Debt free by 40 -- 19 Months and counting

StressedSteph

Morning all


Thanks for your reply clearmydebts - Wish I could get a cancellation fee paid but I am unfortunately in the category of "Beggars cant be choosers" so I just suck it up. On the plus side I have been paid £70 for those two treatments this morning so not a bad gig.


I was abit naughty and had a last minute cinema trip last night with a friend. I read the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed and absolutely loved it, so really wanted to catch the movie before it left the cinema. We did Orange Wednesday so only cost me about £4.50. Movie was fantastic, always laid out different to the book but still great in its own way. I just love seeing a book brought to life by a movie. My favourite thing (Geek alert!!)


Two friends have their birthdays today so have invited them round for tea and cake. Could ill afford the cream cakes from Tesco's last night but I wanted to make abit of an effort for them as they bought me nice things for my birthday.


Good MSE moment, I bought them both an Orchid plant they look gorgeous and were reduced down to £2.50 each :j


I am £43 short of completing this months budget so will have to steal that little bit from February's first wage this weekend. Annoying but not enough to cause any real damage.


Got to clean up the kitchen and bathroom this morning before the birthday girls come over at 130pm.


Ds desperately didn't want to go to school this morning, but I packed him off as I wasn't convinced he really was poorly. Think he just wanted an Xbox day . Hopefully he doesn't manage to persuade the teachers he is ill and I get a phone call. He is like his dad that once he sets his mind to something he see's it through to the end. Can be both a positive and a negative trait


Anyhoo Had better sign off. Will check out a few diaries before I get to cleaning my bomb site xxxx

wantabetterlife

Woohooo steph...you made it through January!! Enjoy your cake with your friends :j:j

maddiemay

Tea and cakes for friends sounds lovely. I think that I would be a horrid mummy and say "to ill to go to school, too ill to play x-box":rotfl:

Puzzcat

Hi Steph,


Sorry to hear about the cancelled treatments and OH's work situation. I am totally in agreement with clearmydebts you need to relax back on overpaying for a few months and get that buffer. You know that's the advice you would be giving out to others.....


Hopefully he will pick something up before he's finished his plaster job...


Hope you had fun with your friends.. your quite the social butterfly this week...


January is nearly over, the daylight is around for longer and spring is round the corner.. lots of positives...


Take care and enjoy your evening.
Puzz. x

StressedSteph

wantabetterlife wrote: »

Woohooo steph...you made it through January!! Enjoy your cake with your friends :j:j

Hi Wantabetterlife


Can't believe it is January 31st tomorrow :j


xxx

maddiemay wrote: »

Tea and cakes for friends sounds lovely. I think that I would be a horrid mummy and say "to ill to go to school, too ill to play x-box":rotfl:

Hi Maddiemay


Ds made it through the day and had completely forgotten that he "pretended" to be ill in the morning. Looks like I made the right call for once. No mummy guilt trip for me this time.


xxx

Puzzcat wrote: »

Hi Steph,


Sorry to hear about the cancelled treatments and OH's work situation. I am totally in agreement with clearmydebts you need to relax back on overpaying for a few months and get that buffer. You know that's the advice you would be giving out to others.....

Hopefully he will pick something up before he's finished his plaster job...

Hope you had fun with your friends.. your quite the social butterfly this week...

January is nearly over, the daylight is around for longer and spring is round the corner.. lots of positives...

Take care and enjoy your evening.
Puzz. x

Hi Puzz


Yes its been a lovely week for me what with cake with friends and a cinema trip. Much needed though after my dark week last week. I felt so low and I absolutely LIVE for the cinema so it really cheered me up.


xxxxx

StressedSteph

Morning,


Its Friday :T and it's the end of January :j.


Boy am I glad January is over....Phew. I paid the mortgage this morning :eek:. Just got it done before the end of the month. Utter failure really as my payment date is meant to be the first of the month. Yet another issue I need to resolve.


I am so confused what to do ????


I am at abit of a crossroads


Plan A


Scrimp money away until hubby has his op, this money will cover lost income. Probably until March.


Then.....


Pay off 1k per month and get the debt gone before the end of the year.


(This means no 1k Emergency fund, no getting the mortgage back paid on the correct date, struggle to get any savings for Christmas, Birthdays, car etc)


OR


Plan B


Same again with scrimping until hubby gets past his op


Then


Pay minimum amounts on debts which is still a hefty £650 per month, but anything over and above that goes to:-


Sorting 1k emergency fund
Mortgage is current but need to get payment on due date rather than three weeks late
Put away £15 per week into Christmas, Birthdays, car etc.


I have a sinking feeling I know which plan you will all choose. It is the sensible one, BUT I sooooo want this debt gone as soon as possible.


I wish my money would stretch far enough that I could do it all but I just don't think I can. I have too many jobs for each £1 that comes in.


What would you do?

StressedSteph

I have just done a snowball calculator on paying only £650 per month and my debt free date would be June 2016

clearmydebts

Well you know which one I'm going to say, B!!!

I think you underestimate how much the late payment of the mortgage and not having emergency money affects you. It comes up over and over again in your diary.

You have taken such control of your finances in the past year. I think it would really benefit your mental health to have that emergency money and also to be in control of your mortgage.

That's my tuppence worth!

eco_farmer

it may say june 2016 but with your emergency fund your "virtual" debt free date would be april 2016. I would go for option B too as I also think paying the mortgage late and not having an emergency fund is a worry you can do without.
And who knows your own income maywell help get that snowball rolling faster,plus of course it may well not take all year to build up your EF and get the mortgage upto date.
eco

wantabetterlife

I agree with clear my debts Steph...you need to take some of the stress off yourself....Christmas and birthdays etc ARE going to come so it is better to have some money set aside, especially as your OH is self employed.