Here and there and back again

GetOutandOn

I'm a very long time lurker and have decided I need to get off this treadmill once and for all. My moneys a mess and so is my life in general really .

I'm late thirties, single, have a very precarious income and need to move house. My debts stands at £4033.12 but with my income as dodgy as it is I need to get it cleared as soon as possible. I also need new glasses, dental work and my car needs work, I probably need an extra grand to cover that and a grand to cover moving costs etc. So £6033.12 all in all :eek:.

It's a lot more scary all written down.

Well here goes may as well start immediately.

Nymphadora

Good luck, I am sure being a long term lurker you will have picked up some good tips.

Sorry to hear your life is a bit of a mess, hopefully if you can sort the money mess other areas of your life will get better.

I have a diary and I am finding it helps keep me focused and is a place for me to get my thoughts down.

Do you have a plan of action yet?

GetOutandOn

Thanks Nymphadora! I decided I needed a diary for focus, I need it on paper (albeit virtual) rather than swishing around my head and dribbling out my ears.

I'm feeling rather overwhelmed at the moment, I've survived on luck and guts so far and whilst the outside world things I'm together and sorted I really think I'm rather rubbish at being a real grown up! I live in constant fear of being caught out.

I'm trying to get a more 'sorted' plan together, at the moment it consists of selling lots of things I don't need and not spending any money! Hopefully a few days under my belt at that will help me get the rest into focus.

GetOutandOn

Its a bit late now (and I'm in bed and not moving) so I have devised my plan for day 1 of acting (sort of) like a proper grown up :A.

Do the washing up and give the kitchen a quick tidy (yes I've become a slattern in recent months, my mother would be horrified).
Remove all rubbish from the car.
NSD apart from petrol and 20p for checking the tyre pressures.
Eat out of the fridge and cupboards.
Get 15 things from my ebay pile actually on ebay rather than gathering dust in a box that I keep stubbing my toe on.
Start organising my craft pile, a half hour session is achievable.
Post off my professional membership renewal before they fine me.
Clear off and reformat my faulty laptop ready to send back.

Real challenge will be dragging my lazy bum from bed tomorrow. Sleeping is the only thing I don't need encouragement to do at present, but at least it stops me spending .

beanielou

Happy shiney new diary
Keep posting!

Nymphadora

Hope day 1 of acting as a proper grown up is going well.

When I find the house a tip and have no energy to do it, I set a timer for 5 minutes and promise myself a rest when the 5 minutes is up. It is surprising how much you can do in 5 minutes, especially in the kitchen.

GetOutandOn

I think its definitely a case of fake it if you make it!

Getting there slowly, ended up dragging myself out of bed as I was offered some work this morning didn't want to turn down extra cash so dashed out. Only had fruit to eat so was starving and was desperate for McDonalds (and I don't even like MacD's, I always feel disappointed and a bit ill after I've eaten it). But I had a toffee crisp to keep me going and then dashed home at lunch for a cous cous pot.

I'm not long in and relaxing with a cup of tea. I'm going to clean that kitchen and make spaghetti puttanesca for tea as I've tomatoes, anchovies and capers in the fridge that need using. Then I'm going to get my membership sorted and sort out my faulty laptop.

I've made a grown up decision regarding the laptop, I only really use it for surfing now I've finished studying as I work on my desktop at home. The company are refunding me as I bought it from an outlet and they have none left. Originally I was going to put the refund towards an Ipad Mini. I've decided to make do with my desktop and clunky old laptop for longer whilst I get my finances straight. I'm also going to finally get going on swagbucks and can use them towards a nice Ipad Mini when I get my finances into shape. That's very grown up of me :A.

laura_hoggle

Good luck on your journey! That's a very wise decision about the iPad mini. I went hardcore on Swagbucks and other survey sites last year, and just about managed to buy my other halfs Kindle Fire for his Christmas present. Think I was getting about £5 a week! I was also on a couple of other survey sites saving vouchers towards a wedding cake from M&S, but we ended up winning one so spent most of the vouchers on other wedding stuff.

Do you use any cashback websites at all? I know the main aim is to save and not spend, but it is possible to get money back on the things you'd normally buy (when we moved we had to get new home insurance, a sofa, and various other bits!) and with other stuff I've bought I've managed to get about £70 back in the past year. That would be a good chunk towards the iPad, by doing what you'd normally do!

GetOutandOn

Thanks Laura and congratulations on the wedding! I do use Top Cash Back and years ago I was religious, like many things it has slipped by the wayside. I will get back on it and start doing free offers etc. Every bit helps and all that.

Just a quick one as I'm shattered after working all day then gutting the bathroom. But I want to make sure I post every day to keep on track, will have a lot more time as contract has ended .

Great news of the day is I slashed £858.53 off the debt :beer:! Wish I could say it is because I am financial whizz but in reality it's cos I have rubbish admin and for some reason was using an old statement for one of my debts .

So my real lightbulb total is £3174.59 current debt plus £2000 that will very quickly become debt if I don't knuckle down. So £5174.59 to smash.

Of course there is also <whispers> student loans, but I've just decided that doesn't really count after all its not real money is it :whistle: , I don't need to start paying it back until next year and I don't want to think about it until then :cool:.

please-let-me-be-lucky

Well done for everything you have achieved so far :T

It is free listing on eb@y this Saturday and Sunday, so if you haven't done so already, get those 15 things on!! Xx

GetOutandOn

Thanks PLMBL! Thanks for the tip on the free listing weekend, I have some pricier things I want to shift so I will get them on this weekend and avoid fees.

I'm feeling very guilty now, I opened the blinds in the living room fully to let the light stream in earlier. A poor bird has just headbutted the window full on, it went slow mo and slid down the window before plopping on the grass. The poor thing is rather dazed and confused, its walking around and I hope its not injured too badly I've given him a small dish of water and put down a feed ball and hope he's well enough to go off soon. I feel awful as for some reason birds can't see that window and only that window and blinds were the only thing that stopped the carnage.