Keeping on the straight and narrow...Taka's debt diary - SOA now added

taka

This is scary... deep breath!

I've been here reading other people's diaries and treads for a while now and have got all sorts of tips and inspiration from them which has helped get my finances in much better order and to stop wasting so much of my money!

I've been thinking of starting a debt diary (no groaning please :rotfl: ) but have been too scared/ shy / nervous of doing it and think absolutely no-one would be interested in it anyway! But... I need to start being more positive about things so this is (hopefully:p ) going to help by put things down in black and white!

A bit about me... Was in debt on my credit cards (for spending too much on nothing in particular :mad: ) but finally paid this off in April/May this year. Wish I'd found this site much sooner as I prob could have done this much quicker! I have recently (within the last month) taken out a 7.5k loan to do some necessary, essential work on my run down, falling to bits (all I could afford round here:eek: ) flat. I went from planning to get a further advance on my mortgage over 20yrs, then thought 10yrs but decided that stuff it I'm up for a challenge so have taken on an unsecured loan over 3 yrs :eek: instead.

I've been budgeting, cost cutting, switching suppliers etc and buying much more wisely etc and am sure I can do this but do need to stick to my budget! If I stick to it I should hopefully be able to overpay a tiny bit from my income and add to this by doing surveys/pigsback/ joining lots of challenges.

I have been sticking to it for a few months now and am completely obsessed with my spreadsheets, snowballs and this website in general :rotfl: but I'm on anti-depressants and am going through a bit of a rubbish patch at the mo so I need a bit of a regular kick up the backside to motivate me and keep on keeping to the plan if that makes sense... hence this rambling intro to this thread sorry

Anyway... here goes... :eek: Taka xx

tealady

Good luck, sometimes it can seem a bit lonely when you are on a budget and every one you know is splashing out.
If you are worried about people not being interested in your debt diary then you could always just write it down rather than post it, however I think that people need each other on this site and there is always someone who will be there.

taka

tealady wrote: »

Good luck, sometimes it can seem a bit lonely when you are on a budget and every one you know is splashing out.
If you are worried about people not being interested in your debt diary then you could always just write it down rather than post it, however I think that people need each other on this site and there is always someone who will be there.

Yep it definitely can be lonely... but thats what is so good about this site... it reminds you there are other (lovely ) people going through similar things too!

I've tried writing it but it feels harder to do it and I've got soooo addicted to this site and am on here so much it may as well be online!! :rotfl:

trying-very-trying

Hi, Taka. I can imagine how you feel, I've just started a dmp, and I'm finding this budget thing very hard to get a grip on. I'm sure if you post up your statement of affairs, there'll be a lot of people who can give advice on how to reduce your expenditure. You'll certainly get lots of moral support. Keep your chin up, and keep posting to keep us updated.

taka

Right... I think I'm going to put the list of things I need to do here for today as maybe if I write it i'll actually do it... here's hoping anyway:rolleyes: :rotfl: :rotfl:

• Phone BOS and kick @r5e about the complaint i made weeks ago about switching bank accounts.
  
• Check that the loan overpayment x2 that I managed to save last month arrived ok
• check if you can overpay the loan per month (eg aug) or per month (date of payment which is mid month-date of payment)
• go to the dentist :mad: AND doctors :rolleyes:
• spend less than £5 on groceries
• clear my hall of all the junk that seens to acumulate there
• find 1 thing to ebay/amazon
• work out how to ebay/amazon :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
• do surveys/clicks etc

Hmmmmmmmm thats a mighty long list but I'm off work today so no excuses... gulp!! :eek:

This feels like I've completely lost it and am talking to myself :eek: on this post :rotfl: :rotfl:

... off to get ready for the dentist _pale_

taka

Right progress so far...

• Phone BOS and kick @r5e about the complaint i made weeks ago about switching bank accounts. Someone from HBOS decided to cold call me about "coming into the branch for a chat" ie trying to get me to take out god knows what... This poor person got the potted version of the complaint and has now sorted out the account and is arranging for me to get the 3 months interest they owe me :j :j :j :j Even better is they paid for the call :T :rotfl:
• Check that the loan overpayment x2 that I managed to save last month arrived ok
  
• check if you can overpay the loan per month (eg aug) or per month (date of payment which is mid month-date of payment)
• go to the dentist AND doctors :rolleyes: dentist done only docs to go...
• spend less than £5 on groceries well almost... it came to £5.14 but got loads of reduced strawberries and recurrants for my tea and some free juice!
• clear my hall of all the junk that seens to acumulate there
• find 1 thing to ebay/amazon found a wee sothern comfort hipflask i never use... don't know if it'll sell but it'll do as a trial run
• work out how to ebay/amazon :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
• do surveys/clicks etc done

For once is not raining so I'm enjoying today!! Right, whats next.....

taka

Well I didn't manage everything yesterday so failing already :wall: Great...

Was feeling ok today until I got a text reminding me I'd agreed to go out tonight. Its kinda kind of a work night out come birthday night out for one of my collegues (her b'day today). I feel really panicy about going and kinda stressed by it. I've not really been having too great a time recently and I know I'm going to feel really akward at this. I'm also aware that I'll kinda have to explain in some way why I took this week off work (with next to no warning to anyone including to my boss ). I guess I'm going to have to face them sometime but its going to be wierd. I normally enjoy these nights out when I don't feel so rubbish. I guess part of me feels like no one is going to notice if I'm there or not and everyone will forget is my birthday on mon too.

God I need to pull myself together

Karmacat

Hi Taka
Be nice to yourself! You can't do a list that long the first time you do it! Thats not failing, honestly.

I understand feeling horrible about going out tonight - I hate going out at short notice myself, but I'm sorry you're having a horrible time especially at the moment. You keep saying "have to" in your post - you don't, you know, have to". You can make something up - I needed to commune with the gods of the garden fork, a writing course I've been trying to get on for ages suddenly came up, whatever you want. Prepare for that before you go, it'll make a big difference.

Anyway, best of luck with the debt diary - keep on posting.

taka

Thanks Karmacat... you've just made me cry (in a good way ). I always use phrases like "have to" and "should"... I guess I'm kinda hard on myself sometimes especially when I feel like this.

I'm not sure an excuse along those lines would work as I've not really been myself lately and people have noticed and tried to ask what is up. I just don't want to end up in tears (again). I've known this night out would be coming for ages and was looking forwards to it at one stage just the date hadn't been set. I just know if I chicken out of it I'll regret it and feel even worse but I really couldn't cope with getting upset in one of the busiest places in the edinburgh festival (fringe) surrounded by 100s of people. Actually the people are scaring me too as I've been having panic attacks in crowded places.

Right I'm going to go... even if I only stay long enough to say hello I will be so proud of myself. Hiding away isn't the answer and I'm sick of it...

Wish me luck... :eek:

Karmacat

Good luck! Tears can be good - and you've hit on one thing I forgot to say and meant to, you don't have to stay the whole time, you can just go for a really short time. One glass and off you go!
kisses....

taka

Thank-you...