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Learning to pretend, in a good way
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£4 paid off in the payment a week challenge, managed to get some of the coin bags into the bank. Still really enjoying it, and hoping that between payday, expenses and a couple of books selling on Amazon I can make some good inroads in the next couple of weeks.
End of month totals are a bit disheartening - it's still going down, but not enough for me to colour in one of my 1% amounts, as I've done a balance transfer, so some of the payment amounts areoffset by the balance transfer fees. It's one of the things that really irritates me about having credit card debts - I know I'm lucky to have the 0% offers to use, but the fees irritate me! That's why I want Lloyds gone before it needs transferring in September. Psychologically, colouring in that square on my 1% chart each month has become a really important sign of progress to me, so when I can't I get grumpy.:mad:
So, to build myself back up ... Looking back, this is now the second year that my debts have gone down in January, so well done me! :T In the 30+ years I've been responsible for my own money, I can't think of many times that's happened, so I'm hoping I'm laying down new habits now!
Here's the end of the month signature:Extra Payment A Week 2015: this week £4 / total £85.63
Lloyds CC: 1st Jan £3224.18 / today £3137.55
LBM Aug 2013, Total Debt £31,992.06 Current Debt £26,641.01 - 16% gone - Debt Free Date Dec 2019LBM Dec 2013, Total Debt £31,992.06 Debt Free Date June 20220 -
That's great news Suziebabe, well done. Try not to be too disheartened, easier said than done I know, just keep thinking about the bigger picture, and how things are coming down in the longer term. The main thing is, the debt is coming down, don't lose sight of that :0) xxxxx0
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It's all going in the right direction which is such an achievement especially at this time of year.Mortgage at 01.01.14 £119,481.83:eek: today £0 Emergency fund £5.5/5.5k & £200/200 cash.:jWeight 24/02/19 14st 7lb now 12st determined to stop defining myself by my mistakes. Progress not perfection.:T100%through my 1% mortgage challenge. 100% through my pb challenge.0
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Thank you for the encouragement Maryland and INOD - much appreciated!
It's funny, up until 2 years ago I think I would have tended towards the discouragement leading to throwing the towel in, now I find that while I'm disappointed, it seems to make me more resolute, maybe that's because now I know that I can tackle this, pre-LBM it always seemed too big to tackle. It's just a question of time now and keeping on track. A change of thinking indeed!
This week I've managed to pay off the work expenses before interest charged, which is a good start to the year too, and stayed away from the coffee shop all week, so made a £10 donation to Lloyds CC - love the payment a week challenge SOOOOO much! Every week, I'm trying to find a way to squirrel some extra savings to make a payment, and it's great that there's such a range of payments being made, I don't feel bad if it's only a small amount
So, into February and I WILL colour in the next 1% on my chart!
This week's signatureExtra Payment A Week 2015: this week £10 / total £95.63
Lloyds CC: 1st Jan £3224.18 / today £3137.55
LBM Aug 2013, Total Debt £31,992.06 Current Debt £26,641.01 - 16% gone - Debt Free Date Dec 2019LBM Dec 2013, Total Debt £31,992.06 Debt Free Date June 20220 -
Quick update - have discovered the 'Make Do And Mend' thread on OS, and can't stop reading!!! Loving the philosophy, we're pretty good at re-using and repairing, but there's always room for improvement!
Had an incredibly lucky break with the car's MOT, just a couple of light bulbs, and the car lives on for a while longer yet(mustn't say that too loud or the law of s0d will kick in) but I'm hopeful it'll see us through without having to replace it. I've still got a fund put aside to go towards a new second hand car, trouble is it isn't enough yet to get anything but a car of a similar age, which'll have similar problems - I'm hopeful that we'll get a bonus this year so I can pay off a big chunk of debt and put some more savings in the car emergency pot... Fingers crossed. And yes, it's earning interest, and the CCs are at 0%
:D
One thought, is that at the moment I don't offset the savings amount from my debt total - maybe I should? Feels a bit of a cheat, the debt total is the actual totals on the CC statements, I need to keep it real.
Other than that, still loving the payment a week challenge, and looking forward to the end of the month when I can update my signature to the next 1% down!Extra Payment A Week 2015: this week £36.07 / total £151.28
Lloyds CC: 1st Jan £3224.18 / today £2953.34
LBM Aug 2013, Total Debt £31,992.06 Current Debt £26,641.01 - 16% gone - Debt Free Date Dec 2019LBM Dec 2013, Total Debt £31,992.06 Debt Free Date June 20220 -
Just keep doing what works for you.Mortgage at 01.01.14 £119,481.83:eek: today £0 Emergency fund £5.5/5.5k & £200/200 cash.:jWeight 24/02/19 14st 7lb now 12st determined to stop defining myself by my mistakes. Progress not perfection.:T100%through my 1% mortgage challenge. 100% through my pb challenge.0
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Thanks INOD- you are quite right!
Heading into the last part of the month, can't wait to update my signature with this month's totals, it feels like ages since I went down another 1% - just one more week to go! I'll be close to the next 1% but just not enough to clear it in Feb - fingers crossed it means I can make it 2% by the end of March though.
Still loving the payment a week - although found that Lloyds had reduced my DD by the overpayment amount - I must have missed that last month, so have rectified that now and made up the extra, but not counted it as an overpayment obviously. Just another thing to remember to do, to make up for the banks lack of helpfulness. :mad:
Right, off to raid the freezer so I can work up a weeks worth of meals without going shopping - roll on payday!Extra Payment A Week 2015: this week £49.17 / total £200.45
Lloyds CC: 1st Jan £3224.18 / today £2904.82
LBM Aug 2013, Total Debt £31,992.06 Current Debt £26,641.01 - 16% goneLBM Dec 2013, Total Debt £31,992.06 Debt Free Date June 20220 -
Suzie I have come across your diary and read it all, so poping in to say hi
You are doing amazingly well, keep going :T0 -
Hi Suziebabe, you sound so determined and focussed. Staying out of the coffee shop is great going. Ive made a monthly spreadsheet where I keep track of my spend free days, take lunch to work, go to the gym etc, I love ticking them off and it's great to keep track of the totals - god does that sound sad lol!!!
I love the old style boards. I don't post much but love reading the tips!
Have a great weekend x0 -
Hello DFB, :hello: thanks for reading! I must go back and re-read - see what tips I've forgotten :rotfl::rotfl: It does indeed feel like a long quest in my case, but I'll get there!
Thanks Maryland - the coffee shop is indeed a foreign land now! Like your spreadsheet idea, although I'm not sure I can manage anymore
So, payday at last, and another square crossed off my total debt spreadsheet - and a full 10% gone off the next CC to need transferring:D:D:D:j:j:j
Am feeling very pleased at the moment, I feel like I'm gaining a little bit of momentum. If I can keep up the overpayments, I'm hoping it'll mean I can clear enough so that every other month I clear an extra 1% - so 3% every 2 months.
I remember reading in other diaries how the debts came down quicker the longer you were doing it, at the time I put that down to being able to use the extra cash from the first one to pay more off the second (and I'm sure that is true) but I also wonder if it's because the longer you're on this journey, the more you get used to the lifestyle, and finding new ways to cut costs? It certainly feels that way for us - the food budget seems to be finally coming down, reflecting the fact that each month we're cooking ahead and filling the freezer with meals. And the in between shops have stopped too, although that might just be a temporary thing with my OH!
Now I'm just going to have to be on my guard, I've tempted fate by saying it's going so well ... Off to cross fingers and toes ...
The new signature .... How I've been looking forward to you!Extra Payment A Week 2015: this week £17 / total £217.45
Lloyds CC: 1st Jan £3224.18 / today £2887.82
LBM Aug 2013, Total Debt £31,992 Current Debt £26,370.21 - 17% gone - Debt Free Date Dec 2019LBM Dec 2013, Total Debt £31,992.06 Debt Free Date June 20220
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