December Debt Destruction!!!

WantToBeSE

Hi all.
Had a lovely lunch and only spent £9.95 for a drink, starter and main course Was great to see my friend again too.

REALLY need to get a move on with the Christmas food shop this week.

Also, i am going to scour the local charity shops for a few more interview clothes, as i only have 1 set of clothes, and its a hassle having to wash and dry it all the time. Just some trousers/skirt and a shirt, not much.

brizzledfw

Checking in..

NSD. 3rd of the month so pretty pleased. Also just back from 30minutes of pounding Bristol streets. The cold, bizarrely, helped me..felt surprisingly good even with all the hills.

Have also done quite a bit of financial paperwork today, looked after a sick child and cooked loads. Pretty productive day.

Have heard an advert for Crisis. As its such a worthy cause ( which can get lost in the MSE journey, ( thanks for making charitable giving one of the rules Kat) I am going to make a contribution on behalf of the family on a spend day. That way I don't muck up a no spend day but particularly as we will be away for Xmas somewhere hot ( but already paid for) I think it's the right thing to do.

Hope everyone has had a good day

Brizzle

couldsavemore_2

Hi every one
Just popped on quickly to report in.
NSD 7 mainly because I'm to busy to shop also means not a lot of exercise, failing miserably and feeling totally stressed. Also had some sad upsetting news today which I knew was coming but there was nothing I could do about it.

Hope everyone else is doing ok

will do longer post later in week
Regards
CSM

gelmc

At last - another NSD! I'm now onto my 2nd this month and finding it hard but I've got little money left now so next week it should be easy to pile up the NSDs!

Made lovely potato cakes for tea and put some fresh thyme in them. They were yummy! Gonna have one for my lunch with some salmon tomorrow.

I've got my works do coming up on Fri and I'm trying to resist the urge to purchase a new pair of shoes. Yep, I hear you cry - another pair of shoes! It doesn't help when I keep getting 50% off emails from Aldo and Barretts. If I carry on like this I'll be able to open my own branch of Dune.

I need to get my hair cut too and I've also go Sunday lunch with a couple of close friends on Sunday afternoon. I'm kinda looking forward to the peace, quiet and general lack of activity of January - hence the lack of temptation to spend.

missyv30

Am sorry to say i have been awol and lost the plot a bit. I can't seem to get passed this one nsd i have just haven't finished buying for christmas. Having to pay to post parcels to family plus having to buy my lunch because to stressed and tired to make my own while trying to get my girls ready. Then go to work then visit my grandad by the time i get home i go to bed. So failed am afraid i am determined to get back on track and firmly tackle the January challenge if you will have me back:(. I have made some money on ebay and got £50 of boots points. Which i will be using on boxing day to get christmas presents and birthday presents for next year to help me out a bit. So am sorry to say i have to bow out of this challenege i hope you will let me stay to cheer the rest of you on.

NinjaSavingKat

Well a very good evening to you all.. I can tell this is getting harder and harder for folk, but I appreciate you all dropping in to say hello and declare potato cakes and NSD's...

Missy you don't really have to go.. you are in and there are plenty of days left to play with? Are you sure you want to leave? I hate losing a chickadee!!!

I went shopping today and shall update my sig very soon.. I bought enough baking potatoes and beans to see me through until I leave for Ireland so hopefully will wrack up some more NSD's myself. I have been disappointed with myself so far... especially since the bike is going to cost around £98-£128 to fix....GRR!!

I am going to juggle some funds around, lodge some money from my Mum in my account to let it accrue before handing it over and pray its not going to be as much as I think.. the indicator light was snapped off and is dangling -so I hope they can re-attach it instead of making me buy a new set for £15 as the bulb and cover is not damaged..

How ANNOYING!

Anyway Onwards and Upwards... I am more determined now than ever to win this battle!!

Good Night all..

suzitiger

mumsiemum wrote: »

Suzitiger - I'm only cheering on this month - Drastic action is required so I will be joining this challenge in January to nail the last bit of debt with some NSK inspired extreme debt busting!! See you there??

Yeah I will definitely be committing in January for SURE! Be nice to see you :-)

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Anyway, it basically said how nice it is to have cheerleeaders such as mumsiemum and suzitiger (and the others), so thanks for the cheerleeding, and you'll have to see what you think of Januarys challenge

:j:j:j Go Go Go DDD-ers!!!!

liltdiddylilt wrote: »

Suzitiger well done you!! I did the same yesterday, walked around town for an age (had a coffee from my giftcard in starbucks though!) but I didn't spend an actual penny AND registered with the library to save myself even more money!!! Felt so good!

Thanks I will make lots of effort to keep pace with you guys even if I don't come thundering in with 20NSDs :rotfl:

Learning2Budget

Was meant to be a NSD but had to buy some tights for an interview however i sold some stuff on fb. So hoping i can declare an offset day. Cos i need to look presentable! If i can that's NSD 7! L2B.x

PurpleJay

Morning All :wave:

Well today should be a NSD for me after all as I am not seeing my friend until next Monday.

My son has his first nativity performance today. We are going tomorrow but I shall be thinking about him today :rudolf:

Taking soup and satsumas to work. Having a bagel from the freezer for breakie which I am really looking forward to - haven't had one for ages! Not good for the diet but if I can come out the other side of Xmas without to much gained I will start afresh in January.

Avon - I started doing this in March as from April the rules for tax credits changed and I needed to work more hours. I was working 18.5 in my main job and work 5 or 6 doing Avon. As of last month my hours at work have gone up to 24.5 but this is only temporary until Easter so I shall keep up with the Avon.

I have 'territory' which are streets allocated by Avon which I canvass. Over time I have reduced my list taking out those who have said they don't want to see a book. A new book comes out every 3 weeks and I order every 3 weeks. If I place £145 of orders I get 25% off so I charge customers the brochure price, pay the bill and keep the difference, less expenses. I have to buy the brochures which I use for two campaigns as I have half my houses on 'back order'. I usually order 40 but have cut this to 30 for Jan to see if it makes any difference. I always make the target.

I get a good few orders at work and a couple from friends and family. I also have to buy brochure bags, paper and plastic bags for the orders and have been buying 'demo' products to try out and samples to tempt customers. By the time I have done all that And bought myself a couple or three non demo things there is not a lot left to call profit but this has to change! I use Avon make up (but don't need any more), shampoo, moisturiser, shower gel, soap, etc.

This month being full of good intentions I had a float when I went to do my deliveries but at work I just put the takings in my purse... Still I have to bank ( didn't go yesterday, maybe today) which will be there when I come to pay. I did buy a couple of Xmas gifts this time too but not so much for me. I will not buy any demo products or things for me when I order at the end of this week. This will be a challenge

My plan for the new year is to get organised and keep the money and profit separate - either having a separate account or tin. I do use a little petrol but not a great deal. I should factor this in though, you are right. As for clothes, I think what I am wearing and apply makeup to do my deliveries. Not always for brochures which are done as and when thought often these are to/from my other job so I look smart enough (I work in a legal office).

Anyway any help and encouragement to get more on track with this will be much appreciated. I will keep you updated how it is going.

Have a great day folks x

NinjaSavingKat

Good Morning to you all...

First of all I think I have missed MumsieMum popping up as a cheerleader so a big welcome to you. With Suzitiger, GreenSaints and PixieHouse we are really stocking up a serious cheer-leading squad...I might have to design an outfit!!! :j:j:j

PurpleJay - thank you for sharing about Avon. I was never sure how you figure out your territory or where you stop. I think I would hit every door possible if I had no restrictions but like you said your "real" job is taking up more time. I forgot to ask the most important question - so you enjoy it?

I think setting up a completely separate account - not a tin - which is ultimatly more professional, will enable you to realize that this is a serious job as well. From the 1st January you NEED to get this sorted. Its a second income that most people would kill for and you have it already set up but seem to playing with it. Its a real job too - you need to treat it as such. Budget hard so the "pennies" from Avon don't get swallowed up in everyday living!

Have you ever had an Avon open house party for friends - you could get those "couple" of orders up somewhat by a few free nibbles, good music, doing their make-up or getting a student from the local college to do it for you - and making it a proper organized party - not in the middle of the week but a time when everyone can come?....

Ooooh I have so many ideas...:p..

L2B - you have an off-set day confirmed. Well done. bare legs in an interview is a big no-no anyway. Good choice!

GelMC - you do not need more shoes!! Will you be ridiculed if you don't ( this means your colleagues are not real friends), is there a man there you want to impress (he won't care about your shoes), you still want that house yes?? Please don't buy any shoes.. they will not make you feel fantastic as getting an old pair professional polished and re-heeled.. or borrow a pair? And I know what you mean about January...

WantToBeSE - I got a pair of brand new trousers from Warehouse from a charity shop for £4.50 a few months ago. Best way to shop - shirts in abundance!!

Well yesterday I got off the train two stops early in order to go to a larger Tescos without my bike and get some bargains. I am out of basics (margarine, oil etc ) and could not justify using anyone else's in the house. I spent £16.75 on ...

• 6 baking potatoes, (£3??)
• 5 cans of Tesco Everyday Value beans,
• TEV butter,
• Popcorn kernals (cheaper than crisps),
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil,
• 4 pears,
• TEV natural yoghurt ( not individual pots ),
• TEV porridge oats,
• 6 bananas
• 2 packs of Veggie fillets for protein (£3)
• 2 red onions
• 12 TEV eggs (not proud of myself-poor chickens)

I list these simply for the fact I was still shocked it reached just over £16. I have nearly spent all my food money and will be making muffins with the bananas tonight after a cinema trip to see Argo.. they will remain in the freezer, porridge oats will last until I come back for breakfasting into January at work...imagine.. a pot of the stuff at my workplace ready made is 80p.. I bought a 1kg for 75p.... I am a genius.


So GelMC you were wondering if this £40 would work for the month... Its definitely possible. The creating of food and having to purchase from that disgusting Tesco Express last week brought my total up WAY too much but £2.75 of it was cat litter and biscuits for £1.75..


I will be trying again in January...



AND the walk back from the Tesco's last night on the other side of town to the train station, laden with tins, potatoes and rock hard pears was my exercise... today I shall be walking 2.66 miles from the train station that's on my route home.... to the cinema and back again... all to spare the bus fare and get some fresh air. My friend is meeting me at the train station and walking with me...:T:T:T


Right.. I gotta update the sig....


Onwards and Upwards...