I Wanna See the Light

Mysteek

Hello Diary, I hope we will be best friends over the next weeks/months/years (hopefully not too many of those!)

Why the Title? Cos I really do want to see the light at the end of the tunnel.At the moment I can’t even see the tunnel but I’m sure its just around the corner, I just need to keep walking towards it with focus and determination.

Why a Diary? Well its two-fold really.Firstly its for me.I’m a very private person, preferring to keep my business to myself and sort my own problems out.But sometimes it helps to get things down in black and white, to shock yourself maybe into realising how bad things are but also to keep yourself focused on the task in hand, if you tell everyone about it then you have to keep going as you don’t want everyone to know you’ve failed. I’ve never done anything like this before so I feel a little vulnerable at the moment for ‘baring my all’ if you like. So if you feel able to leave any comment, please be kind lol
Second reason is that I think that its wrong to just be a taker in life. Although I apparently joined MSE some years ago (I had forgotten I’d joined) I’ve only been looking at the forums over the last couple of week, particularly the Debt Free Wannabe Board.Cos I wannabe debt free!!!! The ppl on here are amazing and so brave I think, they’ve given me the courage to do this and to really face up to the amount of debt I have at the moment and do something about it.I’d just like to thank everyone who gives advice and help to ppl who need it, I am sure some goals would not be achieved without this support. What I’m trying to say is that by doing this diary I am trying ‘give’ something, I hope in some small way it will help someone else who, like me, has been afraid to step up and admit they have a problem. Don’t think "I’ll start next week, beginning of the month, first of the month, after Christmas" etc. etc. DO IT NOW!

What’s the Problem? Too much debt amassed over 20+ years due to various reasons. Out of work, lending to help family members, over spending on stuff we don’t need.You know, the usual story. But its now got to stop, if we want to stay in the house we love and where our children grew up in we have to get rid of this debt. I do not want to enter retirement (in 7 years time hopefully) with a burden of weight around my neck, we just wouldn’t have the money to clear it off then.

The Plus Side: Everything is paid each month always on time so there is no problem there, I have a good salary so know we can do this with careful managing, DH is SE so his income is not easy to budget as it varies tremendously from one week to the next.

Possible Fly in the Ointment: And it’s a great big blue bottle of a fly! A couple of weeks ago we learned that the company I work for is merging with another and there are possibly (more likely probably) going to be redundancies. That said, I am ignoring that for the moment as that is something I cannot control, but my debt is so that’s my focus at the moment. If I do get made redundant we will have to sit down and look at things again and make new plans. If I don’t get made redundant then I will have not wasted months of not worrying and not working towards being debt free.

Oops just seen the length of my diary entry today, is there a limit to the size lol. Maybe that should be enough for now.

Just one last thing, I am determined to beat this thing! I’m sure my DH is fed up of me going on about it 24 hours a day but it’s the only way to keep him focussed too.

Ali-OK

Welcome to the DFW forum and for starting your diary. It's a great place as you say to get everything out and down and to watch your progress over time too.

Write as much as you like. I wrote lots of posts in the beginning (mine are still long 7 months on :rotfl:), it helped to form a picture and all the lovely people here can support and cheer you on.

A great plan to start tackling the debt now and SE is such a difficult balancing act to budget with sometimes. I'm in that camp.

Good luck and I'll be following.

Mysteek

Hi Ali-Ok


Thanks so much for your warm and friendly welcome, you don't know how much that means. I'm so chuffed that someone was kind enough to take the time to comment on my diary.


I'm sure I'll have plenty to say, once I start I can't stop


Its so true, just writing everything down helps to get all the jumbled up stuff in your head out and into some order, hopefully.


Yes SE can be very challenging and has been over the last, oh must be coming up to 25 years now.


Thank you also for your good wishes and I wish you every success too! I will pop along to your diary and see if I can steal an idea or 2 lol and offer my support.


I know I daren't fail now I have someone watching :eek:

Mysteek

Why did I ever have the stupid idea that when the kids left home we would be much better off financially and able to enjoy life more!!!!:mad:

Mysteek

There's lot of talk on her about LBM's so I thought I would add mine to the diary.


I've had lots of LBM's over the years but the bulbs were only 10 watts and didn't shine very brightly so they went unheeded. Last year I installed a 40 watt bulb and we started on our debt free journey making as many changes as possible.


I think you have to be in the right frame of mind to tackle something this big and important and we seem to be more or less in the right frame of mind, but things were to happen which would change this.


Over Christmas mum was taken ill and over the next 2 months we watched her deteriorate and waste away and she died at the end of February. It was very harrowing and distressing.


4 days after mum died my DD2 gave birth to our first grandchild, a gorgeous baby girl! She was our ray of sunshine.


Dad wasn't taking mums death too well so needed lots of support and then about a month ago he fell off a ladder and broke his hip. After being in hospital for over 3 weeks he is back at home but still needs help, I do his shopping etc.


Then the threat of redundancy looms.


After all that's happened this year so far, I was far too exhausted and stressed to even give the debt problem room in my head, there were too many things there already.


As things are starting to settle down a bit now (hopefully), last week I turned my attention and energy to tackling the debt problem again but this time I've installed a 100 watt bulb! so I cannot ignore it.


I'm focused and determined, its now or never!

Ali-OK

Gosh, really sorry to read about your Mum and your Dad's health too, but how lovely to have a dear little DGD. Congratulations.

Ah, you see if you change the lightbulb to LED, you can have a 100w equivalent one but use up less energy

Chatter away - we're two peas in a pod by the sounds of things

Mysteek

Aahh thanks Ali-Ok. Yes its been a really strange year so far, everything is happening. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry sometimes. Anyway, hoping its all behind us now and focusing on this debt thingy.


BTW I've changed the bulb to LED can't believe the difference its made, thanks for the tip.


I didn't know if I would be brave enough to start a diary on here but once I started I couldn't stop ha ha

anita55

Hi Mysteek, just read the beginning of your journey, nothing to advise you with but wanted to say good luck, and sorry to hear about your mum, and your poor dad, but congratulations on the birth of you grand daughter, they are such a delight. We too have 6 years on our mortgage but live month to month and scrape by every month. Look forward to hearing more of your story x

Mysteek

Hi anita55, thanks so much for popping by and for your good wishes, they are very much appreciated. Yes our DGD is gorgeous and an absolute joy and, of course, as grandparents we can enjoy all the best bits


Yes 6 years seems to near and yet so far, we've been paying this mortgage for 23 1/2 years now and if we hadn't re-mortgaged a few years back we would have finished it next year. At the time we thought it was the best thing to do but wish now we'd tried to stick it out and soldier on, the short term solution is not always the best thing in the longer term but we live and learn.


I do wish you well with paying your mortgage and hope the scraping by every month doesn't get too stressful for you. x

Mysteek

Being trying to rack my brains and remember the things we started changing last year and what we've done recently to save money so we can pay more off our debt. I'm gonna list for ease:-




Cineworld Unlimited Card – Cancelled when 12 months expired


Sky – Reduced to basic package, may cancel this altogether, we’ll see how it goes


Gas/Electricity – joined MSE Energy Club and changed to cheapest (mind you I wish we hadn’t now as Npower haven’t yet sorted out my monthly payment after nearly 8 months!).Try to not waste energy by having heating on unnecessarily, leaving electrical items on standby etc.
:money:

Solar Panels – had those free ones installed 4 years ago, certainly helps to save on the leccy bill especially during the summer months.


Water – have been on a water meter for years , no baths just showers.Generally try to not waste water. Bought a water butt last year for watering garden, washing car etc. Try to wash a full load than part load, on a shorter, lower temperature wash.


Telephone/Broadband – think I’m on the cheapest (but I’m happy to be proved wrong), £19.00 pm for phone line, broadband and free evening and weekend calls.


Mobile Phone - £20.50 pm. With Orange and have to keep this to get the cheaper broadband package above


Window Cleaner – Cancelled


Wheelie Bin Cleaner – Cancelled


Newspapers – Don’t have any


Don’t smoke, drink, go out much or have holidays (well not for a few years anyway) – nothing to save here


Food – Have set a budget of £25 per week (there’s only the 2 of us). Have told DH, who does most of the shopping while I’m at work, to look on it as a personal challenge to not only meet the budget but better it. Any spare money can be saved for an occasional treat.Have been making stews from meat already purchased and freezing it in portions.Also, trying to do some baking and freeze this too.Any good recipes would be gratefully received.Oh maybe I should mention that I am a Coeliac so have to eat gluten free so need recipes I can adapt.Gluten free food is very expensive so not going to buy more, will make my own or do without. Also told DH to try places like Aldi or Lidl although we do not have any near to us so would need to pop in when out and about on the road. Eat the food we have in rather buy more. Don’t throw food away unless its gone off.


Clothes – Don’t really need any at the moment. 3 years ago I lost nearly 3 stones in weight and I felt so good about it that I went on a few clothes shopping expeditions (yes I know!). Stillhaven’t worn all of my clothes yet. Will try and repair clothes wherever possible and heel shoes instead of buying new ones. If I do need to buy any clothes I will look in sales or special offers.


Household Goods – fingers crossed, but we don’t need anything as most of appliances are fairly new, apart from boiler but can’t afford a new one just yet so will have to hope it doesn’t conk out. We have a contingency plan if the worst happens.


Selling stuff – Last year I sold most of my gold jewellery (wasn’t a lot anyway) online and any books or dvds at musicmagpie. Also, sold all old mobiles for cash. Am now selling some crafty stuff on Ebay. Storing stuff in garage for future car boot sale.


Birthday and Christmas Presents – all family have agreed that we only give cards as we always just seem to give money backwards and forwards as no-one can decide what they want. I can sew, knit and craft so intend to make a few pressies.


Birthday and Christmas Cards – I have tons of card making supplies so will give personal handmade cards instead of buying shop bought ones.I always appreciate handmade cards/gifts. Try to sell a few cards at work.


Quidco – use this for any necessary online purchases


Surveys/Competitions – try and do some when I can but don’t have an awful lot of time.


Mortgage – always move onto a preferential rate when current rate finishes.Usually have it fixed for 2 years each time.
I'm sure there's more and its staring me in the face!
Would be grateful if anyone has any other ideas I can do to cut costs/save money, have I missed anything do you think?

Mysteek

Am trying so hard my brain hurts, or it would if I knew where I left it