Giblet's debt free journey

Lily_rose_2

That's a great list of goals giblet!! How about breaking each down into SMART goals....so that you can hopefully stay motivated by seeing your progress towards them..? Don't know if you know what SMART goals are (apologies if you do) but they're goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic & Time related. So, with your weight loss (for example) it might be:

I will lose 6lbs in weight by the end of May 2014.

Sometimes when we have long term 'big' goals they can feel overwhelming & unachievable. This can be demotivating in itself. Breaking them down into smaller, achievable chunks means that you at least feel you're achieving something & making progress!

Don't know if that helps at all.....but good luck with them xx

supersaver1000

Crikey Giblet. I'm exhausted just reading your goals. I'm pleased with myself if I manage to get myself to work without looking too much like been dragged through hedge backward. And if get through day without being too depressed it's a gold star. Don't be too hard on yourself you are doing great. Meantime you've motivated he to set some more goals for myself. Seems like I need to pull myself up a bit.

Hope you aren't a very grumpy G today. Sleep deprivation is awful

Sending hugs.

killerpeaty

Hi giblet, I'm sorry you were having a bad week. But this is a new week and it'll be much better! :T

Your goals are very admirable, I hope it all works out for you.

So, you have £1300 to put into the best place. I would suggest TSB Plus Current Account, 5% on up to 2k. Or you could have Nationwide Flex direct 5% on 2.5k but only for one year. Or (my least favourite) if you have utility DDs, you can get cash back on those and then get 3% on up to 20k with Santanda. The last one costs £2 a month, the first two are free.

giblet1979

Thanks all...really appreciate your comments.

Lily Rose - SMART goals are a great idea. I think I will aim to lose 14lbs in May (should be doable at my current weight) and then perhaps 8lbs each month after. I'm hoping to OP £300 per month, but that will depend on house spends for the first couple of months. Just read your diary and it sound like you're doing great :T

Supersaver - I also just about manage to get up and get to work some days, but am hoping to 'do better' over the next few months. Realistically, I don't want to put too much pressure on myself, but I'd like to kick myself up the backside, and get moving a bit more than in recent months! I hope you are doing well yourself and good luck with your goals. I think our overarching ones should be 'be kinder to ourselves' x

Killerpeaty - thank you for the advice and encouragement. Sending positive vibes your way also. I've always been reluctant to look into current accounts elsewhere, but you've inspired me to seriously consider it. It's daft really to be so loyal to a bank, I know they wouldn't be so considerate to me if I was in difficulty (although I naively like to think that they would, lol).

Well I still feel a bit iffy, but much better than I did. Went to a lovely wedding ceremony today (and from a MSE perspective there was lunch and soft drinks provided so only the cost of petrol) and now I'm sitting and watching 'psychopath night' with DH so free evening's light entertainment, lol.

Had a really good think about the last couple of days, and am trying not to dwell, and look forward, taking things one step at a time. I'm also so lucky to have DH (who has been looking after me loads with mugs of tea and kind words) and I'm also now sure that he's on board with the money saving and I'm not driving him to distraction with my constant "and if we do this we can shave X years off the mortgage etc..." A case in point was watching 'saturday kitchen' this morning, and when the famous spanish chef suggested dehydrating apple peel in the oven for 24 hours, DH piped up immediately "24 f'ing hours in the oven, I don't think so love we're on a budget" :rotfl:

Happy saturday night all, and I hope to have more specific OP'ing news soon, once I get paid! x

icontinuetodream

Hi giblet....thought I would pop in to say hello!!:wave:

My best advice is priority one should be looking after yourself and priority two is learn to say no! As you are probably aware, I could do with taking some of my own advice but honestly, the past few weeks (make that years!!:o) I have dealt with so much of other peoples 'dramas' that this week I have flatly, but politely, refused to help out two friends who always turn to me when anything goes wrong in their lives. I just told them that I have a lot of trauma in my own life at the moment and cannot take on anything else!

It was a difficult thing to do, but I actually feel a lot better for it. I have decided that I cannot be responsible for the decisions they make or the resulting fall out.... I have also come to the conclusion that in the long run, they emotionally have to learn to stand on their own two feet and my constant 'open door' policy is enabling them to remain stuck in their current patterns of behaviour. I am not doing them a favour by allowing this to happen and it is making my life increasingly more traumatic the more I do it. So, no more - I will listen, be happy to offer advice where appropriate, but I will no longer drop everything or be the person who sorts things out for them. These people are adults and they have to take responsibility for themselves.

As far as your goals are concerned, they are great! I totally agree though that you should break them down as small as possible so that you feel that you are making progress and celebrate every victory along the way!;)

I have been in my forever home for the past 15 years and I still have a lot of work I need to do on it!! But, I will get there and some of the things that I thought I wanted, I no longer want....I was going have a massive extension done, but now my kids have grown, I think that there is no real point to it....why have more to clean and heat when we have managed this long already??:laugh: I had my kitchen sorted last year which was one of the things I had wanted since we first moved in - the bathroom is the next big thing but that can wait until I have paid off the mortgage....while it's functional, its okay!

I wish you luck on your journey and with all your goals....just remember, it will all be a lot easier if you feel healthy and well...yes, I have stolen that from someone who comments on my thread - but it is the best advice I have had for a long time and think it's worth sharing!!:D

Oh, and I hope the cats are better!!:D

giblet1979

Hi IC2D,

Thanks so much for popping in, and for your lovely words and advice. It sounds like you've had a difficult decision to make recently, but that it has been the right thing to do, and I hope things get much easier for you, and that you are able to look after yourself. You deserve it!

The cats are fine thanks - being extremely cute, and begging for treats or sleeping most of the day. They seem to have recovered from their ordeal, and are back on 'biscuits' again, although I don't think the littlest one has forgiven me for keeping her from the tuna. Every time I open a tin of beans or tomatoes, she appears and gives me the dirtiest look when she realises. I'm such a cruel mummy..:o

I can imagine that house priorities can change a lot over the years; we've kind of thought that we'd get the 'biggest jobs' done before moving in as they were likely to cause lots of mess / disruption. The hope also is that the worst will be done prior to little giblets coming along (please god) so that we can then look to redecorate again in the distant future, lol. It REALLY needed doing...

In terms of the goals, I am definitely going to set 14lb weight loss for May, and think about breaking down the other overpayments, although I think £300 per month atm is a good aim. Some of my extra work hasn't paid me yet, and can be dependent on people receiving funding etc, so although it is likely, I can't expect it (and as that job is 'self employed' I am dipping my toe into self assessment for the first time :eek:). I'm aiming to put away 1/2 of any income from job 2, so that if I'm lucky enough to hit 40% bracket at some point during the year, I have plenty to pay tax back, plus it will double as emergency fund / future new car savings, although I'm aware that some might suggest OPing everything instead. Jobs 1, 3 and 4 all go through PAYE, so apart from trying to keep organised, I don't have to worry as much, and any extra from these will go straight to OPing once the house expenditure is complete.

Phew...sounds like a plan.

Well positive MSE things today have been...

Lovely roast Chicken dinner using previously frozen carrots (to prevent them going off), and cabbage and parsnips that I saved from a similar fate. The extra parsnips were peeled, washed, and portioned up for the freezer. Leftover chicken for tomorrow's lunches (and maybe Tues if I can bulk them out ). Excess veg refrigerated for either DH and I, or family tomorrow.

Updated YNAB spreadsheet and discussion with OH where we have gone 'wrong' in month 1 of budget e.g. overspent on meals / snacks out (although has been week off work so £40 over is still much cheaper than going away on holiday would have been), it also includes large outgoings for the house that will not be every month, but that needs to be kept under control now that the allocated savings are nearly gone etc.... reinforced that DH and I are fully commited to the programme, and we havne't actually 'spent more than we earn' overall this month, just in certain categories. Realised that I'm due some expenses back and £240 pay for job 4 which should arrive over the next week or so. This will be an immediate overpayment (I've decided) rather than being allocated to the plastering fund :T

NSD, largely because I didn't leave the house. Vague meal plan pencilled in for the week ahead, based around:
Fish cakes
Fishfingers
Beans on toast / jacket spud
Something with Chicken
Something with mince
Bacon / Sausage
Fri night meal at friends, so he will cook and we provide drinks (usually £6 ish)
Lots of frozen veg to use up, and enough cous cous to feed an army. Could do with some fresh veg, fruit, yoghurt, sandwich meat etc tho at some point, but will try and see if I can last most of the week without significant spend....

Bad things for today...

Feel terrible still - lots of pain in legs, back, head and stomach. Hoping it's just a bug, and not a symptom of something else. Still awaiting coeliac test, and been asked for 2 more blood tests so will have to wait and see.

Work tomorrow. Would like a day in bed (but wouldn't we all, lol).

I hope everyone is having a good MSE weekend. I'm tempted to go back on my internet banking and do a 'Tilly tidy' to my ISA now that I know I can; now if I can just work out how to do this online to my loan, I might be dangerous....

Gib x

skintygerlinky

Keep going and keep posting Gib! You're doing fab xxxxxx

giblet1979

Thanks Skinty - good to see you

Well today has been a NSD :T (well as far as I know, unless DH has been spending whilst out and about. He's currently painting over the plaster disaster, and therefore we may actually have curtains up by now; as I'm 'at the parents' I won't know how it's gone till he gets back. Keep your fingers crossed that this house move may actually happen - pretty please!:D)

Postives for the day include: getting through work in one piece, lovely clients, sneaking a quick peek on MSE whilst on my lunch break (didn't buy anything despite only having banana and yoghurt with me) and relative calm right now at Chez Gib-senior...long may it last

Negatives: the report I SHOULD be currently writing for job 1 in my own time (I have done loads already since I got home from work honest, this is now my break )
To counter that, I have sp*tify on, and am throughly enjoying listening to some classics, and new favourites. Making new playlists is so tempting

The meal plan may get altered for tonight, as I can't be ar$*d cooking much, but it certainly won't be a takeaway to 'make me feel better for having to do work, and it will be quicker etc etc' and whatever excuses I used to make. By the time I'd eat a takeaway (with my terrible teeth) it'd be almost midnight anyway, and I couldn't type with a spring roll in my hand, no matter how much practice I've had....)

Anyway, enough ramblings and procrastinating. My current MSE plans will be pretty stuffed if I lose my job at this point, so onwards and upwards to literary greatness. I'm so dedicated (!) :A

Gib x

misstara

Hi Gib, having a wee nosey through your diary and you're doing brilliantly. Your OH seems so supportive and I think it makes a huge difference if you're in it together.

Congratulations on your NSD today :T

giblet1979

Thanks misstara - I am the luckiest girl in the world with my DH; he has had to put up with a lot of stress from family worries, my ill health etc and has never once complained. He also puts up with my constant chunnering re: MSE, and even pretends to be interested sometimes No seriously he's fully on board; he's amazing :j

Not a NSD today as needed petrol (twice, at a total of £75 :mad:) and was swayed by bottled water (away from the office and long drive - was parching). Not something I'd usually do, but got two large bottles for £2 which isn't too bad, and I'll reuse them. I also caved in and got a coffee from mc'd's, but used a loyalty card so it was free :T (couldn't have justified it otherwise after buying the water).

Got some good news today - it's been confirmed that from Monday I have an extra day (8hrs) in job 1 until September, and can spread my hours out so can still do job 2 on Friday pm, so full time plus extra without having to work 6 days every week (will have to do this still at times tho). In less good news (although positive really) one of my job 2 clients won't need to see me as much; great re: their progress, bad re: extra money! I do need to think seriously about how much extra work I am taking on, as I need to be careful of burnout, especially as I do get a lot of pain and struggle with constant fatigue. On the other hand, having the loan (and then mortgage) paid off will be massively helpful in terms of work life balance, and it is difficult to turn work down when the pay is good, and I enjoy it (usually; apart from the getting out of bed bit )

No more OP'ing news at present . Once again, I'm tempted to go online and check to see if I've been paid from job 3 (waiting for £300 before tax), and if my expenses have been paid (over £400 from travel for two to a meeting :eek:; did get double nectar points on it tho). Until these things arrive in my account, I can't really do much more, and it's really frustrating!!! There are also delays in being paid from all of job 2 (I've been waiting 2 months for one client although their reasons are understandable). I wonder how people who are fully self employed manage their income / cash flow? It must be very difficult - I salute you all, whoever you are :T

A salary, plus extra suits me just fine more consistent and predictable (some would say a bit like me...:D)

Hope everyone is well, and I will try and catch up with a few diaries before bed.

Gib x