It's now or never

there_is_a_light_2

So, where to start. Well Hello would be a good start I guess. And If I could get those wavy things to work a few of those wouldn’t go amiss either. This is my first ever post/diary anywhere, ever, so please go easy on me!

I have been reading, lurking and taking advice from so many of you good people for so long that I have finally decided to take the plunge. Why now? Well, I’m sick of hearing myself go on about money all the time, and I’m sure those around me will breathe a big sigh of relief if I find an alternative way to vent my money-related ramblings. I know most of it falls on deaf ears anyway and I end up wittering to myself. To be fair I’ve started to do my own head in, lol.

My LBM, which was like one of those low energy ones that takes a while to come light but when it did was like a glaring spotlight right in the face, was last May when things really hit rock bottom. I will probably prattle on at a later date about my journey into debt and my way out of it, but suffice to say money is very tight. We are managing, just about, but as I read elsewhere ‘there is always too much month left at the end of the money’ and never any spare left to put aside for the expected big costs (car repair looming) never mind the unexpected which always seem to happen just when I think things are getting under control.
I was up late last night reading lots of diaries and was so inspired. So with OH away this weekend, a day off work and a nice quiet, low-spend weekend (famous last words) ahead I am aiming to do the following:
- Start my own diary – yay one thing ticked off already
- Promise myself to use said diary to get money related thoughts and ramblings off my chest ,
- Review my budget – I love my budgets and spreadsheets and can spend ages tinkering with them, always the same result though – computer says skint
- Figure out how to do my signature – want to use it to keep track of those big items I need to put aside for as well as an emergency/contingecy pot when I get to that stage. Also want to use it to keep track of my monthly shopping budget.
- Scour the house for anything ebayable
- Get up to date with survey sites – I’m signed up to quite a few but not yet made it to the minimum payout point, must be getting close to some

Over the next few months I need to be so careful with budgets so aim to cut my shopping budget to the bare minimum (2 adults, 2 teens), plan ahead and put aside for big spend items (and more importantly don’t dip into these funds when things get tight at the end of the month) and my ultimate aim is to have an emergency/contingency fund – when I get to this point I think I will finally be able to relax a little.

Well I’ve made a start, feeling better for getting this far, and if you are reading please feel free to pop by and say hi, it will be nice to know someone’s listening for a change, lol!

ragstoricheswannabe

Welcome on board to becoming debt free!

I found having a diary so much better as all rumblings and thoughts and questions could be put down and out of my head. This made it easier to try and see things more clearly.

Good luck on your journey!

FinanciallyUnsavvy

Hello, and welcome! Well done for taking the plunge Honestly, this site is fantastic and there's no way I'd have been able to find the motivation if it wasn't for this place and writing in my diary regularly.

Budgeting certainly is the most important tool. As long as you have a good budget in place that's realistic and you KNOW you can't go over it (and won't have to, if done correctly), you're half way to winning the battle already.

My signature is a lifesaver to me - apart from my budget app it's the only place I can get to all my numbers quickly. If you click "Quick Links" on the green banner at the top of the forum then choose "Edit Signature" in there you can tinker away.

Good luck on your journey, we're all with you! x

there_is_a_light_2

Thanks ragstoriches and financiallyunsavvy, nice to have you along and thanks for the support and advice on the signature. Will pop along to your diaries shortly and catch up.


So haven't quite tackled my hit-list yet today but I am feeling so much more positive than last night - I tried to submit my diary late last night but spent so much time pontificating that by the time I pressed submit I think I'd been logged out. With hindsight I'm quite glad because I was on a bit of a downer last night and would have come across as a right old winger, not great for first impressions!


Think that catching up on others diaries today has given me the kick up the jacksy that I needed to get re-motivated. I'm in such a better place than I was 6-8 months ago and just need to get on with what I know I need to do.


So, to counter-balance the lack of progress on my hit list, here are some positives for today:
- my 17yr old has sold a pair of trainers (he made around £25 profit on them) and has also sold his footie ticket for tomorrow. He knows how tight things are and is trying to raise some money of his own for his harmless but expensive hobbies (football and gigs) till he finds a part time job
- I have a bid on ebay for an item I've relisted about 3 times. Only 99p so far, but still in the right direction.
- Avoided using car all week so have saved from my petrol budget
- 6 days till payday and I have the princely sum of £17.19 in the bank, around £17 in my purse and £8 in Tesco vouchers.


Happy days x

tibawo

I'm not saving but have finished an IVA. I think this taught me baby steps and not expecting to disappear overnight. I ramble to myself in my diary as I can look back and see where I have come from and reaffirm my belief to keep going. Yes I have add the odd hiccup but I also have got my outgoings down. Good luck with everything.

natsplatnat

Diary ramblings are fab... everyone here is really friendly!

Personally, I like a good plan (and an even better spreadsheet!) ... and the only way to see if they will work is to write on my diary and then think about it for a while. I usually get them spot on.... on about version 16!!! lol

Happy debt-busting - will pop back when I can!

beanielou

Happy shiny new diary
Keep posting!

there_is_a_light_2

So it's Saturday late afternoon and so far this weekend (which included Friday as I had the day off) I have managed to avoid pretty much everything that I had planned to do. What I have discovered though is that his forum is very addictive and I have been drawn into some very inspiring (and long!) diaries.
So time to kick myself up the jacksy and get moving. But before I do, here are my ramblings for the day.

Positive ramblings

My DS made me a very sweet offer this morning - if his £1 footie accumulator came in, he said he was going to pay for me to go on a trip I jokingly fantasised about. Highly unlikely to happen but very touched all the same.

Mortgage statement arrived and it seems like our outstanding balance is a 5 figure one for the first time!

We are having takeaway tonight - a very rare thing in our house nowadays, but with OH away (he does have a large appetite so would normally double to cost) and having saved money from my petrol budget, it is a treat we can afford

Nipped to the shops (walked, saved petrol) for a couple of bits and pieces and managed to stick to my list. I did notice how strangely quiet it was in all the shops, for a fairly sunny Saturday afternoon - maybe everyone else is skint too

My team has picked up 3 points, always brightens the day.

Had the house to myself for few hours today - this very rarely happens, OH working hours means that he always there when I am, DD is a real homebird and very rarely goes out with friends, as opposed to DS who flits through occasionally

Off now to do what I have been meaning to do - keep on top of survey sites, tinker with spread-sheet (again - payday looming so itching to make a start on next months budget) and start to gather ebay items for listing.
Have a good Saturday all, onwards and upwards.

Thisgirlneedshelp

I have £818 debt with HSBC and Central debt recovery unit are contacting my parents address to collect the repayment. Should I phone CDRU and make a payment plan? I've never had debt and am really scared someone please help it's ruining my life and can't eat or sleep. Xx

there_is_a_light_2

Good morning all, bit windy last night, had a dream that OH arrived back from his trip early and his plane landed in the front garden - garden is only in fact around 1m strip of grass in front of the house so for that to happen, he would have to be hitching a ride in a Noddy plane - now that would have been a sight worth getting up in the middle of the night to see.


Spent some time last night catching up on survey sites - came to the conclusion that the reason I avoid doing these regularly is that I am signed up to so many of the bloomin' things, so it seems to take ages to get anywhere with any of them. So, have decided that focus is the key - I am going to focus on just 2 or 3 of them.


Good news is I'm only a few surveys away from a £25 payout on one of them so should be able to crack that one shortly.


Bad news is that I've realised that OH has taken camera away with him so no ebay listings for me this weekend. My listings from last week end today and I still have 1 bid at 99p - yippee!


So we head into this week with mixed feelings. Happy that it's payday and I can start my March budget (look out spread-sheets here I come). That happiness is slightly marred by the fact that my lovely mum has some not very pleasant hospital tests later this week which we are kind of avoiding talking about just now. I have kept to my promise of not googling the symptoms or the tests so have no idea what the tests are actually for, but the fact that I know she is worried is worrying enough for me.


OH back tomorrow so the house will be back to its usual capacity and volume, oh the joys!


Take care all x

there_is_a_light_2

Thisgirlneedshelp wrote: »

I have £818 debt with HSBC and Central debt recovery unit are contacting my parents address to collect the repayment. Should I phone CDRU and make a payment plan? I've never had debt and am really scared someone please help it's ruining my life and can't eat or sleep. Xx

Hi thisgirl, just noticed your post as I was updating my diary. If I was you I would definitely contact CDRU to see if you can set up a payment plan. In my experience when I did finally contact my creditors, they were all really helpful, non-judgemental and very human. Please don't worry too much (although it is good that you are not ignoring the problem) as I'm sure something can be worked out. When I was at my lowest point and couldn't eat or sleep, I spoke to Stepchange and from that point on everything felt more manageable.
Please let me know how you get on and please don't let it ruin your life x