We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
The Forum now has a brand new text editor, adding a bunch of handy features to use when creating posts. Read more in our how-to guide
Doing a teeny tiny little victory dance
FireWyrm
Posts: 6,557 Forumite
A few years ago, I stood at the checkout of Tesco on the 2nd of the month with a belt full of food and a sinking feeling as I watched the cashier try to swipe my card for the second time...."I'm very sorry" she said, "it's just not going through, do you have another?". Red faced and starting to sweat, feeling every single set of eyes in the queue watching me, I reached for the credit card, "try this one I said" with a slight wobble in the voice. She tried it, there was a pause and a very slight huff bordering on a sigh, "no, I'm sorry, that one isnt going through either". Close to tears of humiliation and desperation, I tried my last credit card thinking it was much like the 'Hail Mary' that our American cousins talk about.
"Ah," she said, "I have trouble like that myself sometimes" she offered gently as the machine beeped it's acceptance.
"I dont know what it could be" I lied lamely, "I've just been paid, I'm sure it is some sort of silly mistake" but the truth was, I knew exactly what had happened. Far from it being a mistake of someone elses' making, I had no one to blame but myself. Here we were, two days after payday and the bank had not only told me that there was no positive balance in my main account, but that they had also gone as deep into the £1500 overdraft as they were prepared to go and worse yet, the credit card was maxed out as well, from experience, I knew that meant that the overdraft was squatting like an evil imp somewhere around the £2200 mark.
What a difference just a few years makes. I've just finished the reconciliation for tonight as it is payday tomorrow.
This is the main running account from which all bills are paid
I'm feeling like a little victory dance tonight. I even have money stashed in the 'wine and crisps' category for the very purpose. We are still a long way from being entirely free, but in the entire history of the FireWyrm household, we have never seen such a phenomenon. Not just a positive balance, but a palpable positive balance and before payday too.
"Ah," she said, "I have trouble like that myself sometimes" she offered gently as the machine beeped it's acceptance.
"I dont know what it could be" I lied lamely, "I've just been paid, I'm sure it is some sort of silly mistake" but the truth was, I knew exactly what had happened. Far from it being a mistake of someone elses' making, I had no one to blame but myself. Here we were, two days after payday and the bank had not only told me that there was no positive balance in my main account, but that they had also gone as deep into the £1500 overdraft as they were prepared to go and worse yet, the credit card was maxed out as well, from experience, I knew that meant that the overdraft was squatting like an evil imp somewhere around the £2200 mark.
What a difference just a few years makes. I've just finished the reconciliation for tonight as it is payday tomorrow.
This is the main running account from which all bills are paid
I'm feeling like a little victory dance tonight. I even have money stashed in the 'wine and crisps' category for the very purpose. We are still a long way from being entirely free, but in the entire history of the FireWyrm household, we have never seen such a phenomenon. Not just a positive balance, but a palpable positive balance and before payday too.
Debt Free! Long road, but we did it
Meet my best friend : YNAB (you need a budget)
My other best friend is a filofax.
Do or do not, there is no try....Yoda.
[/COLOR]
Meet my best friend : YNAB (you need a budget)
My other best friend is a filofax.
Do or do not, there is no try....Yoda.
[/COLOR]
0
Comments
-
:t:t:t:t:tLBM 11/06/2010: DFD 30/04/2013Total repaid: £10,490.310
-
That's fantastic, Firewyrm! :j :j :j CONGRATULATIONS!!!
(And I absolutely love the idea of a wine and crisps savings category!)
In our house, when things break, we just pretend they still work0 -
YYYeeeee Haaaa... Well done xmake the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
and we will never, ever return.0 -
Love the sig, McKneff
In our house, when things break, we just pretend they still work0 -
Awesome We work as money advisers for National Debtline and have specific permission from MSE to post to try to help those in debt. Read more information on National Debtline in MSE's Debt Problems: What to do and where to get help guide. If you find you're struggling with debt and need further help try our online advice tool My Money Steps0
-
Yay well done Firewyrm!:rotfl:0
-
You should be really proud. That'sa fab aachievement PAYDBX 2016 #55 100% paid! :j Officially bad debt free...don't count my mortgage.
Now to start saving...it's a whole new world!!0 -
ChopinonaBudget wrote: »Love the sig, McKneff
Its a quote that some 'first lady' came up with.
Profound, but very true, you can change the word 'inferior' for many others too.make the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
and we will never, ever return.0 -
Congratulations Firewyrm! I've always enjoyed your posts and can only bow to the mistress of extreme money saving! Will carry on looking forward to reading your future posts in the near future on, I assume, savings and investments?!Finally Debt Free! - July 2016 🌟
Finished Emergency Fund- £10,000 April 2017
🌟
RETIRED: MAY 2021!!!!😀🎆
My diary: “Seasidegal's Scrimpy Retirement Diary!”0 -
Congratulations Firewyrm, you deserve the victory dance!!
S xI have enough money for the rest of my life... as long as I never have to pay for anything again!
Debt at LBM (2011) £7750. DFD 01/01/20130
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 354.2K Banking & Borrowing
- 254.4K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 455.3K Spending & Discounts
- 247.2K Work, Benefits & Business
- 603.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 178.4K Life & Family
- 261.4K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards