Keeping up appearances.......

HappyNow

Well Happy Birthday dear diary

It's five years to the day since my LBM. In that time £49,405 of unsecured debt has been paid off. The mortgage has reduced by £14,355 and our total debts are now £65,767.

My target when I set out was to clear all unsecured debt (currently £20,174) by Feb 2019. I'm still hopeful that I can do it, but I'm not sure how! It means paying £775 per month for each of the next 26 months and that's not possible.

When Mr H lost his job, most of his redundancy pay went to the debt. We kept back £5K as a buffer in case he was ever without work, but so far we've managed without using it. If we can keep hold of that and use it as a final payment in Feb 2019, that reduces the monthly payments needed to £583 plus interest. I doubt that's possible either - but it's a good target to aim for. Best get cracking with a plan!

Honey_Bear

HappyNow wrote: »

I did not know that. Excellent news, thanks for sharing. But now I'm curious as to why my jeans feel so tight?

They've shrunk ...

Lucky, lucky you not liking chocolate. I'm generally not so bothered about spirits, but every Christmas Mr H knows he has to buy me a bottle of Pernod or there would be major sulking. I drink it within a fortnight, but then I don't have any more until the next Christmas.

... or it's the Pernod that you intend to drink after new year. The elves know what you've got in store for yourself having witnessed it over the years. Once they go back to toy-making they can't give us the help and time we need because they're too busy, and they're just ensuring you understand what's going to happen without their help. Obviously.

Honey_Bear

HappyNow wrote: »

Well Happy Birthday dear diary

And many happy returns to you too.

It's five years to the day since my LBM. In that time £49,405 of unsecured debt has been paid off. The mortgage has reduced by £14,355 and our total debts are now £65,767.

That's an amazing amount of debt-busting, nearly £50,000. Wow! Fantastically well done.

My target when I set out was to clear all unsecured debt (currently £20,174) by Feb 2019. I'm still hopeful that I can do it, but I'm not sure how! It means paying £775 per month for each of the next 26 months and that's not possible.

You're paying it down and that's what matters - making progress every month.

When Mr H lost his job, most of his redundancy pay went to the debt. We kept back £5K as a buffer in case he was ever without work, but so far we've managed without using it. If we can keep hold of that and use it as a final payment in Feb 2019, that reduces the monthly payments needed to £583 plus interest. I doubt that's possible either - but it's a good target to aim for. Best get cracking with a plan!

After living hand to credit card for five years I'm so pleased you've got that buffer now to take the edge off the belt-tightening. If you can keep it as a backstop until the end wouldn't that be fabulous! Good luck with it. I hope you both have a lovely new year's eve and that 2017 is kind to you all.

jvr

Wooop happy birthday!! That's such an incredible achievement! Your diary was the first I read and it really inspired me and continues to wishing you all the best for the new year!
And honey... Thank God for the information about the elves and chocolate i really better scoff as much as possible by tomorrow night to take advantage of this phenomenon

HappyNow

Honey_Bear wrote: »

After living hand to credit card for five years I'm so pleased you've got that buffer now to take the edge off the belt-tightening. If you can keep it as a backstop until the end wouldn't that be fabulous!

I must admit the buffer is a comfort. Previously I've never attempted an emergency fund for fear I'd call 'emergency' every time I ran out of chocolate or red wine . With no regular salary for Mr H though it's all a bit too scary to NOT have one.

jvr wrote: »

And honey... Thank God for the information about the elves and chocolate i really better scoff as much as possible by tomorrow night to take advantage of this phenomenon

OMG you're right. Only 25 hours left to demolish all this lot. It's gonna be a looong night

HappyNow

Honey_Bear wrote: »

I have a feeling that we're taking a bit of a break from targetty things while Happy is concentrating on keeping her head above water at the moment. I'm pretty sure we'll be back doing it sooner or later, but it may be a New Year's Resolution thingy

Ooh look, a premonition from Honey back in September! And here I am, right on cue

I think I probably did need a targetty break while things were at their most manic, but now I definitely need a kick up the @rse to get back on track with life. So, I am setting a few targets for Joyful January which will kick-start the brilliant 2017 I'm hoping for. It would be fabulous if anyone feels up to joining in, but even if not I am absolutely determined, and during January I will be posting here daily to boast! My aims are to:

• Focus on the finances. No waste and YNAB to balance daily
• Eat healthily to include five daily portions of fruit and veg - I have damage to repair here!
• No more than one small sweet treat daily
• No more than one small alcoholic drink daily
• Deal with all paperwork/admin on the day it arrives
• Catch up with the backlog of paperwork that I've ignored for the last few weeks
• Phone or visit my parents daily to ensure they're not stressed by the move preparations.
• Keep the house acceptably tidy

The preparations start today by cooking a massive vegetable casserole which I will freeze into individual portions for work lunches, and putting all chocolate and sweeties out of sight. I feel quite excited!

Seasidegal58

Have a happy New Year Happy! You're targets are very sensible. I'm mulling over mine at the moment!

Honey_Bear

HappyNow wrote: »

It would be fabulous if anyone feels up to joining in, but even if not I am absolutely determined, and during January I will be posting here daily to boast!

I hope the veggie casserole cooking went well and you're all ready for tomorrow.

I, on the other hand, don't start my scoffing abstemiousness aim for Jolly Jape January until the 8th because it's OH's 70th on the 6th, and we're having a bit of a party for him on the 7th. After that I'm with you, but in the meantime these are what I'm going with:

• five fruit and veg a day
• lights out by 11.30pm
• make 100 sales cold calls by 31.1.17
• One random act of kindness or public service a day
• record something lovely that happens every day so that at the end of the year when I empty the jar I'll remember all the good things that happened
• after 7th January cut out sugar until 1st February.

chevalier

good targets maybe i can think of some.......

Dolphin1

Happy New Year HappyNow et al!

Good luck with your targets HappyNow and Honey Bear (and anyone else who decides to join in).

I'm cheering you on!



I might join in when I find my motivation, I know it's around here somewhere <hastily scurries off to search the house>.