22 months to work, dig, tidy and declutter my way to debt freedom

jwil

Hey P&F, hope you are feeling a bit better today. There must be something in the air.

You've done well with the decluttering, even if you haven't sold anything It's not all about selling stuff, unless you really want the extra money.

jwil

Oh, forgot to say, I am very jealous of your tickets for Dismaland, really would have liked to go!

Lacherlich

Hi!

Just had a read through your entire diary - normally I don't get that far! But found it very interesting and could relate a lot to it. Congrats on all the steps you've made so far, you seem motivated and have seen some good results already

Also I love the gardening aspects you've mentioned. I have been gardening/growing my own crops for two years now after purchasing a greenhouse (on the cc oops). But I do love it as it helps me relax - the main reason I want to clear my debt is so I can get myself into the best position before moving house - hopefully somewhere pleasant like a village with a bigger garden! Mine is tiny as I live in a city suburb new build! And the sun sets in my garden by 7pm at the latest! So don't get to enjoy the sun much after work.

I am one of those new merc people though - bought it two years ago as was always trying to 'fit' in with my neighbours. I do love my car though... just try not to think about how much it sets me back each year! Maybe I should consider handing it back one day and really clear my debts. Hmm, one step at a time! I'm not quite ready to let go yet

Anyhow, just finishing work, but will follow your diary!

IWillBeFree

peaceandfreedom wrote: »

Thanks for dropping in and thanks for the link above. I eventually ended up in tears today but I read through the info on the page and some other pages on the blog. While I may not take up all the suggestions, it is certainly true that I could do more to help myself. Some of the ideas I used to do but stopped. I do keep a gratitude list/journal but update it sporadically. Also I don't think of NEW things every day. So that's something new I will try.

Exercise is an obvious one and I have been trying to do more - I did go for a nice hike in the forest this afternoon, that helped.

I need to find a way of not getting bogged down in these negative spirals of thought, mostly about things done and dusted and impossible to change. I am not sure if these moods are hormonal/age-related or what, but I must find a way of dealing with them. Based on the above blog and some others that I occasionally read, I am going to come up with a daily routine that keeps me on a more even keel.

Thanks for the understanding and support, I do appreciate it .

I can relate to an awful lot of this post. I don't know whether these moods are hormonal/age related but like you, they seem to be part of my life more frequently. I look forward to seeing what your daily routine will be, as I need to copy best practice

Actually, I was ready crazy cat lady's diary earlier and she adds the three things she feels grateful for each day. Seems a nice, positive note to end the day on.

You are not alone, you are doing your best and we are here for you

peaceandfreedom

jwil wrote: »

Hey P&F, hope you are feeling a bit better today. There must be something in the air.

You've done well with the decluttering, even if you haven't sold anything It's not all about selling stuff, unless you really want the extra money.

You are being kind Jwil, because that's the way you are. But the decluttering isn't exactly stellar and the sales attempts haven't even got off the ground. I am reasonably confident that my sales for September will be nil .

But tomorrow I am going to have another bash at the decluttering. Really, I should be able to reach 100. And I do really need the money from selling stuff to be able to raise another 50 quid to send to the credit cards.

It's all a bit haphazard this month, will do better in October!

peaceandfreedom

jwil wrote: »

Oh, forgot to say, I am very jealous of your tickets for Dismaland, really would have liked to go!

Yes, I was lucky to get tickets online. I know that people with no tickets have queued for up to 4 hours to get in - I would not be prepared to do that myself.

It's hard to know what to make of the place really, it was interesting alright and there is a fair amount to see - enough to take up 2-3 hours of your time. There is a lot of queuing inside for certain of the attractions. The staff are predictably rude and abusive, which was a good laugh. Some though, particularly those in the art exhibition are much friendlier and knowledgeable. I'm not sure how much of it all I would call 'art' but it was all quite thought-provoking (even if some of the thoughts were 'what a load of b****x').

I'm afraid though that I do take quite a dim view of a lot of modern 'art' and I also don't like being told what to think - a lot of the stuff was unsubtle in the extreme. I also expected the gift shop at the exit to be a joke / art installation - but it was actually selling hoodies for 40 quid a pop. If that was meant to be ironic then I am (literally and figuratively) not buying it.

peaceandfreedom

Lacherlich wrote: »

Hi!

Just had a read through your entire diary - normally I don't get that far! But found it very interesting and could relate a lot to it. Congrats on all the steps you've made so far, you seem motivated and have seen some good results already

Also I love the gardening aspects you've mentioned. I have been gardening/growing my own crops for two years now after purchasing a greenhouse (on the cc oops). But I do love it as it helps me relax - the main reason I want to clear my debt is so I can get myself into the best position before moving house - hopefully somewhere pleasant like a village with a bigger garden! Mine is tiny as I live in a city suburb new build! And the sun sets in my garden by 7pm at the latest! So don't get to enjoy the sun much after work.

Hi Lacherlich - thanks for reading all my diary, that showed great perseverance . I do drone on at times, I know, but it is great to have somewhere like this to vent when I need it.

I do love my garden and have spent a lot of time out there this year but I really need to spend more time. For next year, I plan to plant up areas that are causing particular weed problems - they are causing problems because there is no permanent planting and the weeds can have a free rein. So over the winter I will be making plans and looking up suitable plants.

I know what you mean about gardening helping you to relax - I find it relaxing as well. Especially in Springtime, when everything holds so much promise of good things to come . I am not so keen on Autumn but I am trying to find good things about it!

Lacherlich wrote: »

I am one of those new merc people though - bought it two years ago as was always trying to 'fit' in with my neighbours. I do love my car though... just try not to think about how much it sets me back each year! Maybe I should consider handing it back one day and really clear my debts. Hmm, one step at a time! I'm not quite ready to let go yet

Anyhow, just finishing work, but will follow your diary!

Well, if you plan to clear your debts by March 2016, then you are obviously doing well with clearing it all. Maybe you could do a cost analysis, working out how much you might save/repay if you sold the Merc, bearing in mind you would need to buy something else etc.

I have an ancient old car but I have no interest whatsoever in changing it. It's been a marvellous car and I love it. I pat it gently every so often when I'm driving it, to thank it for its loyal service - I know that makes me sound like a new-age hippie but I really am genuinely grateful to my car for keeping going and costing me relatively little .

There are, as I see it, many advantages to owning an old car:

• You are never overly worried about where you park it (even overnight), because no-one would want to steal it.
• You are happy to load it up with all kinds of junk to take to the tip because you are not worried about the old bit of mud/marks inside.
• You throw your muddy walking boots in the back without the slightest qualm.
• You don't feel obliged to keep it clean and shiny.
• If it suffers minor damage, you don't mind, you're possibly not even going to notice .
• If something goes wrong, it can be cheaper to fix as there isn't so much modern gadgetry which all costs a fortune to fix (or has to be completely replaced).
• You are so used to driving the same car for years and years that you know every nuance of driving it - it's like putting on an old comfy coat.

Having said that, if someone offered me a lovely shiny Merc, I would be most tempted .

peaceandfreedom

IWillBeFree wrote: »

I can relate to an awful lot of this post. I don't know whether these moods are hormonal/age related but like you, they seem to be part of my life more frequently. I look forward to seeing what your daily routine will be, as I need to copy best practice

Actually, I was ready crazy cat lady's diary earlier and she adds the three things she feels grateful for each day. Seems a nice, positive note to end the day on.

You are not alone, you are doing your best and we are here for you

Thanks, IWBF, it's good to chat on here and get support from others .

I need some kind of toolkit that I can use to stop these moods in their tracks. I see no point in indulging these moods and those tortured examinations of past decisions. I am far too heavy on self-judgment, bordering on self-torment.

Yes, it's good to look at past events and decisions and learn from them. Briefly. But it's not good to dwell on things that aren't even mistakes or bad choices - they are just the ways things turned out. My life could have panned out in a thousand different ways, some things could have turned out a lot better, others a lot worse. But I'm here now, exactly where I am, what's the point in fighting that?

When I am determined to be miserable, normal sane thinking goes out the window - so I need a plan for dealing with this and for averting those miserable days in the first place.

Will keep you posted - but I can tell you already that keeping busy / total distraction helps a lot.

Lacherlich

peaceandfreedom wrote: »

Hi Lacherlich - thanks for reading all my diary, that showed great perseverance . I do drone on at times, I know, but it is great to have somewhere like this to vent when I need it.

I do love my garden and have spent a lot of time out there this year but I really need to spend more time. For next year, I plan to plant up areas that are causing particular weed problems - they are causing problems because there is no permanent planting and the weeds can have a free rein. So over the winter I will be making plans and looking up suitable plants.

I know what you mean about gardening helping you to relax - I find it relaxing as well. Especially in Springtime, when everything holds so much promise of good things to come . I am not so keen on Autumn but I am trying to find good things about it!


Well, if you plan to clear your debts by March 2016, then you are obviously doing well with clearing it all. Maybe you could do a cost analysis, working out how much you might save/repay if you sold the Merc, bearing in mind you would need to buy something else etc.

I have an ancient old car but I have no interest whatsoever in changing it. It's been a marvellous car and I love it. I pat it gently every so often when I'm driving it, to thank it for its loyal service - I know that makes me sound like a new-age hippie but I really am genuinely grateful to my car for keeping going and costing me relatively little .

There are, as I see it, many advantages to owning an old car:

• You are never overly worried about where you park it (even overnight), because no-one would want to steal it.
• You are happy to load it up with all kinds of junk to take to the tip because you are not worried about the old bit of mud/marks inside.
• You throw your muddy walking boots in the back without the slightest qualm.
• You don't feel obliged to keep it clean and shiny.
• If it suffers minor damage, you don't mind, you're possibly not even going to notice .
• If something goes wrong, it can be cheaper to fix as there isn't so much modern gadgetry which all costs a fortune to fix (or has to be completely replaced).
• You are so used to driving the same car for years and years that you know every nuance of driving it - it's like putting on an old comfy coat.

Having said that, if someone offered me a lovely shiny Merc, I would be most tempted .

Hey.

I guess the only good thing about Autumn is collecting the fruits of our labour; although my chillies leave a lot to be desired this year and given the fact my greenhouse is full of the plants maybe I shouldn't be so happy haha. I've had loads of huge cucumbers this year though and some tomatoes are starting to ripen. I think i'll try to overwinter all my chillies and get off to a quick start next year. I've just sold my grow light and grow tent though, so might be a case of cutting them back and letting them rest. Today was lovely, felt like it was still summer!

I so need a bigger garden, there isn't any space for weeds in mine haha, small lawn, one flower bed and my greenhouse!

The sun always makes me happy, I guess I could relate to you when reflecting on the past and wondering what if; I think its natural - and comparing your life to others. I always do , and probably doesn't do me any good when I do! I know the next few months will be tough, and sitting around the house over winter rather than spending my money will test me. I wont be debt free by March, its more a stake in the ground where I would feel I'd accomplished the majority of what I want. I.e the big loan payed off. Ill still have my credit card - around 4k, but compared to the mountain I have now that will feel amazing. But if I hand my car back I might be able to clear that too by next year!

Yeah there are defo pros of having an older car - completely agree. As you say I would need to fork out for another car if I hand mine back, which would put me into more debt. However i was thinking about getting a MUCH cheaper new one on finance, hopefully saving me £200 a month. Plus I wont have to worry about servicing etc with it. Maybe I should just bite the bullet - I'll have a look into it this week! To be honest, i'm definitely warming to the idea now!

Hope you had a nice weekend!

peaceandfreedom

Lacherlich wrote: »

I guess the only good thing about Autumn is collecting the fruits of our labour; although my chillies leave a lot to be desired this year and given the fact my greenhouse is full of the plants maybe I shouldn't be so happy haha. I've had loads of huge cucumbers this year though and some tomatoes are starting to ripen. I think i'll try to overwinter all my chillies and get off to a quick start next year. I've just sold my grow light and grow tent though, so might be a case of cutting them back and letting them rest. Today was lovely, felt like it was still summer!

The weather has been gorgeous hasn't it, what a lovely unexpected treat for us just when we thought that summer had sloped off sheepishly. I believe I have precisely 5 chillies this year - not worth the effort. There were more on the plant but a lot of them had holes in, presumably scoffed by something - do slugs like chillies? It's odd because nothing else in the greenhouse was nibbled except an odd tomato. I have had tons of tomatoes this year but the last of them have been slung onto the compost heap now and I have some jars of tomato chutney made which should be very tasty by Christmas. I've also made some cucumber pickle, have no idea what that will be like .

Lacherlich wrote: »

I so need a bigger garden, there isn't any space for weeds in mine haha, small lawn, one flower bed and my greenhouse!

The sun always makes me happy, I guess I could relate to you when reflecting on the past and wondering what if; I think its natural - and comparing your life to others. I always do , and probably doesn't do me any good when I do! I know the next few months will be tough, and sitting around the house over winter rather than spending my money will test me. I wont be debt free by March, its more a stake in the ground where I would feel I'd accomplished the majority of what I want. I.e the big loan payed off. Ill still have my credit card - around 4k, but compared to the mountain I have now that will feel amazing. But if I hand my car back I might be able to clear that too by next year!

Yeah there are defo pros of having an older car - completely agree. As you say I would need to fork out for another car if I hand mine back, which would put me into more debt. However i was thinking about getting a MUCH cheaper new one on finance, hopefully saving me £200 a month. Plus I wont have to worry about servicing etc with it. Maybe I should just bite the bullet - I'll have a look into it this week! To be honest, i'm definitely warming to the idea now!

Hope you had a nice weekend!

I had a nice quiet weekend, did some gardening, some housework, nothing too strenuous. I like it when I have nothing specific planned.

I like to hibernate over the winter - if I could afford it and didn't have to work I would definitely take myself off somewhere warmer from January to March. I like winter up until Christmas, then I am counting the days until the first snowdrops . If you are going to be sitting around the house more you could find something to occupy you - perhaps a FutureLearn MOOC: https://www.futurelearn.com/ - tons to choose from there. Or (you might be too young for this) knitting or some other craft?

I am hoping to be less miserable this winter and take myself off for some nice frosty walks and then come home to a nice warm fire and maybe a hot toddy . I also plan to learn how to take some decent photographs because there are such lovely landscapes and interesting sights around here and I would love to be able to do them justice in my photos.

And of course there is the usual decluttering / decorating etc that I never seem to get around to!