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A Budgeteers Continued Quest to be Debt Free & Mortgage Free By 40
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Hi All,
Sorry i've not been posting for a bit - i've got a fair bit of head stuff going on and am getting no where fast with it all
I've decided a list may help me focus on some of the things that i need to do and also help with some of the head stuff as i do need to declutter a bit and that always helps me feel better
I also want to spread the tasks i need to do out a bit more - last week i left everything to the last minute and although i felt good that i actually got on and did the things that needed doing i also felt shattered and didn't have any time left for study.
On the money front i've nothing extra due in to help with the massive shortfall this monthI have not cleared the credit card bill in full although i will pay as much of it off as i can - interest incurred will be less than £10 if i don't clear it but its obviously more important that my car is safe to run (big shortfall partly due to this) and also that the mortgage is paid :cool:
I have been spending as little as possible although i bought a small notebook the other day for 99p - i am often scribbling notes down on scraps of paper and then wondering where they are or leaving these scraps of paper out so making a messThis way i can keep it all tidily together in a notepad which isn't too big and heavy to carry round
I am also doing an MS today - first one this tax year i think! I will not make any money and i don't particularly want to go and do it but i want the item that is the purchase requirement so i will just get on with it :cool:
I am half way through 1 course and want to power ahead and get this finished - it is hard work but will be good for me to learn.
Right quick list and i'll try and update more later xCC1:T £[STRIKE]2531[/STRIKE] £1460MORTGAGE OVERPAYMENTS: £10575.20 Target £12,100MF Date: [STRIKE]August 2042[/STRIKE] May 2035Declutter 1000 things by Xmas 2015! 53/10000 -
Dust everywhere
Hoover everywhere
Clean upstairs windows
Clean upstairs window frames
Declutter make-up drawer
Get at least another 10 sections completed on excel
Submit first marked assignment on other course
1 hour gardening
List on bay of e anything as necessary
Reply to complaint i've made
Wash pots
Cook tea
Lift items out of freezer for friday
then satday
then sunday
Keep working on freezer
Sort out holiday
Upload pictures onto comp
Pour a much needed glass of wineCC1:T £[STRIKE]2531[/STRIKE] £1460MORTGAGE OVERPAYMENTS: £10575.20 Target £12,100MF Date: [STRIKE]August 2042[/STRIKE] May 2035Declutter 1000 things by Xmas 2015! 53/10000 -
Hi Dedicated! :wave:
I was getting a bit worried - it's not like you to have much radio silence. I'm glad you've posted again, though.
You seem to be doing pretty well despite a 'treading water' month, so just get to the end of it as quickly/undamaged as possible and start afresh next month. You'll do well then instead, I'm sure.
I'm feeling quite positive about the decluttering as well. I did a FlyLady 15 minutes paper declutter in my living room last night and it worked wonders - I managed to completely get rid of a nasty pile of receipts that had bred in there (I try to keep as little paper as possible but I try to keep receipts to show what I have been spending but it creates clutter and I hate it)! Still, they are gone now. Just my Room of Doom to sort out (seriously, you have no idea how much trouble there is in there for me:eek:)!#
Keep on keeping on and if you get to the end of that To Do list you will be doing BRILLIANTLY!Debt: £11,640.02 paid in full! DFD: 30/06/20
Starter Emergency Fund (#187): £1000/£1000
3 month Emergency Fund (#45): £3300/£33000 -
Urgh! Did the MS - took 3 x longer than normal :eek: and they didn't even have the item i wanted - i was able to purchase something else as per the requirements but i had really wanted that one
I suppose i've got something nice enough that took just time and effort :undecided
Still have the report to write but that will have to wait - going to have an inspiring read on here and then shopping to do xCC1:T £[STRIKE]2531[/STRIKE] £1460MORTGAGE OVERPAYMENTS: £10575.20 Target £12,100MF Date: [STRIKE]August 2042[/STRIKE] May 2035Declutter 1000 things by Xmas 2015! 53/10000 -
I am still all out of sorts so i am going to carry on plodding on doing what i can. This way i'll hopefully achieve something. I am just having a quick break from study and will be back to it in a bit. Next break i need to complete mtyMS report and send that off and i'll pop in here again.
Yesterday i intended to tackle my make up and nail polish drawer. emptied it and that was as far as i've got :eek: There are definitely things that can go as it will either take me years before i get to use them (nail polishes) or make-up where i would only use 1 little part of a full set - these are things that were picked up for pennies at the carboot and are in new sealed condition so may get put in the gift stash or carboot - not sure yet. I have filled a re-useable supermarket bag with all the stuff that was in there :eek: So definitely too much and i was shocked by the weight of it allAs i am feeling a bit overwhelmed and weighed down with stuff a good clear out and re-organisation should be beneficial.
I've gone through my bills and paid a bit more to the credit card. Even if i cleared it this month there is still a big bill next month as i've put things on there to help free up cash (petrol / food shopping) and i've paid for all my uni stuff as well.
Hoping some of the money i am owed - cashback, return of goods, is paid out to me soon.
Forgot to say closed a credit card and have had confirmation thats been done. Thinking if i should close another one :think:
When i went to do the MS yesterday called into a shop and saw a gorgeous necklace reduced to £5 from £35 and would go lovely with a dress i have - but it was £5 and so i didn't buy it it was very pretty though
Also didn't mention that a few weeks ago i bought stuff in advance of my birthday - well its all been returned. Cash i've been told i'm being given will go off overdraft and i've a few bits new with tags that i can say i got with the money
Which reminds me that i am also setting myself a mini-challenge to wear one of my new and unworn items each week and if i don't i'll need to list one of them on the bay of e :cool:
Right, back to the books!CC1:T £[STRIKE]2531[/STRIKE] £1460MORTGAGE OVERPAYMENTS: £10575.20 Target £12,100MF Date: [STRIKE]August 2042[/STRIKE] May 2035Declutter 1000 things by Xmas 2015! 53/10000 -
Well i have done 1.5 hours study on 1 subject so far - just another 30minutes and i am being strict with myself and not going to look at this one again today :cool: 2 hours is the recommended amount with regular breaks too - i'll have done a bit over the 2 hours due to getting to the end of the page before stopping etc. but its near enough to 2 hours and as i'm feeling a bit flat it is good enough too - although when i get my oomph! back i'll be wondering why i wasted my time and didn't just get on with it
I was going to put off doing the hour in the garden and roll it over to 2 hours next week but have changed my mind againand an hour it will be - as so much needs doing it looks hugely different after spending this time so should be quite productive even if its hard going :cool:
I've done the MS report *phew* good to get it out of the way.
Not started on the make-up yet but have had breakfast and got me a cuppa :coffee:
Last week i enjoyed using things we had in already - the cleaning products i have in but never use - gosh that makes me sound bad - we have cleaning products that we use on a regular basis but then other things that were bought a long time ago and just sit in the cleaning cupboard taking up space - will be goos to use these regularly and get them whittles down - i refuse to throw them out or sell them on as they'd only fetch pennies at the carboot. I also used storecupboard and freezer contents for teas and lunches which went down well and again i was pleased we are using stuff we haveFor the first time this week the shopping was less than it had been for some time - this is due to a continued focus on clearing the freezer contents and food storage cupboards down to a level where we know what we have in and can fit all tins and jars into the cupboards too - at the moment my worktops have tins and jars on them making it untidy and more time consuming to clean
I see many weeks ahead of using things up and maybe eating 1 or 2 odd combinations of things
Right - will sort out 2 make-up bags then the last 30minutes on this topic for todayCC1:T £[STRIKE]2531[/STRIKE] £1460MORTGAGE OVERPAYMENTS: £10575.20 Target £12,100MF Date: [STRIKE]August 2042[/STRIKE] May 2035Declutter 1000 things by Xmas 2015! 53/10000 -
so a few make-up bits cleared out - these are new and sealed and picked up cheaply from the carboot - i'll either gift them or carboot them myself
Now that i've sorted the make-up i'll need to use it! I have a basic routine that i follow each day for work or going out but i need to add other bits into my work make-up to make the most of them and use them up too - they won't need replacing and are nice to have but will be even nicer used! The only make-up i'll need to buy for a long time is foundation.
I have 1 further make-up bag to sort out and then that drawer is all done :T
I've spent 2 hours on this section of study and that is it for that course for today. This will be good for me - i can push myself too much and try and keep going when i either need to stop or do something different
Checked i am hoping to get some cashback next week - it is only showing as tracked though :undecided If it comes through i can clear my credit card bill in full for this month. Of course i had intended to use cashback for the overdraft but needs must.
I meant to say also that i was not as focused on the food shop as i could have been as i bought a few bits we are going to need in the coming weeks - herbs and such like but that was because i was at a hop i only get to a handful of times a year and for the amount i spent on 3 jars of herbs i would not have had enough to buy 1 jar at the supermarket - so i guess not a complete fail then x
Right last make-up bag and then 30 minutes on other course - can you see a theme developing ? :cool:CC1:T £[STRIKE]2531[/STRIKE] £1460MORTGAGE OVERPAYMENTS: £10575.20 Target £12,100MF Date: [STRIKE]August 2042[/STRIKE] May 2035Declutter 1000 things by Xmas 2015! 53/10000 -
Well i have cleared so much stuff out of the 1 small drawer that i have enough room to pop a little toiletries bag in it that had nowhere to go and was either on the landing or bedroom floor
There is still alot of make-up in the drawer but as its all stuff i use in the colours i use then it would be silly just to throw it out or sell it for less and need to buy it again at a higher price later. So i am happy with where this drawer is at now :T
Overall 1 hour spent on excel - will have a quick read on here then a further 30 mins and after final 30mins i can get out in the garden - or may flip those round to clear my head a bit of formulaeCC1:T £[STRIKE]2531[/STRIKE] £1460MORTGAGE OVERPAYMENTS: £10575.20 Target £12,100MF Date: [STRIKE]August 2042[/STRIKE] May 2035Declutter 1000 things by Xmas 2015! 53/10000 -
Morning all,
I have decided on a few bits in my make-up drawer that can go since going through it the other day - i got a large set of stuff for a £1 and am keeping 7 of the items so no money wasted there and i know my niece will love it all - i'll lift that out in a mo. and count up the total to add to my decluttered tally.
Logically i should declutter the final drawer in the set next but i really don't think there's anything in there to go so i may not do it just yet - more motivating to go through something and actually part with something so may jump onto the bag drawer next - so i want to do:-
bag drawer, bottom drawer, 2 x vanity cases (surplus bathroom stuff - like toothpaste in here), 3 x hat boxes, 1 x basket
We will see...
I've done 30mins study and am going to get ready for a small walk - approx 3 miles - going out is probably a good thing as i hadn't worn a new with tags item as per my recent challenge to myself so i can do that today :T The thing is i have picked up new clothes at various times and from varied places and then i end up saving them for best and rarely wear themor think they're too good to wear and also i am guilty of getting stuck in a clothing rut and just wearing what i'm familiar / comfortable with
Hopefully the knock-on effect will be:- wearing 'new' stuff will make me feel better about myself - i don't mean to sound shallow but hope people understand what i mean about it being nice to put something new / different on and this helping to boost confidence
If i wear stuff and really like it i might be encouraged to part with older stuff and on the flip side if i don't 'love' the new items i can possibly sell them to re-coup the money
I want to finish a module each on 2 separate courses today, clean the upstairs windows and frames, cook a casserole ready for tomorrow and a simple but enjoyable tea for today. Get my work bag ready for tomorrow. Sort out letter to post and parcel. Hopefully thats everything
Also been screened out of a survey today too xCC1:T £[STRIKE]2531[/STRIKE] £1460MORTGAGE OVERPAYMENTS: £10575.20 Target £12,100MF Date: [STRIKE]August 2042[/STRIKE] May 2035Declutter 1000 things by Xmas 2015! 53/10000 -
Achieved a couple of things since i last posted
Wore a new top - bought last year :eek: and forgotten about in the sense that when i was thinking through what new item to wear it didn't pop into my head but there it was in the wardrobe - tags were snipped off and it was duly worn :T Good thing with this is when its 'downgraded' it will be ok for work too
Cleared out 20 more items from make-up drawer so got a weighty carrier bag of stuff ready to leave the house forever :T
Bought 2 items that were a need and not a want - saving nearly £10 on the similar item i'd seen elsewhere and mt Mr kindly paid the £2 for me
Done another 30mins study which saw me completing 1 module and ready to start the next after a little breakCC1:T £[STRIKE]2531[/STRIKE] £1460MORTGAGE OVERPAYMENTS: £10575.20 Target £12,100MF Date: [STRIKE]August 2042[/STRIKE] May 2035Declutter 1000 things by Xmas 2015! 53/10000
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