ShoeAddict's Debt Free Diary

atypicalblonde

Just wanted to pop in and say hi Shoeaddict - you are doing really really well, and I'm glad the advice helped re. the overdraft. Keep us updated hun x

moneymaker2

Hiya Shoeaddict, Just wanted to pop on and say that you are doing really well.

I look forward to keeping up to date with you dfw journey.

Laura

beanielou

You are doing well!
Stay foccussed! Thats the hardest part!

blackangeluk

Hi there Shoeaddict

You are doing really well - if you want to try and reduce your debt sooner have you got anything you could ebay/car boot etc to raise some extra funds? I am amazed the amount of stuff I have found to sell and make extra money.

Good luck!:T

Midnight_Sky_2

Hi Shoeaddict,

Well done you! It feels great paying a chunk off your debt, doesn't it. You're doing really well!

Keep posting to let us know how you're getting on!

Midnight x

shoeaddict

hi guys! thanks for all your support - it's what's keeping me going!

blackangeluk - I am a voracious ebayer, but (and don't shout at me for this) everything I have earnt over the past 18 months has gone into a seperate account to pay for a holiday! Yes, there's a little voice that says I should be paying off my debts, but I wanted to treat me and my OH (who guided me to my LBM and has been wonderfully supportive of my DFW lifestyle) to a well-earned break. I haven't had a proper holiday in about 7 years (working hard etc etc) so I'm really looking forward to it.

Upshot is that Ebaying has paid for 2 weeks in New York in October! Accomodation, flights and spending money! I've never been on a holiday which has been paid for before (it usually goes on the cc) so I am very excited!

shoeaddict

Hi guys! :j

Well, I keep having these little moments where I realise that I really really have had my LBM, and that I really really have changed my attitude to money.

Yesterday, I went into WHSmiths to buy a card, and didn't even look at the magazines. Unheard of.

I then decided to treat myself to a frappe latte thingamyjig cos I've been doing so well with my budget this week. So, got the drink and sat down with my work colleague who said 'What are you doing'. I'd got my spending diary out and was writing down exactly what I'd spent straight away! :rotfl: She thought it was a great idea though!

And last night my OH and I went out to a works thing, which finished about 8.30 and we were starving. In the olden days we would have gone out to eat but instead we went home and had yummy pasta from the cupboard. So what if it was 10pm by the time we were eating - it was delicious and already paid for in the shopping budget (another new thing!)

I also have a credit note for a gift shop near me - I bought yet another bag pre LBM but didn't like it and took it back - and I'm reluctant to spend it on 'just anything'. Before I would have bought another bag or something, but now I'm going to use it to buy some Christmas presents (it's valid until next March!) :A

It's things like this that make me realise I've changed so much, and also the fact that I want to get straight on here and tell you guys about it! The support on here is phenomenal, whatever level of debt you're in, and I've also found other fantastic threads like Feebies and Money Saving Old Style (another huge change - I'm going to make my own bread! Te Hee)

So, sorry for another long post, but I feel really good about all this at the moment. Being a DFW, and finally being in control of money, feels absolutely fantastic. Thank you. :beer:

art_student

Hi shoeaddict! Great to hear how well you are doing! Don't feel guilty about the holiday - everyone needs a break. You shoul feel proud of yourself that you made the money for it from e-bay and it's not going on the credit card! Sounds like you will be debt free in no time!

shoeaddict

Thanks art-student... I figure it should take me around 10 months to pay it off but I will try my darndest to do it in the quickest time possible!

angelavdavis

Sounds like you are doing brilliantly. Well Done :T

If you were anything like me on the spending front, I bet you have toiletries in the cupboards that you have bought to try out and then bought something else.

On the Old Style forum they regularly talk about storecupboard challenges - mainly meaning food, but actually, you can also do this for toiletries or makeup - use up stuff before buying new. I found that i had loads of partly used tubes of toothpaste, bottles of shampoo/conditioner/shower gel/moisturiser, makeup, etc. Obviously if its really old and manky just bin it - but in my case, most of it was bought bogof and I just put it in a box under the bed and forgot about it without using it!

If it was a bogof that you don't wish to use - ebay it!