Ultimate Challenge. 457 days / £16600!!!

Indebted2U

Argh indeed Kat :mad: On the plus side as you say, you are in such a better position than you were last year :j Good luck with the room hunting

NinjaSavingKat

Indebted you are right.. I am hoping for somewhere bigger that's cheaper... What are the odds...;-)

sarahj20

this is inspiring

NinjaSavingKat

Thanks Sarahj20...;-)

Listerbelle

NSK!

I'm sorry to read your recent post. How frustrating, especially at this time of the year.

In a few months' time this will seem like a simple little bump in your journey

Hang in there o inspirational one

stoplurking

Hi Kat

Sorry to hear you have to move, but sometimes these things work out for the best. You are so near to your goal now that NOTHING can stop you achieving it. Please don't give up on the notion of the lovely family meal you were planning at Christmas. You deserve it and your family sound lovely so they deserve it too.

You asked what little things i have done to get to the situation today where I only have 2 more payments then I will be CC free. It all started when I came upon this thread back in October 2012. My OH and I had been making wild plans to extend our home. Started off as a small outhouse then morphed into a garden room/utility room/shower room. I was kind of getting carried along with it but realised it was madness to spend any money on that when I had almost 18k debt. Long story short, had my LBM, fessed up to OH who was straight away on board with doing all I could to get rid of the debt.
At first I thought 2.5 years was realistic but as I got swept along with you and the challengers on your monthly threads, I started dreaming about making it in 2 years, then 18 months, now down to 14 months.
First off stopped treating every pay day as a treat day. OH made the point I should not spend when I got paid. Instead, wait till end of month and all outgoings covered then if there was anything left over I could spend. Ha. once I got that into my head I barely spent anything at all, instead I paid as much as I could possibly scrape up off the cards each month and only bought absolute necessities.

We now meal plan and have cut back on grocery shopping, with a lot of help from the OS boards. I found my grocery receipts from May 2012, £350+ spent! We now budget £50 a week and that is plenty. Don't know what we spent £350 on! We have envelopes to hold the grocery money for the month, a tin for the petrol money, stopped eating out, no holidays this year.

Have checked all DDs to make sure we get the best deals, even paid the car insurance for the year and that is the first time I have done that. It sounds boring but in fact we have really enjoyed this year of frugality, and have already decided to carry on with the envelopes/tins even once I am debt free, (but we will have a holiday, got to have some fun). It is so comforting to know all expenses are covered. I used to spend all my money then use credit card to see me to the end of the month.
It was all my debt, I had almost stopped increasing it when OH and I got together. He had no debt, but was happy to get involved in all the NSK ways and has encouraged me so much. He knows, if Kat says 20 SFDs then 20 SFDs there shall be. :rotfl:
Right, I am waffling now but suffice to say the main inspiration in my journey has been NSK and her chickadees, I will be forever grateful for your support, Kat. I have also helped my son by paying off his credit cards this year, £2200, and pointed him in your direction so that he doesn't falter again. I think the fact that I could actually do that for him has been the greatest achievement for me, and next year I will start saving so that I can help both sons out with life events eg weddings/babies/houses etc.

I am so looking forward to your post at end of November to say that your pay is in and you are FREEEEEEE! :T:T:T
Sorry for any lack of capitals, I am spolt by iPad auto correct! XXX

Determined_diva

Stop lurking that was such a lovely post to read - well done
DDx

NinjaSavingKat

StopLurking what a wonderful year you have had! 2 payments to go - you are almost debt free as well! This is amazing! I love that OH is on board as well and I can see your determination knows no bounds... this is such a wonderful thing to read you have no idea!! And to help out your son has got to be such a reaffirming thing for you... lets hope they both find frugal girls so those wedding costs are kept to a minimum...lol!!
DO you still have plans for the extention - perhaps join me in next years "saving / debt prevention" thread..... lol!!

I am just so happy you are on the ball with finances there and what a significant reduction in food - that's amazing though!! And your DFD was reduced SO much!!!

One person at a time I want Britain debt free. One day maybe...

x

stoplurking

Determined Diva, thank you for your encouragement.

Kat, I too hope there are no extravagant wedding plans in the offing, but we shall see. OH is so on board, but he won't let me talk about what happens next until I am clear of the cards. He's right, one thing at a time. He does keep telling me he is very proud of me. The debt was shameful of course, but I have fought back and now am nearly there.

Secretly, I would like to move to a slightly bigger house in about 4 years time. This was not an option before as I just couldn't see it being possible with the debts. After this year, I think anything is possible so I am going to keep that idea in mind and maybe join Tilly and the gang on MFW so I can sell this house and have all of the proceeds to put towards a new one. I say my house, only because I have had it a good number of years whereas OH has only been here less than two. If we do manage to move then we will have "our" house. We shall see I guess! However, there will have to be some saving activity as well, so I am definitely going to hang around the NSK saving club 2014. What larks we shall have. Xx

NinjaSavingKat

Well hello diary readers.....

I have been doing some more calculations. Oh goody I hear you say! Fear not grasshoppers I shall impart my findings and knowledge upon thee in all it's slightly crazed form.. are you ready!...:o

So I have an outstanding £250 on my credit card. Mumsy is going to pay off £130 which is my flight home for Christmas (lovely Mumsy) and I have the rest to cover which was TAX / MOT etc for the bike and payable through Nov/Dec contributions - all going to plan so far.

I also have the outstanding £540 on my loan. My bank have said an extra £16-£18 might be due on the day of full re-payment (2nd December) so this is easily covered.

The dilemma is being able to hold £500 for a possible house move, pay for my Oz Citizenship proof ($60=£40) and my actual Oz passport (£155).. and as much as Mumsy would like me to hold onto my money I would like a little something for each of the closest family members to put under the tree (£20 x 4 )... ..Oh and I need to renew my British passport which is another £85. So I am in deficit by at least £115 - then there is the cost of passport photos for each as they are different so there is another £10 at least.. Total = £125.

I have £15 due from TopCashBack and Hastings Direct for my bike insurance that ran out today... that would bring me down to £110

Still £110 more than I have.

Since my last landlady took SO long to get my measly deposit back to me I am not counting my chickens with this one despite how nice she is. I also have to assume that taking a box room somewhere might not be viable (I have had a mention of one being available near me for £300 plus all bills but am waiting on confirmation of bike parking etc).. So I have to be prepared for the inevitable of having to take somewhere more expensive... hence the £500 deposit put to one side. ( My deposit due is £450 return from the current landlady)..

So I could juggle things around a little but need to get the ball rolling with the Oz documentaion. I have sent off for my replacment drivers license which will be used as a form of identification for the Citizenship Certificate amoungst others. This needs a photo attached and to be sent to Oz. If all is well it should be back within a month ( hopefully mid December) and I can then send off for my Oz passport. In the mean time with my British passport running out I will send that off asap - if I get it back in time it will be used as ID for my Oz passport - sorry that's so confusing but I have a suspicion I am cutting things fine.

I would have liked to get everyone at home a gift, plus cash but it's not to be. Unless my extenisve ebaying that is about to happen might bring in more than I expect...

OR I only put away £400 for the new place and tak £50 from Jan's pay and £50 Feb pay to cover all areas and use the extra little bit to spoil the family - hmmmmmmmmm that sounds like more of a plan!!!!

It will take a little bit of thinking and scheming... and eBaying.......

Sorry for the essay - any thoughts please share.... ..