Starting again, with more motivation?

Bex296

Hi everyone!

I have had a previous DFW diary, and then I fell off the wagon, so I'm back again. In *slightly* better shape, but not much. In the interim, DH and I saved for and paid for our wedding without putting anything on a credit card, which we are proud of as while we've not cleared our debts, we've reduced them and not added to them. Over 2 years we managed to save £11,000, which proves we CAN do it, we just need discipline. We're currently saving for a trip-of-a-lifetime honeymoon.

Now, I know that debt should be cleared first, but I'm currently doing a PhD and we're doing our six week trip when I finish, as DH's company have kindly allowed him six weeks and I will be between jobs- and that sort of opportunity doesn't come up often. So, we have paid for our flights, and are saving for the rest. No more credit card debt!


The foolish trip aside- my debt has reduced by approximately £2,000 since I started my first diary.

My current debts:
Credit cards: £8092
Car HP (finished in March): £480

My *new* aims are:

• Save £1100 by April - a bit of spending money for the honeymoon on top of our joint efforts, some to see me through my basic expenses until my first pay packet at the end of June. DH will feed and house us for the interim, which is lucky!
• Pay off £3000 from my CC debt before we leave for the aforementioned enormous trip (my payments will be more because of evil interest, grr)
• STICK TO MY BUDGET because I'm really bad at this, and that's why I've not done very well recently. Buying a half price dress while I'm waiting for my phone to be fixed is all very well, but it's £20 I didn't budget for.

I've re-joined the forum to try and keep on track!

There are also some 'joint' targets with DH:

• Save £6250 for the honeymoon
• Both be debt free by December 2015
• Save for a house by October 2017

But these are a bit vaguer as until I know my exact salary for after my PhD I can't plan exactly. I definitely have some work, but not sure of the details. On the bright side, at least I know I will have *some* money coming in!!

Bex296

So, today I wondered if a daily post might help me keep on track. So here we go.
Yesterday I joined a £365 by Christmas 2015 group, as despite good intentions I never actually save for Christmas. I'm better at budgeting for it, but it shouldn't really all come out of December's budget! Now, I know that I will break into a regular money box or bank account, so I've ordered the cheapest tin can style moneybox I could find from a well-known online retailer for £2.50. A terramundi pot DH and I were given when we got engaged worked well for wedding savings as we had to smash the thing and so couldn't just dip in, so I'm trying the same tactic- the tin is just cheaper and a bit less pretty!
Today I joined a 'get things done' weekly group as I faff a LOT and need to be more proactive to get my thesis done and still maintain some sanity. Lurking on the forums is clearly not helping here, so I'm going to try to restrict my time on the forums to 1/2 hour a day, including a diary update. It's a change and more useful than social media sites, which I will have to curb my use of too.

Not quite a NSD today as I bought milk... But I will aim for more NSDs. Might even join a challenge for them in December!

suicidebob

You bought a £2.50 tin that you can get in any pound shop?

itskat

Good luck, Bex! \o/

Bex296

suicidebob wrote: »

You bought a £2.50 tin that you can get in any pound shop?

I did not realise that they were available in pound shops...

DawnW

Good luck Bex

You have achieved a lot already, and while doing your PhD too.
Congratulations on your wedding, and hope you have the trip of a lifetime xxx

suicidebob

DawnW wrote: »

Is this meant to be helpful and encouraging, because if it is you have sadly failed.

Did you read at the top, where it says 'Be nice to all moneysavers"?

So encouraging lavish spending while already heavily in debt with an uncertain future is being nice?

Remind me never to ask you for advice!

No wonder there's so many people in a mess....

Bex296

DawnW- thank you for your encouraging comments.

suicidebob- I am aware that some of my decisions are not ideal, but I have made an informed decision to take these actions, and while my wage after I finish my PhD is currently uncertain (it depends on grants), I have guaranteed work and DH is in a stable job. I'm changing habits - ie, not getting into more debt, even if I am clearing debt slower than I ought to. For me, this is progress. For me, MSE forums are about supporting others in their individual journeys and celebrating steps in the right direction, not judging them because they are not behaving 'perfectly'.

AleMrsT

Wow, I hope suicidebob never finds himself in the lowly position of making a bad money decision, othwrwise he might find himself on an MSE board.... oh wait..... I think this is the same guy who quizzed me on why I had to get a loan when my car got written off by an uninsured driver.

Anyway, good luck on your journey, congrats on the wedding, we also paid for a wedding (shock horror how dare we), when hubby was redundant from work.

Bex296

Thanks AleMrsT

The wedding actually really helped us- when we got engaged we looked at our money and went 'Hang on, where does it all go??' and learned how to save.

Bex296

So, update.... No money in, but a large chunk has gone out . Car needed servicing, so sent it in expecting it to need new front tyres as the 20p test told me they were worn (and also, the garage had warned me last time it was in that it would prob need new ones next time!).
Unfortunately it also needed suspension bump stops - apparently these are quite crucial- and brake pads/discs- which of course I know are crucial! So DH and I are now £440 lighter, £140 of which had to go onto a card as the service was pre-paid but the work was not, and I wasn't expecting to have to do so many things at once! Bad timing, but at least it's just wear and tear stuff, and there's nothing nearing wearing out now! And at least I had £300 available for it. Could be worse.
Rather tight end of the month now, but next Friday is payday. Apart from a couple of odds and sods the cupboards are stocked, and my socialising this weekend is almost entirely at my house or a friend's house, so only a £3 spend will be needed all weekend! Must chase up some expenses that I'm owed, as £150 would be really handy to minimise the damage to the credit card...