LBM for the final time

the.new.me

Today I have sat and thought about my life and the fact I have to grow up once and for all I am 36 with dd and my cat.

I owe far too much and need to start paying it back.

Ok the debt part:

Cc1 £500
Cc2 £490
Cc3 £280
Cc4 £1500
Mum £6800
Od £2000
Dwp over payment £780

Total £12450

I have done a budget today which is has got everything on it right down to the last penny. I have snow balled everything and if I really watch the pennies I will be debt free by this time next year.

I have made a start today by using up food I already have today I've had chicken curry with rice as I have onions and peppers that needed using using up. Tomorrow's dinner is in the slow cooker which is a pasta sauce with a sausage and a pork chop that I had lurking in the freezer in. It should last me three days with a portion of pasta. I am only going to buy the things I really need after doing a meal plan first as I have just been going food shopping every week and buying random food even though my freezers fit to burst.

My other vice is doing a load of washing and forgetting to dry it so I have to wash it again I a going to really make an effort to stop doing that now.

I have move my gas and electric today as my contracts up at the end of the month and I found a cheaper supplier plus I will get £40 from quidco, there's about £100 waiting to be paid out which is all due around December time so perfect for just before Christmas.

Right that's enough waffling for now.

PinkPoppies

Sounds like you are making a great start! Feels going to be getting everything under control doesn't it!

Best of luck! *subscribes*

the.new.me

What I've done today:

A NSD well I did need sugar but I found a bag of half spoon from my diet days and decided to use that for my coffees and save my money.
I made dd some flap jacks for snacks so I won't need any after school snacks for her.

I've done a wash and put it on the line straight away and not forgotten it as per usual. I have a box of stuff to sell I'm thinking a car boot might be done soon so I can get rid of it in one go. I've paid money into my bills account so they are all paid up until next month. I have found that the bills account has helped me keep on top of my bills and avoid charges every month I've been charge free for three months now.

I have quit smoking for three months today the plan was to save the money for treats but it seems to have been swallowed up somewhere I am going to start putting it into a pot and treat me and dd with some of it and the rest will go towards debts we all need a treat now and then. I've been thinking I think this is where I've failed before I've been too strict with myself and got bored very quickly.

My student loan offer has finally arrived and I'm getting only a little bit less this year than I'm in debt so if I can live off the other money I have coming in the loan can all be thrown at my debts...yayyy a plan.

Well that's it for the day off to bed in a minute to read a book I've had for ages and keep meaning to read.

the.new.me

I'm going to start writing my diary in the morning and at night to keep on track. Plans for today:

Have a NSD!!!! (Most important task) lol
Finally catch up on my ironing pile
Change and wash the bedding
Go through my cupboards and make a list of all my food
Get some of the jumper I started knitted

Dd has a friend coming round for tea, I have put a gammon joint in the slow cooker just need to do the potatoes and veg later so an easy day for me today.

the.new.me

I've made myself a shiny excel spreadsheet for the next year to log everything I spend down, I love excel and this time I will keep using it until debtfreedom (my new word). I should be able to pay it off in a year and have some left over too :j. This time I will do this and I will take it a day at a time.

A NSD done that's two in a row :j

I've done my ironing
The beddings wash dried and in the airing cupboard
I've got my cupboard inventory done OMG I have a lot of food that needs using
I will knit while the soaps are on then go to bed early and read.

I found 15p in my draw so that's me actually in profit today too

the.new.me

I'm feeling a bit frustrated as I can't pay anything off at the moment and I'm not getting any money for the next couple if weeks. Another NSD today as I'm not going out anywhere. So far I've sorted out my clothes and put some up the loft they're not warm enough for now but I will wear them next summer. I've been looking at places to go camping next year it's given me something to look at and look forward to.

Off to read some of my book and chill out for a bit

the.new.me

I've done my menu for the week today:

Tonight gammon in coke, sweet potato mash and corn on the cob
Strawberry trifle

Saturday same as Friday
Same as Friday

Sunday rolled lamb breast, roast potatoes, carrots and peas
Sussex pond pudding and custard

Monday lamb and pea risotto, salad
Same as yesterday

Tuesday chicken and vegetable korma and rice
Fruit salad

Wednesday same as yesterday
Same as yesterday

Thursday chicken and bacon pasta and salad
Creme brulee

I won't need anything apart from milk for this week so I can put a little bit towards debts and make a small start.

the.new.me

Today won't be a NSD I need petrol for work but I have 2p a litre off at mr T so I will use that to save a little bit of money. Can't wait for my wages to come through so I can start making payments to people finally. I just need some milk today as I've made some bread in my bread maker out of the bread flour I found so I can manage on that for a few weeks by making bread. This week will be my smallest food shop ever only need to spend £3. I really need to keep an eye on whats in my cupboards.

I found some Indian chutneys in my cupboard I'm going to attempt from naan breads and have chutney and naan with my curry.

I'm liking the new me and I love looking at ways to save money rather than spend.

purplefran

Hi Ya, sounds like you are doing great to me. I would count a NSD as doing something positive towards debt reduction, after all if you spend money you can't put it towards debt, so congratulations and a big pat on the back for THREE NSDs, brilliant! I am in debt too and looking to pay it off, so we can support each other xxx

ailz95

Sounds like you've got a workable plan there. What is Sussex Pond Pudding?

It also sounds very OS - have you checked the OS board? That covers all the MSE debt paying when you've got no money, sort of things, as Purplefran says have NSDs are really debt payment days as you're not digging yourself further in by spending money you don't have.

the.new.me

Ty purplefran I know I need to look at the positives lol


Old Fashioned Sussex Pond Pudding Portions: 4-6
100 g (4 oz) Atora Original Suet or Atora Vegetable Suet
225 g (8 oz) McDougalls or Be-Ro Self Raising Flour, sifted
150 ml (¼ pt) cold water, approximately
100 g (4 oz) unsalted butter, diced
100 g (4 oz) caster sugar
1 large thin skinned lemon

1 Lightly grease and line the base of 1.2 litre (2 pint) pudding basin. In a mixing bowl stir together the flour, Atora Suet and enough water to make a soft, but not sticky dough.
2 Roll out two thirds of the dough on to a lightly floured surface to 5 mm thick (¼ inch). Line the basin with the dough making sure any splits are sealed well.
3 Put half the butter and sugar into the centre of the basin. !!!!! the lemon well with a skewer and place in the middle, and then surround with the remaining butter and sugar.
4 Brush the top edges with a little water and roll out the remaining dough into a round shape the same size as the basin. Cover the pudding with the dough and press down well to seal the edges.
5 Cover with greased greaseproof paper and cook in microwave oven on two third maximum (medium/high) 700 watt for 7-8 minutes or until well risen and just firm to the touch. Leave the pudding to stand for 2-3 minutes before turning out onto a warm dish.
6 Serve immediately with yogurt, custard or cream.
Variation (as illustrated) - If liked, sprinkle 175 g (6 oz) dried fruit around the lemon to give a more solid filling. If time is on your side, steam pudding for 1½ - 2 hours conventionally, making sure pan does not boil dry.

I usually microwave it as it's cheaper to cook, it's a family old favourite and very filling.

I am keeping an eye on the old style saving too I just seem to have some really odd ingredients that need using up so going to be inventive for now but I like cooking new dishes.