Boatdweller is determined to be debt free!

Boatdweller

Hello all!

Decided the eve the new year's eve seems like a great time to start documenting my journey to freedom.

First, a little about me. I live with my husband and cat on a narrowboat on the Thames. It is bliss (except today with the winds... Not so fun) we both work full time and enjoy a fairly simple life.

The debts are pre husband, a result of using credit to keep a roof over my head with my ex (he refused to contribute to bills!!) I have worked hard and these are slowly going down, but I want them gone!

A rough guesstimate is I owe approx £5k to various companies. This was around 8k at the start of the year, so I have been doing okay, but I could do better.

I'm going to spend the afternoon coming up with a plan of attack for the new year but I think I'll do smallest first and work upwards. Interest wise it might not make the most sense, but for me I think it will be better to see things get closed.

Wish me luck!

LittleMissDetermined

Hi Boatdweller,

It is indeed a great time of year to set some goals, good luck on clearing your debts!

LMD x

mumblingtaff

Good luck! Will subscribe

Boatdweller

Thanks guys! Happy New Year!

2016 for me, has started with a horrendous hangover... Had a lovely evening with hubs and a couple of friends, card games were played and jagerbombs consumed. (jager and champagne do not mix FYI)

So, I got paid yesterday, and hubs will transfer his portion of our bills next week on his payday. I have a couple of accounts which are sub £250 I could pay one off or I could pay a chunk off my credit card. My lower debts are interest free, my cc isn't... I know it makes sense to do the cc but mentally to clear a debt would be a good boost.

I'll think it over. I need to meal plan and do a food shop and generally roll around in my pj's until I feel semi human again.

beanielou

Happy shiny new diary
Keep posting!

Boatdweller

Thanks for the positive vibes everyone! I did do an update the other day, but it must have got lost in the ether!

Back to work today. I like routine in my life so this is a good thing. Today I hope to get a chance to sit down and work out my total outstanding debts are and what I can afford to overpay this month.

Currently on Day 4 of my dryathlon. Gym tonight so I won't be tempted to drink. The gym is my go to space at the moment, I joined in November and it's great therapy. I love it. So hubs is out with friends tonight and I shall go sweat my bum off for an hour. I'm aiming to go 6 times this week.
Tomorrow's session will have to be at 6:30 :eek: to be able to get done and to work, but I should manage it. I'm hoping it won't be too busy then - or when I get later, I think just after office hours are peak times.

Yesterday I completed another personal goal, I had a FB free day and it was glorious. I have set a few goals for January and to have a FB free Sunday each week is one of them. It sounds small but I use it way too much and I want to stop.

So, food shop has been done, meal plans are completed for this week, and I should only have to spend money on Thursday with any luck.

I'm going to make a effort to update daily, to keep my mind focused.

Boatdweller

Right, looking at my debts I want to focus on - I will make minimum payments on the others but technically just forget about them for the time being.

So I have 3 little debts which are currently standing at
£177.25
£169.85
£356.97

The two smallest are 0% interest, but I pay £30 a month each on them, which would free up a big chunk of spare money if I do pay them off. The other is a CC which I do pay interest on.

I think, I will pay off £169.85 this month, and pay £40.00 extra onto the CC. Next month I can clear the £177.25 and put the extra £60 I have saved plus £30 onto the CC (I'm working on £200 of over payments per month, so I can still have a life at the same time!) Then I will pay of the CC and then move onto the next.

Hubs should pay me for his side of the bills on Friday (I've already paid them all, so it just goes into my spending money, so ideally by next week the first debt of the year will be cleared!

Forgot! I am due a payrise this month! I have no idea how much, but I will put that into the holiday fund so we have some savings too - The holiday pot currently stands at £300.00

Boatdweller

Had an NSD yesterday! I do need to get some bits today, but they're extras for dinner that the shop didn't have on the weekend and budgeted for, so I still feel it's an NSD.

Went to the gym last night and again at 6am. I like early morning workouts, I can just slob around when I get home tonight and not feel in the least bit guilty.

All my debt's minimum payments have been made for the month, so just waiting for next week when I can pay the first one off. Get morale boost to clear a whole debt at the start of year, and to make headway with some more.

My CC limit is getting increased next month, which was a nice bonus this AM, it's the only CC I have that I actually use (I have 3 others open - but I'm clearing them, and will close 2) So even though I won't use the credit ( the APR is horrendous, I have no choice BUT to pay it off in full each month) it's nice that it's gone up.

Tonight's dinner will be egg fried rice, made with my low cal/carb/fat rice, I tested it out last week and it's scrummy. Staying in this evening, will watch more Game of Thrones, and read my book, I haven't actually watched an TV this year, only DVDs, I love how much our life has changed since moving aboard.

Hope everyone is happy and healthy :j

LittleMissDetermined

Hi boatdweller,

Just catching up on your diary

Well done on your NSD, I need to get more of those in where I can! Also well done on your planning for blitzing those 3 accounts, sounds like a sensible approach to me :T

Keep at it

LMD x

Boatdweller

Thanks LMD - I'm feeling oh so positive about the whole thing at the moment.

I have noticed that my DD's for the 2 littlest debts haven't left my account :huh: but as I am paying one off next week I think I'll wait til then to query it, as maybe it's due to the holidays or something...the money is there so not terribly fussed (although briefly thought I had miscalculated my bills and was £££'s in! Nevermind.

Sticking to my meal plan this week so the year is off to a good start food wise. Didn't make it to the gym this AM, I was so tired and having worked out the last 3 days I decided I'll have a rest day back on track tomorrow though.

Left my purse at home so will be another NSD! Also on day 6 of the dryathlon, feeling very good about being sober.

Not much else to report I don't think! Have a lovely day all!

Boatdweller

January is off to a good start. We have a mystery shop next weekend at a hotel! A night away, dinner and breakfast paid for! Lovely little boost for hubs and I as he is away for the whole of February.

Doing some sums and I also think I can possibly put £100 extra towards my CC or maybe even pay off both littler debts next week. Once I have the physical money is my bank I'll be able to decide what to do. I think overpayment on CC is a better option as it'll cut down my interest.

Went to the gym this morning for a good 45 min workout and will go again tomorrow, and Saturday. We are due to meet a friend for drinks tonight (soda and lime for me!) but haven't heard back from him so it could get cancelled. Been sober for 1 week! But i do think I will probably want to have a drink at the hotel next weekend, my ultimate aim is to stop my midweek drinking - which if I stick to the gym will be fine, I've been once with a hangover and it's no fun at all!

Had a new cookbook arrive in the post today so looking forward to going through that and meal planning for the week ahead. The meals are all for 1 or 2 people which is ideal as it's just hubs and I and we don't have the storage on the boat to batch cook!