Struggling at that final hurdle (also, setting up a vegetable garden)

Scottish_Mike

Hey there,

I've been a lurker on the Debt-Free Wannabe and DF-Diaries forums for a while, and have been greatly inspired by a lot of what I've read here.

In the last year I've paid £2,000 off a Flexi Loan and closed it, and £2,500 off a credit card, reducing the balance to zero. That was by September last year. I still had an overdraft on my current account of £2,000, but my partner and I decided last year that we were going to buy a house, so instead of killing off the overdraft, all my saving went towards the deposit.

Long story short, after a stressful few months, we bought the house and moved in at the end of January. Over those few months I reduced the overdraft from £2K to £1,500, but I'm really struggling reducing it from there.

Last year we decided on having a holiday with the in-laws (a week in Tuscany in May) we booked the fights with EasyJet in Oct, but now we have to pay all the other bits - transport, accommodation etc.

Additionally, we follow a pianist, Tori Amos, on your, so quite a bit of cash has gone on concert tickets, flights and Eurostar tickets, as she's touring in May as well.

And we're off on a hen weekend, and have the wedding a week afterwards (not ours, but that's not proving cheap either!)

And that's before any cash gets spent on jobs around the new house, and furniture, and necessary bits and bobs.

I'm really lucky in that I'm a nurse, and can work extra shifts, which has been a godsend recently, as my pay's taken a cut, as I'm doing a course, so not working as many night or weekend shifts where we get enhancements.

Basically, I want to have my cake and eat it too, but it's frustrating me that everything seems to be happening on or before May, so I'm not able to get rid of my overdraft. When I did my original spreadsheet last year, I'd forecast having paid everything off by March, but the house-buying and frivolous spending has slowed that down.

I just want to get rid of that last £1,500, but it doesn't want to go! I want it all gone by December. That's my arbitrary target.
Thanks for reading

Scottish_Mike

Was at uni this morning on my course. Bus to and from uni was £4 in total, and I bought two large teas from Costa coming to £3.50. There's a deli beside uni that does large teas for £1, but they use instant powder, and it tastes weird. I should have bought a Thermos.

Headed to Wilkinsons after uni to pick up some gardening tools - shears, secataurs and some seeds. Then headed home to make a start on one of my projects: remove a pampas grass.

It's over 6ft tall, and I've hated it since we moved into our house (about a month and a half ago) so, since the weather is so nice, I was out in the back garden, hacking away at it! To think I was going to get a garden maintenance company in to remove it! I've called it a day for today, but everything above the surface is gone, and I've made a start on the roots.

Feeling pleased with myself, mainly because I'm getting on with it and doing it myself!

Scottish_Mike

I'm also currently researching a vegetable garden in different forms. I hve a hanging basket and plan to grow some Yellow Tumbling Tomatoes, and I'm currently researching whether other fruit and veg will work in baskets.

Currently I plan on having a 4x4 foot area in which to sow veg, but need to remove a few bushes. After the pampas grass!

Scottish_Mike

I noticed someone in one of the DF Diaries posted about doing clothes washes overnight to take advantage of the Economy 7 tariff. I've started doing that. Found a couple of timers we bought a few months ago that were hiding in a box, and have programmed them to come on at 0430. (Thank you whoever posted that suggestion!)

Been on days off the last few days, so it's been fine getting up with SO at 7, the wash is done, and I hang everything up as my tea brews.

Currently doing a few surveys and some videos for Adpoints. Starting the first of 4 night shifts from tomorrow night, so will be doing an online shop at Sainsburys as I have a triple nectar points voucher I can use. The nectar points are at £59. No idea what I'll end up spending them on - probably flights next year, but just continuing to accumulate them.

I have some pastry in the fridge that expires today, so making stew pies out of them. Also, my leek and potato soup has run out, so going to have to think of another soup to make. Possibly tomato and lentil, not sure.

It's currently misty. Waiting for that to clear, then back out to the garden to remove the pampas grass roots. My garden waste bin however is full, need to see if I can sweet-talk the students next door into letting me use theirs!

Scottish_Mike

I wimped out on removing the pampas grass roots yesterday as my garden waste bin is full and I'm lazy! I'm starting the first of 4 night shifts tonight, so won't be tackling the roots until next week. (I've investigated though, and the garden waste bin won't be emptied until the week after. Grr.)

I placed an on-line shop yesterday which was delivered this morning. I added a voucher that should have given me triple Nectar points but doesn't appear to have done so. So I may ring them up to check. I hate phoning about stuff like that, but I've been on a mission with Nectar points recently.

When we moved house, we changed energy suppliers from SSE to EDF. On our leaving bill be SSE we were overcharged by £113, which we rang up to complain about, but they took the DD for the full amount, which affected our joint account a bit. They phoned yesterday to say a cheque for £113 is en route. Hopefully we can get that paid in at the start of next week, and the next food shop will be nicely covered.

I want to reduce my overdraft today, even if it's only by £50. It's been a few weeks and it's annoying me. I'll go and check my balance and decide.

Hope everyone has a good day

Scottish_Mike

OK, finished 2 of 3 night shifts (had to cancel the 4th as I'm in uni the morning after it would have finished. Working a day shift at the end of the month to compensate).

One of my biggest wastes of cash is on taxis. In the last few months I've gotten quite a few (I hate buses and don't drive). So this morning instead of getting a taxi home at 0820, I walked! Confession - only because there were no taxis around, but it was a lovely morning for a walk. If only I'd had comfortable shoes on. Covered about 3 miles in an hour though.

Back up after 2 hours sleep; had a little potter in the garden, planted a few bulbs I found in the outhouse, and about to head out to prepare a compost heap. I really need to cut the grass and sort out the pampas grass roots, but I'm still feeling lazy and the bin's still full, so not doing that today.

Paid £50 off the overdraft the other day, but some more tickets went on-sale for the Edinburgh Fringe, so spent £21 on those.

Hope everyone's having a lovely Sunday

Scottish_Mike

So, my extra night shift was cancelled last night (although I felt shattered, so not complaining too much, although the extra cash would have been nice).

Thought that I should make a start on getting the area I've identified in the garden for a vegetable patch ready, so went to Wilkinson's to get some seeds, compost, fertiliser and some other bits and bobs.

I have some Charlotte potatoes chitting on the windowsill, so have some potato grow bags ready. Need compost for the bags, but I'm a few weeks away from planting the tubers, so can get it after payday.

So, off to dig up 2 bushes in the drizzle. Fun! Then got to get some seeds planted in a seed tray.

Scottish_Mike

Oh dear, the saving is taking quite a hit... Decided to get Kylie tickets this morning as I've never seen her. £107 later I have 2 tickets. It really annoys me that Ticketmaster just add a £5.50 charge for postage, rather than allow the usual 'print at home' option. Also, KATE FREAKING BUSH is touring, and I have to get tickets for her! So that'll be at least £100 on 2 tickets. I know I'll pay everything off at some point, but I'm not overly happy things are mounting up on the credit card again. I know I should have some self control, but when it comes to gigs I haven't.

To do today:
-tidy (in-laws visiting tomorrow)
-plant some calendula in the garden, prepare one bed for autumn raspberries, and identify where I can plant the summer ones.
-reschedule dentist appointment.
-do some uni work on creating a teaching package

I'm sure there was something else, but I can't remember.

Hope everyone has a great Friday

Scottish_Mike

I totally forgot about this thread! Debt-wise it's been a good 10 months.

I bought Kate Bush tickets last March. 4 came to £600, which bumped my CC up to £800, although it was totally worth it! Had that paid off by September last year.

My OD was at about £1500 then, have been slowly paying that off over the year. Had wanted it gone by the start of Jan as I had £500 at the start of December, but due to Christmas that didn't happen. However, at the start of this month I reduced it to £250, and last week down to £150.

I'M ALMOST THERE!!!

At the end of last week my balance was £150 c, so I decided to budget myself to £50 a week and by the end of the month (closer to payday!) if everything's still on track I'll get rid of the OD before my next payday, so I can start February debt-free and with a full balance.

I'm so excited and rather proud. It's taken a lot of restraint, but it's worth it. Or it will be in a few weeks!