Debt Free by THIRTY!!

debtfreeby30:S

Nothing exciting to report yet again, I haven't spent any money today either so hopefully I'm on my way to my NSD target. Need to get my spending diary out and update it properly, I've been a bit lapse with it while we were off work. Dreading totting up my spends for June to be honest!!

debtfreeby30:S

Went out for a couple of drinks last night and I've been lazing around doing nothing today. Having a takeaway for tea (got a cheap offer don't worry!) it's BF's treat so I've had an NSD, going to see my friend tomorrow but we're just having lunch at hers so no need to spend money then either. Picked up a last minute overtime shift tomorrow night, not done an evening shift in a long time but it's the only free shift going and I'm liking the bit extra in my pay packet the extra shifts are bringing. It's not much but it all helps.

debtfreeby30:S

Eugh sat in the office looking through blurry tired eyes!! So not used to working evening shifts anymore plus having to be back in work this morning after getting home just after 1am isn't fun at all :eek: My choice to take the OT though, perhaps I'll think twice before accepting anything but day time shifts next time!!

Had a couple of NSDs over the weekend, on 11 so far this month which isn't as many as I've had in the past couple of months but I did make an allowance for the fact we were off work for the first two weeks.

In other news I have sold the tickets to the festival I mentioned a while back, got face value for them so only lost out on a few quid in booking fees - BF pulled the money strings and said we shouldn't go as last year he spent loads of money while we were there. He made a very good point and I couldn't really counter it so bye bye tickets. Means there some extra pennies going to the BC as I have already paid off the balance of the tickets in my monthly spends. Happy days for debt slaying!! :j

No regular exercise started as of yet but as my friend pointed out yesterday I've been complaining about being chubby for ages and it's only me who can do anything about it!! I fear I'll be dead on my feet by home time tonight but I'm going to start calorie counting and drinking lots of water while sat at my desk. Every little helps.

debtfreeby30:S

Just converted my weight from kilograms to stone after getting chance to weigh myself over the weekend. Coming in at nearly 2 stone over my ideal weight...feel a lot gross. I know many other people will say I have no right to feel bad because that's not necessarily that much but weight is one of those personal things. First things first, I need to get some scales so I can monitor my progress - I shall aim to lose 12 pounds to get me down to a stone above my ideal weight and then we'll have a rethink. Got to do it now otherwise I'll never lose it.

debtfreeby30:S

Been for a bike ride today and had a nice quorn chilli with a small jacket potato and some salad. Really need to get this weight loss into gear! Had to get some loo roll and tissues (still sneezing all over the show!) on the way home from work so not an NSD but no big spends.

debtfreeby30:S

Just got back from a bike ride, shorter than yesterday but I went up a bigger hill and my little legs were feeling it after being at work since 7am this morning A little exercise is better than no exercise. Quorn chilli leftovers for tea tonight.

It's been an NSD, need to look at my spending diary and work out how many I've managed this month. Logged on to my BC account today and noticed my card description has gone from a Gold card to a Platinum - they seem to chop and change at BC all the time! My Graduate CC changed to a Gold CC sometime last year and now they've changed it again, they seem to do increase the credit card limits on a regular basis too - I went from £2.4K to £4.8K at the beginning of this year. I guess they like me as a customer and want to make me feel important! The majority of the balance is at 6.9% LOB with the remaining on 0% until next year - I BT'd all my holiday spends plus monthly spends this month to make the most of the offer and help me pay down the interest attracting part as quickly as possible. Although I'm aiming to clear £3K this year I should take stock and look at how quickly I can pay off the whole balance. My current DFD is October 2014 and I want to cut this right down!! Game on!!

I found £100 on the floor in the doorway of the bank today, no one was around to see me pick it up but I did the right thing and handed it in at the desk - hopefully the owner goes back and gets it. A part of me for a fleeting moment wanted to keep it but karma comes around so hopefully I'm due a lucky break for something somewhere along the line soon!!

Hope everyone is well if anyone is reading and hasn't been bored senseless with my moaning rambles!!

debtfreeby30:S

Monthly spending review time.. again!!

Now before I work this all out I'm going to hold my hands up and say I know it's been a bad month - being off for the first two weeks of June has definitely meant we've been a bit more lenient with getting treats in for picnics plus hotel and things to do when we went to Edinburgh. At least we had nice weather for it!! Here we go...

Holiday expenses £283.50
Clothes £78.48
Drinks out £9.60
Cards £2.50
Toiletries £54.33
Groceries & Household £161.72

Ok so, Holiday expenses include hotel and entry fees etc while we were in Edinburgh. Not too bad as BF gave me some money towards the hotel and some of the activities and I had £200 saved toward the costs too.

Clothes is a naughty spend but with the hot weather I realised I had very limited summer clothes so spent a little on some shoes, shorts and tops. Could have been a lot worse.

Toiletries has quietly crept up - I have spent quite a lot on hayfever remedies as I've been really struggling this month. I've stocked up on some bits and pieces too so I shouldn't be spending half as much next month (we'll see!)

Groceries and Household are a little over what I've been managing for most of this year - I'm blaming this on being at home for half the month!! I must come much closer to £120 throughout July though!!

All in all it is not all bad as I had some money put aside for the holiday costs and BF gave me some toward the hotel too. I have BT'd the majority of this month's credit card spends plus last month's £317 to my BC as it was offering 0% until next April. Means I can use the money to pay off the interest attracting part of my BC. That was my cunning plan anyway!! Holiday times over, onto major money saving for the next couple of months!!

debtfreeby30:S

I've been thinking through my DF targets and have decided I would like to have everything clear by August 2014 at the very latest. This means carrying on overpaying as much as I can for the foreseeable future to rid myself of the BC, As soon as it's gone I can pay down the NW CC and when my loan ends I shall throw all the £200 monthly payment toward it aswell so it should disappear right on time for August. In my head anyway. My snowball app does not have any unscheduled overpayments and it says I will be DF by October 2014 - only 2 months to shave off it. EASY!!

Once everything is paid off I then want to save like crazy for a house deposit, therefore my new aim will be to be DEBT FREE AND A HOMEOWNER by the time I'm THIRTY!!! :eek: Just over 3 years. Tight but do-able if I'm ruthless!

debtfreeby30:S

Hello Saturday! Almost managed to sleep in. Not got much planned this weekend, may go somewhere for lunch as BF's treat and watch a bit of tennis. The weather has gone a bit dull which is typical when it's been blazing sunshine all week while I've been at work!!

Turns out my BC upgrade to Platinum is because they're doing away with the Gold card altogether - ah well feeling like I was doing something right was nice for a couple of days! I did get a letter from NW yesterday saying they would like to increase my CC limit to £2650 - and increase of £450 which hardly seems worth it tbh! Unlike BC you have to call up and opt into the change which I shan't be doing.

My fixed payment of £180 goes out to the BC on Monday so got to wait until then to update my signature - then it's the long stretch until payday where nothing really changes Boring!!

debtfreeby30:S

Sat on the sofa having just polished off a massive tea and pudding :eek: I have decided in my ultimate wisdom that Saturdays are now "treat" days and all other days I have to be really good. Got myself some cheap bathroom scales - I think when I was weighed last week the scales were a little out, I'm about 1.3 stone heavier than I'd like to be rather than 2 stone. I hope so anyway. Perhaps I should try one of those weighing machines at Boots or something.

Spent a little today on the treat tea I've just wolfed down - it was on dine in for a tenner so enjoying a glass of wine whilst watching tennis. Got the scales (£4 cheap ones, they'll give me a good indication if/when I start losing weight) and then I needed some mascara so went drugstore brand, bought 1 with 1 half price. Finding myself looking at lots of clothes websites thinking of things I want but know I can't afford anything so being good and not spending anything (for now)

Can't believe how fast this year is disappearing, I'll be knocking on 30's door before I know it and fingers crossed I have the keys to my own house by then!!!!!