August's Almighty Advance

NinjaSavingKat

:T:T:TAugust's Almighty Advance:T:T:T

The Big 153

Can you believe it! There are only 153 days until the last day of December! My DFD (debt free day) is set for the 31/12/13 and as it fast approaches and the eternal glow of my past mistakes are to be extinguished - never to be lit up again!

Only now after the close of month 9 and having nearly paid off £11,000 it is finally dawning that I am over half way through my personal debt challenge and I am desperate not to start 2014 with any debt by hook or by crook.

It's a fear now! There's no want, it's now a MUST! I feel I need to remind you all that my initial reason for starting these challenges so YOU would help me:p.. I won't lie, it's working! However I am accountable now, by my own doing, to uphold my own challenge rules and "not let the side down" so I press on. With so many contenders each month it's now a family that are pushing each other to succeed.

What you need to ask yourself is what you want from your life. Are you happy to be constantly in this position or are you going to make a massive leap and change your lifestyle. I am going to live in Thailand for 4 months next year, I will travel overland to get there for 4 weeks first by train and I will take unpaid leave from my work and give up my rental room. I want to change my life, experience other countries and break free of debt forever. What do you want?

SO August is about the ADVANCE! The charge, the final push, the endeavour to start as we mean to go on DESPITE the past months flaws, over spending and "slip-ups" to make a mark, a pledge and stand for debt freedom.

So read the rules, if you want to join in just give me your name!

Now lets do this!!:T:T:T

The Rules

• This challenge commences on the 1st August at 00:00 and will end on the 31st August at 23:59.
  
• You are expected to aim for 20 SFD's..(Spend Free Days) and no less.
  
• Get a small notebook that will fit in a pocket or bag - keep a track of every spend - planned or not!
  
• You are to set a FOOD budget and stick to it. Plan ahead, use the "envelope system" and separate each week's allowance. Get inventive, find new recipes, down grade items that "taste" won't notice, get used to making your own pizza dough..anything you can think of! Trust me the long NSK Challenge haulers have a lot of ideas.
  
• As hard as it may seem all cafes, restaurants, work canteens and coffee shops are off limits unless you can claim it back through work. Buy a flask, water bottle and refill it from home/work.
  
• Be honest and come clean with 2-3 people who are close to you and trustworthy. Most people in this country are in debt, it's time we start supporting each other, confessing and happily living with being open about our debt busting mission. You are less likely to be tempted into going out when your friends are aware of what you are up to. Perhaps your parents or partner? They might join you!
  
• You MUST bring lunch to work EVERY day. There is NO other way to put this - you will save extortionate amounts of money. That subsidised work canteen is not as good as what you can create yourself. Planning ahead, making lunch the night before proves your commitment. It may get annoying but it is worth it!
  
• You must plan any outings, birthday dinners, meals with family, catch-up meals with friends and "other" outings accordingly and budget before the beginning of the month. Why not cook for friends instead of heading to a cafe/restaurant? Why not ask friends to all bring a course and really make a meal of it! SAVE YOUR MONEY! Plan ahead with good ingredients from your food budget and stay home!
  
• Think about your alcohol intake. Cutting back will be a two fold aiding your health and your pocket. If it's too hard to give up entirely try a soft drink in-between each alcoholic drink but for goodness sake STOP BUYING FOR OTHER PEOPLE! If you had the money to do that in the first place you wouldn't be on this website.
  
• Make a donation to a charity box, drop some tins of food or toilet roll to your local food distribution centre or buy a homeless person a coffee. £3 maximum. What goes around comes around. Let your kids drop the tins in the donation area of the local supermarket. £3 is a lot of tins of Everyday Value beans or other of your choice.
  
• I can't dictate your life but I would like to see everyone refusing unnecessary days out, or meals etc. I can understand your family getting upset if you miss birthdays and such like but this month is about taking stock. Calculating what you could save if you change your life for the short term.
  
• Ladies back to the good old beauty budget buying. Use up everything you have before buying more beauty products. How many tubs of moisturiser does one girl need? Beauty spends to remain under £10 this month for essentials. I know we all have those must have items - but your body wash that goes down the drain and shampoo does not need to go over £1 really. Conditioner you are allowed to spend a little more on..:p
  
• Withdraw £10. Put it aside for a treat on the last day of the month. Or if you want, break it down, but buy what you want from this.

So that's it... are you ready to ADVANCE?? Add your name and your desire for when you are debt free! You will get a number!

***Please add your name on a post only. Comments and budgeting chat will start on the first of the month. Please DO NOT re-post the entire initial thread indicating what you can and can't do - please just leave your name for now to prevent this thread getting to long unnecessarily ***

NinjaSavingKat

Saved for Contenders.

1 - NSK = I want to go travelling when I am debt free.
2 - Everhopeful09 = I want to start saving for a house deposit when I am debt free.
3 - BrizzleDFW
4 - ToothFairyButtKicker = I want a 4-day week for my boys when I am debt free.
5 - Siouxsie32 = I want to live in central London when I am debt free.
6 - Munchin = I want a new kitchen and to travel more when I am debt free.
7 - HappyBeingMe = I want to move my DFD and travel more when I am debt free.
8 - LivingAGoodLife = I want to be a hobbit in Middle Earth with a new house.
9 - ParsnipHead = I want to be self employed.
10 - DeterminedDiva = I want a new bathroom when I am debt free.
11 - Abundant1972 = I want three months wages tucked away and a move to a big city for a new life when I am debt free.
12 - LittleSkintDragon - I want a new conservatory when I am debt free.
13 - LilyAnna = I want to start saving for a house deposit when I am debt free.
14 - MrsToast = I want a new house with a garden when I am debt free.
:T:T:TBaby Due on FRIDAY!!!:T:T:T
15 - GerogieBrown0 = I want the chance to retrain for a new job when I am debt free.
16 - Wanna_Be_in_Credit = I want a big family holiday when I am debt free.
17 - ThriftyLass = I am on a debt prevention mission in order to get married next year!
18 -Shady2307=
19 - KarmachiLoveThing = I want to invest more in myself with retreats and workshops when I am debt free.
20 - Gien = I want my husbands work life to be easier when I am debt free.
21 - Avogirly = I want to get 3 months wages together when I am debt free.
22 - Lovintheblues = I want to take my two girls to New York when I am debt free.
23 - HollieinBloom = I want to save a deposit (house?) when I am debt free.
24 - Lillian1977 = I am on a debt prevention mission and want to save even more to live better.
25 - His_Missus = I am on a debt prevention mission and want to continue with my current focus to remain debt free.
26 - Giggal = I want to see the world when I am debt free.
27 - Ellerose= I want to get married when I am debt free
28 - Jonesy =
29 - NannyG = I want to travel the UK in a campervan when I am debt free.
30 - KerryDFW = I want to save for a house deposit when I'm free.
31 - Loveadove = I want a 30th Birthday in Hawaii and a house deposit when I am debt free.
32 - Maddie57 =
33 - Short_Bird =
34 - RosieCheeksBlossom =
35 - FrugalSod = I want to treat myself to a new computer and an iPad when I am debt free.
36 - Kerfuffle =
37 - Fyggy = I want to have children when I am debt free.
38 - Enchanted21 = I want a luxury holiday in Italy when I am debt free.
39 - Ruth2 = I want to own my life and never use credit again when I am debt free.
40 - Moneymash = I want to save a flat deposit when I am debt free.
41 - DebtFreeBy33 = I want to travel the world when I am debt free.
42 - Andrar = I want to do whatever I want and live the dream when I am debt free.
43 - Leanne77 = I want to buy a craft furnace when I am debt free.
44 - Squinky =
45 - Nanell = I am on a debt prevention mission and want to save for a house deposit.
46 - Dan13l =
47 - Judi24 = I want to see the world with my kids when I am debt free.
48 - Matt2389 = I want to travel and save for a house when I am debt free.
49 - CrazyCatLady1 = I want a holiday when I am debt free.
50 - LittleMissKitty = I want to save for a house deposit when I am debt free.
51 - ScottishSpendholic = I want a 40th birthday trip to NY when I am debt free.
52 - Big_Sved =

Everhopeful09

Everhopeful09 - I want to start saving for a house deposit when debt free!

brizzledfw

Hi Kat

Thanks for setting this up. I am in and determined to do better than July!

My reason to get DF this year.. to experience life without the black cloud of debt..and so that my children can dare to dream without a lack of funds holding them back

Brizzle x

toothfairybuttkicker

Toothfairybuttkicker - I want to drop a day of work to spend with my boys when I am debt free

Siouxsie32

In again I am determined to stick to my self imposed, over ambitious debt free date!

I want to live in Central London when I'm debt free

Munchin

Munchin - I want a new kitchen and to travel more:)

Happybeingme

I'm in again too ~ I want to clear my debts before my set debt free day of 5/2/2019 ~ that is too far in the future! Not really sure what I'll do once I'm debt free though but I'm hoping to travel.

Living_a_good_life

I'm in again - need to keep on the straight and narrow!!

I want to buy Middle Earth Cottage and live a good life there with my family. Getting rid of the debt has given me the option - and we need to stay debt free while doing it!

parsniphead

I want to be in for the first time. I want to be debt free and feel like I can breathe again.

Thanks for the number.

I really want the freedom to be able to work from home again, self employed and to be able to be home with my little one before he starts full time school. I have missed out on so much having to return to work.

Determined_diva

Count me in NSK!

- I want a new bathroom