The journey to 31/03/15...

menina

Hello everyone!

I am excited to be here this evening with my shiny new diary

This will be my third diary in just under two years, but so much has changed lately that it feels right to break out a new one.

A bit about me:

35 years old, married, no children, reasonable job. Historically awful with money- no excuse for this as I was taught to know better! Husband is equally bad with money although has no debt (husband has a job but earns less than me). Not really fair to say that he has no debt actually, £11000 of my current debt has benefited him, just that it's in my name.

My LBM was in January 2013, at which time I was £25000 in debt. I massively changed my ways, cut right back on everything and for the first time in my life I actually got to know the value of money and how to manage it. I managed to get the debt down to £10000, which although not great was obviously a big improvement.

Hubby and I were frustrated with our situation, as we both have ambitions for a different kind of life. We were kind of stuck in the mud of working hard paying for stuff and having quite a nice time- although nothing extravagant but never able to save much. In June 2014, we took the somewhat drastic step of buying a boat to live on. Aside from boating being something we like to do, this has the added bonus of us no longer needing to pay rent,TV licence, sky, water, electricity, a regular gas bill or council tax. So far so money saving? Well yes 'kind of'! Due to our minimal available funds, we had to buy an old boat in need of TLC. That TLC has been expensive at times.

In a nut shell, we bought a boat for the value of around 1 years rent. I currently have £11000 on credit cards, most of which was used to pay for the boat. The goal was to pay off the value of the boat in a one year time frame. I am a few months off target so hence the purpose of this diary!

31/03/15 is the date Ive set myself whereby I would like to be back on target. By this time, the natwest credit card and the barclaycard need to be clear. This is achievable but will take all my MSE powers *sighs!*

Have a good evening xx

menina

Ouchee!!! £21, 036 in debt (just updated signature). By 31/03/2015 that needs to read £15, 036 in debt.

menina

Been looking at my bills to see where I could save a bit. Both mine and OHs mobile phone deals were crap so switched us both to 3 yesterday. There isn't really anything else I can do on that front, just need to focus on spending as little money as possible. Xx

laurag89

Hi Menina,

well done on starting a fresh diary, and for having a firm plan.
when i had my lbm i wasnt far off where you are but i didnt have a thing to show for it, on a plus side you have your boat to show for it!

good luck on your debt free journey x

menina

Hello! Well its fair to say that January was a crap month in many ways, hence I haven't been on here. My father died and I had exams so my head has been all over the place. Trying to return to some kind of semblance of normality now. And I found out today that I passed the exams- phew!

Just updated my signature, and its only gone down by about £700 for Jan so I'm off target. Although there's still my loan payment to come out so that'll be another couple of hundred.

New mini goal is to be able to clear the natwest credit card (around £1700 on that on februarys pay day. This will only be achievable if I stick within my means and do not go any deeper into the overdraft.

Bye for now xx

DebtFree2012

I didn't want to read and run. Sorry to hear of your father's passing and congratulations on passing the exam especially during such an awful time. Good luck on reaching your goal.

twiggy86

So sorry to hear about your father. But well done on passing your exams, and also in paying £700 off in January which is a notoriously bad/long month!

menina

Good morning! Well its been another month of money saving madness. A bit of robbing peter to pay paul has been going on, but I feel overall better than last month.

Had a couple of thefts from the exterior of the boat so got a bit paranoid and got the security on the front door improved which cost a couple of hundred. Also was on annual leave so tempting to spend money.

Just got paid so paid some bills and updated the signature. Im under £20000 for the first time in ages and have finally cleared the natwest credit card so thats good.

I'm not on target for clearing the barclaycard by the end of march, but I do aim to make a big dent in it and then clear it in April.

Plan for this month- stay within my means and then be in a position to pay £2000 to barclaycard on next payday.

Also complete the coursework for my work course. Quite a lot to do so should stop me from spending money at least!

Have a lovely day everyone xxx

menina

Hello all! Just having my pay day diary check in. Will post once more on 31/03 then start a new diary.

Just paid £1680 off the barclaycard Been through my accounts and updated the signature accordingly.

I clearly won't be at my goal of £15,036 in debt by the 31st, but I'm pleased to have made progress. Bye for now x