Facing Reality and Staying Focused

kaf3g

Hello,


Here goes...


After reading this forum for the past 6 years and picking up loads of tips and hints I have managed to ride a roller coaster of paying off debts, racking them back up, paying them off and racking them back up again so after a massive light bulb moment yesterday when I finally realised I was actually the only one who could change this situation and it was time I grew up and dealt with it - I have decided to join this forum and document each week how I have been able to control our family finances for that week.


I am really hoping it keeps me focused on the task ahead as I usually come out all guns blazing for a while then slowly start to slip back into old habits and excuses - (a combination of "we deserve it", "its been a tough week", "but it's a bargain", "it's only money")!


I don't want to live the rest of my life stressing about these silly debts - I have an amazing family and I need to grow up and be mature enough to accept responsibility for this and change it for all of us!


I've put my debt total in my signature - EEK!


My plan is to stay focused, consistent, realistic and positive!!


Thanks for reading

davidsdesire

you can do this! I will be your cheerleader!!!

tired_mum

This sounds so like me I will be following your progress

kaf3g

Thank you both what a boost to come back and read your comments

Tired mum - your signature made me smile, exactly how I feel tonight!!

kaf3g

Ok so its Friday yay!! Hope you all have a lovely weekend.


I have no extra money to chip off my debt this month so tonight is going to be find extra pennies night!!


Instead of relaxing over a bottle of wine after a hectic week I am going to drink tea and going to pull together a pile of sellable stuff for eBay and get it photographed and ready to upload on Sunday (supposed to be the best day to end your auction on). I also have loads of coppers and 5 pence's which I need to sort out and cash in - all the extra money I make this month will go towards bringing my total down - I never want it to go above this amount again I always want to see it reduce even if just by ten pounds.


This weekend we shouldn't spend a lot of money has have enough food in the house and on Sunday I will upload my ebay items. I also want to clear out some cupboards in the next few days to de clutter the house - after the summer holidays it just feels like there are piles of stuff everywhere!!


Staying focused and positive this weekend

kaf3g

I seemed to blink and the weekend just disappeared.


I never got any of my ebay items photographed that I wanted too and even though I felt in control with the housework last week I'm looking around the house just now and everywhere needs a deep clean. Not feeling very positive today


My OH is an amazing husband and dad but he doesn't really offer much support in terms of managing our finances and I sometimes feel overwhelmed by it all - I'm constantly checking the bank accounts to make sure there is enough money in to cover bills always working out how much I can pinch from one account to the other to cover a non budgeted spend, there is always one week in a month where it gets too much and I get really depressed about our situation and I just start wishing for quick fixes to get rid of this debt. Then I realise there is no quick fix and its going to be a long hard slog to clear it and its only me that can do this.


I need to shake out of this mood today and get focused. I haven't even worked out our meal planner for the week yet!

lazer-zxr

Yours is the first diary I have read. Ive just started mine.
Thanks for making me not feel alone in this battle .... I'm going to list three things on ebay this week, by Sunday night.
See if you can do the same?

kaf3g

Thank you lazer-zxr I like your thinking. Small manageable steps.

I realised today I need to break everything down into small chunks and deal with it all a bit at a time. I put too much pressure on myself to have a tidy clean house ( I have two small children so picking things up 20 times a day feels never ending), budget, pay off debt, cook from scratch, loose weight, socialise with anyone who asks, be a good mum, wife and friend, find time for myself (simple thinks like moisturising daily or painting my toe nails!). I also work 3 full days a week so time just seems to keep passing by so quickly and I can't seem to catch up.

So I will post 3 items on eBay on Sunday (thank you lazer-zxr) and I am just going to concentrate on getting our debt to under the 22.5k mark by the end of the year. This will be tight but I should be able to do it - small chunks, less stress, easier to focus on

Ok I am off to make some soup for the week - a quick recipe of courgette, bean, pea and pesto, not much chopping, nice and simple and tasty

kaf3g

I have actually done a small calculatation so I need to pay off 1,278 before the end of the year to get me to my target.

I have 4 pay's left before new year so divide that amount by 4 makes 319.50 - this seems doable and I am going to set up a standing order with my bank that this amount will automatically come out when I get paid and go straight on a credit card which I will cut up so unable to use.

I like this plan - feeling more in control now phew!

IWillBeFree

Good luck - just joined your diary and love our target for the end of the year! You can do it.

IWBF x

kaf3g

I have now set up the standing order to come straight out of my bank when I get paid for 320 pounds so I will be on target to hit below 22.5k before Christmas. This should also help me start to budget correctly - I have loads of spreadsheets with amounts and bills and dates on them but they still don't help me control or record my spending so budget always goes to pot the first few weeks of pay day then it's scrimp and scrape for the other two weeks

I need to get out of this habit - I'm going to make budgeting my new winter hobby.

Will start preparing my 3 things to ebay tomorrow night. I also need to bake a cake to donate to a local stall but going to do jack munro's peach and white chocolate traybake which is delish and cheap

Can't wait to start reducing my total 2 weeks to go