Six year retirement plan

Ninno820

Thank you seasidegal - you're my inspiration. I love the idea of scrimping behind the scenes rather than let others see how bad things have got. For example do people REALLY need to know that the £25 bag of groceries from m&s that looks dreadfully decadent is the result if money off vouchers/ gift vouchers earns through surveys etc and has only cost you £5?

In terms of my enthusiasm I appreciate that it's still early days and my debt is so large that we are talking in terms of years rather than weeks or months. However it is my debt and therefore only I can get myself out of it. At the moment my credit rating is too poor to get a 0% cc - therefore one of my targets has to be to improve the rating which will make this process a quicker one!

Ninno820

Yay - finally did the tabletop sale. I am never going to break the bank but the profit(after stall fees, raffle tickets, Christmas cards and £1 cross stitch kits) was a creditable £32.50 - will be paid into the bank to off set the od. very proud of myself!

in_need_of_direction

And you decluttered. Well done.

Ninno820

Absolutely INOD. I would also say that I shifted a lot of rubbish - by wrapping them up and inviting people to try out my bran tub - they loved the idea of always winning something - even if they then didn't want it! Will defo try that idea again!


Nothing much to report today - but I said that I would post every day - that's my commitment to my debt. Everything is squared up in YNAB just waiting for Wednesday's payday when I should see some action going on - I've scheduled the pay in across two months and all the direct debits - its exciting!

Ninno820

Afternoon - a bit of a result today. I am a teacher and have volunteered to review a new product - for the sum of £150. I'm hoping that the workload is no more than a day's work but its worth it to earn some extra cash towards the debt. They also offered to pay £150 plus travel costs to go to London and be part of a focus group - i'm gutted that I am away on holiday that day but I'm hoping that other opportunities like this come along!


Otherwise no real debt news - but it all kicks off tomorrow with payday. I may even admit my total debt and see how far this small amount of restraint has got me.


PS - does anyone know how to bookmark this diary - I have to keep searching through all the diaries to find it - there must be an easier way!

Mint1955

Scroll to top and click on thread tools then subscribe to this thread etc

Ninno820

Hi Mint - thanks for that

Ninno820

So - the definition of being obsessed with YNAB? Waking up at 12:05am - and checking the computer to see if all my scheduled transactions have been activated and I can start to use YNAB for real with my pay packet etc. Then going back to sleep!


However the sleep didn't last long and I have now given up (its 3am!!)


My attempts at cutting back and being frugal for the last couple of weeks has reduced my overdraft by around £100 and I have made it up to nearly £200 with a planned payment from this months budget. I have used YNAB to plan for activities this month - a trip to London and the onboard spending money on a cruise in august - but I am hoping to shift any underpayments to the overdraft. Ultimately I would love to wipe the overdraft off the face of this earth by Christmas - somehow always looking at your account going od halfway through the month is demoralising. I have a well paid job and am lucky enough to have around £300 per month to throw at the debt repayment (in addition to minimum fees) so this target should be more than possible - especially since, post LBM, I could make further savings.


However I also have to accept that August is a very tempting month and that I have already bought a lovely week's cruise - and saved up spending money in euros - so need to enjoy myself during this time and watch the pennies at others.


I am planning to make most of my Christmas presents and cards this year - I have a stash of materials here and need to realise the savings! So much of this holiday will be spent crafting - what bliss!! I also need to tame the garden -all cost free!

in_need_of_direction

Well done. It looks like a cunning plan is coming together.

Ninno820

Thank you INOD - and my day has just got better!


They have confirmed that the materials for the £150 job have been dispatched - at which point I will see the extent of my workload! I have also been offered another £50 for two hours of my time and opinions. Naturally they have to have the right mix of people etc but here's hoping that I can get the gig. I will struggle this month to find that additional £300 because of the commitments outlined earlier - so that's my target for the holidays - try to raise that sum through earnings / sales etc.



My daily target for the holidays is to do one thing each day that could help towards this aim - perhaps spend a little less than budgeted, make a card / present that would save money later on - etc.


I've also just gone shopping - pre YNAB/ MSE the bill would have been £70 + and I would be moaning that I didn't know where it had gone. Post YNAB / MSE - the bill was just over £10! I was petrified about going above my budget!