New Years Goals and Career Changes - A diary for a better me.

myteeduck

beanielou wrote: »

That must be some car

Haha! I wish it was a top of the range Ferrari but its just a special edition Mini with all the mod cons on it. However I could trade it in and get a down-beat carp car, but with what I owe from previous cars, having had no deposits, I would still be paying the same, so I figured I might as well have my little Homer.

x

myteeduck

The neighbor situation has improved dramatically. I found out what had happened and without going in to tooo much detail I have figured out that she is actually too scared to return home! So while she's not there - peace for me!

myteeduck

Well had a good few days. The house is quiet as the neighbors still haven't returned.

I spent 50p yesterday, which was my first spend in days - it was expected - our local library now charges to hold books, so I had one reserved that I wanted to collect. I thought it would cost £1.50 but 2 were on hold prior to the charge, so I didn't have to pay for those. Now the choice is do I drive to the library where whatever book I want is, or pay 50p to get them transferred to my closest library. I'll have to pay if the book is out of stock though, but I don't mind so much then, especially if its one I am interested in reading.

Getting a little further with my job seeking - more companies are contacting me about jobs, so my CV is getting out there and i'm hearing from a few agencies - the only problem is when the job is with an agency, most of the time, they are just looking for you to sign up. That happened yesterday - I applied for a job, got a callback and they asked if I was registered - I said I was with a different branch - she took my details and said she would register me with them and would let me know if any jobs came my way - what about the job I applied for???

Its so annoying when you don't know if it is genuine or just a ploy for new registrations!!

Arrgh Rant over....

myteeduck

Hi all

I have been reading on here today and came across Mr MM. I had a read and something has clicked. I don't know why it has only clicked today, probably reading the page has done it.

I have made a big decision. I am going to cancel my TV subscription to Netflix and my cable TV. Now they don't sound big to some, but to me - its massive. I am going to go down to using internet on my phone or at my mums only.

I use my internet mainly and its for programme watching. I watch series on Netflix and I watch you tube. I am stopping all you tube watching from now and have given myself to stop watching Netflix from September 1st top allow myself the time to finish watching what I want before I give it up. I am going to cancel the internet around this time - I think I have to give notice, but I don't have to wait out a contract. I will loose my home phone, but I have enough minutes on my mobile.

The way I am seeing it now is it is a luxury and one that it wasting my hard earned money!

Now to see where else I can cut back/get rid off!

x

myteeduck

Morning all!

I've just been playing with my YNAB software and moving money categories around. I have separated it in to 3 main categories - Monthly Bills, Miscellaneous, Yearly Savings.

Monthly bills is this things I must spend every month, e.g. rent, gas, water, CT, Car, Food and Diesel.

Miscellanious is my Halifax CC, Drama, Virgin TV, Clothing etc

Finally Yearly Savings is everything that is in my signature.

I can't do anything about the items in Monthly spends - I can only work to reduce the amounts, e.g. use less gas/electricity, use less water, meal plan to get the food bill down and use the car less to reduce the fuel spend.

Yearly spends is the one that used to trip me up. I never used to budget and when they came around, they knocked me off my feet and out came a 0% interest card - never again!!!

However miscellaneous is the one that has given my the shock this month. I have spent in July alone already and we are not even done with the month £121.19!!!

This breaks down as:

Virgin - £33.63
Netflix - £5.99
Drama - £10.00
Owed to a friend - £10.00
Halifax CC - £61.57

Virgin and Netflix is discussed above, I have to give 30 days notice and the intention is to cut it off in September. I will have to make a payment in September - there is no way around this - it will happen even if I gave 30 days right now - wouldn't be a big payment, but would still be a payment - I might as well get myself in order and make a full month payment, with October being clear.

Drama was a past time that I tried, I am not enjoying it as much as I had hoped - too much pressure and I am in exams at the moment - I never know if we are going and its just stupid. I will do the play I am in in September, then cancel. Not that interested in the next play anyway.

The friend was a party that I went to - I have took a small bag, moved my cards over, but forgot to move the actual money! I got subbed £10 and my friend said pay her next time I see her. I haven't been able to see her since so the money is waiting in a pot. What I should have done, was been more savvy with the finances and the £10 that was in my purse - I should have saved that, but on no I needed food or something stupid!

I don't know what is on the Halifax that came to £61.57 - I think that was food, but stupid me had a £100 food budget in May that I blew in week 1 - I need to eat the rest of the month, but from what I can remember, it was luxury food items - such as chocolate milk and spread and fancy pre-cut fruits! Stupid Stupid Girl!!!

What has shocked me is if I had realised that luxury items were not allowed earlier I could have had £120 to throw at my CC and got it down a month or two earlier!

I am being so strict now - I am buying to live, not to entertain myself. I have enough items and food to entertain myself without buying more. I am going to sort the flat tyre on my bike out so I can save diesel on a Sunday, I have listed 2 items of furniture on a Facebook group, hope they sell, but I want them gone so heres hoping. The money WILL go off my CC, not on a goody that I think I need when I actually don't.

I think my attitude to money is changing and in a good way.

x

myteeduck

Having a productive morning today! I have done my meal plan for the next week and took a tiny list to the supermarket. Buying basics in Mr A (we had coupons) I managed to get £5.97 shopping for £2.78. I paid a tiny bit of this in cash - 45p so only £2.33 has come out of the YNAB budget

I also have sold a bookcase on Facebook and the person has offered the full amount

I also took the £12 from the tin and £2 from my spare change tin and paid this from my Halifax CC to save me from finding this money next month. I figured why struggle next month when I have half of the bill sitting in a jar on my side waiting for an imaginary handbag I may own one day, when I can pay the cash off my card, clear the card quicker, be able to save my money and buy the bag when I am fully paid off and sorted. It will be more of a treat then when I have saved up for something like that and I am not in debt!

My diary should also have the title living a Champagne Lifestyle on an (cheap 11p) Lemonade Budget!

x

myteeduck

OOh Updating again!

I sold my other bookcase. Providing they are picked up - my Halifax CC which has a balance of £29 to be paid next month will have been completely paid this month! I budgeted the £30 from next month and it now means that instead of paying £50 on my other card - I can up it to £90!! I am sooo happy! This card is getting cleared off so fast now! I have my debt free date this year now instead of next! In fact this December instead of having o money, I will have my first batch of proper savings, plus my Christmas budget Plus the money to outright pay my AAT and Home insurances! Its going to be amazing starting next year on a high instead of last years low.

This has been achievable by making some tiny changes - which are turning out to be so effective. Once I have cleared the card, I will re-post an updated SOA so you can look at where else I can make some savings

xx

killerpeaty

So excited for you! You're doing so well!

Orange_Ena

Hiya

Just been catching up with your diary and congratulations, you are doing so well. And how brilliant to have a debt free date this year. What a fantastic Christmas present to yourself.

I'm subscribing

myteeduck

Hi Orange!!

I am hoping my CC debt free will be before November, but if not going in to the New Year with less bills and more disposable income to throw at my car will be amazing!

I just managed to cancel my cable contract - they didn't put up any fight and let me go quite easily. I disconnect on the 25th August, with nothing to pay in September, except for phone calls and movies if I order/go over my allowance. I don't make calls on my landline unless I absolutely have to!

Mum said I could sell my landline phone (she bought it for me) but I will wait to see what I am doing long term once I am debt free before I make a decision.

The bookcases got picked up within minutes of each other and the halifax was paid almost instantly. I also put £10 aside for groceries and paid to my Santander to make it the round amount of £350!

I have been looking at the cost of AAT level 3 and with the exams etc, I need to save £1000. I will only do this, if I can save this amount in full!

xx