Dizzying debts...

Dizzy_Imp

OK - after reading quite a few diaries, I've decided to start one of my own - hopefully to chart my progress, but quite possibly to rant or have a virtual sob now and again. Please feel free to boot me up the backside as and when needed!

I'm married with two small sons and two delightful stepkids. It's my second marriage - my first ended when my husband committed suicide. That's a long and complicated part of my story, perhaps for another time.

My debts are actually mainly my second husband's (I may have bought one or two unnecessary pairs of shoes, but I'm sure that's all ) from his failed first marriage and business collapse but we are working on clearing this together. And we will. Sometimes it feels an almost impossible task, with new bills or unexpected costs popping up, but I'm determined to keep reducing what is owed until it's all gone.

The support on this forum is amazing and in my month of membership I have already learnt so much about budgeting, saving and ways to reduce our outgoings and I'm delighted to be able to say that after only four weeks I've managed to clear over 6% already.

And so my journey has begun. I wonder how much of a rollercoaster it's going to be?

f0nz

Best of luck! 6% in such a short space of time is fantastic, well done!! :beer:

Golightly72

I'm so sorry to hear about your first husband, but how lovely that you are happy now. Good luck on your debt free journey, I've subscribed.

Dizzy_Imp

f0nz wrote: »

Best of luck! 6% in such a short space of time is fantastic, well done!! :beer:

Thanks - I doubt I'll be able to do that amount each month but I'm going to try. I've beaten DH into submission and he's stopped his overspending and buying unnecessary things (mainly food) which is a start. Being a guilt-ridden divorced father really didn't help but I think we're past that stage now. The skids are on-board with money saving and take great delight in teasing me calling the "Extreme coupon queen"

sick_of_being_in_debt

Good luck on your debt free journey and well done for the progress you have made so far.

Dizzy_Imp

OK - New month, new challenges...

Currently soaking in a lovely hot bath with a glass of chilled Chenin. First time today that I've had a minute to myself and I admit DS2 is screaming his head off downstairs as DH fails to soothe him, but...:p

It was my niece's birthday today, so have spent a good four hours in the company of my loud family, resulting in a headache. DS1 was appallingly badly behaved when we arrived, having just dropped off to sleep in the car five minutes before we arrived. Lovely. Oh and I forgot the tiny one's eye drops, so he was miserable too.

We bought my niece a selection of bath bombs, soaps and other highly fragranced bathroom goodies from Lush, which went down a storm. Apparently this shop is where everybody who is anybody (!) buys their toiletries. After half an hour of the bag under my nose in the car I can honestly say I felt sick. Too strong for me. Expensive and heady, but not like my favourite perfume. I'd go so far to suggest it reminded me of that "Shake 'n' Vac" powder from back in the day.

Not an NSD for me but I've had a good day, nevertheless

Dizzy_Imp

Not a great day for me.

Feeling down and unappreciated by my DH who seems to think it's acceptable to sit on his bum watching transfer deadline day, while I run around like the proverbial blue fly.

I've sorted out this week's credit card payments, extra payments and 0% deals but got a flea in my ear when I asked what the cash withdrawal on Saturday was for. Can't remember (really?) or using it to buy KFCs for lunch? And he says he wants to lose weight? I sometimes wonder why I bother cooking healthy fresh food when he seems to sabotage my efforts at any opportunity. Oh, and last month I had to top up his bank account using my own funds, as he was going to bounce some payments, but he still thinks it's OK to take cash out. Sometimes I despair.

Dizzy_Imp

Wow - appears to have been a while since I last posted!

Debt busting seems to be going OK. DH is now back on board after his "rebellion" lol. I understand that sometimes having financial restrictions can feel suffocating, so maybe I need to relax occasionally. Half term this week and DH had the week off to spend some time with me and the kids. It has proven to be a very productive time, with him getting an interview and subsequent job offer for a different branch and us viewing a very beautiful house with a view to moving in the near future All very exciting, especially when I realised that the house in question is nearly £140K less than ours is worth, so we will finally be debt free!

Been shuffling pennies around taking advantage of 0% deals and was refunded over £400 by my energy company due to overpayments, which was a real result - paid directly to CC, so debt a little less than before :j

Dansmam

Hey, skids, his yours and either, always need everyone to think of everyone's feelings all the time. Do that and you're sure to find all's good. Wishing you all all the best
DMall

Dizzy_Imp

I can't believe that it's already the last day of February! Yesterday my Grandmother celebrated her 104th birthday - just incredible! I took my boys to see her in the nursing home and got some lovely pictures. The staff had arranged a singer to come in and all the residents joined in with war-time songs, which was great. The chef had made a splendid gateau topped with spun sugar hearts and she had lots of cards and presents to open. The downside was I'm pretty sure she had no idea who we were...:(

Anyway - on to financial and money matters...got to the end of the month without too much drama, despite me making one overpayment twice :eek: I seem to have paid over 12% of the total debt with makes my average monthly debt clearance 6% each month. That means I'm not on track to clear the whole debt by the end of the year, but there are plans for us to move due to DH's new job, which will release a huge amount of equity from the house. I plan to pay off our outstanding amounts and then put aside the monthly payments into a savings account.

Got to go - both boys are clamouring for attention...

Dizzy_Imp

Had a stressful day, even by my standards. DS1 off preschool with a cough, a friend in dire straits and I'm trying desperately to decorate the house in time for the estate agent photographer on Tuesday! Then the proxy car decides to clap out on the way back from collecting the skids from school!!! Argh...4 children in the car and it's limping home banging and clattering. Being towed to the garage in the morning for DH's mate to find out what I broke :eek:

All budgets out of the window and I'm sitting on the sofa with a large glass of wine...