Debt free by 40 -- 19 Months and counting

fern44

hi
google car tax and look for vehicle tax changes the info is there
I think NEXT has got to go the money you save by paying it off will soon recoup you £80 and I think it will make you feel as though your getting somewhere

StressedSteph

Hi all,


Thanks for your replies. I Googled the car Tax and it seems that from October 2014 you can apply to pay by Direct Debit. I think you just pay 5% more than the annual charge.


Will be painful to have £20 x 2 vehicles going out every month, but it will be a good way of enforced budgeting as the Car tax costs often catch me out.


I have had a wonderful morning. I mentioned a while ago, that a farmer friend had a Hot Air Balloon land in their field and she managed to wangle a free flight for me :T.


Well I did it this morning. I had to be there at 7am :eek:. hubby and the children came with me to wave me off. It was an amazing experience and so much sweeter as it didn't cost me a penny. I have such wonderful friends .


Its abit hard to face emptying the dishwasher and cleaning the house after such an exciting start to the day .


Also had abit of interesting news. Another friend is good friends with an Avon Area Manager, and apparently she is going to give us some Massage work through some Avon Pamper days. Sounds like it could be another angle to bring in some money.


.......Ok Truth time.........


I have had a large chunk of temptation put my way and I am REALLY struggling with it.


Another friend I have owns a large apartment in Portugal.


She has only just opened it up for customers and has added it to the Trip Advisor website.


As it currently doesn't have any reviews, she has offered for 7 of her friends (me included) to stay in her apartment for a long weekend free of charge this October!, as long as we all individually give a good trip Advisor review when we get home.


Apparently the flights are around £120. I have agreed to go to the meet up at her house on Thursday night to chat about costs etc.


Other friends that have been invited claim they do not plan on eating out, it will just be supermarket trips and chilling out round the pool. Temp should still be ok.


Aaarrrggghhhh THE TEMPTATION!!!!!!!


I know in the back of my mind that I should have said NO straight away. but that little voice in my head, keeps telling me its not going to cost much and you haven't been anywhere abroad for years.


I really don't know. Also apparently the husbands will also be invited on another occasion early next year as the apartment is based on a golf course, and I am pretty sure hubby would work extra and make sure he gets to go, which makes me want to not miss out.


I am not committing to anything yet, but feel I need to be careful as once the meeting happens on Thursday I think flight booking will start happening and I don't want to risk being swept along and then really setting us back on our debt busting plans.


What are your thoughts girls? Do I need a smack back to reality and stop dreaming of being able to do this smack in the middle of my debt busting, or is life too short and as long as I set a small controlled budget then I should do it???


Aaarrrgggghhhhh...............

debtfreewannabe321

Ummm I will probably get shot down, but I would do it! Sounds pretty cheap to me and if you eat & drink in it will be a great frugal break You only live once and if you can afford it then do it! (I would have said no only because my passport ran out and i'd need to pay for that as well as flights etc ) but If yours is in date, why not

ETA: Glad you enjoyed the hot air balloon ...I'd love to do that You really do have some nice friends :eek: !! xx

abba1772

I second dfw321 answer go for it that's like 4 spa treatments so I would defo go for it xx

fern44

pay off your NEXT bill and I will let you go (how do I insert a smiles here? LOL
A break will do you good give you something positive to aim for x

maddiemay

The break would really do you good and OH and the children would realise exactly how much you achieve in the hours that they are at work/school. On the proviso of course that OH earns extra to pay for his later trip.

When you meet up with your friends, could you be really upfront with them and say that you are really keen, but because of getting some stuff paid off and badly needing to save for the extension to your home you could only do it if it will involve eating and drinking in, that way no one could sabotage the plans when you are there and end up with unplanned spends?

MM
xx

dawnybabes

I'd go too, you're working really hard and it's cheap !

This time 2 months ago you had no extra income (just the craft income) and now you're making some money and huge inroads. It's only 4 treatments :-)

Ciaerda

Go for it Steph you have worked really hard this year just look at your signature, its a one off and i think the break will give you a taste of what life will be like when you are eventually debt free so it will give you even more umph to finally shift it - not that you need anymore you are going great guns x

pennywisepoundstupid

I also think you should go, as long as you are paying for it cash which i'm sure you will and your not adding to the debt i don't see why you shouldn't go.

Pros -
1)Break will do you good and you will come back wanting to pay off debt even more so you can enjoy more holidays.
2)Dads should always have to spend some alone time looking after their children so they can see just how bl**dy hard it is juggling kids,job, housework etc.
3) Encourage friends that they need some lovely relaxing treatments before the holiday to help them relax and get into the swing of things and get them booked into the salon.

Cons - Can't think of any :rotfl:.

Also with xmas around the corner could you print out a little leaflet of treatments you do, get hubby to give to his mates and encourage them to buy their wives/girlfriends a treatment for Christmas, I'm sure you could make and print off a voucher on the computer.

mummytogirls

Im in on the going away for the weekend! We all need a little treat now and again xx