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

Munchin

Fug has started to lift

Tomorrow is another day and I've just had a lovely soak in the bath so that's my plan. My binging is usually in the evenings so I'm just going to cram my evenings full of things so that I am distracted.

I'm watching that family thing on ITV about reuniting children who have been adopted - tears, tears tears but very moving.

So plans tomorrow - work:( but Saturday is going to be busy. I have to pick up some trousers and a coat from the menders and then get my hair coloured. I also want to see if I can buy something nice for my weekend away. Budgeted for:A. I also need to buy OH a birthday present and card - no idea what to buy him.

Sunday - staying in a nice hotel near the mountains and the beach

Just need to get through tomorrow.

Munchin

Morning all

There is a wee man with a hammer behind my eyes this morning:o. We went up to the pub yesterday for the grand national and were only staying for 1 drink. Then 1 became 2 then 3 etc. So that explains the banging in my head but it was great craic and that's the important thing.

Lots of spends yesterday and most of them budgeted for :o.

Spent £10 picking up coat and trousers from the menders and then bought OH a new shirt (used voucher:A), card & chocs. I'm also paying for the hotel away which we will be heading to about 11.

I found a gorgeous top for myself in Wallis and they had 20% .... see was doing well so far. I wanted a pair of black heels and I got these in Next for £26.

Finally I was getting my hair cut & coloured = £37!!!! which I suppose isn't bad but when I'm used to getting my sis to bung a colour in it for £5 it is kind of a shock.

Now I went to debenhams for new foundation and the girl did my make up which was great for going out but then I bought the blusher as well as the foundation. It was £20!!, I should have said no but didn't. Oh hum impulse shopping isn't good. The only thing that I hadn't budgeted for was the blusher but it wont kill the finances and I enjoyed my day.

I've been super duper good on the not using the credit card front as it is in pieces and I think that has made such a difference but everything I bought (apart from blusher) was planned and budgeted for and the money was there because I hadn't frittered it on the credit card if you know what I mean.

Plans today - going to mass and then packing my case for a lovely 2 day break in my favourite hotel which has a lovely spa and pool:j (it's a treat for my OHs b'day but I'll get the benefit too:D).

Will update in the middle of the week. Have a lovely day everyone.

Munchin

Morning all

Oh I had such a lovely break away with OH for his birthday. My knee held up for us to go hiking on a beautiful sunny day and then we went to the hotel pool and sauna for a couple of hours.:D

The hotel messed up our lovely dinner - they forgot about us and then served 2 dried up steaks that must have been sitting for ages. We complained (shock horror!!) and they couldn't do enough for us. I thought that as it was OHs birthday it wouldn't be fair to just accept poor service and a poor meal. We go to that hotel a few times a year and it's usually wonderful.

The rest of the week was non eventful. This is our busiest time now for another 4 weeks and once that is out of the way I can take a wee break.

It looks like I'm heading to lovely England for a couple of days with work in May so I'm looking forward to that as I used to live there and hopefully I can meet up with some friends.

Budget front - I have about £40 to last me to pay day on Thurs. I want to know what my pay is this month as we have to pay more to our pensions but with the Chancellors budget increasing the level we pay tax at I'm not sure if 1 will cancel out the other :undecided.

Today is my Mum's birthday so I better go get washed, have brekkie and pay her a visit.

Have a lovely day everyone.

Munchin

Morning everyone. It's the weekend and I've been paid so a bit more money to put towards debts:D

Money front - got paid yeah:D but then had to pay for 2 new front tyres and a wheel realignment yesterday = £104.80:( but it's better being safe than sorry.

We had no electricity on Wed night because of a storm. We were babysitting my nephew (5). At one point he hugged the tv to see if that would make it work. He also questioned why our fire was working but nothing else was:D. His Mum's fire is electric.

I got a letter from Mr Ts to say that i can access my loan on line. I managed to get access this morning and unfortunately I thought I had paid more than I had so the total is standing at £2756.70 which is equivalent to 10 months payment up to end of Feb 13.

I had hoped to be debt free by end of this year but I don't think I will manage it because I have holidays to go on.:). I know how hard it is to struggle with debt but I'm finally coming to the end of my debt mountain and am planning on seizing opportunities. OH & I hope to go away in Sept and then I'm (and possibly OH) are going to Italy in Oct with my club. I'm also taking my Mum & nephews to lovely wee hotel for a few days in August. So the guesstimate for the the holidays are -

August - Mum & nephews = £250 for hotel + £100 spends = £350
Sept - with OH somewhere warm - £600
Oct - Italy with club = £300 + spends = £500?
Dec - visit sis in England in dec = £200

Total = £1650 guess.

I think I had mentioned a book (free kindle download) I had read where the writer was saving money and travelling to fabulous places but she determined what was important to her and spent money on that. So although it is important to me to be debt free it's more important now to have a life and go on holidays and spend time with my family as my Mum won't be around for ever and I didn't realise how much my life was on hold with my eating disorder.

I have £300 in my holiday fund so slightly short of the minimum £1650 that I need:o but I'm going to get there by hook or by crook but it might mean I don't have extra money for car repayments. I also have to start putting money towards my car service (I defo need new brake pads and discs shortly).

So todays plans -

• ironing;
• tidy house
• go look at wallpaper with OH;
• bit of grocery shopping & must stick to list!!

Have a lovely day everyone.

I'm going to update my spendy budget in my next post. Sorry for the long ramble.

Munchin

Ok so spends for May are as follows -

Groceries - £[STRIKE]110[/STRIKE]/£100
Clothing - £10/£
Dentist - £20/£
Entertainment - £[STRIKE]50[/STRIKE]/£44.20
Gym - £20/£
Gifts - £[STRIKE]40[/STRIKE]/£14.43

Total=£[STRIKE]250[/STRIKE]/£188.63

Munchin

I forgot in my earlier ramble about my gift budget this month. I have 4:eek: birthdays this month which I have set a budget of £40 for. So just back in from the shops. I haven't done any grocery shopping yet as OH is thinking about popping to shops later.

So today I bought -

• Cards x 4 = £5.28
• Gift bag = £1.49
• Choc bar as joky gift for friend = £1
• Next clothes for nephew = £17
• car parking = 80p

Total = £25.57


I will probably buy my sister a birthday cake but that's about it as I am looking after her kids while she goes on holiday which I think is a big enough present. I'm not sure about my brother, probably bottle of wine.


I went for the things above and I didn't come home with anything else no matter how much I was tempted.:A

Munchin

Morning all

Yesterday was a very lazy day (perfect sunday:)). Mum bought the sunday papers and then I went to OHs and we had a pootle around B&Q, Dunhelm etc looking for decorating ideas.

I've woken up early as I know the ballot for the Virgin London Marathon opens this morning. I had a place before but due to knee and hip injury I couldn't run even though I deferred. I was soo upset but in reality I would have done more damage if I'd tried. So I've just entered myself and OH. I've run marathons before but haven't run much recently because of injury. Hopefully if I start steady now then if I get my place (applied for years to get in and the one year I manage it I get injured from the Dublin marathon:() so not holding my breath but it's something to aim for.

I have a big pants meeting to go to this morning and then I'm meeting with my boss for my appraisal:eek:. So once that's out of the way I can enjoy the rest of the week and aim for the bank holiday:)

Happy Monday everyone

Munchin

Morning all

No work today as it's a bank holiday :j.

OH is working overtime today so my plans are to return some wooden flooring to B&Q that my Mum didn't use.

Yesterday was fun as it was nephew no 5s third birthday party and it was a nice wee day out.

I popped round on Saturday to visit a friend who has just had twins and got to cuddle the babies.

Money front - could do better. I'm not spending money on anything extravagant but it seems that there is something everyday for me to spend my money on.:o I visited the podiatrist last week as hip and knee aren't getting any better and it cost me £40 but he said my problems can be fixed and if they can it will be £40 well spent:D

I need to have a nosy at my accounts and see what the situation is like for the rest of the month as there are 22 days to pay day :eek: and I think I have enough money for 10 of them:o

Re reading this post and it's not very upbeat but I think I'm lacking in caffeine so will go an rectify that and then find some positivity.

Munchin

Morning all

I'm not feeling 100% today, I was freezing yesterday evening and I could feel my throat getting sore and I don't feel much better this morning. I've been very busy in work and I think it's catching up with me:o.

On a positive happy note - I've just received a wedding invitation at a very posh hotel. I love a good wedding but not sure about the posh hotel and I have nothing to wear:). The wedding is in 8 weeks and I know my sis in law has something I could borrow. She has an amazing collection of clothes.

Money front - not so bad this week. I've been so busy in work I've not had a chance to sneak out to the shops. I think I will be very close to the wire by the end of the month but on the positive side I've managed to put money in the holiday kitty and my credit union kitty so not too bad. I just wish I had money for more lovely clothes:D and every penny didn't have to be accounted for.

This morning I've reduced the heating oil dd by £20, we're coming into summer (even if it doesn't feel like it) and hopefully we won't need much oil until the winter again.

Things to look forward to soo far for this year -

- wedding:)
- various outdoor shows (1 I'm working at so it's free)
- running events
- holidays in Aug, Sept and Oct (ok Aug is only a weekend but it counts as a holiday )
- Maybe being debt free by the end of the year:D

Now I have to go depress myself my tinkering at the budget. I'm going to physio on Monday and that will be another £33. I know I claim back the podiatrist fees but not the physio but if they get me back running again then it's priceless:D

Have a lovely Saturday everyone.

Munchin

Hi everyone

Another perfectly lazy Sunday:D (after I had done my bits and bobs). I tidied living room in case we had visitors and then tackled my bedroom as well as doing the ironing:).

OH was chatting last night about going away over Dec/January but I'm not sure if he still wants to go away in Sept. If it is the case that the holiday in Sept is postponed to Dec then it will give me more time to add to the holiday fund. If he wants to go away in Sept and Dec then I can't afford it as I'm going away in Oct.

I've been looking at the budget for the month and I have £154 left to cover everything including diesel which will probably be about £80 itself:eek:. Lots of NSDs are required until I get paid at end of the month.

In June my car is due a service and I know I need new break pads and discs so I will be lucky if it is no more than £300.

Tomorrow's plans are to go to physio at 8am:eek: and then into work. We're coming to the end of our massively busy time so I think it's time I took a few days of leave.

Throat and ears are still sore but are not as bad as yesterday and this morning.

I really can't wait until I am debt free .