A Budgeteers Continued Quest to be Debt Free & Mortgage Free By 40

brizzledfw

It is hard to keep on finding the enthusiasm to list. I have some items which I may re-gift as Xmas presents...think I will save more that say rather than trying to get rid of on Bay of E..but will have a gander and sift through the bags of clutter..

Food is our big weakness. We are trying hard. Am sure it's making a difference to the totals!?! Should be! No SM shop in weeks..apart from a couple of bits like butter. Veggie box fruit and meat arriving today though..and 10kg of potatoes so we'll not starve!

DedicatedDFW

Hi All!

PB - sadly still struggling with uni work and something i need to put right this weekend so will post monday hopefully as to how i get on. How is the new pad?

Brizzle - i agree it is hard to find the enthusiasm to keep listing stuff. I find it very hard too as i've decluttered so much that there is nothing i can easily decide to list although this week i have decided again to part with a couple of things i'd prefer to keep oh well - needs must and i'm much prefering this easier to live in home. I coincidentally went through my xmas stash last week and sorted out what was for whom and decided to list a couple of bits as well as i pretty much have bought enough for people :cool:

Today i've caught up on a vast amount of paperwork tidying :eek: 3 bags of paperwork rubbish later :eek: But it feels good that all this 'rubbish' is now gone I've also sorted out the landing :T I've re-organised a shelf in a cupboard too resulting in 3 large items for the carboot (too big for the bay of e really considering postage). I've gone through my bag storage but nothing to part with there. I've also cleared the hallway. And i've done the usual tidying away of washing etc.

I've also sorted out packaging and responded to numerous questions from the same potential buyer :eek:

I'm hoping to achieve quite a bit more this week too - i need to sort out toiletries, my bottom drawer and the couple of scarves i've not yet moved. Then look around and decide which area to target for clearing next :think:

3 pay days to xmas now and not much spare for debt clearing - if anything at all really :eek: So need to really sit down and work that out - what else to sell? really there is no extra money available elsewhere - there is no overtime at work, i am applying for lots of job (with higher pay) but not getting anywhere fast.

The bay of e sales have helped this month with the utility bill and the car tax and repair which i had needed to borrow money for so no spare really to throw at the debt.

Hope everyone is enjoying a nice weekend

DedicatedDFW

A bit of a getting things out of my head and onto paper (as it were) type post.

I am in an odd mood :undecided i am hoping not to have any unexpected spends between now and payday. If i don't then i will have paid a chunk off the debt - a big chunk and the several hundred i have left to pay off? I have just - by the skin of my teeth - that amount in savings. Although i will not be transfering this back into my account so the remaining debt still stands and i don't see myself as being debt free until it is officially paid off. At daft o'clock this morning i was thinking of all the ways i could try and pull some money together to get this paid off - again provided there are no unexpected bills. There is a few hundred pound shortfall. I have written all the 'small' things down from the £5 i hope to save from shopping money to the £15 i hope to save in interest by being much less overdrawn all month... There is a ways to go and it is as tight as anything - it all depends on no unexpected bills, of course all frivolous spends are out of the window. I have a couple of significant birthday events coming up and will try and limit the spends as far as possible but i know one will be a meal out where the bill will just be split evenly although i always have much less than everyone else

i always felt i'd feel better and more relaxed when the debt was gone but my wages have reduced so much that it is not as though i will have anything 'spare' as such - i need a better paid job So the priority will be getting some savings in place as well as prioratising essential house jobs. This is part of the reason i won't use the savings now as i need to have a good buffer - i think the recommendation is 6months and i'm not sure if its salary or outgoings :think:

I also thought i'd feel better as i have never told my mr about my debt but i now realise that although the pressure of the debt will be removed that does not mean we will share anything financially so this means there will be no discussion / sharing goals/ conversations / planning on finances on what to do, how to get there etc. This will not change. It is part of the reason i am so grateful for the support of everyone on here It is so hard to think about money things and make a decision and have no-one to discuss it with and i am so grateful for all the help and support from everyone on here xx

DedicatedDFW

I had a very disturbed nights sleep so am not feeling great today.

The washing is on though. Pots were all up to date yesterday and the journey downstairs is so much nicer with the hall and landing being clear :T

Yesterday i also sorted out the shelves in the bathroom - so many pots of things to use - they are used albeit a bit at a time and i will not just throw them away as this would be a complete waste. Still though it is a reminder to use the 'treat' type body products :cool:

Today i've sorted out 2 food shelves. Had brekkie and annoyingly spent over 2 hours trying to get the computer to work :mad:

Yesterday i selected another couple of bits for the bay of e so about 5 things ready for the next flw

I also sorted out 1 toiletries bag and now have 2 to do.

I have, as stated, written a long list of 'bits of money' that could reduce the debt until the end of the year, i am still a few hundred short and it is on my mind.

I hope to achieve alot more today - i *need* to do uni work but also need my mind to settle as i cannot concentrate as i'm thinking about money etc.

kissjenn

Hi DFW,

Fully empathise on the no sleep situation. My body's gone haywire

The savings you mentioned, some say 3 of salary and some say 6 months of outgoings. At the end of the day it's what you're comfortable with and what you current employers would pay.

I did have a cheeky thought for the meal. Why not have a big filling starter along with the others and then just a nibble of your main and get them to wrap it to go. That way you at least get what you're paying for?

KJ xx

PositiveBalance

Hi Dedicated!

DedicatedDFW wrote: »

PB - sadly still struggling with uni work and something i need to put right this weekend so will post monday hopefully as to how i get on. How is the new pad?

Unfortunately, it's not. There was a problem with the deeds to the house that meant I had to pull out. Then to top it off, I went into work the day after I had to pull out, and was sacked!

Not the best few weeks of my life, I think.

Still, I need to keep positive, like my name. Mentally balanced is a whole other ball game, though! :rotfl:

DedicatedDFW wrote: »

The bay of e sales have helped this month with the utility bill and the car tax and repair which i had needed to borrow money for so no spare really to throw at the debt.

To be fair, I think you've done brilliantly to even make up the shortfall you had to make up, never mind finding anything extra. Well done, you! :T

DedicatedDFW wrote: »

I am in an odd mood :undecided i am hoping not to have any unexpected spends between now and payday. If i don't then i will have paid a chunk off the debt - a big chunk and the several hundred i have left to pay off? I have just - by the skin of my teeth - that amount in savings. Although i will not be transfering this back into my account so the remaining debt still stands and i don't see myself as being debt free until it is officially paid off. At daft o'clock this morning i was thinking of all the ways i could try and pull some money together to get this paid off - again provided there are no unexpected bills. There is a few hundred pound shortfall. I have written all the 'small' things down from the £5 i hope to save from shopping money to the £15 i hope to save in interest by being much less overdrawn all month... There is a ways to go and it is as tight as anything - it all depends on no unexpected bills, of course all frivolous spends are out of the window. I have a couple of significant birthday events coming up and will try and limit the spends as far as possible but i know one will be a meal out where the bill will just be split evenly although i always have much less than everyone else

If you can get to payday without any added spends/expenses etc. I would be seriously tempted to pay the debt off. That said, it depends on whether or not you are likely to be made unemployed (see my case above) and whether or not, if the worst happened, if Mr. Dedicated would be willing/able to cover the bills until you got a new job.


The reasons I think this are as follows:

1. You have been doing this too long to fall into ruinous spending once you have paid it all off (I think - don't you dare prove me wrong! :rotfl:), but you have also been in debt for so long that I think the psychological boost of having it finally done and dusted will inspire you to getting as large a nest egg behind you in the shortest time possible afterwards.
2. You would be entering a new year debt-free, which I think would also give you a psychological boost.
3. The worry would finally be gone. You would be more efficient at the hundreds of other things you manage to pack into your day as you would have more mental energy.
4. Once the debt is gone you can properly start to look at essential house maintenance jobs etc. and the other things you are thinking of (savings etc.)
5. You could spend the plotting time/mental energy on focusing on getting that better paid job to help the rest of your financial plans on.

However, whatever happens this absolutely HAS to be your decision 100% and I can very much understand your desire to have a buffer in place before you empty your coffers.

DedicatedDFW wrote: »

I also thought i'd feel better as i have never told my mr about my debt but i now realise that although the pressure of the debt will be removed that does not mean we will share anything financially so this means there will be no discussion / sharing goals/ conversations / planning on finances on what to do, how to get there etc. This will not change. It is part of the reason i am so grateful for the support of everyone on here It is so hard to think about money things and make a decision and have no-one to discuss it with and i am so grateful for all the help and support from everyone on here xx

This makes me so very sad. You have worked so very hard in all aspects of your life, especially debt-busting. Is there no way that you could approach Mr. Dedicated and try to formulate some mutual financial plans for the future? Even about putting 50:50 in for the house repairs?

PositiveBalance

kissjenn wrote: »

I did have a cheeky thought for the meal. Why not have a big filling starter along with the others and then just a nibble of your main and get them to wrap it to go. That way you at least get what you're paying for?

Amen to that, KissJen! If you do that, you will pay a fraction more for your meal, but most of the extra will be subsidised by the others so you will actually get the same proportion out of the meal that the others do for once. If you can afford the few pounds difference, I would go for it! Same for drinks, if you can afford it.

I know you would prefer not to do this, but it's a situation that's mostly out of your control so if you can afford to, you might as well stop them taking the piddle and enjoy it at the same time!

brizzledfw

DDFW

I am so sorry to hear that you can't share your troubles. I didn't, for a very long while, and it's such a relief now it's shared, particularly as they were run up jointly and for family things.

I do understand though. But do what is best for you emotionally. I do think you have a tendency to be very hard on yourself and if work is struggling to pay the bills then dont hold back - use the savings. As PB says I think you will always try and be frugal so thats a lesson hard learnt and that learning won't ever leave you I am sure.

If I had a way out right now I think I would use it..but a DFD of the end of this year or early next is looking good right now and the bit of 'hair shirt' behaviour is teaching me lots of good things! I am not sure I would have changed anything over the last 4.5 months since the LBM came again and stayed on ..:D

DedicatedDFW

kissjenn wrote: »

Hi DFW,

Fully empathise on the no sleep situation. My body's gone haywire

The savings you mentioned, some say 3 of salary and some say 6 months of outgoings. At the end of the day it's what you're comfortable with and what you current employers would pay.

I did have a cheeky thought for the meal. Why not have a big filling starter along with the others and then just a nibble of your main and get them to wrap it to go. That way you at least get what you're paying for?

KJ xx

Hi kissjenn :wave: and thanks for stopping by Sorry to hear about the lack of sleep x

Thank you for the info about savings i was thinking £6000 but will aim for £12000 instead although it will take a heck of a time to get there - Very rough worked out figures are based on outgoings - which are higher than my income every single month :eek: I have my outgoings written out so i know exactly what needs moving where and when by However - this is only for regular monthly outgoings and would be over £9000 for 6 months :eek: The rounding it up to £12000 is that there is no car tax / mot / repairs budgetted into that. I also only pay gas and electric when i get the bill. And i'm trying to account for the things that i don't pay for but my mr does in our financial split of bills - so that if i ended up needing to pay council tax for example, which he currently pays then i will know that i can :cool: Still that is a heck of alot of money :eek: No plans as yet as to how to get there either :think:

Thanks for the meal idea - but i always take home whatever i've not eaten as its pretty much meal sized - no idea why i am the round shape i am right now then :rotfl: The big problem i guess is less the meal but rather the drinks ordered during this. We have been out before and people in the group drink ALOT more than me and their choice of drink is also at least double mine eg i'll have a half lager to their pint / vodka and mixer etc.. On a couple of occasions some of the group have ordered bottles of wine - at restaurant prices that ain't cheap. Every single person from this group earns way more than me too but they all just want to split the bill evenly.

As its a special occasion i will need to just keep quiet on this occasion but next time will really need to say something

DedicatedDFW

Hi PB ((hugs)) sorry to hear about the house and work too - PM me if you need to xx

And thank you for all your lovely supportive and encouraging words

Re paying off the debt - I know what you mean about the psychological boost and start to the new year etc, I guess i will only really decide nearer the time though as i have no financial back-up / support. Having been made redundant previously (this is where the debt came from as i still had to pay the mortgage with barely £200 income from part-time work) so sadly no, my Mr wouldn't foot the bills should this happen So i do know just how important the buffer is as you say xx

Sadly PB any attempt to talk financials with my Mr results in an eyes glazed over look and he just switched off totally. He is lovely but is not interested in any conversation about this - we have been together a while and the money thing / goals won't change. Probably best not broached either in our current climate of arguments

Thank you again for your support Bah! to the silly people at work not realising what a gem they are losing in letting you go. Things will work out for you PB - you are positive and as i said PM me if you want to chat to someone not from 'real life' x