. I hate debt no matter if it was positive and interest free. Hopefully I can remember this in the year ahead to make myself debt free again and then put that money into savings.

If I'm not back the rest of today - Happy New Year :wave:_party_