It's not a lot, but it's enough

SpekySquarehead

What a weekend. My girlfriends brother’s wedding was on Saturday, which proved to be a perfect way to pick me after the funeral on Thursday.

Weddings – as they always do – turned out to be more costly than I’d like but it’s a time for celebration and an example of how I still want to live life whilst getting out of debt.

I’ll update my YNAB and check my banks soon. I’m determined to get some NSD’s under my belt this week.

I’m still undecided about Korea, but deep down, my gut says don’t go and that’s the way I’m swaying. Don’t need to make a decision just yet though, so I’ll think it through.

Have a nice day

SpekySquarehead

I was confident that I had managed to get another NSD yesterday then I remembered that last night, at 11pm, I bought Series 5 of suits for £9.99 from amazon. I look at it as, ‘speculate to accumulate’, as the series will keep me from going out and spending money!

Today will be a NSD however. I’ve brought my breakie and lunch into work today and I’ll go to the gym tonight. I’ve got training all day today which I find make the day fly in and also gives me little opportunity to spend. Tomorrow will be the same with a long day at work.

I’m really feeling a strong determination to spend as little as possible for the remainder of this month as I don’t get paid until the last day of this month!

SpekySquarehead

Yesterday for me was a nightmare. My GF got the news that she has 'high grade, first stage, cervical cancer'.

We had no idea. She went for her smear a couple of weeks ago then received a letter on Friday to say there was abnormalities and to come into the the doc. They then straight away told her and as it was 'high grade' they gave her some anesthetic and done some work there and then. We've to wait 3-6 weeks to see if it's spread and how aggressive it is. Absolutely gutted.

I've been lucky enough to not have anyone in my family affected by cancer, so this is all new to me. I think the worst. I picture her losing her hair and being told terrible news of how long she has. Shes only 23. The brave soul is back to work today, as am I. Hoping it'll distract us both.

She's due over to the house in an hour or so. I bloody forgot my wallet as I went to buy some flowers on my way home. I'll show my support in another way.

doingitanyway

Sorry to hear about your GF.
Show your support by being there. Write something nice in a love note and sneak it in her cool bag so she finds it when she is at work. Flowers are too obvious anyway...

SpekySquarehead

Very good idea. Thank you. I'll do just that.

ChicaBonita

Hi Speky, I've been reading your diary but never commented before.

Almost a year ago today my mum went for her first smear test in 10 years after encouragement from me, and they found she had cervical cancer, that was too far gone to be lazered off but was still microscopic.

Long story short, she's in her 50's and although she had to have treatment (chemo and radiation), she got out the other side. As she says, if she hadn't have gone for the smear who knows how far it would've gone? It's horrible to find out you health problem like this, as you say you often have no idea. But,from the sounds of it, they've found it early, and while it sucks that your girlfriend is young, she has youth on her side to fight this thing. I'm really really sorry that this has happened to you and your girlfriend, but you both can and will fight it.

SpekySquarehead

ChicaBonita wrote: »

Hi Speky, I've been reading your diary but never commented before.

Almost a year ago today my mum went for her first smear test in 10 years after encouragement from me, and they found she had cervical cancer, that was too far gone to be lazered off but was still microscopic.

Long story short, she's in her 50's and although she had to have treatment (chemo and radiation), she got out the other side. As she says, if she hadn't have gone for the smear who knows how far it would've gone? It's horrible to find out you health problem like this, as you say you often have no idea. But,from the sounds of it, they've found it early, and while it sucks that your girlfriend is young, she has youth on her side to fight this thing. I'm really really sorry that this has happened to you and your girlfriend, but you both can and will fight it.

Thank you firstly for stopping by now and then. Helps give me some motivation.

But thank you even more for sharing your story. There is light at the end of the tunnel and there are positives to be taken (caught early and she's young). Thank you again and I hope your mums health continues to improve

joeyjimbles

Just read your thread through, and I didn't want to read and run. You're doing really well focusing on getting rid of your debts as well as getting on with your life.
I'm so sorry to hear about your girlfriend's diagnosis and can only send positive vibes that it is treatable. Being young, and finding it at a routine smear, will make her position much stronger and better able to deal with both the condition and the treatment.

SpekySquarehead

joeyjimbles wrote: »

Just read your thread through, and I didn't want to read and run. You're doing really well focusing on getting rid of your debts as well as getting on with your life.
I'm so sorry to hear about your girlfriend's diagnosis and can only send positive vibes that it is treatable. Being young, and finding it at a routine smear, will make her position much stronger and better able to deal with both the condition and the treatment.

Thank you for stopping by and commenting.

I feel like I’m getting nowhere while at the time, thinking about money all day, every day – so thanks for the encouragement.

joeyjimbles

It goes that way for a while and when you 'only' have one debt to focus on then you don't get the quick wins that people who have their debt spread across different places do when they manage to pay off something.

Some suggest dividing your debt by 100 and focusing on each 1% so £29 in your case - then colouring in one square of a 100 block square for each time you pay that off. It also can act as a demotivator if you were thinking of splashing out an unnecessary £20+ on something as you can visualise it as more or less that 1%. I've even seen some people divide their debt by 1000 so £2.90 for you - that would concentrate the mind over a take-out coffee wouldn't it?

There's also the very successful PAD (payment a day) thread where you make a little payment every day or every week to your debt. This can be rounding down your bank account so it balances (also known as Tilly Tidies) or perhaps earning a few extra ££ from surveys and transferring that across.
I'm sure there are other methods too but all will help you moving forward and seeing just a little bit more going off the total - I know that Barclaycard will let you make multiple payments of £1+ as I've done it myself. How you would square it with YNAB I don't know as I've never used that but I'm sure there's a way.

Also whilst I know your debt is a priority, your girlfriend's health is too as is the sanity of both of you so do make sure you add a little leeway into your budgets to keep both of you happy and healthy.