Conquering Debts Once and For All...

Box_of_Fluffies

I haven't posted for a few days. To be honest I'm feeling fed up and a bit down. Due to finishing with the franchise (end Sept) there is hardly any work to do and I'm finding it more and more difficult to fill my day. I'm still looking for a job and as such am currently 'stuck' at home all day, every day, on my own. I don't have a lot of friends here but the ones I do have, work.

We have very little money, so I can't afford to pay to do an activity. I know things will get better once I find work, but that in itself is sole destroying. I'm also a little hormonal too which doesn't help.:o

I am selling some of my crochet but it doesn't bring a lot of extra money in but at least it does give me something to do with my time.

It's got to the stage where I try to make myself a list of things to do every day, including going for a walk to get some fresh air and exercise.

Mr F is being very good and even tries to ring me most days to see how my day is going.

On that gloomy note, I'll end it. Tomorrow is another day and hopefully one filled with things to do, jobs to apply for and maybe even a little sunshine.

Box_of_Fluffies

Some good news, I have an interview tomorrow and another one on Monday. :j Have been doing my homework and have researched the company in readiness for tomorrow and have some questions prepared to ask them too. I can't let them have all the fun.

grannyx2

Oo good luck with the interviews. Read your blog this morning. Love it. Keep it up x

Box_of_Fluffies

grannyx2 wrote: »

Oo good luck with the interviews. Read your blog this morning. Love it. Keep it up x

Thank you. :D:D

brizzledfw

Hey Mrs Box!! How are you? Sorry have not been around...slacked off, spent money and generally was a complete disaster this summer..

Even to the point of booking a month in Gods Own Country!! Yep we will be spending Xmas in the North Island. Can't wait. Hope things are picking up for you and yours xx

Box_of_Fluffies

brizzledfw wrote: »

Hey Mrs Box!! How are you? Sorry have not been around...slacked off, spent money and generally was a complete disaster this summer..

Even to the point of booking a month in Gods Own Country!! Yep we will be spending Xmas in the North Island. Can't wait. Hope things are picking up for you and yours xx

Hi Brizzle, glad you could pop by. I haven't logged on for quite a while - my computer has been playing up. I have however been keeping up with all the goings on by the daily update emails I receive.

Fantastic news. Whereabouts in the North Island will you be staying?

Box_of_Fluffies

Hi all, I haven't post in a few weeks as I've been having computer problems, but I have been keeping up with the goings on where possible.

Anyway, I'm back up and running now so thought I'd do a review of our current position, 10 months into my debt saving.

Life in general has picked up a quite a bit since my last post. I've finally found a job and have just finished the first week. :j It's going to hard work but I'm looking forward to the challenge.

I've updated my signature with the new totals and including the mortgage we have now paid off 3.61% of our total debt. This means we have paid off $15,816.35 worth of debt in 10 months. I still can't believe that's only 3.61% of our total debt. :eek:

I'm pleased to say that we haven't used our credit card (except where totally necessary - which I think has been about 2-3 times) in the past 6 months and then the amount has always been paid straight on to the card. We have also maintained our payments at the original amount so gradually the balance has been coming down.

Pots:

• Emergency Fund - we now have a small emergency fund.
• Car pot - we now have a pot for all things car related. I have just paid for my WOF (MOT), licence and new tyres out of this pot and still have a little left over.
• Christmans & Birthday pot - we also now have a small pot for christmas and birthday presents.
• Household & Garden pot - this is currently a very small pot as we've bought some paint and all the usual paraphernalia needed for deocratinng.

Plans for the next couple of months: We have a small fund for replacing our garage door, which is currently broken and unable to be fixed. We hope to do this by end of Nov.

Car Loan: I'm a very lucky girl. My dad has sent us some money, which along with the money we hope to save by the end of February, we hope to use to pay off the car loan on my car. This will mean it is repaid 12 months early, thus saving us about $5,000 on interest and repayments.:D

Mortage: We are in the process of switching our mortgage to a new provider, which will take us from 5.74% interest to 5.19% (saving approx $210 monthly). It's amazing what they'll do when you have a job.

Business Loan: The same provider is willing to take over one of our business loans at the same rate (5.19%). We're currently paying 16.15% so that's a massive difference. This will save us approx $6150 in payments and interest (our payments would reduce by $65 per month).

I have drawn up a new budget to increase the amount paid into all our pots, plus increased the amount we repay to our credit card. I've also included one night out for us every month and increased our shopping budget, as we've been struggling to buy our groceries every week on our current grocery allowance. Hopefully we won't need to use all of it every week and can pay the extra off our credit card.

We should still have a small amount left over every month, which we will save as my MIL is coming over in April for two weeks and we want to be able to have a few days away with her.

All in all, life is looking pretty good at the moment. Long may it continue. :D:D

brizzledfw

Hi there

Great to her from you and such good news! A job. Glad to hear it means that you can get on track and all those reductions on interest rates too..a real result.

We land in Auckland just before Xmas and then have Xmas there. Then we will pick up a van and head out. The itinerary is looking pretty busy but Northland, Coromandel and Matamata are definitely on. OH is also a LOTR and Hobbit fan ( as I am!) so trip to Windy Wellington to see the show will also be on the cards. Then we will be on the SI for a bit with friends before heading to Oz and family. It will be great. Can't wait. Have never been to the NI so will be an adventure.

Am rushing out now to post some Amazon parcels and collect kids so will drop back in later later this weekend

Brizzle

Box_of_Fluffies

We land in Auckland just before Xmas and then have Xmas there. Then we will pick up a van and head out. The itinerary is looking pretty busy but Northland, Coromandel and Matamata are definitely on. OH is also a LOTR and Hobbit fan ( as I am!) so trip to Windy Wellington to see the show will also be on the cards. Then we will be on the SI for a bit with friends before heading to Oz and family. It will be great. Can't wait. Have never been to the NI so will be an adventure.

That's fantastic brizzle. You'll love all the places you've mentioned. Northland and the Coromandel have some fantatstic beaches and stunning views. Matamata is quite rural so you'll get to see a different side to NZ. I was going to suggest maybe meeting for a coffee, if you were up for it, as you'll only be an hour from us when you're in Matamata but it looks like you've a full schedule.

Box_of_Fluffies

After a bit of a lie in, it's been a busy day for a Sunday. Our boarder's girlfriend is storing some furniture in our garage so we had to make some space. She's going to pay us $20 a week so aim to pay this off the credit card. Every little helps.

Then we had a visit from one DS1's friend's parents, looking for his daughter. She left the house early on Saturday and didn't come home and it was Sunday lunch time. Fortunately DS2 walked in the house and he'd seen her and her boyfriend in the local shopping mall. I really did feel for the father, he'd been out all Saturday night looking for her. Still at least she's now safe and sound. I don't know what I'd do if that was one of mine. I'm not sure I'd be as calm as he appeared to be.

The afternoon has been spent baking up a storm, chocolate chip cookies and muesli bars for lunches and a chocolate banana cake for after dinner tonight.

Our boarder and his girlfriend are having dinner with us so should be a good night.

Oh and three loads of washing washed and dried.