Ultimate Challenge. 457 days / £16600!!!

mayfair1985

Evening all!

Lots of productive days I see, well done all
We've been down to the mothers. Managed to only 'spend' £2.50 on some drinks. So chuffed that the sales have started early! I really wanted a running specific item from the hubs for xmas, and we budgeted and was going to get it on boxing day as it's over budget at the moment. It popped up on FB last night as having £40 off so we thought we'd pop in now, and try it on. Well, got there, member of staff said, have this it does the same and it was an even cheaper one! So we bought it as I can't see it going any lower after xmas. It also meant that I got to go and have a little mini spree in, wait for it, PRIMARK! YAY! Only got some jeans and a few tops but i'm really happy. Hubs is happy too as he thinks, 'You can't just have one present'. So that's all done. Paid it on the CC until the money goes in the pot next week then it will be paid straight off. So a lovely lovely day was had (and secretly I'm happy that I have something to 'open' on xmas day, but don't tell him).

Also dug out some more junk to go on ebay. I thought it was a couple of bits, 20 items later..... Most of it's tat, and opened toiletries. All starting at 99p. I doubt most of them will sell. But one of the opened perfumes that I was reeeallllyyy debating about just throwing out had 3 watching within 10 mins of it going up! I'll be chuffed if I make anything out of this lot. Oh and someone bid on one of my other items. YAY for EBAY! I know what you mean about running out of stuff to sell.

And finally, financial stability.

To me, at the moment, we are comfortable. We have enough money coming in every month to pay our bills, a roof over our heads and food on the table.

Stable would be 3 months in the bank.

Rock solid would be owning a home.

Wealthy would be all the above and one week all inclusive in the sun somewhere once a year. A gym membership. Being able to get my nails and eyebrows done without feeling guilty. The odd costa coffe. And 20 quid in primark a month. Simple pleasures.

liltdiddylilt

Haha well done Mayfair. Me and the OH have foregone Xmas presents this year. Mainly due to the fact that his mum overspends massively on both him & DD for Xmas and birthday. He got around £400 spent on his bday in November :eek: she is an avid credit card/catalogue user, with no lighbulbs in sight. Back to my point... there is nothing we want for! We haven't even got DD anything for her first Christmas bar a 99p tree decoration which will go on the tree every year & be passed to her for her own tree in many years! I planned everyone elses gifts to her like a military operation, covering wants and needs for the coming few months & meaning that we won't need to buy anything for a long while (except for a new pushchair!). Stingy indeed but needs must & it's muggins here who will be unwrapping her mountains of gifts anyway. She was more interested in the wrapping paper from her early gift the other night!

Financial stability. Once I have the credit card paid off - we intend to put away enough to cover OH's meagre wages for 3-6 months. Also enough besides that to cover anomalies such as new glasses/dental costs although this is covered in my works health policy. Then we will just continue to save, but also start to replace our furniture piece by piece without using finance!!! I'd like to move to somewhere new by the time littlie is 3, so that she has a garden, but right now the rent I pay is pittance considering what we have and I intend to milk it!

Not interested in clothes really other than making sure my body is adequately covered and warm. So long as DD wants for nothing and OH can buy his games we will live happily ever after on relatively little!!

Happytogetdebtfree

Some great answers surrounding financial stability. Oh doesn't have a pension, i would like to put some savings aside when we are in a better position :-). I'm really looking forward to 2013 :-) x

killerpeaty

I don't feel financially stable at all Maybe that'll change when I get my first payday..? I think I would feel financially stable when I get a passive income started, by the time I retire I would like at least £1000 passive income a month in addition to a pension. If this is possible... We'll see in 50 years time!

How was the hobbit?

While I'm not the biggest fan of clothes, I hate primark. The clothes don't last and don't fit. I still wear jeans that I had when I was 11, it's always about quality for me.:o

Listerbelle

Our current financial stability aims:

Two years worth of all living expenses in the bank. (Pretty much there, except for food costs lol.)

(Edited this bit - it makes me look like a !!!!!! as opposed to conveying that I worked my !!!! off in multiple jobs simultaneously. Send me a PM if you want the details.)

3000 a month non-earned income (that's our stretch, long-term goal).

This will enable us to lead our simple life, and to continue to support the charities we are involved with.

Just want to add that I'm 42 and have always had a MSE side to me. I seriously contemplated buying my first house when I was 19 - I had a 20% deposit (my life savings from part-time jobs and a gap year) for the cutest house - but ultimately I was worried that I'd get trapped and was too young in my opinion. I spent most of my 20s working one full-time and several part-time jobs so as to save for two house deposits and get a good financial footing.

Listerbelle

killerpeaty wrote: »

I still wear jeans that I had when I was 11, it's always about quality for me.:o

Wow! That's fantastic!! :j :money:

killerpeaty

Listerbelle wrote: »

Just want to add that I'm 42 and have always had a MSE side to me. I seriously contemplated buying my first house when I was 19 - I had a 20% deposit (my life savings from part-time jobs and a gap year) for the cutest house - but ultimately I was worried that I'd get trapped and was too young in my opinion. I spent most of my 20s working one full-time and several part-time jobs so as to save for two house deposits and get a good financial footing.

That is amazing. I wish I had the inclination to get a part time job when I was 16-19, I just didn't! When I was 17, I started to get my pain, at the time it was the end of the world, now I see how silly and dramatic I was being ha ha. During uni, I tried my best to get a job but found it impossible (I know now it was because my CV was rubbish). I'm hoping to do a similar thing to you, get a second job (once I am used to this one), maybe get a paper round. Or get some professional qualifications, I see this as an investment (hopefully). I don't plan to think about buying my house house until I'm 30, though I will be accumulating a deposit from here or there.

In January I am opening my company pension plan and my first ISA (cash only), next ISA year I may or may not be opening a S&S ISA, but I need to do some research. I aim to make £100 extra each month from surveys (not sure if this is possible if I get a second job), which will be used for presents (when vouchers) and addition to my savings. But I'm not going to lie, I'm not a miser, I go clubbing (spending WAY too much in one night), go to socials, have a phone contract that is quite expensive and see friends frequently, so I am not that strict with myself.

NinjaSavingKat

Good Evening to you all. I had written a little message for earlier which clearly didn't load! Boo hiss! I didn't want you to assume I was ignoring you for a WHOLE day!

So my day has been super smooth.. I finally was able to pick the bike up this morning totaling £117.34. Just under my £120 limit which I am pleased about. Its amazing what you can do when you try! ( like getting into jeans you've had since you were little?? ).. I brought the replacement bike back obviously but is stopped in the middle of busy traffic due to lack of petrol ( they are supposed to fill it enough for me to get home and back again ) and I was rescued by the mechanic thank goodness!!

I headed straight into town to catch up with a girlfriend and was treated to a Christmas ginger-bread man and tea! Home again to pack up food for tonight's shift and then hit the sack for a little snooze.

So I am here until 0200 and shall be munching on popcorn, leftover sweet peppers and Mr T quorn bits in a pitta with chill mango sauce and a lot of hot chocolate. Oh and popcorn!

So my aim of getting debt free is to eventually own a house. I am in London though so acquiring a property on my own is virtually impossible without at least a 20% deposit, plus the stamp duty, solicitors fees etc. The worst area of where I live would be hitting £220,000 for a two bedroom property and a small garden - although this is not a desirable place to live needs must etc. I would never consider a one bed as my friends are now stuck, struggling with their mortgages and unable to move in a lodger.

Back home property is going for £30,000 for a 3 bed. A loan for that much can be taken over a 15 year period and paid back through my lovely bank back home at £262 a month. I wouldn't need a mortgage. I want rid of my debt's as this miniscule amount is something I can manage even if I don't get tenants. There will be boom in our town soon so I am interested in buying soon.

Its an idea - something I waver on and need to research. But my aim is to have 3-6 months wages in an account PLUS enough to travel for 6 months ( I smell another blog coming on ) before considering a house buy in England.

Listerbelle where do you live? Are you the sole owner of these houses or were they bought between yourself and OH..? When you say "non-earned" income which bank do you intend to rob and would you need a Ninja to assist you?..:T:T:T..( on a serious note I take it you mean from rentals etc )... you don't sound like a "to**er", is obvious that no person could accrue that amount of money without working their butt off... although I want to know how much it is???... Now spill the beans lovey...:p

Listerbelle

Just off to work now - be back later to answer questions when I can.

(Three by myself, then I sold two at different times, then bought two with hubby and he had one when we met)

NinjaSavingKat

Excellent looking forward to it!..