Countdown to a new life...2.5 Years to Debt-free ....Revisited

Bobarella

You are doing well to have paid that off..I think it is hard when you have got a larger amount as you can't see the ends. One tip I've heard on here a few times is to break up your debt into smaller lumps and only focus on that..so at the moment I have my target for the month and I just chip away at that. Could you come and join us on the Payment a Day thread? Quite a lot of the people are paying down larger sums. It's addictive and very motivating.

Bob

Sellurgranny

Happy Inbetwix time my fellow MSE'rs

Just spent a constructive couple of hours doing a new Budget Spreadsheet for 2016.

Same format as before but with a bit more colour to cheer things up a bit.

Also updated my signatures here. I was a bit over optimistic with my calculations on my LSC debt by about £500 since I got a proper balance from them on the 15th which included the interest acrrued that is difficult to work out accurately. Will try better in 2016 with that.

So, at the title of my diary suggests, I started out in Jan 2015 with 2.5 years left to pay down my debts before I move to another county to me with my fiance.

I am planning to sell my house, pay off the outstanding mortgage and other debts mentioned in my signature block and buy a flat outright with whatever is left. Hence the need to continue paying off debts until that time comes. Less debts = more money for a flat!

Although I'll be living with my partner in his house, and therefore won't have a mortgage (tied farm property) I want to maintain a presence in my current local area as either a place that my eldest DD's can use if they decide to continue to study/live here). Otherwise it will be rented out to provide an income for me.

I am sooo hoping I can get the debt repayment bug into my system properly this coming year. Everything is in place as far as the budget goes but I'd really like to think I can stick to it a bit more! MAybe a spending diary might help as I feel I have been prone to drift during the weeks and end up spending on bits and pieces during lunchtimes that I dont need. Actually, I think I already identified this back along in the autumn. Another thing I need to do is bulk cooking and planning meals properly. Working full time since March this year has really stretched me in terms of being able to plan ahead for meals and more importantly, cook from scratch which of course saves £££s.

Im not back to work until the 11th Jan so plenty of time to get myself organised - sort through the freezers and concoct some meals. Plus eating some of the stuff in there will save a bit of money between now and the next payday on 25/1.

Will try and pop in more regularly too to pick up tips and generally get the MSE vibe.

I didnt go overboard with xmas food this year, partly to save money and partly to stop us all on overdosing on chocolate/sweets etc. So far so good - what we have will last us until the kids go back to school/uni.

Hope you all had a very good christmas and are looking forward to jumping back on the MSE DFW wagon with me in 2016!

Sellurgranny

Happy New Year all :T

Hope you all got to spend your NYE as you wished. Me? I was with my fianc! and we had a quiet one with the kids. A buffet tea and a few glasses of wine.
Not a hangover in sight today.

Having a lazy day as the weather is pants. Would've liked a nice wintery walk before we tuck into a casserole that i made the other day. It's in the slow cooker bubbling away. Will be served with many dumplings and veg.

I have a simple resolution for this year which is to Spend & eat less. Well maybe simple to say/write but not so easy to do in practise. I have a feeling the eating less will be the hardest part. Food is my downfall.

Today will be a NSD which is a good start to the year I guess.

Off to have a browse on the forums now to gather some inspiration.

Sellurgranny

My last week off from work starts tomorrow. Time to get stuck into housework and money saving.

Feel like i need a new challenge with the food shopping. Will have a go at meal planning i think. Firstly need to do a freezer stock take and set about using up the bits in there. If i do this tomorrow it will give me time to use up the ingredients this week when i have more time for slow cooker recipes.

Been trawling the mse forums this evening for inspiration.

Had a relatively inexpensive weekend, but finding the kids seem to be asking for stuff all the time. Today it was new curtains for DD3 bedroom. Nothing wrong with the ones she has. Think i got a bit lax last year buying things and shelling out on unnecessary stuff. This year i need to get back to basics again.

Feeling a bit unmotivated today though. Tomorrow should be better though as the country gets back to normal again.

I will need to decide how much to save for xmas 2016 soon. Last year i did 40 quid/month. This year i might reduce it to £35 which will be 350 in nov 16 to get the presents.

Right I'd better get to sleep soon. Night all xx

Sellurgranny

Paying debts is so so boring! I just can't get excited about it these days.

The debts are all large in their own right and even though I've tried cutting them into bite sized challenges it just doesnt motivate me.

I found it so much easier to clear the unsecured debts that i had when i first started on the dfw journey.

themarsbargirl

Want to make a competition to see which of us can pay off the most over our minimums or standard payments this month? Would that be fun?

Why not try a new hobby or something....find something new and fun you can do that won't cost money or will save you money?

Sellurgranny

Thanks Themarsbargirl for stopping by work encouragement... I think that sounds like a grand idea! I will take some time later today to look at my budget and minimum payments to see if I can squeeze a bit more money to the debts.

What do you plan to do to make the extra payments? Are you going to make them weekly or at the end of the month? Xx

themarsbargirl

I make them fortnightly (I get money fortnightly), I'll be squeezing my budget as tight as I can, anything left in my account the day before money goes in I transfer to my credit card as an extra payment.
I'll also be making about £75 selling my car this week (although I'm happy not to count that if that's unfair).

Sellurgranny

Good afternoon from the chilly & rainy South West.

Have spent another couple of hours updating my budget spreadsheet to take me into March. Also updated my calendars with school holidays, birthdays and non pupil days. Finally feeling organised and with the budget I can see how much spare money Im going to have left to overpay towards my debts.

themarsbargirl - I think I will aim to make an overpayment after I get paid on the 25th of the month. However I'll see how this goes. Im going to draw off any left over money i have each week (I do a weekly budget rather than monthly as my DDs come out all over the place throughout the month) and then put that in a separate account until the 25th. Good luck to you and I think paying off debt with your car sale is totally fine - you are choosing to use the money towards your debts which is fab. I know how easy it is to fritter it away again!!

Have you got a diary tmbg that I can subscribe to? I try to keep up with several diaries for inspiration but will probably miss some when I go back to work next week.

Surg x

Sellurgranny

Things I need to do tomorrow on my last day off....

1. Small top up shop for weekend from Lidl or Aldi
2. Go to carphonew/h and try to get the £50 currys voucher that should have come with DD3's phone last week - apparently have to go back from where I collected it from so they can confirm with CPW people that I picked up phone - Im sure they are just making me jump through hoops.
3. Visit a couple of Chazza shops in the local area - its my last chance before back to ftw.
4. Change duvet covers on bed
5. Try out my needle felting kit that I ordered.

Lets see how much I can achieve eh - will report back tomorrow!