Debt Destruction December!!!

LoveaDove

Hi Everyone :j

Been for a run this eve and feeling good- starting to feel the tiniest bit fitter!

Work today, but have had a SD- as needed fuel (£20.01- why does the petrol pump steal my pennies?):think: and have also decided after a year of not having a haircut at a hairdressers that I will try my hand at cutting my own hair again... I haven't done it for years, so for half the cost of a haircut at my old hairdressers I have some decent scissors, some wannabe crea clips with good reviews (crea clips are sold in the U.S) and a cheap gown on their way to me. I found out this eve that My running buddy apparently cuts her own hair (in awe as she has always had such neat hair!) and has said she will help teach me to cut my own hair. My hair is so long, I have enough to experiment with...

NinjaSavingKat wrote: »

Hello everybody!!!

So I feel I am in limbo - Loveadove - you might agree. Not quite saving yet cause you ain't got nowt to save BUT you are debt free and your kind whistling to yourself looking for something to do....yes?? What am I doing - looking at the Apple website page and "building" my own laptop. Yes that's right - currently stands at £1495. Not good.

Kat - I completely empathise. I feel a little out of my depth at the moment, the most I have done towards my savings is- write a list of what I want to save for, how much and then coloumns of future months. It looks blank and boring and I can't put anything down for this month. It gives me the kind of feeling I got after making debt payment, updating spreadsheets etc... at the beginning of the month, that Thrifty has talked about).

Today I printed out a new 100 square sheet (from 1% challenge), you divide your debt/ savings goal by 100 to determine what 1% is. I used stickers each time I paid of my %s, which I LOVED doing as I am a visual learner and love having an interactive, physical chart to mark my progress. I will use this new chart to track my Hawaii savings as this is the one I'm most excited about. The others will have to stay on the spreadsheet and be subjected to being turned into various graphs when I need inspiration!

Wow, I can witter! Good night DDD'ers!

apple_muncher

abundant1972 wrote: »

By the time I finished writing my post two new ones had gone up talking about the weekly save challenge... Good idea!!!

So how does it work...? Would 1/1/14 be week 1 - so you save £1.00...8/1/14 week 2, so save £2.00... all the way through to week 52? If you do it in reverse you just save £52.00 in week 1 of January?

splodgethefirst wrote: »

Indeed - though I am going to do it monthly (and backwards) - so month 1 = £202; month 2 - £186; month 3 - £170 etc back to month 12 (December!) - £10

I've been doing this challenge since Septemberish, and I chose to do it backwards, so am now due to pay out £39 this weekend. I find that going down and not up is a psychological boost as each payment is always less than the previous.

And I've just realised why my budgets are tight this month - I'd forgotten to include this money! No wonder I was fretting! However, I won't change my goal to make up what I thought was the shortfall (£150). Tho as it's the first time I'm trying to sell things, I'm not v
good at it!

Today was NSD 3, if we're not counting yellow stickers and medical stuff - or am I getting muddled with the rules of a previous challenge?!

BlueDaisy

NSD number 2 for me I even waited outside the supermarket - to avoid temptation - while dh went in for a loaf of bread for his Dad. It was more difficult than I imagined it would be

Fmess

Evening all

thrifty I am exactly the same, always counting until the next payday or next bit of money comes in from somewhere. Then I have 5 minutes of excitement whilst I pay it off online and update my spreadsheet, and then I'm back to counting down again!

Spend day today, got food bits but bought a tin of Xmas chocs and forgot petrol Also wait for a pet food delivery that hasn't arrived so may have to spend tomo/Thursday to feed the critters if it doesn't hurry up!

Right I'm off to sleep as apart from work, food shopping, dog walking and report checking I haven't done anything today and I need a rest.

Night all

Ps NSK I have a stupid amount of body lotions/ moisturisers, would you like some? I could post it, I never use them.

thriftylass

abundant1972 wrote: »

Thrifty... I'm right with you on that one! I find I'm always waiting for the next pay day, so I can chip a bit more off the debt and as you say, sort the spread sheets and balance the books. The days in between are filled with thriftiness and work, and I lose count of how often I log into my online banking a day to check things against my budget ha ha!!! I'm obsessed!

I had an idea called 'a month ahead'... Work out how much you need to live on for a month including all your food, bills etc... How much would that be per day? Get a spread sheet with 31 boxes on... each filled in with the amount you worked out. When you have spare cash - you can drop it into a tin or jar labelled 'a month ahead' - as you fill each day, you colour it in... When it's full - you are then a month ahead of yourself and won't be always living for that next pay day... Plus it gives you something smaller you can strive for during the course of a month...

I don't know - this might go against the 'pay off all your debt first' principal, and is perhaps something we can do when debt free...? What do you think...???


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I've got my spreadsheets for my planned spends for every month till May ready and the projection of possible savings in a graph against ideal maximum :rotfl: savings

I'll have a think about you month ahead scheme tomorrow

mrso2b

Quick check in to say today was an SFD

Am on a course for the next two days and have no idea what to have for lunch. What will still be ok to eat after sitting in my handbag all morning?

luckystarr

Hi
Quick check in ..today was a spendy day as been to the dentist and tomorrow have a planned day at the spa with my friend (a treat from my friend) so fingers crossed it won't cost me much .. so hoping thursday is going to be my first spend day.
Still thinking about 2014 goals but have decided to get back to the gym to help with my weight loss.
Well done everyone you are doing great, I am loving reading your posts and being inspired.

Will check in again tomorrow

KittyBoo_2

Reporting in to do an update.
Yesterday was SFD (3) and today is going to be one as well, as I've got everything I need for meals, the cat has enough food until I go shopping and there's enough fresh fruit and veg.
I've just changed to a fixed term tariff with Co-op energy, saving me some money and I've paid an extra £80 of my energy bill by using the money earned from dog sitting and mystery shopping.
What is the month ahead scheme please?
I get so many ideas and useful tips from reading the posts on here, so thank you all.
Off to update my signature now.

jazzyjustlaw

Not got to a SFD yet as tonight I go to SW. I need to otherwise I have to buy a dress for a Christmas party so if I get into it it's money well spent.

I am under budget of course as it's on the 4Th. I anticipate it will be Friday before I have a NSD. Most of mine will come at Christmas and after. I'd normally be at the sales but not this year! Plus most of my Christmas shopping is done, the rest I'll get on a spend day! Next months pay should be Christmas free! I won't end 2013 in any Christmas debt so that's the main thing for me.

Well done those with NSD already under their belt x:T

NinjaSavingKat

Morning All!

I'm off on a course today for an over-nighter and I'm excited! What fun! I have my little suitcase packed and am heading to Paddingon to meet three colleagues! We aren't going far but it sure beats the office!

Confessions:- So a splurge yesterday! £134 in TKMaxx. I CAN EXPLAIN!!

I got two VERY large bottles of shampoo & conditioner (£16.99 each) by Wella for two reasons. I will decant them into smaller bottles and make them last 10 months (£3.20 per month) with tips&tricks picked up from 'Extreme Cheapskates' and they are of decent quality because I want to stop cutting my hair altogether except for a minimal trim until I leave leave if u get my drift. I also want to grow my fringe out!

7 bars of soap to last 7 - 9 months. No shower gel bought though as I can live without that! Bourgois blusher that woulda cost £10 in Boots came in a set for the same price but was bigger, with a second full size blusher, a very large Murad face wash, moisturiser and the rest went on my own 'personal' treat!!!

Ahem.... That hoody I put back many months ago is now mine, fleecy pj bottoms in a pink tartan to make me smile, a care bear t-shirt and fluffy socks completes my extravagant spending!

I've realised beauty spends now annoy me more than excite me! I want "long lasting" so I don't have to go back for ages hence the large bottles and quantities. So that's me sorted for months- and yes my OT next month will cover it but I'm done with the shops now. I need some SFD's.

So I have £5 allocated for breakfast and paid for my work! Train station prices indicate this is enough for a hot drink (kidding) but I did bring a flask of lemon&ginger and some nuts and raisins to bolster my feeding... Just might get some porridge from somewhere.. Wish I'd planned this better... At least the two days have been paid up front so no expenses to claim back!!

EDIT; peanut butter bagels x2, bananas x 2, M&S carrot and humus dip = £4.98! Bingo!

See u all later!! Although I'm ready for an ear bashing about my TK Maxx naughtiness!!