Reality Check...

reality_check

p.s who knows where my emojis have gone - most of them are angry faces so you will get the jist!

reality_check

Not properly looked through my bank statement yet, but I do know that the last few months I have ditched the category's for separate accounts so don't have budgets for things and just winging it. I also keep dipping into the money from my Dad again and say I will pay it back! My new plan is....my the credit cards and then my Dad. My Dad's job is secure for now, and worst case I could use my overdraft, do a cash balance transfer from a credit card if need be/take out a loan if he needs the cash ASAP suddenly. This way means there are no chances of dipping in and out and hopefully help me stay on track, this time.

January this year my debt was £18,675.63 to half my debt in a year I would like to be £9337.81 not sure how possible this is with 3 pays to go PLUS an unbudgeted for Christmas….

We'll see.................

reality_check

I was just reading my diary from the last few weeks while looking for some figures...I sound so bipolar with my debt!!

One day I am claiming I have cracked the debt busting and not buying things I know I don't need, and then literally days later I am owning up to spending nearly £400 and a monthly overspend of £800?!

All posts are me and not from 2 completely different people incase anyone is wondering…I do wonder myself!! :rotfl:

milasavesmoney

It's our propensity for spending that got us into this debt mess. It rears it's ugly head from time to time and has to be reined in and put back in it's cage or we will find ourselves back in debt again. We are learning moderation.
For example, I'm having the old impulses except on a larger scale. We are remodeling and I find myself looking at the very best instead of good enough. Do I really need a Wolf range with its pretty red knobs when I no longer have six children to cook for (now it's just my husband and one son)? I haven't pushed that buy button yet. :j I'm learning moderation (I think) but I had better buy a reasonable stove before my natural nature gets ahold of me. I'm 63 and no longer find cooking a joy so why would I need a chefs range?

I just bought DD1 a beautiful Le Creuset 7 1/2 quart pot for Christmas and I find myself wanting to go ahead and give it to her now. If I do, I will then buy her something else expensive to open on Christmas. Then I'll repeat said behavior five more times because it wouldn't be fair to the other children.:eek:
I tell myself 'Get a grip woman' !! (and quit thinking about the pretty red knobs :rotfl: )

Seasidegal58

reality_check wrote: »

II think I might look into YNAB, free trial so nothing to lose.

I find YNAB incredibly useful - I have their phone and ipad app as well and by entering every thing you spend (e.g. your 19p cups at work) as soon as you spend it you will realise just how much you can fritter away. It has very useful, detailed online help notes and live webinars where you can join a YNAB class - these cover several aspects of YNAB, e.g. starting out, credit cards, etc. As it is a US company the only thing you can't do is use their bank reconciliation tool as this only applies to US bank accounts.

reality_check

Aw Mila that is so me! Buy gifts and want to give them earlier!! I can also relate with the best/good enough, I do think with a kitchen though that get the best you can afford...I always go by 'Buy cheap, buy twice' - not that I am encouraging you to go buy the top of the range cooker! I was thinking of you recently with the whole Trump fiasco!! :rotfl: I wish my mum bought me a nice Le Creuse - she buys a load of junk!! Lots of stuff, where as I would rather one small thing! Funnily enough I have asked for a pot for Christmas from my Mum and Dad - I have told them to get my daughter to pick it, I will send her to TKMAXX/buy it myself and pretend she got it, have told them under no circumstances do I want those awful gift sets. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but been refreshing myself with Marie Kondo recently and I just don't want stuff I don't love/them spending a lot of money. I really don't need anything but my pots are good ones and lasted ages but are lookng a bit tired so want a new one. I only have 5 pots in the whole house as Marie Kondo'd them last year lol I know you know about her only reason why I'm telling you all this which is probably another language to most!!

I will look into YNAB - I am so bad with spreadsheets/numbers so might be beyond me, but will give it a go soon!

Payslip is in so going to have a quick look at my numbers, not as good as I was expecting. This is our new way of being paid and having to pay tax on commission so I am about £400 down!!

reality_check

Debt as of November -

Loan £7,000
Virgin £2400
Barclays £2500

Paid off Santander of £1800

Total debt is: £11,900 so a pathetic reduction of £300 this month!

I have given myself realstic budgets so I should be able to stick to them and not go into my overdraft. The money to pay my Dad back fund is empty so anything over what I have will come off my overdraft which will charge me!!

Verbatim

Hi RC
Can you take any of the items back?

Poor_Single_lady

Hi Reality, i think your diary is very real. Some days are easy and others not so much. Sometimes we need things and sometimes it pays to buy expensive. It can be a bit disjointed but such is life.
I have a bit more to pay off than you and no children but i often think we are quite similar, not in circumstance but in how we look at things, (hope you're not offended) I try and learn from you because as much as I want to cut out everything, I really cant so I tend to follow people who seem to still be actually living.

Previously You recommended ideal home magazine to me and I gave it a try this month whilst thinking of you, but I might try it for a few months and put together an idea for the new year. Thanks for sharing your diary with us. It is really helpful.
Ps hope your mum is feeling better. She's lucky to have you. xx

reality_check

Of course I'm not offended! Living and paying off debt has to be done, well doesn't have to be the case but I don't have enough motivation not to, nor do I want to. My mum is doing a lot better, she won't fully be back to how she was better but is def improving. Ideal home is great, a cup of tea and a family sized bar/bag of chocolates is a must when you read it, not sure if I mentioned that.

Verbatim, the juicer is actually going back! The motor burned out after a few days and I have been using my Nutribullet since, I prefer the consistency of juicing, but it is good enough for now, so at least that's about £70 coming back to me. The other stuff, Nike stuff was Christmas gifts, chocolates gone, boots been worn and it's not worth going back to return the dress, plus I am wearing it over Christmas.

I have set DS and DD a budget of £500 each for Christmas. First presents I got of perfume and trainers worked out about £75 each...do I take £75 from the budget or call it £100?! They know the value of things and don't know my budget/won't be counting it up, and they would just automatically assume I have paid full price, but not sure if I am cheating them by knocking them down £25 each?!