"I know what will make you smile tonight..."

FOXGLOVE_2

Not much to report today, on earlies this week so just working then coming home.

A bit fed up this week. Might update if something good happens.

Eyebright

Hi Foxglove,

I'm the same as you, always making big plans, starting them and never getting to the finish line. Had a bit of a wobble this weekend, but I've made it back here today. Not quite raring to go, but I'm sure a quick catch up of diaries will soon help to motivate me.
Were they tinned hotdogs from the other day? They are so bad, yet so good! My diet is all over the place atm, so I'm just trying to keep up with the gym and pedometer, to try and do damage limitation. I'm a very emotional eater, and greedy! It's a bad combo

Keep up the good work, we can totally do this!

FOXGLOVE_2

Eyebright wrote: »

Hi Foxglove,

I'm the same as you, always making big plans, starting them and never getting to the finish line. Had a bit of a wobble this weekend, but I've made it back here today. Not quite raring to go, but I'm sure a quick catch up of diaries will soon help to motivate me.
Were they tinned hotdogs from the other day? They are so bad, yet so good! My diet is all over the place atm, so I'm just trying to keep up with the gym and pedometer, to try and do damage limitation. I'm a very emotional eater, and greedy! It's a bad combo

Keep up the good work, we can totally do this!

I plan either today or possibly tomorrow to do a budget and take note of everything I'm spending. I hope I can keep it up.

The hotdogs were in a jar, and in my defence they were not my idea! Having grilled chicken and cous cous tonight so that will make up for it. I tend to be an emotional eater too, picking at things when I'm bored etc. My job means I never get lunch at the same time and it's often on-the-go so that usually means I have one of those Boots Shapers meals (all under 500 cals), but obviously means spending money when I should just make my own lunch. There's a thread here along those lines so I am gonna have a read and start doing that.

Payday on Friday so I will sit down and have a proper look at what I'm spending. Was gonna do an SOA but I'd say most things I pay out at cut back as much as I can. Awkward since the rent, bills etc are all halved with OH and I make sure I get the best deal on most of them so I can't see that I can cancel things as she will kick up a fuss. I might do the SOA anyway just to show myself what 'spare' cash I have each month and maybe commit to putting a percentage to debt.

Day off tomorrow. Got messed about a bit this week with work. I always just say yes to whatever days they want me to swap. I'm not really career driven but in the future I am aiming for promotion to another role which would see my income increase by about £10k. Plenty of time to think about that though, gotta make what I have now work for me.

I know I will eventually be debt free and then I can start making plans.

FOXGLOVE_2

Day off. Motivation high today.

Yesterday I spent some time bargain hunting for cheap holiday flights etc, got an email from hotel chain with a 40% off deal not advertised and realised it was for February not June. Discussed with other half the option of having a holiday earlier and was about to break out the credit card and book :eek:

Luckily we paused and thought about the timescale of raising the money to pay it off and save for spending money and realised it was a bad idea, I am so glad. So instead we are going to have a few days away on the cheap using my free rail pass.

This discussion moved on to a long chat about what we want from this year and beyond. I don't know if I want to aim for a debt-free date or not but OH reckons I can do it by December!!! No pressure there, then lol

So today I source a spreadsheet and get started on that in preparation for Payday on Friday. I get my payslip emailed to me in advance so always know how much will hit the bank before it comes.

Diet not going too well right now, we are using up stuff in the freezer which includes home made pies, homemade lasagne etc so still in that winter comfort food phase.

Keeping an eye on eBay and might dig out a pile of stuff to photograph and list later. Really pleased with my £2 tin - £48 so far so I am excited to think how much will be in there at the end of the year! Revisited textbroker but nothing for me at the moment. Will aim to get up to the £50 cashout on DooYoo reviews within a month. Just to finish something for once!

Ohhh I can feel a song coming on...

Typical me!

FOXGLOVE_2

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 0
Number of cars owned.................... 0

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1090
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 1090

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 150
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 75
Electricity............................. 35
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 0
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 22
TV Licence.............................. 12.12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 20
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 140
Clothing................................ 20
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 25
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 40
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 30
Holiday................................. 30
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 599.12


Assets
Cash.................................... 1400
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 0
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 1400

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
CC.............................3160......0.........0
OD.............................2190......0.........0
CC - current...................750.......0.........29
Total unsecured debts..........6100......0.........-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,090
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 599.12
Available for debt repayments........... 490.88
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 0
Amount left after debt repayments....... 490.88

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 1,400
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -6,100
Net Assets.............................. -4,700

Created using the SOA calculator at https://www.stoozing.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using Firefox browser.

FOXGLOVE_2

Not really sure what to put in the SOA for how much my payment is to the CC, it changes each month, I pay the minimum then chuck more at it.

FOXGLOVE_2

Long day today, finished over an hour later than I should have, much disruption so glad to be home.

Broke the £50 mark in my £2 savers tin. Although I'm pretty sure I lost a £5 note at work, fell out my pocket or something

Payday tomorrow, have £140 left in the bank. Well, when I say that, I'm £140 from my overdraft limit (£250). Funny how I still think of that as my money! I still want to keep my overdraft there but hoping to remain in credit over the next few months. I only ever pay like 30p interest in overdraft usage but I suppose if I can avoid it then I'm doing well.

Feel like chucking £100 at the credit card as I want my balance to be as close to zero for when I book the holiday so that it will be paid off using cash from my account instead of sitting there getting bigger.

Just the fact that I have money left before payday is a relief to me. It means I have options and not every penny is accounted for. I have tried to be good but I know if I really focus then I can reduce my spending even more and who knows, maybe before next payday I will have even more left.

Diet... well... not really happening for me, I will be honest.

Today was such a waste of a day, lots of disruption and didn't get my lunch when I was supposed to so lots of snacking. Then I came home and OH's friend popped round for dinner which was spaghetti bolognese and garlic bread. Washed down with a pear cider

I have a horrible shift tomorrow morning and then working all weekend so I'm sure once I get my days off I will be smiling again.

Oh and it's just suddenly hit me... I know what this leftover money will be used for: dentist on Thursday. The bill is £180, I paid £50 already so I should settle it once they're done with me. Root canal treatment in molar and wisdom tooth. I have a bad dentist phobia and hadn't been for years until before Christmas when I was in so much pain I had to.

Luckily I have some dental cover included with my work so I will be reimbursed for the first £120 spent so it's only costing £60. Still, I can think of better things to do with it instead of sat in a dentists chair shaking like a leaf.

I checked my ebay and something I hoped would sell still has no bids on it. I'm not holding out much hope but will relist it in time. I also joined up to swagbucks, not totally sure how it works, it seems to be in dollars so I think I've maybe joined an American version of it or something. I will keep an eye on it and see how it goes.

No word from HMRC on the uniform tax rebate thing, came home today to a brown envelope hoping it was from them but ironically it was some 'pre-selected credit card application' thing. Straight in the bin!

Gonna settle down and watch Celeb Bake Off and try not to think about eating dirty great big cakes!

Eyebright

Hi Foxglove,

Sorry I haven't popped in sooner, I've been crazy busy all this week. You are doing really well, I still haven't done this bloody tax rebate letter, that will deffo be my goal for this weekend.

Well done on planning on sorting a budget, I really do think they help. I did one, but now I just need to work on accounting for all my miscellaneous, daily spends. I have receipts kicking around, but not done much with them! Also need to update my GC amount in my signature!

FOXGLOVE_2

Eyebright wrote: »

Well done on planning on sorting a budget, I really do think they help. I did one, but now I just need to work on accounting for all my miscellaneous, daily spends. I have receipts kicking around, but not done much with them! Also need to update my GC amount in my signature!

Yeah I think I might start tracking daily spends, it might shock me into spending less on stuff I don't need or give me motivation to look at cheaper alternatives.

So, yesterday was payday :j Wasn't all fun and games, though

OH had a really sore neck night before and didn't sleep much, was up and down taking pain relief and in the process, keeping me awake. Had an early start and had to be up at 4.30am so I must have gotten 3 hours sleep. OH had mentioned that she was going to do some work in her studio so when I finished work I went for a wander. The HSBC here has a coin pay-in machine so I will be visiting that when my tins get full. I did buy myself something and I felt a but guilty but I figured that I managed to not spend £140 from last month so one thing. It was a record and cost £11. The point is that I considered it beforehand, whether I want it and if the price is frivolous. Normally I'd have bought a record, maybe another ones, a few books etc without giving it a thought.

What normally happens on payday is I transfer 'my half' into OHs account. We basically add rent, council tax, phone bill (inc broadband, tv) and electricity, and half the total. All these are paid out from her 2nd current account by DD. This month and next there's no council tax to pay so I saved money there. I then look into my account and see what I've got left to last til next payday.

Came home and had a blazing row with OH over almost nothing. So annoyed and tired, I went to bed for a few hours. Decided to tackle any plans today while I have the time and peace to do so. Working 3pm-11pm so at least I have a few hours now to get the ball rolling.

Managed to do an online grocery order with Waitrose last night. Never shopped there before as their stores are often in posh areas that I never live in lol They had an offer on for new customers, it also meant I get £10.50 quidco cashback and their prices aren't that bad, I always go for offers etc so it keeps the overall price down. Each new customer order in January gets a free bottle of bubbly! It would be rude not to lol

Not arriving until Tuesday so we are using up stuff in the freezer and might use some clubcard points for a Pizza Express meal on Monday night. They do a range of pizzas that are less than 500 calories and they are really yummy so I can totally justify it!

Other than that, the diet is so not happening. I don't want to blame my job but it does make it really difficult to eat and source decent healthy low cost lunches other than making my own. Maybe that's the answer! Need a kick in the right direction. I have loads of time before work today so I will have lunch at home and make a sandwich to snack on later this evening.

So, what now? £100 to the CC seems a good place to start!

Eyebright

Hope you are ok Foxglove, I hate arguments, and go to great extremes (probably unhealthy lengths) to avoid them. Hope you manage to catch up on your sleep, I'm a nightmare if I'm tired! Like a little kid lol...

Nice one putting £100 towards the credit card, and well done on considering your purchases before you buy them. That's definitely a step in the right direction, and your next step should definitely be to have a think about making lunches to take to work. They are cheaper and depending what you make healthier for you. Even if you just start doing it a few days a week and build up to it. I bought lunch 3 days last week, due to being tired in the evenings and not bothering to make lunch and as a result £10 has gone down the drain and I'm 1lb heavier:eek: though there were other bad food choices that contributed to that!

Have a lovely weekend, you are doing great!