December Debt Destruction!!!

NinjaSavingKat

Right then.. I had to move computers and can't add to the previous post and see everyone's posts at the same time so I am just starting a new one ..:j

First off - OL ( Ooompa Loompa ) well done on the change of mind. Its about rethinking your strategy and mentality as you approach your debts and yes sometimes this means working harder than expected - but we all applied for those loans didn't we and run up the credit cards..? So we have to put in the extra work to get rid of them. EVERY little bit helps.It may mean £10 less a month goes to interest charges etc.. so no matter how much you are earning on the side it ALL has to go to your loan re-payments. have you set up something that will allow you to transfer the money straight to the loan or perhaps you have a jar somewhere that pennies go in to?

Xspender and to you well done on your goals. You have not much more than me and this year I feel will be our year of wriggling free of this debt. It will be hard, I am running out of good quality clothes but don't even want to go to a charity shop, I like food and eating out, my 30th approaches and my motorbike keeps demanding new items... but you are welcome to this thread and especially January's challenge as it will be the kick-start we all need...

TomandJerry - I am super impressed with this lack of spending at work. I know how you feel though when you get home wrecked and really don't want to have to make anything but the feeling of not spending anything at work it REALLY worth it. Do you use Approved Foods? they do brilliants little packs of nuts / sweeties / and snacky foods REALLY cheap. I might pre-plan another delivery very soon. Do you know how much you have saved?

Brizzled it is amazing how much can be spent. I used to think of spending a £20 here, £10 there and not realizing just how quickly it added up. Not making a budget prior to the beginning of the month and sticking to it is brilliant fun! How much have you put away to the debts? I like figures! I know I can be a little scary but I will hug you straight afterwards as I really truly care about your financial life...( ahhhhhhhh! ):p.. Your focused sense of being is EXACTLY what I was aiming for in order for us to have a super productive start to the NEW YEAR!

Lilt - hows the house looking today then eh? Glad you found a homeless man! I think a wee chat now and then makes a person who has been living on the streets, and can ultimately become invisible to us all seem in touch with the human race. I do often wonder how someone ends up on the street... a project is called for I think. I was always curious what it would be like to live on the streets for a few days... hmm might look into this. And I think if you have nothing to wear the amount you paid for three items isn't too bad? Any of this charity shop clothing?

PurpleJay someone brought mars bar cakes into work yesterday. Basically a very grown up decadent chocolate crispie bun. Slather in melted mars bars, blended with the hottest, sweetest ingredients and cut up into NSK mouth-piece sizes. And my do I have a mouth I went over-board although am eating from a box of celebrations this colleague brought in as well. And I wonder why my trousers are tight?? I feel your pain and am contemplating joining a gym for the new year ( gasp! :eek: )

NewLeafMum - do I suspect your DD has a Christmas Birthday? I hav a girlfriend back home in Ireland about to burst. Apparently baby Josh is due around the first week of the New Year but has shown a two week premature growth spurt and Mum-to-Be is already having contractions.... Christmas Day baby I think. Well done on being so switched on about exercise... does Davina's sunny demeanor put you in a good mood? I'd sooner be screamed at but hey that seems to be the persona I am best exhibiting with you lot...:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

WantToBeSE - I have the same issue. If I don't plan I run amok. I have learnt the hard way. Not with anything that would render me unable to live but even the smaller things now I have to plan plan plan! I like lists, I like research in-case I miss out on a deal and I like carrying my notebook everywhere. Did I mention I like lists.. HOWEVER I appreciate your honesty, we all trip ourselves now and then and its good to talk about the mishaps... So whats the plan now. Too much food? Can anything be returned?.. or is it a case of being super strict from now on?

Kerri - how goes the Amazon plea? Did you get a refund or replacement? Let us know what happened as you are supposed to have more "rights" if you buy something over the tinterweb..Congratulations on your Cheerleading NSD.. love this terminology!!!


Right then.. I am off to have a snoop over some other threads, plan for the weekend, finally post off the last of my Christmas cards and get some much needed rest..

Will be checking back in tonight after the bike has been to the Dr... Fingers crossed for under £100!!

Onwards and Upwards!!!

NinjaSavingKat

Sholly you are right - the need might not exist.:)...I shall see how expensive the bike turns out to be!!

NinjaSavingKat

Shortie wrote: »

Oooorrr, if you need to 'brain dump' (like I often do) write yourself memos / notes etc and post them on the interwebby when you're at you Mum's and have free internet

I must admit my diary comes everywhere with me and is currently being neglected ( okay since last Friday ) so I might just write a little.. scribble ideas for the coming year....:p

Mancman86

If NSK waits till she gets back I suspect we wont have a January challenge...
Just thought I would check in...its been a grim week, the weathers been shocking... ive been practically robbed of all funds.
Looking forward to a trip to my auntie and uncles on sunday to forget about the world for the day- pre christmas knees up cannot wait!
I dont feel like I am getting anywhere fast and the rent is due out in 3 days...unless the bank pull their finger out and as its now friday we all know the banks pretty much go home at 4pm on a friday. However have promised that £1k will be released to my account by the time the rent goes out on monday. Not holding breath though:eek:
On an excercise note not really done alot but gonna hit the gym tonight.
Should get a bonus of sorts next friday when I get paid - this will be used for 2 new tyres for the car as I have MOT on christmas eve this should ensure it passes.

lamarsi

I respect your determinedness.. but think this challenge is far too tough for me so in a Hilary Devey styli I'm out but good luck y'all

brizzledfw

Hi ya Kat

I should do a running total of my PADs..but like to save it all up for a big change on my signature when the monthly statements come through.

So far the daily PADs have varied from £1.08 to £60!!! (just checked into BC and have paid off £174.19 since 5th December! Whoop whoop!! will update my sig I think in breach of my rules:p) I just make sure I do the PADs EVERY day (or more..:o aint I sad??:D) Its certainly very theraputic and makes me focus on the small things so even when its a spend day its as low as I can go. Like toothpaste..have to buy some things!! Even I have my hygiene limits!!:rotfl:

Also.. sign of the times..got £50 in birthday money from my lovely parents today but will throw it all at debt.

Brizzle

WantToBeSE

NinjaSavingKat wrote: »

WantToBeSE - I have the same issue. If I don't plan I run amok. I have learnt the hard way. Not with anything that would render me unable to live but even the smaller things now I have to plan plan plan! I like lists, I like research in-case I miss out on a deal and I like carrying my notebook everywhere. Did I mention I like lists.. HOWEVER I appreciate your honesty, we all trip ourselves now and then and its good to talk about the mishaps... So whats the plan now. Too much food? Can anything be returned?.. or is it a case of being super strict from now on?

Thanks Kat, its going to be a case of being super strict from now on.
I have been out and done my food shopping today, including my Christmas food shop, and all i need to get now is a chicken (we hate turkey in this house, so going to have chicken) from Morrisons on Tuesday.

i have decided to move within 12 months (a year long nightmare with antisocial neighbours, and no sign of stopping), so i am going to focus on that, and hope the thought of it helps me to spend less and save more.

Kerfuffle

Hi everybody,

I had the planned trip into town, and was a little bit spendy, although I did rein myself in a fair bit.

I topped the car up with petrol, bought some fresh food stuff for the week, a couple more Christmas cards (which were Buy 1 get 3 Free), some frozen Christmas food, and some Christmas presents.

The cost of the fresh food stuff was covered by the supermarket gift cards that I had. However it doesn't feel good as that 'money' is now gone

Today is going to be a NSD as we're putting the Christmas tree up, and I'll be doing some more wrapping of gifts.

So the stats are now as follows:-
Food 27.62 / 50.00 (for 2 people)
Petrol 48.66 /105.00 (2 vehicles)
Christmas Food 20.66 / 30.00
Christmas presents 49.77 / 50.00
Unplanned spend 4.00 (Chinese lunch in the food court)
Unplanned spends 6.66 (Dentist)
Unplanned spends 11.13 (cards & envelopes)
Unplanned-planned spend 14.26 (Post Office)
Planned spend 40.00 including Christmas tip (Hairdresser)
NSD 8 / 20
SD 5 / 11

My one moment of weakness was that I ate out :mad:, even though I took my flask of hot chocolate and a toasted bagel with cream cheese, the chinese food stand was just too tempting, so I had a plate of lemon chicken and rice

So looking over the numbers, and today being 'almost' the middle of December I can see there are a couple of areas that need reining in.
Food is standing at 55%
Petrol is standing at 26%
Christmas food is standing at almost 69%
Christmas presents at 99%
The unplanned spends of 36.05 will hopefully be covered by other areas before the end of December.

Plus my NSD v SD are out of sync so I'll have to revisit my posts to see where I've gone wrong with them, it doesn't matter how many times I add 8 + 5 it still equals 13 and today is the 14th :rotfl:

So that's me, warts 'n' all.

Toodles

Edited:
NSD 9 / 20
SD 5 / 11

Okay, so I figured the problem with the NSD v SD, it's because I'm 7 hours behind you guys so sometimes when I'm posting, a post that shows very early in the morning is still your previous day, and with today's post becuase I'm speculating that I'm going to have a NSD the figures actually change twice. Phew, that took a bit of figuring, this is why I stopped doing the NSD challenge as I tie myself up in knots with it

nannygladys

Hi all, didnt post yesterday, got in from work had dinner and promptly fell asleep for a couple of hours, so went and had shower watched a bit of TV and went to bed early, but at least I didnt spend anything:rotfl:

Today has been a spend day, I am babysitting tonight and tomorrow night, so I thought my DGD could help me ice the Xmas cake tomorrow and make some mincepies, so had to buy a few bits and they came to exactly 6.00!!! so not too bad, should be a nsd tomorrow, have got the spending under control again and feel much better for it. Also decided to put any lotto money in the Sally Army tin in CS, every time theres a rollover they have a syndicate for it at work, so instead of wasting my money on that I will donate it instead, also giving them some tins from my cupboards.

Well thats it now, off to do a bit of lurking and put hot water bottle in DGD bed so its nice and warm for her. Wish I had a cat hottie (a real one) my little guinea pig isnt big enough really:rotfl:
Jxx

PurpleJay

Hi Guys

Another spender for me today, sorry.

I bought breakfast this morning - my will power is rubbish at the moment and then when I put fuel in the car I bought a bar of chocolate - can't remember when I last did that!

I did throw a frozen bagel in my bag for lunch at work - I keep cream cheese in the fridge

Having onion bhajis and beans for tea. A bit weird but quite nice.

Oh also had to give son £2.00 for the school disco so thinking about it this was planned as a spend day but I have spent more than I would have liked.

On a more exciting note, I have decided that I want to recommence my studies and attempt to qualify as a solicitor! I am a member of CILEX ie a qualified legal executive and completed my exams for this 3 years ago so can now apply for fellowship. I am still only employed as a legal assistant though (which is less money) until a job comes up.

To qualify as a solicitor I have to do 4 more law subjects by correspondence course and then the LPC (Legal Practice Course) which is a 2 year part time course. The law subjects are £610 each plus exam, books and travel expenses so I have applied for funding at work. If I don't get full funding, I will ask for part funding - the exams maybe... Money is rather tight in local government right now though so they may say no. I certainly won't get approval for the lot right now but am happy to take it one step at a time.

If they say no, I will fund the first one and apply for funding for the second one and so on. My manager is supportive so we will see.

The biggie is the LPC which is very expensive. Wondering if I can start a savings plan now so that when the time comes I can afford it. I could raise money through ebaying and such like and squirrel it away I have joined one of the challenges and intend to try and raise £2000 in 2013. Off to read more on the up your earnings board. My Avon money could go towards this - or might save that for holiday fund...nothing in the budget for that otherwise. Still I am getting organised and feeling positive.

Anyone else studying?