Justifiably Unanimous Lockdown Yomp!!!

NinjaSavingKat

GOOD MORNING!!!


I am sat in bed with Mog, a green smoothie and a FREE day with no real commitments! This month has been hard as well - I can see how you have all struggled but I was a little blind as to what was to hit me this month so it felt like it all went out the window. I still have to pay for the "wee bus" from Belfast Airport into the Town itself (£6) and amuse myself for a few hours while Daddy gets himself up to Belfast to pick me up.. if he can't it's a £22 coach trip and two hours to get home...

SO I am packing today... with a rucksack for easy transition as I hate dragging a suitcase around with me. And it's good training for my epic travel adventures I have been thinking about which will spur me on to debt bust until the end of the year......

OOOOh Murder She Wrote is just starting... love it. That's me settled for a few hours! Lol!

So AUGUST will be up today! Still have to write it yet though so don't get too excited!..

Abundant I am going to do the juicing diet in August for 7 days! My friend started it yesterday and she has only ever done it for 5 days so this will be the big challenge for her. I am going to have to plan it pretty well though as I will need 6 juices a day instead of 5 as my day is so long... £45 for 7 days. Should be okay I think...and you are the only one I have heard of who actually know what aramanth grain is....:T..

When it comes to buying things I think about what the mean in the grand scheme of things - not hitting my DFD. The sense of possible failure and how I would feel if I have to start the year with ANY debt has me putting something back or not looking in the first place. I have given up a massive holiday with friends to Serbia, I have given up on going to Vintage Festivals... or going out at all. I find it easier to stay away from shops though and haven't bought any clothes for over a year... it's a mind set. All my friends know about this.. I have bigger goals in life now that owning more "stuff"..

Buffy are you getting any money back from the CC PPI thingy..?

LAGL - I promise not to lick anyone else.:rotfl: But you may join the club of "food budget busters" as mine is gone through the roof! Groan! WE shall pull things back together in August...hopefully!

NannyG.. I see what you mean about eating everything in the cupboards. I think I will change this a little. I would rather have stock in to feed people if they were regulars like DGD... but I was avoiding all people visiting so it was easy to do... however I can't ignore what you all have to deal with so I shall think of something else...Glad you are checking out the receipts though. I became slack on my "epic supermarket wanderings" in order to get the best deals around so I shall be returning to that in August for sure!!!

Right off for some planning. I have ideas for a title and am getting excited about getting rid of July!!!

Onwards and Upwards!!!

abundant1972

Hi Kat,

That's really helpful to understand what your mindset is... I know you are determined and ruthless ha ha :rotfl: but where we differ I think is that you have 'gone public' and owned your debt...

I've always 'been ashamed' at having debt (even though I suspect most people have some) and so only ever told a few people close to me. What I should - *am* - going to do is come out the closet <again!> lol. Instead of feeling ashamed of having debt - I'm going to try and feel proud that I am doing something positive about clearing it.

If people know I have debts and am trying really hard to clear them... giving me a hard time for pressuring me into going out for meals etc is just going to look bad on them. Genius!!! Not that I want to make anyone look or feel bad - but - at the same time - it's about having respect for my journey and the choices I want to make. Fantastico!!!

Thanks Kat :T

I can feel a journal entry coming on!!!

Good luck with the juicing!!! My mate is feeling good... had a blinder of a headache the first evening... made a *dreadful* juice from cabbage yesterday lol but is battling on! I am supporting him by only drinking juices with him when I go round <and taking my own veg/fruit> and sending him motivational texts on a regular basis!!! Am proud of him!!!

Right. Back to revision - deep joy!!! May check in later to see what you've all been up to!!!

NinjaSavingKat

Abundant you need to write on that diary of yours and keep us updated! I know it's hard to keep on top of two but it's good to get your mind in order through printed black and white.

With friends I really think you need to be subtle. They will forget from one month to the next! Just say to them you "can't go out" or "just gotta pay something off" until one of them sits you down and actually truly asks what is going on!

A change certainly needs to happen as you and I can't go on the way we are with our food intake! :rotfl: But you are right - the more you speak about it the more your friends might confess and tell you that they are struggling to. Be a leader and stick to your guns otherwise you will be in the same position next year!

And that is something we truly don't want now do we!

Happybeingme

Hellooooooooooo

Food shop done and came in at the grand total of £41.61. Don't think I'll need anything else so that should be me sorted till the August challenge

abundant1972

Sound advice indeed!!!

Am back on the debt-slaying wagon, and ready to wage all-out-war on my creditors... I think I need that single-minded warrior determination back...

I will take a stand at work and with friends - be polite but resolute.

The food cupboards are going down and am using up all those things that have been lurking in there for the last few months... That feels good.

Today = SFD number 13

Siouxsie32

abundant1972 wrote: »

Am aware it's still July and so I'm trying not to break into my wages just yet.

How do people resist going out and buying stuff...? Kat - what's your mindset when you really knuckle down? What keeps you from spending?

I call this the danger zone! Got money in the bank, got no money in the purse I used to find this really hard, until about 4 months ago when I had long hours at work over the last few days of the month and, with no time or energy to spend, somehow I made it to the first of the next month without dipping into the new money. Since then, because I start on the first (and therefore still have my full monthly budget on the first) it's much much easier to stretch the money until the last day of the month. I hope that makes sense? Is there any way you could set aside a little for August's danger zone to help you through?

In terms of general spending, I just think I'd rather be debt free than have stuff! It sounds simple but I think it every time I consider buying something. Someone on a diet told me once that they'd rather be thin than eat chocolate and it's the same thing with my money. Setting a spending budget (and withdrawing the cash, keeping it in a separate purse - when it's gone it's gone) also helps. I really pace myself and plan all my catch ups with friends carefully. One final thing that helps me is imagining the amount of interest on my credit cards and imagining that one day that money will be mine. I saw a cute pair of boots in the sale recently for £50 but that's half my monthly budget (and of course, I'd rather be debt free than own the boots ) so I obviously didn't buy them. The very next day I had a conversation with one of my credit card companies about an error the made and the guy refunded me £51, which is one week's interest - really :eek: When I''m debt free I could go out and buy a new pair of boots every single week - stuff like that keeps me focused. As do all you lovely yompers!

My danger zone begins in precisely 2 minutes when my bank updates itself and my wages should be there

Off to hit refresh for a minute and a half before I start my monthly money shuffle....

kika

I like the idea of this , am I too early to join in august?

NinjaSavingKat

Morning Chickadees!!

Standing in line like a good NSK with my rucksack stuffed to the brim and me extra pink backpack only half full waiting to be stuffed with snowy joeys and treacle farls for the return journey!

Missed out on posting August last night through wanting to he tone thing or the other sorted so whilst awaiting pick up today I'm gonna do it on my phone! So there may not be pretty colours until I can get home and chame it but I want people to have adequate planning times!

My budget will get the once over before commitments but I can't stray in August! Siouxsie I like your ideas- I'd rather have experiences than stuff and saving for travel is just that. Don't worry Abundant it will click very soon..

LLL dropped me off! How amazing is she! Looking forward to a potter around Belfast! Siouxsie do u ever go there..? Do u know Sawyers Delicatessen? With its seriously epic cheese range... Don't worry I'm only going to look and sniff!..:-)

I'm gonna immerse myself in the travel book section in Waterstones..promise I won't buy any extortionate treats!!!

Over and out! Updates SOOOON!!

Munchin

Hi all

I managed another SFD on Sat but not so good yesterday. I went to Sainsbugs with OH and £15.48 was spent so easily:o

Groceries: £142.88/£100:o
Misc: £43.80/£40
SFD: 12/20

I have just made my final payment to my credit card but I'm not declaring that I'm debt free until all the balances are sitting at zero. I was so excited this morning to make these payments and was up super early - sad I know:D. I need to batten down the hatches in August as all my money has just gone on my debts.

abundant1972

Morning

Thanks Siouxsie... I like the notion of a danger zone. All I do at the moment is, for example - in August, my last week (£30 food allowance) goes from 17/08 - 26/08 when I next get paid... so I started the month from 27/07...

Hmmmm... :huh: Ok. I could just try and put aside a few £ each week so that my 4th week allowance is then larger to compensate for the extra few days... Or just work my allowance out per day rather than per month... Will have a think on it.

The extra purse/wallet idea is good. How do you manage it? Do you just put what you need in for that day (e.g. if it's a Spend Day you can put spending money in? Maybe just the week's food allowance?)... Am thinking of leaving everything at home except maybe a £10 of my spending money. When a planned Spend Day comes around, then I add to it my points cards, cash for groceries etc, taking them out again when the shop is done. Too OCD?!?! Lol:rotfl:

Off to work now. Catch you all later