Getting professional help to beat debt. Diary

shinner

Hi
Looks like you have started the New Year with some amazing motivation. Sorry not been around for a while hectic in the run up to Christmas and then rough time in the New Year.
I think our partners sound very much alike ! I tried to be very sensible at xmas but OH insisted on sending all sons gifts back and getting PS4 he did sell his buggy to do this although i would of preferred that money to have been put in his account for when he wants a car etc.
I think I need some of your motivation.
Take care
xx

Getmeoutofdebt

Well I have found a new sneaky way to up my Nectar card balance! And I came about it purely by accident! I got a phone call just as I was about to get a trolley at Sainsburys and didn't have a free hand to get my pound out, so for a minute while I was finishing the call I was just stood by the trolleys. I noticed one that had inside it a handful of the vouchers that print off at the checkout and I just thought "I wonder...." So I chose that trolley, checked the vouchers and got a double points one, 16p off my next purchase and a "free 600 points worth £3 off your next shop over £30" !! I wasn't sure if they were specific to the previous shoppers nectar card so I went to the self checkout so not to embarrass myself if they didn't work, but they did! Woo hoo! So I got £3.60 in points and 16p off my shopping!! Guess who is going to be the mad woman who scrabbles around the trolleys looking for vouchers when I go shopping from now on! Ha ha!:rotfl:

shinner

Well done you on the nectar points and thanks for the tip. I am putting off going shopping I need to but hate how much i spend.

Getmeoutofdebt

Hi Shinner!
I write out a meal list every week and under it I jot down all the stuff I need to buy to make them (plus extras like milk, bread, deodorant etc) and I don't buy anything else. If it is not on my list I don't get it. It helps me as I don't buy stuff i'm not going to end up using, it makes shopping quicker and easier and I don't pick up stuff just for the sake of it. I also try to do meals with ingredients that I can use for more than one meal. That also keeps it cheap and helps reduce waste. I keep a note book of cheap and easy recipies to help me along. I got most of them off the bbc good food website, so I feel like I eat really well but don't spend a fortune. :j

Rollercoaster_Rach

Damn I forgot deodorant! :rotfl:

Great stuff on the tips front

RR x

Getmeoutofdebt

Had a big spring clean of the contents of the fridge / kitchen cupboards, herbs & spices today! The amount of jarred pastes / herbs etc that were out of date was incredible!! Some of my spices were 4 or more years old! The odd thing was, I could remember exactly what recipe I had bought them for all those years ago and suddenly realised how fast time goes! Just think, before I know it I'll be out of debt and looking back at today thinking "Wow that was ages ago!"
I don't want to wish my life away but quite happy to wish my debt away! :rotfl:

shinner

I have lots of herbs that i used recently then looked at the date and realised they were 2 yr out of date. Still tasted ok though.
Fingers crossed this time next year you will be free.:)

Getmeoutofdebt

Grrrr....... Down to my last £20 and it is still over a week to pay day! Damn christmas and early pay days! It is a nightmare trying to make a wage last from Mid december till late Jan! On the plus side, my mobile contract is due for upgrade next Thursday so I can finally go sim only and hopefully save a fortune! More money towards my debts! Hooray! :j

shinner

January is always a killer. I can't wait until payday mine will be a poor wage this month due to time off. On the plus side February always flys.

Getmeoutofdebt

Well I nipped into Sainsbury's on way home and I managed to bag another voucher that someone else had left!! It was poking out of the self serve checkout and it was for 800 points worth £4 on your next shop over £40!! Whoopee!! :T I was only buying cat food which I forgot during my weekly shop, so I couldn't redeem it today. I brought it home and saw that it runs out the day before I get paid next week! :mad: I haven't got £40 to spend until after I get paid! I showed hubby though and he volunteered to give me his cash card next week so I can buy the week after's meals and redeem the voucher and on top of that he doesn't want me to pay him back!! :j So Now I have a full weeks shopping paid for and £4 on my Nectar card! Double result! :rotfl:
Now I can pay the shopping money I would have spent, off my debt!
I have also decided to aim for saving £100 in Nectar points before the end of October. The plan then is to use the points to buy my groceries on one of the final weeks of me being in debt, so that I can use my shopping allowance to pay off that final bit of debt.
OOooooooh looking forward to being debt free this year!