misstara's debt diary 2014

misstara

I forgot to put in the last post that I won't be able to put away £30 this week for the wedding fund/electricity bill as my budget won't stretch that far. I hope to put away extra next week to make up for it.

misstara

I ended up spending a lot less today than I thought I would I spent £7.99 on a birthday present for my gran and then spent £13.90 on lunch out for us both. I didn't go out for tea as my friend wasn't feeling great so we are going to reschedule it.

I also made a £7.60 payment to cc1. Having a look at my finances, I don't think I'll be able to make any more payments to cc1 until I get paid next Friday.

I'm planning to a visit down to my parents next month so I will have to look for some cheap travel tickets. I haven't been back since before Christmas so I think a visit is long overdue.

misstara

Nothing much to report over the weekend - £3.80 on bus fare yesterday and £6.73 on a few bits and bobs from the shop today. I need to go a proper shop to A*di but probably won't get a chance to go until Wednesday.

Have been feeling a bit down about everything over the weekend, am just so sick of constantly feeling like I have no money and budgeting for everything. I feel as though sometimes my entire life revolves around my debt.

I know I'm being irrational and just looking back at the last few weeks posts I have been on a hen weekend, been to the beach and cinema with OH, met up with friends and been out for lunch with my gran so it's hardly like I'm sitting in the house feeling sorry for myself.

I know I shouldn't compare myself to other people but I just feel like everyone I know is moving forward with their lives and I'm stuck and can't move until the debt is gone.

However, I need to focus on the positives: I have paid off over £1500 since my LBM and my debt free day has moved forward a couple of months

I'm away for an early night as I have a lovely double shift to look forward to tomorrow. Hopefully I'll wake up a bit more positive.

StrugglingYouth

Keep at it Tara, you have already done a super job. Imagine the feeling when all your wages are yours, nothing left to pay off the debts. That way you can save for something you really want or something that would make your life easier, could be driving lessons, shoes or perhaps a holiday!

ani*fan

Hugs to you, Miss T. I understand that feeling only too well, that everyone else has it all worked out and you're the only one struggling to pay off debt and get unstuck. The reality though is that most people in this country have debt and just don't talk about it to each other. You're the one taking the responsible action of paying it all off, learning to manage your money better and make good solid plans for your future. You're doing amazingly well! Keep at it and you'll just feel better and better as time passes and the debt goes down.

misstara

StrugglingYouth wrote: »

Keep at it Tara, you have already done a super job. Imagine the feeling when all your wages are yours, nothing left to pay off the debts. That way you can save for something you really want or something that would make your life easier, could be driving lessons, shoes or perhaps a holiday!

Thanks Struggling Youth. It's been so long since I earned a wage that was fully mine (I have been in debt for over 10 years now) so I probably won't know what to do with myself when it happens! Shoes are not really my thing, handbags on the other hand

ani*fan wrote: »

Hugs to you, Miss T. I understand that feeling only too well, that everyone else has it all worked out and you're the only one struggling to pay off debt and get unstuck. The reality though is that most people in this country have debt and just don't talk about it to each other. You're the one taking the responsible action of paying it all off, learning to manage your money better and make good solid plans for your future. You're doing amazingly well! Keep at it and you'll just feel better and better as time passes and the debt goes down.

Thanks ani*fan. I know some of my friends are in debt and some of them have huge mortgages but I suppose we don't really talk about it. Some of my friends know that I am in debt but I'm too ashamed to tell them how much, only my OH knows. You're right though, I am definitely learning how to manage money better. I have not used a credit card since January and for someone who has relied on a credit card for the last 10 years, that's pretty good going

misstara

I have decided to add my mini targets to my signature to keep track on what I'm focusing on and hopefully keep me more motivated. I still don't feel as though my motivation levels are particularly high, however, I'm still here and plodding on

I achieved a NSD on Monday and minimal spends of £2.20 on bus fare and 50p on a baguette yesterday. Today me and OH went to A*di and spent £17.28, I then made a £2.72 payment to cc1.

misstara

I got the payslip through for my 2nd job today so will get £112.78 on Friday
- £15.99 for mobile broadband
- £15 for contact lens
- £15 for lunch with my friend (rescheduled from last week)
- £40 for wedding fund/electricity fund (will put in £10 extra for 3 weeks to make up for not putting in anything last week)
- £20 for food/toiletries (need shampoo and mouthwash)

misstara

The loan payment has gone out today but as usual I will wait until the interest for the month has been added on before I update my signature.

I think I'm going to revise my budget for tomorrow and buy my tickets for going home to see my parents next month. Last time I checked, megabus tickets to Glasgow were £16.50 return so hopefully they haven't gone up in price. The rest of the tickets from Glasgow onwards I'll just buy on the day as it won't save me any money to buy early. I'll buy the bus tickets out of the £40 I was going to put towards the wedding/electricity fund and then transfer the change to the fund.

misstara

Payday today I had a look for tickets to Glasgow and they were still £16.50 return so have booked them. I then transferred £13.50 to the wedding/electricity fund. I also made a £2.79 payment to cc1.

Yesterday was a NSD and today I have spent £8.82 on a card and wee present for my dad for Father's Day (includes postage). Forgot to budget for this so transferred £10 less to the wedding/electricity fund.

I'm doing a couple of short shifts over the weekend for my 2nd job and then off Mon-Thurs next week, really looking forward to having a block of time off