2012 - My 3rd year on MSE ... the debt free one?!

loumac

So with extravagant trips abroad, a wedding, a honeymoon, a new home and a baby ... I've had a busy couple of years.

This year I turned 30 and my last diary was me aiming to be debt free before then. I didn't get there ... However, I didn't increase my debts and with the new home and baby happening in the past six months that's an achievement in itself.

So this is it ... 2012 is the year to become debt free ... I hope!

One small snag ... I'm currently on maternity leave and am therefore not on full pay. But we'll get there and if you want to keep me company and cheer me on, I'd be more than grateful.

Debts cleared in 2010 - £8,183.62
Debts cleared in 2011 - £6,648.65

:money:

Plan for 2012 ... the last £3,782.01 :mad:

Herewego

I will be following with interest this is also my 3rd year on here and im hoping to clear this debt once and for all this coming year.
Keep up the good work and it will gone in no time

Muffin86

Hi Loumac!!

Good luck in 2012! This is also my third year and as much as I would LOVE to become debt free, I really dont think it will happen in 2012 (maybe 2013?) My commitment to the site has been on and off (i think i may have "spoke" to you in the past) I have also have a baby girl this year and so i have a new kind of motivation! im not just doing this for me but for my baby! Will follow with interest

mum2one

I can't believe how well you did with all the debt paying this yr, it isnt till its in black and white that it looks amazing.

Just a thought but if little'un going into nursery, will you get any extra tax credits to help? xx

cutestkids

You have done amazingly well so far you should get the last chunk paid off no problem:)

loumac

Afternoon all!

Thank you all so much for visiting. It's motivating to know other people are cheering you on, and if I have to check in to write my diary it reminds me of what I'm aiming for.

mum2one - Nice to see you! I hope you and your daughter had a lovely christmas (promise to pop over and catch up on your diary in a min...) I need to investigate tax credits etc, I know nothing about them at the minute! Nursery is going to cost a small fortune and makes a huge impact on our future finances so I really need to find anything that can help. I know hubby mentioned something about vouchers through work but I really am quite naive about this stuff.

muffin86 - We have definitely 'spoken' before so thanks for dropping in. Good luck with your own debt free plan, one thing I've learnt is that it definitely isn't a race. Having hoped to be debt free by 30 and not getting there, I was initially a little disappointed but kept positive and that's why I'm still here now!

cutestkids and herewego - Hi and thanks for the comments! Nice to have you along...

So, new years eve is here again! We're looking forward to a night in with some friends and good food (my DH does all the cooking!) and probably a board game or two. :cool: What are you all doing?

Need to start thinking of some resolutions...

Muffin86

Im going to a friends house and will be consuming the bottle of wine i had bought for me for christmas, so cheap night here!! my resolution is boring but its to dedicate myself to the finances and generally being a good mummy! - I havent bothered throwing the healthy eating / diet resolution in as i always fail lol altho i could do with getting rid of this baby weight :-/ xxx

loumac

Eek! Baby weight! I'm afraid I'm having to throw that in as a resolution having put on nearly 4 stone during pregnancy. If I don't lose weight I somehow need to find the spare funds to totally re-do my wardrobe! Nothing fits and maternity clothes just look silly. I haven't even been able to get my wedding and engagement rings back on, I haven't worn them since I was about 6 months pregnant.

mum2one

hope your all having a gd ngt, DD had a gd xmas, were having a quiet night in, at mo watching a dvd ~Holiday on the buses~ - mum and dad bless them have gone to bed, so dd me and the dog!

I did shift my baby weight easy!, by 20 weeks Id put on 10lb, but after 2 weeks on hol in Turkey it shifted, finally sank in on the last day that DD didn't like watermelon, the onl morning never had it wasn't sick, the room next dr overslept and nearly missed their flight home! after the 1st da they never set their alarm as 8am every morning... head down loo!!

then I put on 11lbs, and dd was 7lb 15oz........ but not quite sure how the extra 4 stone crept up over the years!

New Yr resolutions, money, keep chipping away at debts, and be the best mum I can. xx

loumac

Well it's here ... 2012! Doesn't time fly when you're having fun. We had a lovely night though we were rubbish at the game and my DH had a bit of a strop that his starter didn't go to plan. Such a perfectionist! He's now snoring away though while I feed baby.
(No wonder he offered to do the night feeds all week, suddenly it's my turn tonight.)

So resolutions:

1) Clear ALL outstanding debts.
2) Lose 28 pounds. (Does that make it sound more or less achievable than 2 stone?)
3) Be a good mum.
4) Be a better wife, sister, daughter, friend.

All achievable I think. :cool:

Step 1 - Revisit old style MSE thread to investigate better ways to shop, cook, eat. Might even sign up to a few challenges. Off I go ...

Happy new year all. xx

loumac

OK, so I haven't gone over to old style yet and haven't signed up to any challenges, but we have had a big clean of the house to start the year off and have also gone through the cupboards to work out what meals we can have without having to go shopping.

Tonight, some kind of monkfish and lemon thingy. Sure it will be lovely!

For now, we are nibbling pretzels and nuts because although we have just weighed ourselves, we have loads of the things and I won't throw food away. The diet will start properly after we've eaten or given away all the snacks we brought in for christmas.

We did walk the dog for an hour this morning... kind of justifies it!