58k in debt to frugal living..

debtfreeoneday

Forgive me diary for I have spent!!

I've been a diary nightmare for years not finding any I like. The only one that has ever worked for me was a big filofax, so cutting a long story short I bought one of fleabay.. it is used but it's a lovely unusual colour which I wanted.. anyhoo I'm in debt with my spends for two months as a result.. I do use it loads for money stuff though, so maybe an investment.

I also applied for another 0% credit card as the current one is near the limit.. I know it's not ideal, but I just need a backup whilst we are flinging everything at the debt and not saving for emergencies.. Once the £58,000 is gone, it's the credit card (s) next.. I've only asked for a small credit limit and it's with my bank, so assume I will get it.. there is also a £25 bonus for applying, so that will help!

Rain rain rain today - DH and stepson off out for the day, so I'm staying in with the littles and playing!

Signed up for a few more survey sites thanks to pennywise, at £28 now on OP.. about to give up on VP - it used to be so good, but now it's so slow with surveys.. anyone else finding this??

debtfreeoneday

As always, spent time tinkering about with YNAb and decided to take the plunge with the water tank bill that doesn't look like it will materialise, so £300 out of the utilities budget off the loan..

and with that payment I've hit 97% :j:j

Balance is £1539.. absolutely will get that under £1500 this month and will aim for £1400 if I can.. which means I'll definitely be in three figures by 1 May if all goes to plan.. could really do with some survey sites and cashback tracking for me to aid me on this!!

Starting adjusting my budget to take account of the huge (not) increase in child benefit, went to look at the estimation for tax credits for April and it's reduced by £100 - any idea why that would be? Means I'll spend valuable life time on the phone to them tomorrow!!

amycool

Wow - you're so close to paying off your debt! It will feel so good when you can type 100%!

Better to invest in a really good diary and actually use it, than buy a rubbish one that gathers dust. I'm just using a wall calendar at the moment and my driving instructor laughed at me bringing it to the car to arrange dates! :rotfl:

Stripes_The_Elephant

debtfreeoneday wrote: »

and with that payment I've hit 97% :j:j

Well done! :T

debtfreeoneday

Thanks Amy and Stripes for popping in!

Item no (Can't remember) sold - £100!!

So £50 sent to the credit card and £50 sent to the loan meaning I am under £1500 with a balance of £1489 and 97.4% paid off now!!!!!

Had a lovely day out in the gorgeous weather.. Little people are knackered, in bed and asleep already!

debtfreeoneday

Lovely weather yesterday, spent most of it doing stuff in the garden.

DH back to work today :-( rest of the week is really busy, so I'm tempted to just hang with the littlies at home today..

Bit foggy out, hope the sun appears soon and burns it off..

Off to paint little girls and my nails now (as you do)

debtfreeoneday

Thought I'd list progress on survey sites

OP - £29 (payout at £40)
IAP - 1143 points (payout at 1380)
Myvoice - 330 (Payout at 2000)
panelbase - £5.00 (payout at £10.00)
viewsbank £1.25 (payout at £6.00)
mindmover £2.10 (payout at £20.00)
yougov £13.00 (payout at £50.00)

So some way to go on them, but every penny goes towards the end goal!

debtfreeoneday

Feeling a bit miz here.. our debt payments have always been a priority, but one of a few priorities.. life has to go on around debt repayments..

Tax credits are reducing, so much so, I'm not including them in our budget, they are likely to be £30 ish a month.. that will massively impact our ability to clear the debt.. we are trying to do work in the garden, but it's either pay debt or do the garden.. I only want to do a small bit where the little people will have an area, so it's a bit of fencing and some membrane over the soil and then peashell stones.. oh and a set of steps to be built which I think we will manage to build using some stone from our demolished fireplace.. so not much, but still probably £50-£100..

I wonder whether I do this right sometimes.. I don't want to wait till the loan is gone to do the work as that will be the end of the summer and I want the kids to be able to make the most of the garden, but then it'll put back the debt payments..

I'm so desperate to get the debt gone.. to have a more realistic budget where I can clear the 0% interest stuff over time and also in a way forget about it..

Sorry I'm waffling, I'm just in a bit of a funk.. wondering the for 10,000,000,000 time why we let ourselves get in this situation in the first place..

In slighter cheerier news, I seem to have found my weight loss mojo and have lost 17lb (official weigh in on Sunday)

Mara_uk7

Do the garden, set yourself a budget and just do it. Youve done amazingly well on the debt and you DESERVE somewhere nice to sit and get a sense of achievement. It will give you that wee boost that you need. And over the summer thefamily will be enjoying the project, they would neverbe saying isnt it great that mums paid off that extra £100. Go for it babes, you will never regret it.

debtfreeoneday

Thank you Mara.. we are going to do it, but it'll take a few months to even get the budget to do it..

In other news, I'm going to move over and use my diary in the MFW section rather than keep two going, as we are overpaying the mortgage already and this will be our main focus once the debt has gone, so please come visit me over there if you'd like to.. I will keep up with the diaries I've subscribed to to keep tabs on you all.

The diary is called Mortgage Free by 2023 if you'd like to follow me!