No fancy title

gottogo

Here I am on attempt number 3473892 to sort out my finances and life in general. This year has had some dark days (weeks/months) for me but with the help of good friends, an understanding GP and a prescription for fluoxetine I am well on my way to getting back to the normal me.

I have accrued some debt which has consisted of paying bills during unpaid leave, new furniture and general feel-good bit and bobs. As much as I'm aware it doesn't cost anything to see friends/family, sometimes you just have to do something different and splash some cash. The past few months I have had some meals out, trips away, spa treatments etc with friends, we have all had a tough year and I feel they were deserved.

A bit about me...I am a 29 year old single female living by myself in a mortgaged flat. I earn a decent wage and am usually good at saving and being thrifty. I am good at finding cheap deals (usually with the help of this site) and try to live the champagne lifestyle/lemonade budget life :rotfl:.

Luckily my debt is all in the one place on a credit card which is interest free for over a year. It stands at around £5k :eek: so I need to get cracking and pay it off.

Before I turn the big 3-0 I would like to

• Pay off debts
• Have some savings
• Be 2 stone lighter
• Have a good level of fitness
• Not be a boring single
• Learn to drive

Plus lots more but that will do for now .

I get paid weekly and my plan is to put 50% to my bills account (this covers mortgage, bills, travel and debt payment), 10% to 'nice things' fund (getting hair and nails etc done to keep me sane), 10% to home fund (for new furniture) and the rest for food/life/savings etc.

Diet front, as much as I hate to say it...carbs don't do me any good. I'm going to try cut carbs a bit (i.e not have carbs for every meal) and up the protein, I know i'll feel better for it. There will always be room for the odd pizza though . Moderation and all that.

Exercise, well I just need to go back to the gym, or at least get off the couch.

Singleness - Get out more, meet folk, go on dates etc. Confidence has been lacking and it'll take a while before I'm ready but I'm sick of sitting in every weekend.

Driving - I have 10 lessons paid for, just have to start.

I am also going to try the PAD and NSD things, I get quite spendy when I'm out. Need to remind myself that I don't have to grab a smoothie/coffee/mcdonalds everytime I am out!

That'll do for now, sure I have plenty to add to this. I will try to update my progress at least once a week

GTG

Northerness

Hi Gottogo,

Sounds very similar to me! 30 year old single female, living alone in mortgaged house. I have £3388 across two credit cards (currently shifting to one 0%) and earn a decent enough wage too, so neither of us should have a problem shifting our unsecured debts. I knew I'd been putting items on credit for the last couple of years but didn't see it as a problem as I can manage month-to-month, and like you I just didn't think about it. I'm on annual leave from work for two weeks at the moment and just had a LBM where I thought I should sort my finances and paperwork filing-system out!

I know what you mean about the "nice things fund". When you're a young-ish singleton you still want nice things and to take pride in your appearance. You should probably look at saving money on the gym though, it's free to run outside and less boring too. I've swapped my lattes, wines and treats for cheap sparkling water now or filter coffee at home (carry it in my Starbucks plastic cup when going for a walk), I'm actually addicted to the water now...which I never thought would happen. I've also been doing my house up but have decided to stop spending on it now until I have an emergency fund. I do have some tins of oaint and paintbrushes and accessories that I'd already bought so I can do some touch ups until then.

What motivates me now is that if I'm lucky enough to start dating a nice bloke I will have finances to be proud of. Us single ladies with our own homes are quite a catch :cool:

Good luck, looking forward to seeing how you get on!

gottogo

Thank you Northerness, looks like we are in this together eh? The thing with the gym is I don't even have to pay anything!!!!! I have access to gym equipment for free, just need to move my bum and go

Good luck, I look forward to hearing more from you.

gottogo

Ins and Outs


My take home pay differs each week but averages out at around £1750 per month.

My mortgage/ctax/bills/insurances/travel/mobile/internet/tv licence etc etc come to £850 a month. Everything has been haggled down as much as possible and I'm quite happy with what I pay.

I have a few annual payments too which come to around £200 per year.

I didn't mention in the last post but I do have a little emergency fund put away. I don't include this in my finances as it is purely for emergencies, not for back up/debt/clothes/wine etc. I pretend its not there.

I got paid today and transferred 50% to my bills account and 10% to my new furniture fund. I will take the 10% nice things the bank and put it in my piggy bank. I think I should try taking out cash and making it last the week, its all too easy to spend with the debit card!

Diet wise, I am ready to start tomorrow, I am going for dinner with my friends tonight (cheap groupon deal) so will enjoy some of my favourite food then start being healthy in the morning

Heres to a good weekend

Gottogo

Domayne

Hi gottogo! Our stories sound pretty similar...Both pretty new here, similar level of debt, depression, boring singles and a bit of weight to lose! lol, I've subscribed to your thread and look forward to seeing how you get on, Have fun at dinner with your friends tonight!

gottogo

Its Friday Again , well technically its Saturday! Got paid so sent my 50% to bills account, 10% to nice things fund and 10% to house fund. Have had a good week, ate relatively healthy but could do much better.


Havent got very far with my aims, perhaps I should log into here everyday to keep myself in check.


Off to sleep now, will update properly soon.

gottogo

Another Friday, what a fast week! Have got a few Christmas presents in this week, most bought online, a few in the shops. Took advantage of the Argos free voucher so now have an extra £10 to spend .


Money is tight this week but I should be okay.

rubywhatashmoo

Just found your diary and subscribed - I'm in pretty much the same situation as you except I'm married, but I'm 29, owe around 5k and have very similar targets for next year! Good luck in your journey

gottogo

rubywhatashmoo wrote: »

Just found your diary and subscribed - I'm in pretty much the same situation as you except I'm married, but I'm 29, owe around 5k and have very similar targets for next year! Good luck in your journey

Hello and thank you! Heres to meeting our targets :j:j

gottogo

Right OK


My get up and go did the usual and got up and went...whereas I am still here having not made much progress.


My job was temporary and has now ended so my emergency money may have to be dipped into. Luckily I will have work next week and likely til at least the end of the year. I'm not very worried yet but know it is time I find a permanent job with some security.


I have most of my Christmas presents bought, not because I'm one of these prepared people, it's more so because I have found many a bargain on the internet.


My focus now is POSTITIVE THINKING. Not in the hippy dippy seeing good in everything way (because lets face it, that's exhausting when the poop continually hits the fan) but in the this is what I want to do/be/have/achieve and this is how I am going to do it starting NOW way.

So the rest of the year will be spent preparing for next year, running a fine tooth comb through the finances, eating well and generally doing things that make me smile.


Here Goes

I am..

• Healthy and physically active
• Taking pride in my appearance
• Learning to drive
• Walking with my head held high (not so high that I trip over something)
• Seeing family and friends regularly
• Working and looking for better/more work
• In control on my finances
• Flirting with single, available men my age :rotfl:
• Indulging in a hobby (yet to be decided)

So I can see me being/doing these things and the only person who can make them happen is me. It is time to stop wallowing in self pity (although I have to admit I love a good wallow, its very therapeutic for me).


I plan to

• Fill out application form for provisional licence and send it off
• Research hair styles and watch youtube videos on hot to style hair rather than having it stuck to my face all day
• Ditto with make up
• Sort out bank accounts, close those I don't use, close my overdraft to avoid temptation
• Arrange events with my friends and family (probably mainly nights in due to the cold weather and money although there will be this odd night out or two which I have money set aside for)
• Make effort to meet more people
• Stop staring at the ground

POSITIVE THINKING
POSITIVE THINKING
POSITIVE THINKING
POSITIVE THINKING
POSITIVE THINKING
POSITIVE THINKING
POSITIVE THINKING
POSITIVE THINKING
POSITIVE THINKING
POSITIVE THINKING
POSITIVE THINKING

gottogo

I have joined the 1 debt v 100 days challenge. As all my debt in on the one card I have decided to aim to pay £1000 to the card in this time, not including the minimum payment.