Huge debt, kids, horses, chickens and a dog - oh and full time work :)

DebtFree2012

Thanks for the heads up!
I am going to list something tonight - just to actually get started!

SammyJo1206

Super dog and horse lover here!! I have two beautiful big doggies at home, yes they cost me a fortune, but my life wouldn't be the same without them! Good luck, will keep track x

DebtFree2012

Morning

Where do the weekends go!!! Had a lovely time though.

DD had a great ride on little pony and we took him out for a hack off the lead rein now that we're gaining trust between each other. I put him on for one section through the woods which was quite spooky even for me as a blooming wind storm kicked off. He was totally fine though so I'm very proud of him. He had plenty of big eyed looks but did his job of looking after my DD and took her safely passed all the scary !!!!!s. They had lots of love and cuddles afterwards.

It's so sweet as we've only had him maybe 4/5 months now and at first he wouldn't catch, wasn't interested in us, very bad at napping and very head shy and now he sees us and comes cantering over whinnying his head off and it's lovely. He doesn't try it on with the napping as much and is proving to be worth his weight in gold. I knew it was a risk getting him so all of this makes me one happy owner!

The big girl's coming along well and finishes her 2 weeks indoor on Wed/Thurs depending on when vet can come. We'll then pop her into the small paddock for an hour a day and take the vets advise re the rest. Walking in hand may be an option though we'll have to take her in her bridle and away from the field direction as she isn't pleased about being in for 2 weeks!

Money wise - spent £75 on getting things for the decorating we're doing, it was either this month of next month so may as well get on with it. This is coming out of the OD so not ideal but I knew if I wanted a life and to do normal things then this would happen occasionally.

Grocery shopping came to apx £40 which seems to be the weekly big spend with top up of £15 so I will maybe have to readjust budget. Eating fresh and low fat is more expensive that our old lifestyle.

Back on the weight loss this week too - 8 weeks until the big holiday in which I want to lose a stone.

DebtFree2012

Right thanks to trudij I have signed up to my first (since this new journey began) survey site. I have 30p already It's something I can do on my lunch time and earn a few pennies every week. Min payout is £6 and they pay 1st Tues of the month so I will see what I can achieve.

I also get other surveys but not rushing as I did that last time and gave up on them all!

DebtFree2012

As you can see I've now added a very small and to the point signature. It's such a long time away but a reminder of why I am here. As I've said before, I want a life whilst paying off debts and although I could sacrifice certain points of my life, I choose not to. So currently 2018 it is

I will be working on making extra cash where possible tho.

DebtFree2012

All surveys done - £1.90 earned

DebtFree2012

Morning

What a lovely night I had with DD and pony last night. I had a tear in my eye at how well they are coming on. The days I spent wondering to myself "What have I done!" faded into nothing last night (not to say they won't come back!). It was lovely to watch them working as a team and not against each other. We haven't taken the easy route with this one and I'm so pleased we've had a mini breakthrough these last few rides.

Big girl is doing well and the vet is removing stitches this week so we should be able to start giving her a bit of exercise from the weekend.

I walked Mutley straight after work so saved me doing it last night although tonight he'll have to go when it fits in as today is my long working day I do weird hours to allow me to finish to collect the kids from school

I need to get my head back into work, I've just not been enjoying it recently since we were told redundancies were looming and we're all affected. Kind of zaps your enthusiasm! If I didn't have debts I wouldn't be as bothered as I could afford to go p/t and still have the horses. Another incentive to pay the beast off.

Speaking of which - I have £2.30 in my survey account. If I can make £6 a week from this one then that £312 a year off debt - not to be sniffed at!

DebtFree2012

Rightly or wrongly I have cleared my OD using 0% on my cc as my OD was costing me, all be it very small but I'd prefer it not to cost me a penny in interest.

I will update my figures when I get my statement through in next week or so.

Either way you look at it I owed the money but I prefer to try and be in the black and stay there (even if just in current account!)

DebtFree2012

Today is going soooo slow.

DebtFree2012

Good morning world

OK so today the money's gone into my current account so I am now £250 exacly in the black. I can NOT go back in the red as this just defeats the whole point of doing this.

So I've taken a good look at my figures and had to reduce my savings to £50 a month - they aren't true savings as when expenses like farrier/dentist and so on come round it gets used for this - so a pot for expenses. I have a small xmas come birthday come holiday spends pot which I will keep as is and I've reduced the kids savinigs (for clothes etc) down to £5 or £0 depending on how it goes. I have a pot that covers my car tax and insurance so the bills that I know are coming out are covered.

Now I am in the black I want to reduce my OD to a £50 buffer or something but I will do this slowly when I know I have a handle on everything.

Therefore I have no extra cash to make over payments from my monthly salary. Anything I make from sales/surveys will be extra and will go to paying the debt off.

I am well aware that the choices I made and stand by (having expensive outgoings each month for animals and so on) are making this process alot slower which is why it's a 5 year plan. However the fun and learning we have in the mean time is worth every penny.

So now I need to budget for everything that's coming up and ensure a low spend xmas etc. The key as always is in the planning. DFD hasn't changed which is great. Still 56 to go! 55 come Friday