Hello Again...

Abz12

Wow...have been a member for a number of years but haven't posted since 2013! How strange to read posts from back then, my how things have changed.

As you can see from my signature, not sure if you can see my previous one but I have ALOT more debt this time round. Unfortunately it seems the more you earn the more you spend etc. It's nothing too serious, although is more than I would like.

I have recently had another lightbulb moment and thought about joining the forum again as I was offered so much support at such a difficult time last time.

As an update, I have now moved jobs, earn more money and have more debt! OH now works although part time it is a contribution and I feel like being older I may be slightly wiser...don't quote me on this!!!

I am following the David Ramsey method, I brought the financial makeover book a few years ago. I am currently snowballing my smaller debts and making three month plans to get rid of my smaller debts. I am very ashamed tbh that I have let it get this bad when back in 2013 I was paid less and had less debt, work that one out!

I am still on my quest to lose weight and have lost a stone since July..I know really slow but I'm making small changes so hopefully they last longer..plus I don't want any loose skin! 3lbs away from 15 stone, i am sure I was around this same weight when I last posted. I have learnt that I am an emotional eater and in order to combat this I need a routine and meal menu for the week otherwise I am inclined to spend in tescos on the way to the car.

My OH, as u mentioned earlier, works PT currently and earns around£500 a month. He doesn't pay 50/50 bills as he earns less atm by about 1/3 to my 2/3's. I am ok with this as he gives me £100 to £150 a month and pays 50% towards food and cat food bills. I would be interested in others thoughts on this and how you and your OH's split your bill payments etc.

I have made a New Years resolution to be debt free by 2016 December. I finally finish paying for my car in September this year and hopefully will be an engaged woman by the end of it!

Sorry for the long post but I prefer to get everything out so it make sense. Any comments are welcome.

Also I will update my signature but am sure how yet so old one is below for now.

Abz12

My new signature...

Abz12

Second day in and I'm not sure if anyone else feels like this but I feel like I want to spend money! When I'm trying to cut back all I can think about is what I can buy and what I need to buy! Getting paid earlier in December is never a good idea either! No money will leave my account until the 4th Jan so always looks like you have more money that you actually do. I have around £300 left over this month, if I behave and don't spend like I have planned. I never know if I should pay off my debts the first of every month or wait until the end of the month until I have money left over? I think the latter can be dangerous but the first one encourages me to spend on my credit card instead of go without. I have put most of my Christmas money towards my nationwide credit card, thought it would be rude to give the money back to the family that gave it!

So as I mentioned before I am using the dave Ramsey method and according to that book you are supposed to work to a zero balance every month. I'm so cautious that I don't feel comfortable paying away all my money even though you have an emergency fund to fall back on.

My plan for January is to hibernate...as in not go out apart from a work event, which I shouldn't spend any money apart from a train ticket to get there an back. A meal with a friend who is visiting from another part of the U.K. - budgeted £40 for this an some drinks. The only present I am purchasing is for my sister as its her birthday, for this I have budgeted £30.

One of my main expenditures was lunches at work an takeaways, both contributing to my weight gain. I have started drinking protein shakes for work and cooking from home more often than not.

Anyway it helped writing my plan down l, hopefully that means I have more chance of sticking to it!

Abz12

Well...today I feel really motivated to make this happen. Two bills came out of my account before the 4th so gave me a bit more reality on what's left over. I always over budget on my payments going out so have transferred the difference to my credit card already. That means in total I have paid off £160.30 for Jan and it's not even January yet! I have also put loads of stuff on eBay and posted a purse already. I plan to transfer all of the proceeds to the nationwide card once eBay take there share of course!

I am slightly proud as my OH, who has the day off today, wanted me to grab lunch on the way home which was chip shop food, I resisted and said eat yesterday's left overs. I made chicken pesto pasta with chorizo. I also had to go to tescos yesterday to buy the pesto and ended up spending £21.53!! All things we will eat and needed so don't feel that guilty.dont really shop at tescos anymore as it works out too expensive (in my experience) plus as I said I'm abit of an impulse buyer so prefer to stay away from the stores themselves and order online from asda. I also...I know it's bad...I ordered a sandwhich this morning at work. Cost around £2.20, but money I found in my purse so it doesn't count, technically!!

We are planning on staying in tonight, I know not very youthful of me but tbh I would rather stay in and save the money that I would be spending on taxis and drinks etc. OH on board with this and I have already purchased some alcohol which cost £17. Last night of drinking as we are having a dry January. Some people are also doing this at work so fingers crossed. Lots going on!

I am starting my menu/food plan for the rest of Jan and plan to order our shopping tomorrow for essentials. The rest I will eat out of the cupboards. My OH is partial to a takeaway and even shuns public transport to get a taxi to work at £4.50 a day!! I am not happy about this but his insurance is way too expensive on our car. That's a whole other story.

No big bills due until April - water bill! Groan! Plan to ask OH to pay half and save 1/2 my share from my Feb/March wage. My planning is for the first three months of the year and then every month in detail.

I'm not sure about everyone else but my work colleagues are starting to talk about holidays that they have booked or are booking and I'm feeling like I want to do the same. I know I shouldn't because I can do it debt free next year, being 2017 but I want to go lol!

Feels so good to write it all down and tbh it's helping me stay focused. Anyway, if anyone is reading, happy new year to you and yours. Good luck debt free money saving in 2016!

Doris17

Good luck on your journey Abz12.Happy New Year.x

Abz12

Thank you Doris17. Good luck on yours too x

Eager_Elephant

Hi abz12


Glad to see you have returned to the MSE fold!!


DH and I split our bills 50/50 - we used to have a joint bank account which everything came out of but DH liked to buy loads of things on his credit card and so the minimum payments on all his debts crept up and up and in the end we went separate. At that point DH earned a lot more than me as I only worked part time and looked after the kids and he worked full time but he insisted we should go 50/50 on bills. I was narked but knew it was the only way he could afford all his debt repayments.
Fast forward a few years and DH got ill and reduced his hours at work while I went full time. I insisted that we go 50/50 as that is what he did to me.
It actually works quite well now as we both get roughly the same income so we split al household expenses 50/50 but pay our own insurances, phone etc.


Well done on paying some of your debt off already - I find once I post I am more motivated to pay off my debts.


Luckily where I work people don't really talk about holidays so there is no pressure. Could you still plan a break away (or a few smaller ones) and see how cheap you can get them for? What sort of holidays do you usually take?


Could you pay the water bill monthly instead of waiting for the bill to come in? They should let you spread the new bill over the year.

Abz12

Eager_Elephant - hello, thank you for posting on here and for answering my question about the 50/50 splitting of bills. I wish we could go 50/50 but currently it's not possible as he is new to the working world and not in a good paid job. He does have interviews this year so fingers crossed he will get a better one, he defo wants one.

We usually have package holidays an in the last 2 years have been to Mexico, Amsterdam - 1x with friends & 2x together and Egypt. Typically we go all inclusive an prob spend about £1k each. OH said he wants to wait until last minute before we book but I'm a control freak lol I need to book it months in advance an then plan plan plan! We could possibly get it cheaper if we leave it last min but I'm very impatient. I can see his point because there are a lot of extra costs that go with it, boarding our cats and spending money.

I hope everybody had a good new year. It was so low key for us, we stayed in and was in bed by 1! First for everything and a first for my debt reducing journey.

OH wanted another takeaway last night instead of cooking, I managed to talk him out of it and we ate from home instead. welcome to dry January....looking forward to the money and the weight loss saving that this will bring!

I have also added our house saving for a deposit to my signature. We are hoping for £10k before purchasing.

Today consists of some exercise and yoga. Meeting up with some friends to swap Christmas presents (that I brought before) i might just go around to their house so as not spend any money lol then at least it's petrol only!

Have a good first day of 2016.

Abz12

Yesterday was an ok day and a lot more relaxed than I thought it would be. Ended up staying in as my friends rearranged for today. Went to tesco and asda with the OH to get some ingredients for lunch and dinner, spent about £5. Resisted the temptation to drink alcohol or order a takeaway, although it was quite hard!

Writing it down is actually making me see that I spend money almost every day! Aiming for at least 5 non spending days in January in total. I think this will be easier once I go back to work.

Massive blunder today, the trousers I sold on eBay are listed as the wrong size. Emailed the buyer to ask if they would like a refund or the trousers. Can't believe i didn't check the listing first. Got all the way to the post office first! Brought a mailing bag for 60p when I can get a pack from the £1 shop for a £1!

Another spending day today as I'm meeting a friend for lunch later an catching the train instead of driving. Saves on parking an petrol plus more convient for where we are eating. £3.70 a train ticket. Haven't budgeted for this meal but I haven't seen the person for ages. This is another thing I need to cut back on. I have quite a few friends that I visit every other month and seem to always be the one making the effort to travel. My OH teases me about this. I am starting to say no though and this is the first social out of two I plan to attend. I'm not sure about anyone else but I'm kind of embarrassed to tell people I'm not coming to their house because I'm paying down debt. I find finances a difficult thing to discuss with friends as I think it's none of their business, does any one else feel like this?

Anyway better be off - studying to do for an exam on the 18th, tidying round, exercise and yoga.

Eager_Elephant

Well done for resisting the takeaway!!

I hardly have any spend free days and it is ridiculous really so I have joined the Ninja Saving Turtles challenge this month - one of the challenges (there are 10) is to have 21 NSD's:eek:


I was :eek: but I have joined the challenge and am already planning what I need to buy and when so I get the maximum number of NSD's. It's going to be tough but if I am serious about paying off debt and saving for a house then this is what I need to do.


Maybe you could pop over and have a read - you don't have to have 21 NSD's or do exactly the other challenges but it is a good way of getting out of your comfort zone.


Hope you have had a nice day out with your friend!!

Abz12

Afternoon... Eager_Elephant - thanks for your post. I have had a quick look at that thread and some of them sound really positive and will defo make me more determined. I am going to have another look later on and maybe join some of the challenges. I am running out of space in my signature though! Also, catching up on your diary but give me some time it starts in 2010.


Yesterday was a good day, I got the train, yay for me on saving on parking and getting a little exercise and fresh air! My train ticket cost less than £3.70 and was £2.60 so have already moved the £1.10 onto my credit card. Nationwide must be slightly annoyed at me for moving little bits of money here and there but who cares, after all they have to work for us not the other way around! :-) I did spend on a meal though and thought as long as I send under £10, that's not bad. Have also spoken to them and said I will not be visiting or going out until at least one of their birthdays in Feb. I didn't go it to much detail but used my exams as an excuse. Whilst waiting for my train I found a shop that is right up my street so went in for a quick browse. I loved the items in there, candles, knicks and knacks and notepads. Although I really wanted to purchase something I thought about spending the money or paying down the debt and asked myself if I really needed it.


OH ordered a takeaway when I got back and I have to admit I did put £5 towards it. This was cash already in my purse so I am justifying this way! NO more takeaways! I think when I get back to work there will be some sort of normality so aim to plan the meals and stick to them. Just don't like cooking every day so ask OH (who is better at cooking than me) to cook on the weekends but he is so lazy. Today consists of visiting family for a Sunday lunch, every other Sunday I visit, and studying some more. Really want to pass this exam so am going all out here. Plan to do some yoga and a little exercise when I get back home and do all the other Sunday night things like wash hair etc.


I also was thinking last night that I should find out when my interest free balance transfer ends on the Halifax card as I am sure I am paying interest on the card for purchases I have made. Will check tomorrow when I am at work and could potentially balance transfer the balance I am paying interest on, does this make sense or should I just leave it all where it is? Am currently only paying the minimum on it - £45 until I clear the Nationwide card and my car, which should be done in September, giving me £185 a month to use to clear the card, just from car payment. Anyway sorry about the ramble but off to study now.