WOW I must be serious this time.....I have a diary

Trixxibell

Sassychick how's the take lunch to work going?

Trixxibell

Well,

I broke down in OH's car last night not what I needed after a 12.5hr shift but he came and rescued me. I was hoping to use the OHs car for a while so I could clear my debt and save for a big deposit on a car but looks like I will need to sort one sooner than I thought.

I paid for all my buy now pay later items from littlewoods today! I'm hoping to clear all of my balance this month. (I know I should be focusing on the cc as it has the most interest but wanted a boost) It will be a bit tight but doable, then I can pay the extra £200 a month to my cc each month.

After reading other diaries I realised I haven't got a debt free date, at the moment I'm just aiming to clear as much as possible before I start getting taxed and before my student loan comes out of my salary from April and my working families tax credit reduces in April too. So I'm hoping that by reducing my debt before all this my money will even out.

Just feel split in two halves at the min one side wants to be debt free the other is thinking I should be saving for a deposit on a car.

sassychick2014

Hey honey

Great news on clearing Littlewoods - it's great to have a cleared balance isn't it! However, crappy news about the car

Taking my own lunch has been brilliant and I've been doing this since I started this diary and sure I'm saving a fair few pennies.

If it makes you feel better I haven't got a debt free date either, just trying to get the debt down a bit so I can work out a date at a later date - if that makes sense!

Have a great weekend! x

Trixxibell

Time for a lengthy update I think, I've been doing a mix of night and day shifts which doesn't leave much time for me to pop on here.

1st things first.

I completed my hubby's make at home birthday present and I will give it to him tonight. (Hope he likes it) The kids gave him a men's gift set that I had left over from Xmas so the total for my OHs birthday is £4!!!!!! :money: that was the price of two cards and the scrap book! This is a huge thing for me because I usually spend £300 plus on OH's birthday all via catalogue and credit card.

It's also my sisters birthday this week so me and younger sister have gone 50/50 on a present. Total cost £20 but this includes present, cake for the meal and a bouquet.

I am due to go out for a meal at the end of the week for my sisters bday with the kids but childcare was a week cheaper this month so not over monthly expenses. Also going to nand0s so I will get a 20% NHS discount!

We don't celebrate valentines day so no extra cost there.

I'm still taking lunch to work for every shift and still not brought any bottles of water or fast food :-)

So I think I've got my head around a big factor in being successful at living debt free. Reduce outgoings: if I can't afford it in cash/via debit card I can't afford it. I know the other factor is increase income I have been through all old uni books and a combination of amazon and we sell books I've raised £30! ( just got to post them)

I'm going to spend rest of February on continuing to reduce outgoings and continue paying debts 1% at a time., I think if I try and raise money too I will get overwhelmed and give up altogether. I'm hoping all of littlewoods will be cleared this month. I think I'm 50% of this target now that I've paid all my buy now pay later items.

In other news feedback from the family on smart price items or shops own has been amazing. Well definitely be shopping there again.

Does anyone save on supermarket gift cards weekly to help with the Xmas food shop? I usually put the whole job lot on cc.:(

That's it for now I think I'm off all work so can give daily updates :eek::rotfl:

Trixxibell

Forgot to add to my rambling

Got £25 compensation from insurance company for their incompetence in sorting out my claim. I'm paying £21 to my credit card and £6 to littlewoods. (This is my 1% amounts so works out well and it's only costing me £2 :-) )

BTW Posting on here really helps the only person who knows and is bothered about my debt busting really is my younger sister who is a frugal living queen. Tried to tell OH at the time of my LBM but I don't think he was really listening to me, think he waited long enough for me to finish my sentence before saying that's good then wondered off.

OH and I are going through a difference of end goals we've been married 12 years but I'm getting to a stage where I want to clear my debts and save for a mortgage etc, he mentioned the other day he would like more money to spend on his many projects. :mad: Different end goals as always:wall: OH did used to have a lot of debt but I paid them all off before starting uni with inheritance money. I did clear mine too but as admitted in my first post, I get caught up in cycle of clearing debt then spending again. He has a new small debt accumulated less than £600 I believe from a defaulted bank account but I've decided to stop old habits and not even offered to pay this. His on a good wage and ALL my old habits need to stop if I'm to be successful. My other bad habit is funding my husbands projects. One day it's a graphics card the next its a computer screen I don't buy these things straight out. They usually start with OH "borrowing the cash" and me never getting paid back. His last loan from me was £600 up until my LBM he had paid me back £50 in 6 months. So after my LBM I reminded him of his wifey loan and his given me a £100 back I threw this straight at my littlewoods. Well it's a new month so will remind him again he needs to make another payment to me. It will end up me getting the cold shoulder for a few days but oh well. We are meant to be adults.

Feel better for off loading. I apologise for bad grammar, done a night shift and not been to bed.

sassychick2014

Hi hon

It's good to get things off your chest and I think this is a good place as no-one can throw it back in your face, no-one knows your husband and no-one has to read it if they don't want to!

I'm really happy to hear you're going to stop lending him money he doesn't repay & paying his debt. If you're going to do something you have to do it properly, be strong!

Have a good kip and sure we'll speak later x

kbl

Trixxibell wrote: »

Hi Kbl just noticed your signature change! Well done on clearing littlewoods :-)

Only noticed this now, thanks!! I had a few wee wins at bingo, have been really lucky this last few weeks, so sorted my catalogues, know I prob should have thrown it at the cc but really needed the boost of two debts down, 1 to go! Just got to make sure I don't slip back into my bad old ways tho
Well done on the change in mindset re lending, I think it's more than half the battle, so it's only onwards and downwards from now on

Trixxibell

Thanks Kbl,

I'm feeling much better now, still not been to bed but OH loved his present that I made, I also made his birthday cake with the kids. Saved money and got to do something with the kids. So my spend on OHs birthday remains at £4 :money: I'm over the moon. Never thought I would see this day!!! A birthday and I didn't use credit. :T

I was tempted yesterday (I will be honest) to use littlewoods as I had £50 in cash back rewards but I'm saving this as a just in case lol.

Plans for tomorrow phone littlewoods and reduce my credit limit. My limit is almost at £9,000 and I think it's affecting my credit scoring as I have a lot of available credit here, although my usage % is low. Might knock it down to £5,000. (Baby steps, baby steps)

That's all folks xx

mum2one

Trixxibell wrote: »

Thanks Kbl,

I'm feeling much better now, still not been to bed but OH loved his present that I made, I also made his birthday cake with the kids. Saved money and got to do something with the kids. So my spend on OHs birthday remains at £4 :money: I'm over the moon. Never thought I would see this day!!! A birthday and I didn't use credit. :T

I was tempted yesterday (I will be honest) to use littlewoods as I had £50 in cash back rewards but I'm saving this as a just in case lol.

Plans for tomorrow phone littlewoods and reduce my credit limit. My limit is almost at £9,000 and I think it's affecting my credit scoring as I have a lot of available credit here, although my usage % is low. Might knock it down to £5,000. (Baby steps, baby steps)

That's all folks xx

That sounds an amazing day for Oh.
Can I rack your brain, - this is going to sound daft so apologies in advance, - with your littlewoods commission can you use it towards an item thats dearer or do you have to spend that amount or less...

I have £47 but not sure how it works... *thank you in advance xx

Trixxibell

Hiya

The money in rewards can either be used towards an item in full or be used to contribute towards the cost of something xx

I have rang littlewoods today and have reduced the credit limit from £8,500 to £5,000. Which should help my credit score :-)