First year - £42k to £35k....

Emzilla

Hi everyone

Starting a new diary - probably a bit controversially. People who have followed me generally tend to say that I shouldn't try and clear my debts, or I should go bankrupt, or think that I lack the capability to clear my debts (and I know when people say that, they are just thinking of me :A).

Yes, I do have an illness, but I am still young and my health is not that bad just yet. I really don't see that my illness should be used as an excuse to not pay back what I have borrowed. I have always believed that I got myself into this mess, and I should get myself back out again.

I sat down and calculated my debts yesterday and it really did shock me as to how much I owed. These debts have been hanging around for so long now. I did really well around 6 years ago and cleared quite a bit in a few months, but then my dad and nephew died and I became ill because of that, so the debt clearing kind of stopped.

Since then I have stalled and stalled and stalled paying back what I owe. I guess I am starting this diary because I don't want to look back in 6 years time and think 'if only I had carried on, I would be debt free by now' (which is how I feel at the moment).

I feel that 6 years is a realistic timescale (£7k a year) and I think that I could achieve that target without running myself into the ground and making myself ill.

So, my first target is by the end of May 2013, my debt will stand at £35k or less.

A little about me, I'm 31 from 'down south' (said in a nice southern accent), I live with my OH (no joint debts, although he has enough of his own), I'm self-employed (helps with my health) and I love a good movie .

Emz xx

Emzilla

Good day so far today in the lovely sunshine .

Received my home phone which I ordered from Amazon with survey vouchers. It's nice to have a working home phone again, even if it's just so my friends and family don't have to call my mobile all the time.

Also got a £10 Next voucher from Opinion World (they have to be the best survey site. I ordered the voucher yesterday and got it today ). Going to give that to my BIL for his birthday. Also ordered 2 cards from Amazon with survey vouchers (one for my BIL and the other for my uncle who also has a birthday next month).

Should be an NSD today too. I only have £6.75 in my purse and want it to stay there. We're trying to use up the food we have in the freezer and cupboards at the moment.

Emz xx

gothrockchic1

Happy Shiny new diary!! First poster eh?

Well I don't doubt you can't pay it back.

Good start on the vouchers

Emzilla

Hi GRC - thank you :A.

I'm up with the lark this morning. I never seem to be able to lay in during the summer. Plus we had the window open and this guy in one of the flats opposite starts his van at 5am and leaves it running for about 10 minutes :mad:.

Today I need to pop into town and put a cheque in the bank (for some survey work I did in April), post off an old phone to O2 (getting £6 for that) and buy a stamp to send off my water bill DD form.

Got some chicken out of the freezer last night and am going to attempt to cook a chicken curry for lunch. We've got a jar of korma sauce in the cupboard and some oven chips to go with it.

Had to persuade OH to stay away from the chippy last night. Managed to tempt him away with steak pie and chips from the freezer.

Have a good day everyone

Emz xx

Ladybird.

Good morning Emz! Breaking it down into more manageable year-sized chunks sounds very sensible... chip chip chip away! Best of luck!

Emzilla

Thanks Ladybird :A.

Postie just been with the 2 birthday cards I ordered yesterday and my Tesco Clubcard statement. I'm saving my points up for Christmas. I've got £5 at the moment. Am hoping to build it up to at least £10 so I can double it up and buy my nephew a couple of outfits.

Right, better finish doing my meds, then it's shower time and off into town before it gets busy.

Emz xx

Emzilla

50p for a second class stamp? I forgot how much they had gone up in price. Anyway, did all that I wanted to do in town. I managed to resist the lure of Greggs, but OH bought a chicken bake.

He's off to his mate's house tonight as he's having a barbecue. I was invited, but OH can travel up there on the train for free and I would have to spend around £10 on petrol, so I've told him to go without me. Not that fussed to be honest, plus The Voice is on tonight .

Emz xx

Emzilla

Well, the curry was kind of a success. I cooked it to perfection, but the sauce wasn't that great. It was okay at first, but the more I ate, the more I was getting sick of it. OH ate all his though (and part of mine) so it couldn't have been that bad.

I've just cooked up the rest of the chicken so OH has enough for his sandwiches for the next couple of days. Ate a bit of it myself though .

All my work is done for the day so I'm gonna kick back and watch a film now.

Emz xx

Emzilla

Up early again . Some idiot (who his mate called Peewee :rotfl:) was passing through at the back of my flat shouting the f-word over and over again at 5am. Then his mate followed calling 'Peewee, someone's going to call the police, shut up'. So yeah, couldn't get back to sleep after that.

I watched Love and Other Impossible Pursuits last night (starring Natalie Portman). It was okay, definitely watchable, but not one I would be bothered about watching again.

Off round my sister's today for dinner. Means it should be an NSD.

Enjoy the sunshine everyone

Emz xx

gothrockchic1

Emzilla wrote: »

Up early again . Some idiot (who his mate called Peewee :rotfl:) was passing through at the back of my flat shouting the f-word over and over again at 5am. Then his mate followed calling 'Peewee, someone's going to call the police, shut up'. So yeah, couldn't get back to sleep after that.

I watched Love and Other Impossible Pursuits last night (starring Natalie Portman). It was okay, definitely watchable, but not one I would be bothered about watching again.

Off round my sister's today for dinner. Means it should be an NSD.

Enjoy the sunshine everyone

Emz xx

Have a nice day I doubt my day will be a NSD we have to go food shopping......when OH gets out of his bed :rotfl:

Emzilla

Hi GRC. I hope your OH dragged himself out of bed eventually and you didn't spend too much on the shopping .

Just got back from my sisters. She picked me up and dropped me off too, so I saved some petrol (too much hassle parking in her area, but she has a driveway for one car). Spent most of the afternoon playing in the garden with my niece.

I went along to Asda as my sister needed a few bits, but I resisted the urge to spend, so today was an NSD .

Got some washing up to do, The Voice results to watch (although I saw it leaked on Twitter who goes through) and am in serious need of a shower . Going to have to get an early night too thanks to Peewee.

Emz xx