Ultimate Challenge. 457 days / £16600!!!

NinjaSavingKat

Siouxsieeeeeeeeeee I've MISSED YOU!!!! I am so glad your holibobs was so good. Remind me where you went though? And what did you do? And did you meet any boys???.... I think when a holiday is that good and that refreshing it's definitely worth it unlike the one I took which I could have done without...;-)

I have no doubt that you will make the money up any way possible - actually if you keep your eye on the ground today someone else will pay for it for you...tee hee!!!

I have two OT shifts this weekend on offer..with a possible three more - that sees me quids in. But nothing is guaranteed unless I get an email - and I am still waiting. Thats December pay sorted as well and November OT forms are already being completed ..

I was reading through everything as I mentioned before and realise that you have been with me through the entire journey... It's so sweeeet! And I think HM has been here as well... It's so weird to think of the position that I was in last year and that it might just be over soon..

Geordie Boy showed up last night and took me out for dinner and a movie... I daren't say anything just in case I spook him telepathically and he runs ... but we had a chat over debt and houses and desires for life - not together before you get excited ...:rotfl:..but he owns a house where he comes from, lives in a van in his workplace car park unbeknownst to the powers that be who apparently don't care, he has paid off £5000 in 8 months, doesn't pay rent etc and is determined to buy another house... he is a qualified plumber but not working as one at the moment and I mentioned a weird desire to become a sparky (electrician) and we could go into the housing development together.. with my brother the surveyor....lol!

Dreams..... but I think I need out of here. Right not though - head down, push on....:T

Missed you Siouxsie32!!! x x x

HOK3Y

Kat, just read a bit of your diary and I am so inspired. I love seeing someone set their mind to something hard and then not let anything stop them achieving it. Really honest to goodness impressive!! I'll follow along and watch you hit your target in December - what a Christmas present! Hope I can hit my debts as consistently as you have!

NinjaSavingKat

Hello HOK3Y.. welcome on board and thank you for the well wishes. I cannot wait to display my "I'm debt free" post on the forum.... although I intend to start another to save straight afterwards...but yes like the bodybuilders in my brothers gym used to say "hit it hard or go home"...:rotfl:

Either £8000 in 8 months, or £10000 in 8 months... I am not sure yet. Depends on how game I am ...:o

Your saving goal is STUPENDOUSLY amazing.. are you seriously aiming for £538,001...? Or am I being totally stupid here...?

SkintLittleFingers

Hi Kat, as a new DFW I have to say that your diary is one of the most inspiring on here. I have read it from Day 1 to now, what a journey!!!

I have no doubt that you will achieve your aim in December and I wish you every success in your next life adventure. I will be following your "saving" thread with great interest.

Best Wishes SKLF

NinjaSavingKat

Hello SKLF.... You can never tell if anyone is reading or not qith these threads but I appreciate your dedication to my journey and I think coming on here and [STRIKE]wittering[/STRIKE] off-loading is certainly one of the reasons I have been able to keep up the momentum... Not long to go now...

Been looking at Travel sites again. I am reading a lot of them to stay grounded cause it's simply not going to be a "holiday for 2 years" - there will be some mental turmoil along the way, boredom, distaste for a lack of normality and fear ... but I can just about balance all this off with the feelings that if I DON'T do it I will be a lot worse off....

But I will miss my family...:(

More importantly..I have called my motorbike insurance company. My mileage per year has fallen drastically, I no longer commute and I have two years no claims bonus.. thinking this would lower the policy from £513 last year I was dimayed to see it appear yesterday at £568??... So I rang them and they said the "underwriting" has changed and the prices are different. NICE! And no they don't take into consideration any of the above and the NCB has already been applied...

So I went on a comparison website and found a policy for £406 - much more like it. I am liking this a lot more and shall be giving them a ring to make sure it's correct.

So I think with the overtime I have this weekend I might actually come out the other end in one piece....

Phew!

NinjaSavingKat

I swear it's on days like today that you have to be entirely sure that the journey you are on is worth it, that you have a goal worth anything in the world and sacrifices that are made are ones you are doing for a very good reason..

I got up at 0400. There was monsoon rainfall outside. My bed was calling me. Yet I knew full well there was no way I could cancel this OT shift. My goodness I was so tired.

I left the house for the bus at 0528 and a 25 minute journey to the nearest tube stop, then a further 35 minute journey from there. I could barely stay awake. I was packed ready for the journey of a lifetime though or so it felt...

Full "attire" for outdoor hiking... I was so warm.. due to the time of day I didn't want to be seen with a handbag so everything went in a massive rucksack - if any of you need one may I kindly suggest an Osprey.. they are amazing...

But standing on the corner of my road, at 0515 I thought to myself I must be mad. Is it this important to be debt free... Unfortunately yes.

Last time I worked like this it was for my trip on the Tran-Siberian.. 9 months of hard graft.. I could've cried some days... knowing I was getting home at 0100 and had to be up again at 0500 for a 12 hour shift and wouldn't have a day off for 2 weeks just seemed impossible. Those months went by in a haze... but sitting on the banks of Lake Baikal (the largest fresh water lake in the world) in Siberia made it all seem worth it...

And so I do it again. For a bette reason. For a better journey - where I owe nobody nuffink.. and to keep travelling... although sometimes I wonder what I am brining on myself and it might just be nicer to stay here and buy new clothes for once.

But I have 6 lists.. Wash bag / Medical / Documentation / Electronics / Clothing / Other... ready to go on my iphone. Bits being added everyday although I am awaiting for the DFD to declare war on planning...

I would like my new rucksack before 2014 begins. The one I have was bought by my Dad - too precious to bring anywhere. I need to find £108 (don't worry cashback website used and work discount applied..:)) - saves me £12 and cashback of £7... I might be MSE all the way around the world...

I have been thinking about Oz... I have my certificate of citizenship form printed, my full birth certificate from Mumsy.. I need to update my picture on my driving license before using it as ID for the citizenship, use my British passport as ID as well and then send it off to get renewed (£70), before then sending it off as ID for my actual Australian passport (£155)..

I am going to do a RSA (Responsbile Service of Alcohol) certificate for NSW (£70) before I go which will allow me to work as a waitress if I need to, I will get an Oz bank account and a Tax number before I go as well, and look into a sim card when I am there...

Upon arrival, since I will have been fannying around South East Asia for months I will need to work...best option.. Transport Safety Lollipop Lady on a construction site.... $27 an hour - boring but well paid. I need a Traffic Controllers Photocard License, Induction Certificate and a Work Cover Construction Induction Card... all of which I will get when I am there...

I will be bringing an International Driving Licence cert to Vietnam and Thailand which will mean I could get a drivers license there and in Oz I can after 6 months (although drive on my UK one for 3 months)..

Still a lot of points to iron out.. but as you can see... I am very thorough...

:T:T:T

brizzledfw

Very very exciting Kat..great to see it all coming together! You will do it, I know!

I am afraid I haven't been up to joining the October challenge..but have been lurking and am ploughing through my debt...also want to see 2014 with no debt:T:T

NinjaSavingKat

Hello BrizzleDFW... that's okay.. those Challenges aren't something people can follow every month... is the £8000 + £2000 or so what you have left?.. and how do you attempt to attack it..? That's a lot to clear in 3 months?

NinjaSavingKat

Looks like I might have found insurance £206 cheaper for my motorbike??...

kbarty

NSK- I have just found your diary, and read back a bit as I found you so inspirational and I also wanted to know your plans for travel (I am a bit nosey!)

I have just finished six months travel with my family, we left with a little debt as I was worried my kids would be too old to travel if I just attacked the debt first. It was all under control though, on 0% and I had enough to cover payments. Off course now we're finished and we want to go away again (this was my evil plan all along, get them hooked on travel!!!) so our plan is to pay the debts and then save again/get some income we can do online. I was happy with my decision to go having it over my head, but it's not great really so this time we know we need to have no ties.

I hope to follow along with your plans and gain inspiration. It's a hard slog, but oh so worth it. Good luck!