Dancing in the Rain

MuffinTops

Hello Cowboy DIA, I love the idea of beans and coffee!

You're sounding better, although I do worry at how you beat yourself up over the little things. You are doing absolutely great. This isn't a sprint, it's a steady marathon and anything you feel you've done wrong is just a lesson!

I like the idea of your £3. You definitely need to find things that work for you. I went through "easy" stages of strong restrictions on my journey and then found that my mindset would break and I'd splurge much more than just buying tea and groceries, so I'm not sure that a strong restriction works for the long term anyway.

Happy Your Sunday. I hope you've had a fantastic day. MTxx

doingitanyway

Thanks MT :A
Great advice as usual. I'm off to your diary after this to see what you've been up to and if you have had advance with the electrician

Well today was the day I called the bank and they are not forcing me onto another product but they are asking me to repay at £1030.00 from the summer every month. :eek: I haven't agreed but I spoke to debt line today and did my financial statement and without a mortgage to pay from July I can pay that. They are asking for £573.00 from now until the Summer, but that's okay because I am already repaying £600.00.

These are all scary figures for me, but this way would mean I was debt free sooner and paid less interest....

One of my fears is getting sick and not being able to pay my debts and then I lose my home
So, the sooner I repay the debt the better...

After the initial shock I am starting to think it might be the best way to do it...

It will mean 18 months of very hard debt busting. At least I'll have the MSE debt busting community to keep me company

If I do this I am also going to
a) Start a savings account
b) build an emergency fund
c) get YNAB set-up
d) do one repair a month

3 good things

National debtline

Haruf Kent 'Plainsong' is an excellent novel

I bought my favourite Japanese twig tea

Have a good evening.
DIA xx

beanielou

In the great scheme of things 18 months is nothing at all.
You can do this

doingitanyway

That's so funny I was just about to check in on you and here you are cheering me on. Thank you Beanielou

doingitanyway

I signed up for a growing your own fruit and veg course starting at the end of April. I eat lots of organic fruit and veggies so I’m planning to start growing the expensive stuff like berries for example, for myself

Swept bedroom through. A scary amount of dust.

I did a little decluttering and dumping rubbish today. Not much, but something....

I’ve been avoiding contacting an organisation that gave me a grant. I had cheekily asked them to increase the grant. I contacted them today and they've agreed the extra money :j

I’ve been avoiding calling the bank as I was unhappy with a repayment plan and wanted to negotiate a better one. I now have an agreement of £795 a month instead of £1030 and I am grateful for the breathing space.

I now have a new plan to use my additional available money to get my bathroom and kitchen done. Within a year I want a lodger. This will help me repay the debt even quicker. Well, that's the plan anyway...

3 good things

I am going to Scotland. I really am!!

I successfully negotiated with the bank even though I was terrified I did it

Sunshine. Lot's of it

have a good evening debt busters and MSE folk

DIA x

MuffinTops

Hello DIA,

Your last post was amazing to read. Well done on renegotiating with the bank and coming up with a better repayment plan. How were they with you? I think that sometimes when they can see you trying to help yourself they're more open to negotiations.

Happy Scotland booking. I have visited Inverness and Thurso and loved both places. Particularly Thurso as it was so warm and secluded. It gave me lots of ideas of how to live frugally and I met a woman (and had tea in her house) who uses the site Rocket Gardens (I think they're called) and they send her all of her organic veg to grow. She said it was all lovely and we could actually see that it was.

Well done on the declutter too. It doesn't matter how much you do, it just matters that you've done something.

MTx

beanielou

Scotland is fab

doingitanyway

MuffinTops wrote: »

Hello DIA,

Your last post was amazing to read. Well done on renegotiating with the bank and coming up with a better repayment plan. How were they with you? I think that sometimes when they can see you trying to help yourself they're more open to negotiations.

Happy Scotland booking. I have visited Inverness and Thurso and loved both places. Particularly Thurso as it was so warm and secluded. It gave me lots of ideas of how to live frugally and I met a woman (and had tea in her house) who uses the site Rocket Gardens (I think they're called) and they send her all of her organic veg to grow. She said it was all lovely and we could actually see that it was.

Well done on the declutter too. It doesn't matter how much you do, it just matters that you've done something.

MTx

Thanks MT

You are right, as the guy I spoke to at the bank was so helpful. I was a bit surprised really as I'd prepared myself for battle and there wasn't one really...

I am so excited about my trip to Scotland. I've spent time in Edinburgh but I guess Edinburgh is no more Scotland than London is England. I feel like I'm off to 'proper' Scotland.

Thanks for the Rocket Garden heads-up. :A I've googled them and they are completely my thing. I'm going to definitely try them

doingitanyway

I read migraine described as a brain attack where the brain thinks you are at risk so the nausea and gastro problems and headache are because you are staying to fight when flight is what you want to do. I think it was yesterday with the bank and the charity and it resulted in migraine. I'm okay now but feel tender so I've eaten lightly and didn't swim.

I took the afternoon off from work as I had some time owing to me and I felt rough. I went to the library and got some DVDs out. Because of the holidays they don't need to be back until Tuesday. I got 45 years and Brooklyn, both on sale for £10 in Sains****. I was tempted last week. Anyway I have them for £2.50 and I won't need to declutter them after. Very MSE

I took out 2 books too as I seem to be enjoying reading at the moment.

A small spend in Lid* for fruit and veg. The quality on inspection isn't great on some of the items I'll have to check more in store in future...

I haven't had an especially debt busting day apart from using the library, but I recovered from how I felt this morning and so it feels like a good day

3 good things

Excellent plums from Italy in Lid* that are 5 for £1

Recovering from a migraine and appreciating feeling well

DVDs waiting to be watched with a blanket and a hot water bottle and tea and nice chocolate and homemade popcorn. Can't wait

doingitanyway

This morning I went to IKEA. I am so happy to be the owner of CLEAN TEA TOWELS. :T I also purchased small plants to dot around to clean the air, add cheer and make me less likely to need flowers. I bought a £3 fleece throw as I stop using the heating this weekend as it is Spring. I went with a list to IKEA and only went pennies over budget. I didn't have breakfast in their restaurant as I have food at home. These are all new behaviours for me

I looked at kitchens. To have a lodger I would need to get my kitchen sorted first...

My Ocado delivery came at 6.30am (free delivery and a £5 voucher) Nearly the entire shop was comprised of offers so I did well there too. It's nice having a full cupboard. I think that's where I went wrong this month. I allowed supplies to run too low. I now have an abundance of tea!!

My exercise is tailing off. I will go and exercise tomorrow before I go off to friend's for the day. It is likely that once I start paying more for the debt in August I will have to give up this gym...Still thinking about this. Perhaps I should prioritise it??

Tonight I might go to the supermarket to see if I can get any last minute bargains as the shops are closed tomorrow. I am after reduced price flowers to take for my friend. I will have to buy booze to take with me too as she likes a drink

3 good things

A plant with a red flower. Let's hope it survives my opposite of green fingers

My new tea pot pours beautifully

I sent a thank you card to a neighbour for agreeing to do my gutters even though in the end I used someone else. I bumped into him today and he appreciated it and that leaves the door open to ask for other things in the future

It's nearly EASTER. have a good day my frugal friends
DIA xx