DFW journey starts today

AleMrsT

Well done on the holiday purchase, I think getting money off, and getting cashback is very MSE so you shouldnt have any guilt at all, not considering how hard you worked last year at paying back debt and building up your emergency fund etc. Its brilliant that you had money aside for the deposit and aren't needing to rely on credit to fund the holiday, I honestly think you are being a little too hard on yourself about this, especially as you will be celebrating your birthday there too!!

twiggy86

Thanks AleMrsT! I should be kinder to myself, but I think the fear is if I'm too kind all my hard work will slip!

twiggy86

So I survived my mud run on Sunday! It was 3 laps and as I have done no training I wasn't sure I would do the full 15km, but I did - even if I did come third from last (but I beat Batman and Robin!:rotfl:)
It reminded me that I actually really enjoy getting out and going running! So I think I'm going to set myself the goal of doing 12 races this year - which may not be MSE as they all have an entry fee, but provided I don't do things like Tough Mudder, and just do local "normal" runs, it shouldn't cost too much - plus maybe it will get me out training! So I've done one, and I signed up to a 10km run in May the other day (only £7.50), I've persuaded my friend to do a 10km in April and some of my friends are talking about doing a 3km foam run! So now to find another 8 events!

twiggy86

Dear Diaryland

Please accept my apologies for neglecting you for so long!

So exciting update... I have a new job! Saw job ad, applied, had an interview and got the job offer all in under a week! I haven't been happy in my job for too long so I am really excited! I don't start until the end of March so just seriously counting down the days! It will be more money but to start I will have to pay to park which will eat up most of the raise but despite wanting to be debt free, money wasn't a huge part of my decision.

Other than that I have paid off a bit more of the debt (£150 on payday, probably similar this month). Would have liked for more but now have the holiday to pay off (paying off £250 per month)! I have decided that each week I am going to use some of the money my OH gives me to pay off the CC as it is our debt, but he also has a debt with me (well my CC!) so I use the majority to pay off that. So hoping that despite the fact that I will be paying off less myself, it will go down a bit quicker with using his money too. To defend my OH, he has no idea what I do with the money he gives and had presumed I was using it to pay off our debt too.

I'm so pleased that I started properly budgeting as my car tax is due this month and I have put aside £170 during the course of the year. It costs £180 so only have £10 to cover the full cost and I normally put £15 away a month anyway! So love not having to cough up £180 out of one month's wage!

We ordered a new sink and cabinet for the bathroom yesterday as we hate our sink (bought the cheapest one going) and don't have any storage in the bathroom so this will solve both problems. But it has eaten up the money I'd put aside for house renovations so that's now down to about £3, but we didn't incur more debt! So now need to build that back up too! However we did manage to get some free stone which we are using to build the wall around the back garden so that was a good result!

Still haven't really got back into my running, although have signed up for one more event. I have started going back to circuits to try and build up some level of fitness again. Going tonight as the instructor is away but has sent through plan and a few people are still going (did the same on Thursday) which is good as it means its free but I still get a structured workout!


Don't think there's anything else to report!

AleMrsT

Well done on the new job!! You're so close to getting everything paid off now!

twiggy86

I'm getting so bad at posting on my diary! Think it's because I'm just plodding along and nothing "big" is really happening! But must get back into the habit as it keeps me motivated!

Signed up to the £5 per day challenge to try and boost my motivation too, as I want to see the back of the debt and get mortgage busting! Feel like I'm just coasting now that its interest free and isn't a big scary number! Also need to get back into coupons and shopping apps as haven't really done this recently (doesn't help that my phone is knackered and tends to throw me out!)

So I paid another £150 off the CC on payday and have been using £20 of OH's money to pay it off too, so it is going in the right direction! Of course, I'd just got the house renovation pot up to over £100 and now we've used it all up again! But I guess that is what it's there for!

We do have a new lodger moving in today which I'm hoping will help things along quicker! He did say it would only be relatively short term but we'll see how it goes.


Can't think of anything else to report!

twiggy86

Signed up for the £5 a day challenge for March so I'll keep track of it here...

Note to myself to remind me that surveys, cashback etc only counts when its paid into my bank - when I did this challenge before by the time cashback/shopping apps etc paid out I could never remember if I'd already counted it or not!

Interest - 5p
Reward - £5
Mum's discount - £7.50
Mr T vouchers - £16
Roadkill - 9p
Swagbucks - £5
Lodger - £240
TCB - £44.85
Parents change jar contents - £20
Shopitize - £4.39

Total = £342.88

twiggy86

So lodger finally moved in yesterday, so will see how that goes but the extra money will definitely come in handy. Undecided whether to throw it at the debt or the house, thinking house at the moment but I do have a tendency to change my mind!

Was hoping to get some new clothes for my new job with mum yesterday using her Mr T discount but couldn't find anything that suited me. Did manage to get a new jacket and some new jeans (not for work!) and saved £7.50 using her discount plus £16 in various money off coupons. I did get some coffee which was on offer as well which pleased OH as I don't drink it and refuse to buy it full price!

Getting better at uploading receipts. Currently got £2.91 payable on Quidco plus 33p pending, but I'll wait until later in the month before I withdraw so that I don't have to hit the £1 cashout limit plus it can help towards my £5 per day challenge! Also waiting on £46.59 to be payable from TCB. I found a new app called Receipt Hog which you upload receipts from all kinds of shops in return for coins which you can then redeem. Might take a while to hit the payout limit but it all helps and it's free!

Got through the weekend with my weekly budget in tact, although I did spend some out of my "pots" - for clothes and a voucher for my friend's daughter's birthday. Had a nice meal out with my parents on Saturday and then stayed at theirs which was a novelty. And then had a nice morning with my mum. So a good weekend for very little.

Bobarella

How useful having a relative with a store discount Twiggy

twiggy86

Nothing really to update! Went to circuits last night despite not wanting to and actually impressed myself! I've also printed out (at work of course) some workouts called Neila Rey so I've been doing some of them. I know the basics of what exercises to do but without a structure I know I don't push myself as much as can. I must make myself go running again as well. Kind of having a mental block against it at the moment as don't feel fit enough so scared to get out there - which is silly considering I was doing hill sprints last night!


Been debating whether or not to increase my mortgage overpayments to £200. Obviously if I don't the money wont be frittered away but would either use the extra £100 to put towards the house and/or the emergency fund. I don't think I'll do it for the end of this month as I'm not entirely sure when I'll get paid from my new job, if my tax will be correct etc. Plus a few years ago my boss gave me £200 towards my expenses for me to use and top up each month (if that makes sense). However in my pre LBM days, this of course got spent so I will be £200 down from this pay. I use my CC to pay for any expenses which is at over £100 for this month's expenses, of course I don't have to pay this straight off but that is not the MSE thing to do, so they will go on payday as they normally do!