The "Pay ALL your debt off by Xmas 2012" challenge - PART 3!!!

psychopathbabble

#068 £3,779.94/£6,492.82 - 58.21%

SpagBol

kerri_dfw wrote: »

I'm currently watching S1lent W1tness from last night and was shocked at the blase way the detective just said to the other one "He had a £9k overdraft"...."That's nothing these days" WHAT?!?!?! I don't think the British public need the Beeb to be telling them that £9k isn't anything to be too worried about, pfft! I think the majority of society have a lot to wake up to with this debt business, have we really been sold the idea that it's ok to buy things on credit for so long that it doesn't shock anymore? Although saying that C4sualty did make a good point last night that in these times we need to be eating more fresh fruit & veg and less processed or we'll get scurvy ick! Right rant over

I watched this and he had £9k overdraft and £30 odd on CC, with his £20k on HP even though ours is all overdraft and CC it was the same amount of debt as us!! :eek: But then they said "so it's a textbook cause of total family anihilation" and I panicked a bit_pale_:eek: It was a bit irresponsible of the beeb I suppose but a gripping programme anyway so I didn't mind too much...

SpagBol

EyesWideOpen wrote: »

Hello all,
First time posting here and hope I can join. I know 2012 is well under way but I would like to see where I can get to by Christmas in terms of tackling my debt.

I did a tally of my dribs and drabs of debts and havea shocking £19000 to sort out. 'Tis my Mount Everest.

I have been blindfolded by having little bits here and there and therefore fooled into thinking it wasn't so bad.

Paid off 200 today though and after reading a bit of MSE advise I started with the CC with the highest interest. Start as I mean to go on.

Thanks for the inspiration so far!

:j

Welcome and good luck, there's plenty of time left in 2012 and there is so much help on this site it is fabulous...and it's addictive

Oompa_Loompa_2

Hiya

I haven’t posted much on this so far, so thought I’dshare a recipe as I noticed someone posted a recipe for lentil curry in a slowcooker. Also, I’ve been inspired bythose buying veg etc and although I can’t do this, I do have a sunny windowsilland althoguh I can’t do it in the winter, the last couple of months haveprovided enough sunshine to grow mint, basil and thyme. The basil was only 50p in Asda last week andis delicious in pasta with pesto. Iguess the soup is roasted pepper soup, but I just used what I had in andimprovised – I do think roasting the veg and the fresh herbs made a bigdifference to the flavour and OH said it’s the best soup I’ve ever made!

1 packet cheap supermarket brand passata
½ onion
3 cloves garlic
3 peppers
Olive oil to drizzle over
2 tsp sugar
Pinch of chilli flakes
Stock made with 3 veg stock cubes (slow cooker I haveis for 3-4 people so I made stock and then topped up with more hot water)
Fresh basil leaves – handful (rinsed)
Fresh thyme leaves – large handful (rinsed)
Salt and pepper

Chop garlic, onionand peppers and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 15 mins or until tender.
Put passata and sugarinto slow cooker and stir. Add stock, roastedveg, chilli flakes, thyme and basil and stir.
Cook on high for 10mins (to ensure passata is heated up too).
Turn to slow for 35mins.
Liquidise soup andadd salt and pepper.

Serve!

kerri_dfw

I will catch up with everyone in a bit

But I need to tell you this weeks mini challenge: Spring Clean
Clear out those cobwebs, dust down the bookshelves, wipe out those cupboards spring is upon us and we need sparkly homes for our sparkly smiles I'd try this in a methodical one cupboard at a time approach as it can be quite daunting, although I am known for just pulling everything off then running out of time and having to sleep in a big pile of mess haha! You might even uncover some fleabay gems whilst you're at it.

EyesWideOpen

Thanks for the welcome messages! I will try to keep up with you all and to contribute my ups and downs as much as I can. Feeling positive today and hopeful that in 2 years time I'll have cleared the debt and will have been able to put some money aside for a deposit on a house too.

I haven't got a number yet but see that I announced my figures incorrectly in my first post so here they are again:
£200/£19000
I am planning to make further payments /overpayments when my salary comes in in 10 days time so will keep you posted. In the mean time I will spending as little as I can with the view to put anything not used towards debts.

I am also an amateur garderner and hoping that I will have more success this year compared to last year Last year I did herbs and tomatoes but didn't see much come off it, this year I have done tomatoes, carrots, lots of herbs, rasberries and strawberries and blackberries. Will also do foraging in late summer/early autumn (blueberries, mushrooms and anything else I can find - legally).

Feeling really positive about making my first steps towards being debt free. Just have to remember how awful being debt is so that I don't make stupid choices again.

antonia1

Morning all! I hope everyone had a good Easter. I haven't been able to catch up on all the posts just yet as I'm supposed to be working! Fortunately there's nobody in the office to notice me sneaking on here.

No more debt busting either, and I just had to pay out £200 for train tickets home for the next three months :eek:, but I don't mind too much as that is approx the same as diesel would have cost if I still had the car.

Could be an expensive weekend tho, I'm back at mums in Merseyside again, and those who follow sport will know what that means! (For those who don't, it is the Grand National horse racing at Aintree and a Merseyside derby in the FA Cup.) That means that Saturday will be in the pub watching football, followed by back to my aunt's house for the racing. Looks like there'll be around 20 folk in the pub, going up to 40ish back at the house. I'm planning on £10 for drinks in the pub (its well cheaper up North), and betting money of £20 on the horse racing. I know it is £30 which could go on debt, but I'm happy to have a week of NSDs to cover the cost.

Also, went with my sis for her Leaver's Ball dress. My MSE magic clearly helped, as her dress was in a 20% sale which we didn't even know about, and the shoes were on sale at £14! So a total outfit for £102 :T. And she looks stunning (tho that probs has less to do with the dress and something to do with being 5'10", size 8 with bright blue eyes and dark hair).

Finally (sorry for the long post), thanks Kerri for the challenge this week - I'm hoping to move at the end of June and really need to get rid of some of the carp I've been keeping hold of "just in case". My own personal mission at the moment is to get enough swag*bucks to cover father's day presents and my sister's birthday, all in June.

Oompa_Loompa_2

antonia1 wrote: »

Finally (sorry for the long post), thanks Kerri for the challenge this week - I'm hoping to move at the end of June and really need to get rid of some of the carp I've been keeping hold of "just in case". My own personal mission at the moment is to get enough swag*bucks to cover father's day presents and my sister's birthday, all in June.

I registered for swagbucks and had a look on this site but I'm still realllllllly confused with how it works! Any tips?!

antonia1

Oompa_Loompa wrote: »

I registered for swagbucks and had a look on this site but I'm still realllllllly confused with how it works! Any tips?!

I'm not as good as some people on here (Jakes-mum), but I tend to stick to a routine:

Daily poll
NOSO
Search (unusual phrases seem to get higher values)
Special offers - peanut labs (I tend to only do videos tho)
Special offers - supersonic - videos
Swag*bucks TV (I leave this running in the background at work)

I also do the surveys on the home page, but I keep getting screened out.

jakes-mum

psychopathbabble wrote: »

I’ve decided I want to be in the top 10 on the debt free roll of honour!:)

Jakes-mum – hope you are feeling better? You seem to be getting everything at the moment I missed your post about medical redundancy. Sorry to hear that, I’m perfectly fit except my ears so am probably going to have to do the same. If you ever want a rant or chat then PM me anytime.

Now youve said it, you have to do it i fully expect you on the list innnnnnnnn . . :think: . . . 5th place :T

Im not feeling as bad today but have been taking pain killers, knew I was bad yesterday as I couldn't finish me roast dinner :eek: something that has never happened in the history of me eating solids . Unfortunately this is the downside of no immune system, once I get one thing they all come along like buses

kerri_dfw wrote: »

But I need to tell you this weeks mini challenge: Spring Clean

Beat you tooooooooooooooooo it! :rotfl: We did the big spring clean last week and ebayed all the carp, only got DH's shed left and he is very reluctant to let me in there :rotfl: Im begininng to think hes housing a family of illegal immigrants down there :think: :rotfl:

It is DH's birthday today . . 42 years old , he is currently at work and has been bouncing around for a week to know what I have got him that could take 3 months to sort out . Been out and wasted £1.79 on a birthday card for him as the £1 shop didnt have a husband one I really begrudge paying that kind of money for something that 90% of recipients only want for the hope there is money inside :rotfl:.

Have got him a little cake and also 4 blueberry muffins and the kids have spent the morning writing and decorating a label each to go round their present for him (a home made jar of retro sweets for £4.30 rather than the £15 a shop would want )

Also had a good clear up so the house is lovely and tidy now