My debt busting diary!

ScattySkewbald

Had a mini lightbulb moment yesterday - the following quote came to mind when I was juggling the budget to accommodate the car payments:
"If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always got"

Sums my issues with money, weight and house work up completely! So it's time for a change in approach me thinks!

Realisations hit me that our so called emergency fund gets swallowed by things that aren't really emergencies - car tax, mot, insurance premiums, routine vets visits, birthdays, Christmas etc happen at the same time every year but still cause us panic. So I sat down and worked out annual spends for insurance, car costs, routine vet visits, horses and birthdays and worked out how much per month we'd need to cover these. I have now allocated a bank account to each (need to open another 1) and as of next pay day will be paying a chunk into each. I know you're probably think I'm pretty daft not to realise this before, but I've been plodding on with my usual budget for so long I guess my judgements been clouded. Yes it'll take a bit longer in theory to clear the credit card but at least everything will be taken care of. Roll on next pay day so I can put this into practice!

My latest swag voucher landed yesterday - this has been used for a friends birthday pressie - another one ticked off the list.

Didn't have chance to fly yesterday as with one thing and another we didn't sit down to eat till nearly 9, so will be doing double tonight to play catch up. Dawnybabes did you set your timer????

Weigh in tonight - won't be good as I didn't go last week and have well and truly taken my eye off the ball with it. Intend to draw a line and start a fresh. Need to get back out running, race for life is fast approaching and I've not run in 6 months. Kick up the bum time!!!!

mfmaybe

I don't think you are daft to only have just come to that realisation, the title of my diary suggests I may be similar :rotfl:. Especially with horses because there seem to be so many odd bills like the farrier not being monthly or the bulk hay orders or whatever it is.

The point is, you know it now! :T

ScattySkewbald

I've set up the additional accounts needed for my new improved budget - just need to wait until next pay day to get started :j I think it'll take a little while to get my head round but hopefully in the long run it'll all work out better.

Weigh in last night was 1.5lb on. Once again I got away lightly (lol :rotfl:) as the way I've been eating it should have been a lot more.

Time for refocus on all fronts, need to get exercising again and stop wasting money......

dawnybabes

Erm ... Erm .. Erm ... That'd be a no .....

ScattySkewbald

dawnybabes wrote: »

Erm ... Erm .. Erm ... That'd be a no .....

Lol! Must admit I've had a couple of roll over days! Although that said we had friends over in the week and it was great just to be able to chuck the Hoover around rather than going into full panic mode!

Hoping for a low spend weekend. Need to get some fresh salad etc for packed lunches but other than that the cupboards and freezers are well stocked.

I've had nearly £150 tracked in TCB - won't be payable for months but it's a nice bonus.

Weekend jobs.......
1. Make use of the eBay free listing day
2. Laundry
3. Clean car
4. Swag - nearly got enough for another £5 gc

ScattySkewbald

Good morning!
Been another busy weekend - don't feel like my feet have touched the ground.

Managed to list 6 items on eBay last night - some of them have watchers, so fingers crossed for a couple of sales.

My wages have gone in this morning and for once I'm pleasantly surprised. My tax codes just changed and I'm about £50 a month better off than I'd initially calculated :j. Will plug this into my budget later and hopefully be able to chuck this extra at the credit card.

Chores all got done, altho the swagging was slow and not managed to hit target all weekend.

Got another bargain birthday pressie ordered over the weekend so that's another crossed off the list.

Jobs for this week.....
1. Order shavings for the ponies (I order in bulk and save over £2 a bale - big initial outlay but worth it in the long run - may have to dip into od tho :mad: )
2. Clean barn ready for above delivery
3. Fly!
4. Try and get my ever increasing backside down the gym at least once.
5. Meal plan
6. Arrange collection of old car

ScattySkewbald

Fairly productive day on the whole. Paid £150 off the credit card - hoping to pay at least another £50 before payday. Shavings have been ordered, £5 amazon card swagged and a bid of £20 received on eBay

ScattySkewbald

Morning!
Not much to report - most dd have come out of the account now, so it's just a case of being careful and making the money stretch the next 2.5 weeks until payday.

Weighed in last night and have stayed the same. Need to get my head back into it. I'm halfway to where I want to be but the focus has gone. Kick up the backside time me thinks!

Have had another bid of £5 on an eBay item, so that's not going too badly. Will put the money made towards the shavings delivery to cushion the blow to my od.

Best day swagging for a long time. Ideally hoping for another £5 before the end of the week. As most birthdays are now sorted, will start looking to Christmas.

Have a good day :beer:

ScattySkewbald

Spendy day today

Shavings have been delivered and have spent £20 on food shopping.

Unfortunately shavings have been funded mainly via the overdraft but will save me nearly £200 over the course of the year. Will get a plan in place to pay this back ASAP.

eBay sales are currently standing at just over £50 with 24 hours left to go. This will be chucked straight at the od.

Need to give the house and garden a big of tlc tomorrow, no spends planned fingers crossed.....

ScattySkewbald

:mad: Arrrgh just checked online banking and it's been a spendy weekend :mad:

Needed petrol, a few groceries, a couple of house bits and of course the shavings - my accounts make pretty depressing reading this morning

Hey ho onwards and upwards.

On a more positive note, made £55 in eBay sales, which will be chucked at the od to try and reduce the dent left in it by the shavings.

12 days left till payday - need to concentrate on spending as little as possible........