misstara's debt diary 2014

misstara

Thanks for your post Steerpike. I think I'm just struggling a bit because I'm about 2 months in to my debt free journey and the initial 'yay I'm tackling my debts' has been replaced with 'I've still got another 3 years of this to go'. However, I'm not going to give up - I am determined to do this.

On the plus side, tea out with my friend came to 16.50 and that included going to the pub afterwards for a couple of drinks so really pleased with that. Was amazing to catch up with her as haven't seen her for ages.

FinanciallyUnsavvy

Hi Tara,

Just stopped by to catch up. Certainly don't feel disheartened - it can be hard to focus on the big picture of the long haul but you just have to celebrate each little milestone as it passes. You will get there and it will get easier. Keep at it hun!

Also well done on getting to the payout threshold on GTM! I should keep at it with that since I'm about 3/4 of the way there, but I've just lost interest totally in the survey sites already, especially GTM as I was getting screened out of EVERYTHING!

Hope you've had a good day x

misstara

Thanks Kim, you're right I need to concentrate on achieving mini-targets and stop getting stressed out by the big picture. My mini-target is to get to 12.5% paid by my birthday so need to really focus on this as I've still got quite a way to go.

FinanciallyUnsavvy wrote: »

Also well done on getting to the payout threshold on GTM! I should keep at it with that since I'm about 3/4 of the way there, but I've just lost interest totally in the survey sites already, especially GTM as I was getting screened out of EVERYTHING!

Yeah I got to about 800 points really quickly and then it took ages. I got screened out of everything and then was getting maybe one survey a week that I could do but eventually got there and I guess its worth it when the 30.00 shows up in paypal. It is deadly boring though

misstara

I have woken up today feeling a lot more positive and as the post above says I am going to stop getting stressed out about the amount of time it is going to take me to become debt free (as I know it is not that long compared to others) and focus on my mini-targets.

I'm going to add another mini-target into the mix and that is to get 300.00 in the wedding/hen fund by the end of March. It currently stands at 150.00 so it's quite a lot to save in a short space of time but after speaking to friends over the last couple of days, it seems like the cost of the hen weekend in April just keeps rising :mad: I think it is going to end up costing more than the one I went on last year to Spain and we're not even leaving Scotland.

So this morning I phoned 2nd job to see if they had any shifts for tomorrow and I have a little 4 hour shift which is perfect as it doesn't eat into my day off too much but is an extra 30.00.

Plan for today is
- go to the gym
- sew buttons onto winter coat and cardigans
- catch up on washing/ironing
- make soup
- make a budget for next week as I got my payslip from 2nd job today

misstara

Plan for today
- go to the gym done
- sew buttons onto winter coat and cardigans done
- catch up on washing/ironing washing done, ironing still to do
- make soup done, made the spiced carrot and lentil soup -was amazing
- make a budget for next week done

Pretty pleased with that, will get the ironing done either later today or probably tomorrow. Have also spent some time with OH this afternoon looking through recipe books to get some ideas for meals.

I emptied my little piggy bank and changed 2.00 worth of coppers so made a payment to cc1. I have also had a NSD :j first one for ages.

misstara

My budget looks like this - I will get paid 147.29
15.99 broadband
11.30 payment to cc1
20.00 to replace money from electricity bill fund
10.00 to electricity bill fund
30.00 to wedding/hen fund
20.00 put by towards entry fee for 10k race
20.00 for food/groceries
6.50 for TV licence
Leaving me 13.50 for anything that might crop up, I don't have any social things planned until next weekend so fingers crossed I won't need it and can make another payment to cc1.

I will need to get shaving foam tomorrow and I finished my body scrub today. The one I usually buy is 8.00, however, after a little bit of research, it seems ridiculously easy to make body scrubs at home so will try that tomorrow. If it goes horribly wrong, I will get from my B*ots points.

misstara

I have transferred the money to the various saving funds and made the 11.30 payment to cc1. Signature has been updated taking me to 4.9% paid

Spends for today are 4.70 on some eggs and veg from the local market and 4.78 on shaving foam and lip balm. The lip balm was on a 3 for 2 offer so will last me for ages.

Steerpike88

Hey, did you know you can use cheap value hair conditioner as shaving foam? It moisturisers your skin and makes it easy for you to shave. Plus you get a lot more out of a bottle.

When I used to run out I could use conditioner in between, now I don't bother buying it. Even though it is gorgeous and foamy.

I used to make my own body scrubs too, careful not to get into buying too much 'extra' stuff just to make it, that can end up being really expensive. I ended up using coarse salt mixed in with a little bit of cooking oil to slightly coat it and lavender heads I dried from a lavender plant in my bedroom.
Have to be careful with the cooking oil, or you'll end up smelling of it. If you don't have essential oils you can use peppermint, almond or vanilla extract that you can buy for cooking (much cheaper).

Hey, money left over after budgeting, not bad. You'll be on 10% before you know it.

misstara

Thanks for your post Steerpike. I made the scrub from sugar, oil and vanilla essence, all of which I had in the house. I used it this morning and it was really nice. Thanks for your tip about using conditioner instead of shaving foam.

Nothing to report today except it was a NSD :j

misstara

Nothing much to report again today. Spent £3.54 on fruit and breakfast biscuits. Should have a NSD tomorrow though.