Debtdawg says enough is enough debt diary

debtdawg

Well that bath went down a treat! I scrubbed and buffed and am now feeling fragrant and smooth until I end up a dried up chlorinated frizzy mess tomorrow. Urgh swimwear as well tomorrow, joy of joys! It's times like these I wish I had stuck to the diet as well as a budget, but hey ho, no time like the present to start tackling the comfort eating as well.

Ooops baby crying, got to go, but BC the swagbucks challenge sounds like a plan and thanks to those that have replied, I will reply more tomorrow xx

debtdawg

Back from swimming, the kids had fun which is the main thing but they lost their McDonald's treat due to poor behaviour before we went and in the changing rooms, so it was ham/cheese sandwiches all round I may have saved on their Happy Meals but forgive me MSE'ers I sinned! I got out earlier with the baby and fed him his lunch in the cafe and purchased myself a full fat extra delicious hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows for a scandalous $2.20. I clearly did not learn from the shame of bearing near all! Still, managed to spend less than $20 which is a result as before the LBM it would have been swimming, lunch in the cafe afterwards etc etc.

cazmanian_minx - I haven't heard of that so I shall give it a google, though normally google scares me and makes me believe I am dying. I recently googled to find out what these little lumpy things on my elbow are which have arrived post DS, and am now convinced I have rhuematoid arthritis. Even though I can't even spell it

elly68 - I can't believe how easy debt is to mount up and how hard to pay off! I bought a couple of bits on my Next account which will take 6/7 months to pay off at $20 a month. Once it's paid I am getting rid of it, despite the sale (which never has anything left that I want anyway). I asked them to reduce my limit which they had increased without asking to a whopping $2000 down to a more manageable (yeah right!) $400, but it really needs to go as it's such a temptation. I too struggle with my weight, although a few years ago I had a bit of an issue with eating and lost quite a bit, which has gradually crept back on. I just like nice food too much as well as nice things. *sigh*

BC - I don't have a tumble drier which is probably a good thing, so everything has to go outside or dry in the house. With 2 adults and 3 children that's a lot of washing and it feels like a chinese laundry in here in the Winter. Though I have never been to a chinese laundry saying that... I want to put DS back into cloth nappies once I have finished this pack of disposables but am put off slightly by the extra washing (and his eye wateringly strong wee and heave worthy poo which is going to take some manhandling to get out of the nappy and down the toilet *uuuurrrgghhh*). I'm turning into DH's parents with my moaning about parking charges I was annoyed we had to pay today as we were a captive audience at the swimming pool, still it was 'only' $1.50.

I was a good girl today! I had told a friend (well someone I know!) that I would buy something off of them, before my LBM of course. But we really can't afford to and although it would make things easier for me I don't really need it so I pulled out. I was honest and said I was skint, it was a bad month and I was really sorry for wasting their time. Didn't get a reply but they have put it back up for sale on FB, so guess I have annoyed them which I know is understandable. Before the LBM I would have still gone ahead because I wouldn't have wanted to upset anyone or for them to think badly of me, but this is the second time I have been quite confident with approaching people which really isn't me at all!

Had some good news today...our council tax repayments are going to be $20 a month less than I had budgeted for so I am going to save back $10 and pay $10 off my debt. How MSE is that?! Plus next month I can change my mobile phone tariff so hopefully that will be another $25 ish to split between the two pots.

Sorry for the super long post!

debtdawg

Today is going pretty well. I sold something that I will miss but don't really need, so that will be $40 for the savings pot after Paypal fees and postage costs are deducted. I also listed some of the baby's things that I no longer need, so fingers crossed that will be some more for the pot!

Got a sausage casserole in the slow cooker, house is vaguely tidy, kids are watching a film and I just need to sort out some washing on the clothes horse and put some laundry away. So all in all quite a good Tuesday so far

I joined Swagbucks and met my target yesterday but am miles off my 90 target for today. I need to put a bit of time to it later I think to see how it all works.

BlueCrayon

Hey DD, glad to hear your house is vaguely tidy, means you're doing a lot better than me :rotfl: I seem to have piles of 'stuff' everywhere.

Well done on sales, I'm trying to be brutal and its nice to see the savings go up/debt go down. I'm transferring as soon as I get the cash as in the past its just been swallowed up and wasted, I dread to think the true total of what has been frittered away in the past. I've probably spent a small house on rubbish, interest and fees. Oh well I'm done with that now and the only way is up.

I'm going to get started on SwagBucks today and I'll let you know how I get on.

Lets make today a good one .

BC x

debtdawg

BC - It guts me to think of the money I have wasted and the financial doodah I am in now. DH was rubbish with money before we got together and although our credit ratings are ok and we have never defaulted etc, we won't get anywhere in life with the amount of debt we have and the monthly cost. We are now paying $757 a month towards our debt, imagine what we could do with that?

Today hasn't got off to a great start. My DS woke the baby up at 6am because he got out of bed after being told it was too early to get up (he initially came out of his room at 5.40am), went downstairs and slammed the front room door. This is the baby who rarely naps, doesn't sleep through and has already had a gazillion tantrums and is clearly over tired but just wont give in and go back to sleep, (other than for 15 minutes at 8.15 after I battled with him for 30). He's refused his breakfast but is playing nicely at the moment. I however am in a foul mood and have to say that I haven't been very nice to be around this morning. DS has been banned from the WII and told to tidy his room

Ok, so I need to shake this tiredness and negative feeling off! On a positive note I logged on to Swagbucks first thing and have made my target for the day via a survey, yay for no tedious tv watching thingies on there today I also sold a load more baby things last night and withdrew a total of $109.22 from Paypal after fees, but I have to cover postage costs from that which I think will be about $15.00. Still it's a good amount to put into the savings pot!

DD is off to play at a friends this morning, so she has some entertainment sorted. Apparently yesterday was 'the worst day ever' according to DD as we stayed at home, they watched a film (it was one that is on at the cinema that DS wanted to see but I found it to dl online, don't know if I should admit that!) with some sweets my nan gave to them and they also played with their toys/on the wii/did some crafts. Apparently that's not enough and the only nice thing we have done lately is go swimming. Nevermind the fact that in the past 10 days they have been to two soft play parties (fair enough it only cost a present which is cheaper than the entrance/food would have cost me but they still went to soft play twice!), the beach/pier/fair, swimming, the beach/Hobbycraft for craft stuff and I was going to take them on the bus tomorrow (we only have one car and DH uses it for work) to go to a big nearby park with a picnic and Friday we were going to go pottery painting. I wonder sometimes why the she has such a sense of entitlement and there is never any gratitude, only grief for what they are 'missing out' on. Hopefully with the new budgeting and way things will be from now onwards they will learn to appreciate what they are given and what we do. I am sure in the school holidays I used to make my own fun most of the time and would spend hours playing with my box of barbies or colouring in!

Roast chicken for tea tonight, yummy DH always picks the chicken afterwards so we get at least one more meal out of it the next day.

MSE target for today is to list an item on Ebay and make a few more swagbucks and my home target is to sort the endless washing, hoover, clean the bathroom and kitchen and to turn the negative start into a positive day and cheer up the little uns!

letmefree

Keep up the good work debtdawg.
At the start the debt seems insurmountable but as time goes on and you notice that number go down it should motivate you. I am only 1 month into my 'journey' but I am feeling confident. Once I am debt free I can do so much more as I won't be wasting money on interest payments etc.

debtdawg

Well it's a bright day today, yay We're catching the bus into town (we live in a teeny village) to go to the playpark, I've taken some squash and bits to eat so plan to make a bit of a day of it.

The children aren't here next week as they are at my ex DHs, so I have set myself a challenge which DH thinks I will fail by the weekend lol. I have $50 which needs to last until next Friday and this needs to cover bus fares today and entertaining the children until they go away and also food top ups (bread, milk, sandwich fillers for DH, fruit and veg) until next Friday. It also needs to cover any bus fares/entertainment next week for myself and the baby. Let the challenge commence! The children have their own pocket money saved, so of which they want to take today to the shops, so I am not counting anything they spend.

I didn't manage to list anything on Ebay yesterday and I am out for most of today, but DH has found a tool that he no longer uses which sell brand new for over $300, so he wants to put it on Ebay to see what we can get to go towards the savings pot. Hopefully that will be put on tonight and fingers crossed it goes for a decent sum!

I will update my signature with my $50 challenge and will keep a track of it daily, I'm quite excited by the idea of it at the moment lol.

debtdawg

It was a tiring hot day zzzzzz

Caught the bus into town and the kind bus driver only charged me for myself and DD and told me to say DS was 4 if anyone asked, so I saved $1.35 on his fare (total fares $3.35). I took snacks and drinks with me and managed to avoid spending any money apart from on a cake ($1.20) for my nan who I took the kids up to see. She gave them $1 each which they spent on a ice cream/lolly at the 2nd park we visited. DD spent all her pocket money she'd saved on some expensive $24.99 tat (I did top up her money with a few pence so she could afford said toy tat) in the toy shop but DS was more conservative so has some to spend when we go out tomorrow.

So today I spent a fiver all in which I think was a bit of a result Normally I would have spent loads and would have bought cakes all round, not just for my nan, but I am trying to cut back on the extras so the kids appreciate them when they do get to have them. DH picked us up from town after work so we didn't have to bus back and we would have grabbed a takeaway normally as I didn't have anything prepared for tea, but the kids had an unhealthy home tea instead of hot dogs and we had quiche and chips (didn't have any salad in )

Setting a strict budget for this week has really made me aware of where the pennies and pounds are going and how easily little things mount up to big spends if you aren't careful. Which I never have been! $45 left until next Friday, can it be done?!

BlueCrayon

You can do it! I'm trying to be more creative with what I've got as costs just mount up so fast, a few pounds here and there soon turns into hundreds a month. I'm keeping index cards in an envelope on me all the time, when I go to spend something it gets totted up on the card, it's really making me think twice about what I spend and how quickly cash runs through my fingers.

Regarding your DD I think most of us have a sense of entitlement when it comes to stuff. Its been forced down our throats that for life to be worth anything we have to spend oodles of cash and buy the latest 'thing.' We as adults have certainly been doing it by trying to buy happiness or a certain lifestyle so it's no surprise that our children feel the same. I'm sure she'll get to appreciate the simpler things, when it gets tough just remember that if you get through the adjustment now you save both yourself and her a lot of grief as hopefully she won't reach adulthood thinking money is there to burn!

Good luck with the tool, hope it gets you a good chunk of money, its a free listing weekend this weekend so I've sorted some piles of bits that are going to go on.

You're doing really well. xx

elly68

well done dd on sticking to ur budget .as of monday i'm taking 100 out of the bank to see if it will last the week for food and kids activitys ,the leftovers if any will be padded on the saturday to my credit card will see how this goes .