Flo's Debt Free Diary

Florence_J

I just want to say to everyone, everyone on MSE forum, everyone with a diary, everyone who posts, everyone who reads and comments, or even just a casual viewer to the forum, you are what keeps me going, and i find all of you so inspiring, and i only hope some of my journey might help someone with theirs. It would be an honour to do so.

Florence_J

THINGS TO DO ON TUESDAY

Research how to clean and get rid of old computer.
Go for a run.
Go to the gym.
Go to my hospital appointment.
Make many trips to the charity shops with what i've cleared today.
Finish my assignment.
Sort out mistake on Broadband bill

Florence_J

I know a lot of people talk about LBM's and how such and such an event led to them taking this seriously. For me it wasn't one LBM, in the same way that when I gave up smoking it wasn't one huge big decision. In both cases, after many, many attempts to quit the bad habits, one day i just woke up and had reached the end of the line. There was nothing dramatic luckily, for which I feel blessed, I didn't hit rock bottom but i was heading that way. I just reached a point one day where i knew enough was enough. With the smoking, i had smoked the day before, then that day (It was a Sunday in September) i just wanted to see how long i could go without them.

With the money, I pretty much started this year. I started the diary in December last year but i knew i would need my credit cards for Christmas, but i thought January would be a nice time to begin again.

I think in my case the new year helped. I have heard it been said that new years resolutions never work, maybe mine did because i technically started in December. Who knows.

I now know everything i need to know about money. I know exactly how long it will take me to pay back my credit card debt, my overdraft and my partner. I know how long it will take me to save up the deposit on a house, and what the houses in the area i would like to live in cost (i know this will change in the years to follow). I know what i need to save up/earn/invest in to retire later on in life.

This is going to sound really perverse, but i love getting bills, and i love paying my bills, and i especially love paying my taxes. I do have self employed earnings, and tax day is the best day of the year for me, because i love getting it out of the way. I love knowing that i have paid what i need to, that it is sorted for a year, and that i have contributed to the UK to help other people.

And although i don't like paying bills (in the sense that i would rather have the money), i like knowing that they've been paid. Gone are the days when i couldn't afford to pay them and just buried my head in the sand and then mid way through the month our internet would be cut off and my boyfriend would have to bail me out.

I was about one step away from rock bottom, from having outgoings bigger than my income. I stopped myself just in time. I am still scared for the future. I'm scared i will lose my job and not find another one quick enough. I'm scared something will happen to my partner. I'm scared of not being prepared, but these are fears anyone would have. And i feel that I'm a lot more capable of handling anything that life throws at me now. I do have mental health days, I am on a lot of medication, but i am far stronger than i've ever been.

Florence_J

Things that I believe have helped me.

On pay day I take out the exact amount of money I have budgeted for Slimming World and for food expenses. Then I put these in envelopes in a money tin and I only take out the money when i need it. This way i don't have it in my account for me to forget about and suddenly think 'wow i have loads of money, I'm going shopping!'

Definitely reading these diaries has helped an awful lot.

Using the My supermarket website to compare prices and find cheaper alternatives for what i consider my essentials.

Binge watching Superscrimpers on 4OD.

Becoming obsessed by saving money, ok, obsessions aren't a good thing, but before i was all about spending, now i'm about saving.

Taking lunches in to work everyday.

Not buying anything at a train station

Not buying magazines which would be full of adverts anyway

Using the library to get my book fix.

GIVING UP SMOKING/NICOTINE COMPLETELY.

Planning months in advance how much money i need to save for things. This means i know now, In March, that i can't afford to go to a works christmas party because i have to save up for the weddings.

All this has meant I am actually enjoying life more, I can afford takeaways (if i want them), meals out, better food from the supermarket, because I'm no longer rushing out on payday and buying a load of rubbish and clothes that i just picked up and didn't even bother to try on, and then find i have nothing to live on for the rest of the month, in fact worse-i usually had to borrow money off darling boyfriend.

Florence_J

In other news today Barclaycard wrote to me and have said that they will be increasing my credit limit by another 1000 pounds. What makes me happy is how little this matters to me. I know I will not touch it in the slightest. And it may give me a better credit rating by making it seem that i haven't reached my credit limits. So bring it on. I just find it hilarious that two of my cards have done this now that they have seen I haven't touched them in months.

Florence_J

Today has been a mixed day. Work up to my boyfriend receiving a phone call from his mum to say that his dad had tripped and broken his hip and was going in for a hip replacement surgery. The news has hit me and my boyfriend badly. I then overslept till 1pm!!!!!! Then had to go straight to the Hospital for another test/check up, which has led to further tests being needed, so it felt like i was there for a long time for very little results.

All I have bought today was my bus ticket, because it would be very difficult to have walked to the Hospital, so I feel that was an ok purchase.

Missed a phone call from the wellbeing service about arranging a counselling session so i hope they will call back.

Bit concerned as I had a full battery on my phone last night and something drained it in the night, meaning when i woke up i had no battery left and it had shut down. Don't know what caused that to happen.

Florence_J

The counselling lady phoned back. I have my first appointment...on thursday! Which is my birthday. Which suits me fine as we were going out for a meal with my boyfriends family but that's been called off due to my boyfriends dad being in Hospital, and I'm now trying to make my birthday as non an event as possible and to draw as little attention to it as possible.

Growing up we were very poor and birthdays were always a huge stress as they put a lot of pressure on my dad to provide us with gifts, which he couldn't do, so i think that's where i learnt to not care about my birthday.

Kitten868

Hi Flo,
I'm sorry you're going through such a tough time but you are still going strong. Don't be worried you're obsessed with debt busting. I don't see it that way - I think you're becoming empowered and it is flowing into other parts of your life. Bit by bit you're getting stronger. I love hearing your ambitions and passions.
The weather has been rubbish and I really think that will affect you.
I'm so the opposite about birthdays. It was the one day that I didn't have to see other kids (always fell in Easter holidays) so I wouldn't ever get bullied on my birthday. I still won't work it now. It's up to you what you do with the day taking charge of your mental state to start your next year feeling stronger is great.
You're sticking to your budgets, making time to see friends and family, having cash for treats and not using bfs card. You have transformed keep it up xxxx

Florence_J

Thanks so much Kitten, I feel like all I've been doing is complaining about my birthday, and I have so many people who have shown their love towards me over the birthday, so if any of you are reading, I love you and you have been so great to me.

Been reading the March make 10 quid a day thread in the DFW challenges forum, as I will be joining the April make xx a day thread when it opens this friday (at least i assume it will open then) I have taken Friday off work so that will be my birthday treat-binging on posts on that page. I have kinda gotten a head start by figuring out what my old login details for Quidco are so I can actually use that again, and also sent my details over to Volunteer4Panels in case they have a vacancy for me. I have been clearing out the house and now have even more bags of stuff to ebay. :A

BRING IT ON APRIL!!!! :money: :j

Florence_J

Oh, and I've only gone and reached my 100 posts badge!!!!