BlackSavings Diary!

BlackSavings

After burying my head in the sand for a few years and just getting by, paying what I need to etc. I have finally made a concious effort to get my debts paid off.

I currently have a personal loan and two overdrafts totalling at just under £7,000.

I am saving £2.50 a week via standing order into a building society account. I know it sounds like nothing but it's something I can afford every week without feeling as if it is a burden on my weekly budget. I also save anything under 50p in a jar and pop them in my savings as and when I have saved enough.

I live on my own. After sharing this house with two other people to now paying for everything on my own, life has proved to be a little tough. Although since I started living on my own I have not borrowed any money :j

I work full time at a company three miles away.

So I have decided that 2013 will be the year I kick my bum!

Any tips and tricks to get me on my way? Also, any extra money making ideas?

Thank you

BlackSavings

Right, I've signed up to textbroker.co.uk as I do enjoy a bit of writing here there and everywhere.

My goal is to stay positive throughout this whole thing. Forgive me in advance if I break down at any point

snozberry

Hello! I'm gonna subscribe to your diary. One thing that I have learned is to make baby steps. Small changes here and there means that you have a much higher chance of success.

BlackSavings

Aww thank you.

For every bill that I get rid of or manage to lower I am going to add 75% of the bill to my £2.50 savings. The other 25% of it I will add to my weekly budget allowance.

I'm currently looking round the house for things to sell to give me that initial boost.

My official debt starting point is -£6,958.31
My official saving starting point is £31.34

Hopefully over the next few months I will get the debt down dramatically

BlackSavings

Whoop!

I've just cancelled an account costing me £7.99 a month. That's another £1.50 added to my weekly savings and 50p a week added to my weekly budget

Baby steps!

BlackSavings

Even more Whoop!

I've just rung my cable provider and got my bill down by £13 a month!

My weekly savings have gone from £2.50 a week to £6.40 a week! That's an impressive 61% increase in savings

Almost crawling!

BlackSavings

This is addictive!

I forgot to tell my water supplier that two people have since moved out of the house. Getting my bill down from £24 per month to £15 per month

So far today I have saved nearly £30 a month just by ringing my suppliers and updated my details or asking if there is any way to make my bill cheaper. That's nearly £360 a year savings

BlackSavings

This is probably one of the daftest things I have done...but I've put stickers on my debit cards saying 'Don't even think about it!'. Apart from the one I use as my Daily Account card.

I have a nasty habit of, if I fancy something and don't have the money in my pocket, usually only small things like a bar of chocolate or a McDonalds or something, I tend to just use my card and worry about it later. Those accounts are for my other bills so when I have a bill coming up and I'm £5 short for it I end up juggling money around until it looks about right.

Even if I don't look at the card all the time, maybe the person behind me might notice and start giggling...making me think twice. Nobody likes to be laughed at.

welshdreamer71

Good luck lovely looks like your focussed and have a plan, ive subscribed to follow your doings xxx

BlackSavings

Thank you

Although, I just had a rather large cry My washing machine just decided to break on me, but being the person I am, I fixed it. Not without the tears first though!

BlackSavings

I keep thinking 'What time frame should I attempt this in?'

I'm going for two years. NYE 2014/2015 I want to be debt-free.

And hopefully with some savings behind me too.

I can't pay anything off fast, I can't increase my monthly payments. And if I pay say £20 a month on my overdraft, it won't reduce any charges, so if I save the money then pay things off with my savings then I will feel like I can stay more on track.

I think everybody is in the same boat, wanting a new start. It may not be the best start and I know my debt is nowhere near as bad as most people on here but I am determined to bust it!