Blinkers are off

Eyes_wide_open

Had today off, water pipes are constantly running so plumber came today as it was suspected it was connected go my toilet over flow. It wasn't, so suspected that it's an underground leak. In some respects it's lucky I rent as it's not my worry to finance the repair.

Whilst I've been sat twiddling my thumbs I have been reading lots of different posts on here. Seems to be that consolidating debts into a loan and getting an easy payout( ie relative pays your debt off) lead to increased debt in the future.

Well I consolidated my debts to a loan and then paid the loan off using a ppi payout. So other than 3 months of 'I really need to do something about my debt' and then a couple of months paying my loan and a couple of outstanding cc it's been a fairly pain free journey.

I am very conscience I had my lbm moment before it got out of hand and from my reality check I'm also well aware of what could have happened if the wheel had fallen off. I also feel incredibly lucky to have been given 'a get out of jail card' however I'm concerned that I will become a statistic and be here in a couple of years worrying how I am going to make a minimum payment.

Credit to me I haven't splurged and purchased a shiny apple MacBook which I have been admiring for a long time, won't deny I have considered it and I have also found myself looking at new sofas whilst I'm sat on a perfectly good one ( well it just needs a clean) but why is there a need for me to look or even consider it when I don't need either.

So my plan for the future - still stick to a budget. I plan to save a minimum of £500 per month. I don't want to be OCD about not spending so shall give myself a relaxed budget of £400 per month. That will include food and household stuff. From that if I can save a bit, combined with a bit of overtime/ bonus I shall save up for a MacBook.

I'm hoping from this, any thing I buy will feel cherished rather than easy come easy go. I'm also hoping that by saving regularly it will serve me well and inspire me to save more.

Axx

LittleMissDetermined

I think that sounds like a realistic and sensible outlook. Glad your journey was relatively pain-free and you can take what you've learned to build a better future

LMD x

Eyes_wide_open

Pay day tomorrow and still have money in my accounts. No debts to come out either so feeling very contented. Also informed that I have been recognised work wise and will get a bonus next month... No idea how much it is but it's nice to get a little thank you.

Yesterday received an email from house of Fraser - 25 off the bags I really like, have a black one but had promised that if they were in the sale after christmas I would buy another one. So have spent today swinging between buying one and not. Finally decided I would wait until January as it's not a need but a want. I think I'm finding it harder to buy things now than ever.

Got home to a couple of parcels, front line flea treatments for puss cat ( cheaper on line) and some head phones that I purchased in orange as they were £5 cheaper than the pink ones. In addition a letter from the delightful energy supplier saying regrettably they are going to charge me more to keep warm.

Finally a plain white window envelope marked confidential. Inside a letter that just states please find enclosed cheque to the value of £3, 352.79 which is the value of the offer in the original letter dated 26/11/2011.

It is from the PPI team and I know my ex husband was fighting the Halifax some years ago against a joint loan we had. To be honest I left him too it as it was pre dfw days, so didn't know anything about it. So I'm not going to question it, I'm simply going to cash the bankers draft.

It's a big thank you to my ex ( he cost me a lot more in the past so this perhaps is a bit of pay back).

I really can't believe how my luck has changed, not so long ago life seemed so difficult. My aunt has always said "nothing stays the same for long" and she's so right.

I don't expect life to throw constant fantastic surprises at me but I really feel I have been given a second chance at my financial future. I feel as though I am too old to buy a house now but not too old to start saving for an easier future.

Life truly is a roller coaster xxx

LittleMissDetermined

I am sooo pleased for you, it's fabulous that you have had such a change in circumstance.

Great things happen to nice people

LMD x

Eyes_wide_open

Well a few days away.

The cheque has been paid into my account, cleared and transferred into a savings account.

It's lovely having savings but quite surreal if I'm honest. Previously a windfall would have cleared and although I would have had good intentions I would have found every excuse to buy things as I 'needed' them. I would probably have spend the majority within a month.

This time I'm getting pleasure out of seeing the money in my account and working out interest rates and planning where financially I will be in a years time. I realise what's important and I now know the difference between need and want. Taken me 42 years to get there but I've finally got there.

Short term there's nothing that I need ( after all I didn't get into debt from doing without), nothing's broken etc. I would rather have money in the bank that a fruit inspired shiny thing or a new handbag.

Long term I want to have a nice pot of savings and I would really like to retire early.

I know I don't have a house ( that I own) so therefore no equity that I can release in the future so my final plan would be to have the equivalent in an account.

So although I'm debt free my journey is far from done. I shall be continuing on the df path for many years to come xx

Eyes_wide_open

Well after yesterday saying I didn't need anything .... Change if mind. I live in a first floor flat. At the entrance hall I have a cat litter tray and I have a cat that seems to think that cat litter doesn't belong in the tray so I spend nearly every day lugging a vacume up and down the stairs.

So today after another vac the weight iof it got to me and I have ordered a new light one.

However coming from my dfw journey I decided to double up my t**co vouchers. Combined with my Xmas saver vouchers I got a dyson lightweight vac for £83.

I know it's still expensive compared to others and it's not a strictly need and on reflection maybe I shouldn't have ordered it. However if it will make my life easier then £83 is not a great deal for that.

I have had around £12,000 from ppi claims, I've repaid all my debts and have a nice bit in the bank so why do I feel guilty spending £83???

Eyes_wide_open

Checked my purse this evening and I have just in excess of £100 which originally was for this weeks food shop and others bits and bobs. Have taken £80 out ( to pay for the vac) and will eat from the freezer and I will, still have enough for other bits during the week.

So a back to basics week. The money will be used to pay ofc the vac rather than dipping in savings.

Feel happier about it now.

Xxx

Eyes_wide_open

A NSD day today. Mum gave me some potatoes yesterday that were going to get thrown away, so spend the last hour or so making latkes ( potato cakes/ rostie style thing) and they can go in the freezer.

Just going to finish watching eastenders and then I'm going to make a batch of scones.

Housework upto date too so productive day all round xx

LittleMissDetermined

Hi honey,

Hope you're still well How's the vac doing? hopefully helping on the housework front!

LMD x

Eyes_wide_open

A quick catch up before I get up and face the shops for a days christmas shopping with my niece. My shopping is done and we have a list so hopefully it won't be too bad.

My vac took some getting use to as I'm tall and the hose isn't telescopic but happy with it now.

Money wise it has been an expensive weekend as my sister was over and we went shopping etc. in addition I booked for myself and mum, dad and brother to go see Scrooge this week at the theatre.

So I have just analysed my bank account and it's okay. I was starting to feel guilty spending and thinking I've blown it!! I'm rubbish!! I'm back to where I was!! Reality check Andrea I haven't blown it.... I just won't have saved as much this month as I intended.

I have transferred some money back to my spending account from my savings as I was starting to feel like a failure and decided that this month and next month I'm going to relax with the penny pinching and start properly in january.

Reading the beginning of my diary I wanted to have cleared my store card debts and start over paying my loan by the end of the year, so really managing to be debt free and have savings of £6000 instead of £6500 isn't a disaster. Life just got in the way !

Few things that have changed. Sister over, looking through my vast array of smellies ( not brought any this year and still have tonnes) and she saw some she wanted - sold her them ( previously would have given her them)

In addition we went into cafes encouraged her to pay and when we went into another later on mid afternoon asked her if she wanted anything with - she said no, so didn't get her anything and didn't give her the option to have half of mine. I know it might sound petty but it gets annoying when it's all one way.

Any way shower time and a day spending someone else's money xx