Starting again- sorting my life and debts out

Digbysmum

I am getting my self prepared to sort out my life, finances and debts finally after a roller coaster 3 1/2 years.

After finally separating from husband last August whilst battling with an illness I now have a little energy to look to the future and need to tackle my cluttered, disorganized home and lifestyle and begin to plan my finances rather than living day to day using Peter to pay Paul.

I am spending time over the next week reading more of the threads on the forum and putting together a payment plan for debts and a financial diary together.

I am visiting a friend on the 29th April in Cyprus (cheap return flight for £121 on Skyscanner) for a week where I will spend time writing letters for payment plans and writing to the banks to see if I am entitled to any ppi settlements. When I return I shall begin the big declutter and start to seriously sell on eBay.

This month I have sorted out finances such as child tax credits, housing benefit and child benefit as son3 has started work and any change in circumstances means my benefits have to be re-assessed which takes time and a new budget plan needs to be put into place.

Thanks to everyone who has shared their diaries on the forum, it is amazing what people are achieving once they put their plans into words and I look forward to being debt free as quickly as possible.

beanielou

Happy shiney new diary
Keep posting!

Digbysmum

Second productive day-
Started de-cluttering, 1 bag for car boots, 1 for e bay, 1 for charity shops and another for the tip.
Spent 1/2 hour sorting out paperwork
Planned this weeks diary, shopping alternate days and eating out of the 2 freezers, which are over full.
I have been reading up on the shopping threads and have come to the conclusion that I 'comfort shop' and this probably stems back to when I was a single parent with two little ones back in the day when your income was topped up with FIS!

As I'm going away for a week I am preparing a frugal menu plan and on-line shopping list for when I get home. I have yet to set up a shopping challenge.:money:

I love Sundays, making a full English for the boys before they go off to play football, preparing the boys school uniforms and work stuff out for Monday and then settling down to plan my productive week.

At the moment I have a list of 'thinks to do' each day, ie. Paperwork, ironing, de-cluttering and making money. I then work through the list spending 1/2 hour on each topic, sometimes I get through the list just once a day and sometimes I go through it twice, it really depends what else I have to do each day but if I just complete the list once a day I feel I have addressed several areas that need sorting out in my life.:j

Plan for tonight- list bay items, I will check in later to update.

Digbysmum

I have failed to complete my goal for today. I haven't managed to put anything on e-bay:(

Some how the evening has just flown by and it's time for bed- maybe I have put too much on my 'To Do List':(

chevalier

Hi there
And welcome to the forum. You are doing well to realise that you have a problem. So don't beat yourself up if your grand plans don't all come off the first few days.

There is ALOT to take in on this site, just on the forums, let alone on the main site, so read and plan, make notes and read as well as do more obvious things on your to do list.

the thing is getting anything crossed off a to do list is a plus.

If you want us to go over your budget with you to see if you can make some savings/cuts, then here is the link

http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

chev

Digbysmum

Thanks Chev,
It is all a little overwhelming when you first join the forum, I really got excited that the end of my debts may be achievable and I love the idea of becoming frugal.

I think I will take your advice and praise myself for every tick I put on my to do list and start slowly, firstly by doing my budget.

Sadly I get over enthusiastic about new projects and I am full of ideas but somehow my motivation just doesn't seem to last, but by keep reading the threads on the forum I hope I will be able to lose this lifetime habit.