Third Time Determined!

karmachilovething

I've been rather neglecting my own thread from trying to catch up with everybody elses! But it's just as good for the steps to debt free (if not better) to read other people's stories and strategies as write my own.

Flatmate has paid me the rent, and although I will be charged for the bounced payments (only between my own accounts, so not affecting my credit score or anything) I haven't been notified of any other charges so hopefully that will be it.

Other DFW things I've done in the past 6 days:
5 NSD
Refilled the liquid hand soap with some left over bubble bath I was never going to use (left by old flatmate). Not a big fan of the smell, but it doesn't linger so it will do fine for now
Discovered that fish sauce is a decent substitute for whole anchovies in pasta sauce etc. Not as good mind you but will do just fine for now.

I also had a spend free weekend with the BF. It was good, although it will take a bit of getting used to. I think he found it quite strange, but liked being cooked for. It's also nice because it's moving the relationship from dating each other to being together, so I'm quite looking forward to it.

Haven't got around to cooking together yet. I think I need to work on that ecause I tend towards a bit of a control freak in the kitchen :rotfl: easier to do it myself than explain how I want it done!

karmachilovething

DFW things for today - a NSD yesterday and hoping for another today.

Then I've just got off the phone from B4rclaycard. I called them to talk about lowering their APR rate on my biggest debt. I have tow cards with them, one which I got as a student (where it all started *sigh*) which is empty, and then the big debt one which started life as an 3gg balance transfer card. Then B4rclaycard bought 3gg and so I had two. Anyway B4rclaycard have all these great deals on balance transfers, and keep sending me letters for the empty card (with pretty poor offers actually, 6months or so) so I thought it's worth an ask to see what they'll give me.

And they've dropped the APR from 17.9% to 9.9% on the current balance only, fixed for two years. Which if I stick to my DFD will be just fine. :T

Thing is, it all seemed a bit easy- they just gave it to me. I'm wondering if I've missed something and it's actually going to cost more in the long run . . . maybe I'm just being cautious. Maybe I'm getting a health mistrust of credit card companies :rotfl:

karmachilovething

I had a low day today. I don't know why, maybe the excitement of the first bit of debt busting has worn off. Today I wanted to spend, not crazy go out and buy loads of stuff, but "I want a take away" "I want breakfast at my favorite cafe" "I want to go to the supermarket to buy something nice"

The key thing is all of those are "I want." I know I don't need these things. And further I managed to say no to myself every time, and have a NSD.

So why don't I feel good about it?

*sigh* tomorrow is another day.
Goodnight diary.

karmachilovething

Big changes afoot Diary: I will be moving out of my house in a month or so! End of February we'll be out!

This will be very good for debt-busting, because I'm going to go back to Mum and Dad's for a while. They will charge me a contribution towards the household, and I will have extra petrol costs and most of my stuff will be in storage, but I think it will still be cheaper by £200+ (a consevative estimate on my part, could be as good as £800)

Also because I won't be running a house on my own (flatmate is kind of useless!) I'll have a lot more time for money making and job applications.

My hope is I will find a new job, and that will define when I leave M&Ds, but there is also a possibility of moving in with a friend in the summer, which will be cheaper than my current situation.

So now I will be stalking freecycle looking for packing boxes! Urgh, not looking forward to the packing!

karmachilovething

!!Warning: this post is full of unattractive wallowing and self pity!!

Oh Diary, what is wrong with me?! Why can't I tame my desire to spend?!

All my work shoes are looking really tatty. I probably need new ones. Genuinely need. So I started looking, wandering around the sales. I found some nice ones, good quality, on sale. I was off on the self justification . . . I need them . . . I won't find them this cheap anywhere else . . . I haven't bought anything this month . . . oh hang on that last one is not true - I went to the sales just before new year . . .

I can't go without buying clothes/shoes for 3WEEKS even!! So I ask again - What is wrong with me??!

Nothing really. I'm just breaking habits ingrained over years and years. It's going to take a while. Breaking habits takes a little time.

But I don't want to buy shoes. I want to get out of debt. So I'm going to re-vamp my existing shoes. Shoe dye will be my savior :rotfl: maybe

StressedSteph

Hi Karmachi

Sorry haven't posted for a while. I moved Broadband supplier from BT to Tesco and they decided to leave me without internet for 5 days :mad:.

All back and running now and catching up with everyones diaries.

Boy have you been busy :T.

Great news about moving back with parents, that will save you loads of money (as long as you don't go out alot to get out of their way ).

Don't beat yourself up for wanting things, we all do, its just learning to "make do and mend" or in the very least make sure you pay with cash and be sure you are getting a good deal.

I am trying my best to not add anything to the budget. Very hard though .

Keep going hun, you are doing so well.

Will check back to see how you are feeling tomorrow xxx

elantan

Do you have a treat budget ? If not I think your goin to need one, it doesn't have to be big but when you feel these urges to spend money you have money there to do it, it will also make you think about what you are going to spend it on, say you give yourself £50 a month and the shoes come to £40 you then need to decide if your are going to get the shoes and maybe a Chinese and bottle of wine or if your going to go for lunch with a friend or to the pictures etc ... This way you will appreciate more what you are using your money for ... As well as having those treats

karmachilovething

Hello Steph and elantan, thanks for dropping by! This works better for me if I think somebody might be reading it :rotfl: but I've been trying to check in with myself reguarly too because it's to remind myself.

StressedSteph wrote: »

Boy have you been busy :T.

Great news about moving back with parents, that will save you loads of money (as long as you don't go out alot to get out of their way ).

Don't beat yourself up for wanting things, we all do, its just learning to "make do and mend" or in the very least make sure you pay with cash and be sure you are getting a good deal.

Thanks for the support Steph. I have done a lot, and I am feeling much better about it today. Good days and bad days I guess.

I have been lurking round your board so I know about being broadbandless. It's amazing how dependent we've become on it, right?! And I imagine being in a rural location it's even more important.

Well, I'm about to find out! M&D live in a little village. I grew up there so I know what I'm letting myself in for. Hopefully it won't be too restrictive, I have the gym to go to if I need a break, and a limited number of friends who I see in the week. Might increase visits to London though. You're right, I will need to keep an eye on things

elantan wrote: »

Do you have a treat budget ?

I do have a treat budget, which is mostly for socialising. It doesn't have space for shoes this month (!) but it's a good point that it's something I could choose to spend money on.

I did a little test of dying a pair I already have so they look a bit more spruced. It looks reasonable and I think they'll look better. I am going to give it a go tonight, I figure they can't look worse, and I'm not wearing them at the moment anyway because they look terible so nothing much to loose.

karmachilovething

I've written some lists to help me start getting my mind around this house move: Things for storage; things to keep with me; things the throw out/recycle/donate; things to sell.

It was good to get it out of my head, and also I now have some idea what I need to do, and if there's anything I can do way in advance (see things to sell/get rid of) which would help the general move.

Also thinking a bit of a wardrobe clear out would be good. I did one back at the beginning of the summer, and it's one of those weird things: the less you have the easier it is to get dressed. I'm feeling like I need another one, and it'll mean less stuff to pack.

Can you tell I'm dreading the packing . . . ?!

Still half an eye on freegle looking for packing boxes too . . .

karmachilovething

So I'm in work today, as when it was leaving the house there wasn't a lot on the ground and it wasn't snowing very hard.

It's still not snowing very hard, but it has been doing so for about 4 hours now, and there's a good couple of inches on the ground.

I'm not too worried about getting home - worst comes to it, I will leave the car here over the weekend, don my site boots and walk the 2 miles home.

But I did think it's quite a good metaphor for debt-busting. Or anything that require small but constant effort to achieve something.

Because lets be honest, most of the time debt busting isn't about doing anything. Doing things feels important and the activity makes you feel achievement. And a lot of the time, actual achievement doesn't work like that.

So in that spirit, today is a NSD, featuring a packed lunch of leftover chilli (in fact chilli was made from leftover BBQ pull pork, so double thrifty) but little else to report.

Be the snow.