Get lost debt

parsniphead

March is going to be a good, positive and productive month I have decided. As mention previously I have joined this thread after watching it for a long, long time but never having the guts to try it for real.

The messing about has to stop so in joined and at the moment the budget is workable but tight. Everything is paid for! Debts are paid so what does it matter if there is little left in the account. In have even started to squirrel money away for an emergency savings fund. About time too.

Now I'm going to load one more washing and take advantage of the wild wind. Then more decluttering.

IM ON A MISSION.

parsniphead

What an absolutely lovely day. A couple of hours spent in m ms garden helping her get the ivy under control, washing dried on the line and just a general feeling of wellbeing. I love spring anyway but after a winter which felt like it was never going to end its all the more welcome. I plan to spend as much time as possible outside tomorrow if its the same.

I do have lots of weeding to do and some general maintenance. The front wall of the house could do with painting as well.

A very smiley parsnip tonight.:)

parsniphead

I've had a lovely day all round today. Its amazing what difference the weather is making for me, I feel so much more positive.

A few errands this morning then this afternoon I spent it in the garden with the little one. Its looking a total mess but an hour or twos work as left the top part looking much neater and tidier. I'm now thinking that I'm going to have to paint the back of the house over Easter and paint the guttering and down pipes as well. They have bee painted in the past and has started to peel making them look very shabby. A couple of pieces need replacing and I had a quote a while back to renew the lot....:eek:....:eek:....:eek:. Anyway paint is going to have to do for the ones still in tact as it was way out of my budget. I have also made plans for the front of the house. The glass in the door needs replacing. I completely stripped it last year and a while later it started to swell and separate cracking the glass. It needs doing as it looks a right state. I need to get the upstairs windows painted. If I could get to the I would do them myself but a couple are hard to reach. Its a job for a professional. Actually new windows are needed but that will definitely have to wait.
I'm going to freshen up the paint under the bay tomorrow and then remove the gate as the frame is so rotted its falling off. I need to start keeping up with maintenance.

Today I fell in love with my home again.:)

in_need_of_direction

That's so lovely. I'm starting to get that feeling back after such a long time. It makes all the difference.

parsniphead

Thanks INOD. I'm glad you feel the same. I think that its nice to try and remember occasionally how I felt when I first bought it. So many people can't do it now and I know I was lucky to get a house and do it as a single person, even though it nearly caused financial meltdown.

Also I'm feeling so much more in control at the moment and know I can start to plan some jobs to be done and do it sensibly. Yes I will have to wait for big things like windows, etc but small amounts of money spent on maintenance will make all the difference. I just need to control myself and not start four jobs at the same time.;)

I have a couple of hours this morning which I was going to use to do paperwork for work but have decided not to. One small job which needs doing is replacing a couple of tiles in the bathroom and seal in the bath. This will be my first job which I can do and as I have all the stuff it won't cost a penny.:T

But first housework and getting the small one ready for nursery this morning.

supersaver1000

Ooh Parsniphead, look at you with your fancy link. You're so fancy....you already knowwww, in the fast lane from LA to Tokyo.

Really impressed! And your posts sound so positive and upbeat. Thanks for the uplift. Xx

parsniphead

Thanks sassychick. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

I've been very excited this week as my new current account is open. Woo hoo. A nice fresh account with no link to the bad past. How exciting is my life.;) I've hardley spent a penny this week and plan to keep it that way. Still feel doing positive.

parsniphead

I ish the weather would pick up a little. I'm really struggling to keep my eyes open at the moment.

Today I have managed to neaten up the edge of the lawn and not much else. I have three hours tomorrow where i can get a few things done. I'm a little torn with how to spend my time productively but I feel it may depend on the weather. I did really well last week and want to do the same tomorrow.

One job for later today or tomorrow is check the food stores and see what I can make with it for the rest of the month.

With a change of time allowed for admin at work I now have more time at home and just need to readjust to how to use it. Part of it will definitely be allocated to making some extra money for paying off debt.

Chrysalis1976

Hiya, just checking in with everyone. Hope you are well.

C x

parsniphead

MY FINANCIAL SPRING CLEAN

This is a positive post. The first bit sounds a bit negative but it's actually just a matter of fact. I also wrote it a few days ago, pondered on what I had wrote and then came back to it. It's a bit long so please escape if you need to.

I cannot live like this any longer lurching financially from one month to another, never a plan in place and quite frankly procrastinating all the way. It's time to grow up and grow funds. The old way needs to be swept away, gone forever. What do I do? Well.......

I have a few plans in place which are as follows and will be added to or amended when needed.

PAY DAY ACTIONS.
All bills to be paid on payday even if not due until later in the month. This includes a monthly food, toiletries and pet food shop. Petrol, gas, electric and nursery fees. To continue working from a meal plan.

A diary with all important financial dates added, with weekly, monthly and yearly obligations. This is to be checked at least weekly on a Sunday evening.

An amount to be put away each month to eventually cover annual payments which are currently monthly DD's. Also to start saving an emergency fund which is something I have been very poor at in the past. I have joined the £1000 Emergency Fund Challenge and have a grand total of £17 this week.

Throughout the summer normal winter payments to be put onto the electric and gas meters to build up credit for the winter months. I would like to change back to normal, cheaper meters but need to look into it.

Every extra spend to be considered for two days. I nicked this from another poster but can't remember who. Sorry but thanks.

All debts to be targeted fully, highest APR first. When paid off to be cancelled and that cards payment to be rolled over to the next highest APR card.

****Now I have a major confession here and it's not something I'm proud of but anyone who has been on my diary before will know I recently finished a DMP. So close to the end things went bad, very bad and I got hold of a couple of cards to keep me from drowning financially. I have to admit my head had been in a very bad place at the time and people close to me begged me to go the doctors as they though I had depression. I didn't go, which is like me and over the months I have managed to deal with many of the issues which were troubling me. Also the pressure at work have changed making things somewhat easier. I still have bad days but I have to deal with things in my own way. I'm ashamed that I blew the change to be debt free by now, so now it needs sorting. That's all I'm going to say about this and won't go back to the issue. It's something I have to deal with. If you feel you need to comment, please do. I have put this on an open forum but I won't discuss it further.******

All birthdays and Christmas to be planned for and spread throughout the year. I don't have many to buy for but would rather not try to do it from one wage packet.

Child benefit or whatever it's called to be squirrelled away for shoes, school uniform ( My DS starts school in September, I'm heartbroken), trips, etc.

To start looking after myself but cheaply. Upcycling and making clothes rather than buying. The Rag Market in Brum here I come.

Be more organised. Plan what I need and do it in as few trips as possible.

To be more focussed on my part time self employment now that my job is not as time consuming.

TARGETS

To focus on highest APR card and pay off as soon as possible.

To work out my exact annual cost and start saving to pay them annually.

To save £1000 emergency fund.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So I have been pondering and looking at figures for a couple of days and have come to a few conclusions.

Firstly all my cards have the same APR. I was going to work on the small balance one first as I thought it would be a boost to pay one off but decided on the higher balance on as I'm paying much more interest. This needs to be gone ASAP. I have to pay roughly £50 per month at the moment but I want to double it to at least £100.

I have joined the £1000 Emergency Fund Challenge and want to get this built up as soon as possible. Life would be so much rosier with this as back up.

I also feel that the past two months have probably been my real LBM. That seems strange to say after so many years but it's true. The way I have been thinking and acting with money has been so different. Being on DMP as fantastic as it is takes away control. I have been just existing for so many years but even with the extra debt feel like I'm living a little more. I have put off so much, scared to make a move because of the debt. Also having to deal with it and be organised about it makes it my responsibility. I can almost see a sunny outlook ahead. I have found this desperate need to control money and not have it control me. On Friday, payday, I have planned to pay every bill whether it is due or not, buy food, gas, electric , petrol and pay the nursery fees. This will leave me with virtually no money for the month but if all bills are paid and the house has food for the month what does it matter.

Control is now. In a few weeks we may or may not have a new government. Whatever the outcome I think it will be a rocky time for us normal folks just struggling to survive.

Keep fighting folks.