Determination makes the pennies go further.

Dontletmeletyougo

I've started a new diary.. One where I can write everything down I need to get off my chest.

I'll start off and introduce myself. I'm a 23 year old, lone parent to a five year old little boy. We live at home with my mum (she has the space and it allows me to save for a deposit for a house in the future). I work within the NHS and at the moment just do bank work until I find a role that suits mine and my sons home life- it's hard to find that balance. I've recently left a toxic work environment and a huge weight had been lifted. I'm choosing my own hours and gaining control of my life. I have anxiety and in the past, depression. This is well controlled at the moment. I get quite anxious over spending money/saving/paying off debt etc.

Currently I owe 2k on a 0% credit card. I pay off a minimum of 200 a month and anymore I feel like at the end of the week depending on how my budgets doing.

I have a help to buy isa which I put 200 a month into. I also have other savings which are doing nicely in a high interest account. Any interest I gain each month from my savings account I put towards my credit card. I could afford to pay this off in one lump sum but I know my anxiety will flare when my bank goes below a certain figure.

Even though I live at home my outgoings are quite high and dependent each month.

My son does quite an expensive hobby which can cost up to 300 a month. However he thoroughly enjoys this, is keeping him active and he is making lots of friends and gaining confidence. So I don't mind. I budget this and any left over goes into another pot.

My petrol budget for the month is £80 and food budget is £80. I pay £200 a month board and then I have a few other direct debits which I'll list later on.

I'm quite naughty and have a dirty habit of smoking. I hope to stop in the near future but due to past circumstances felt like I could not. I'm slowly gaining control again of my life. Any money I spend on this will be split into a holiday savings pot and go towards a deposit pot.

I want to make some small saving goals and challenges but will think of these carefully and write them down later. For now that's me.

My obvious aims are pay off the credit card and save as much as possible.

Will post again later, bye for now.

Bobarella

Good luck to you. Take my hat off to all single mums.

Dontletmeletyougo

Morning,

I had quite a busy day yesterday... I've been working out my budget for the rest of this month and it goes a bit like this.

Total budget left from now until the end of May: £1000.

My budgeted outgoings for the rest of the month are:

£220.50 for DS activity.
£80 maximum allowance for food.
£80 maximum allowance for petrol.
204.48 for my car finance.

= £584.98

That leaves me with a total of 415.02 leftover for any unexpected bills.

So far in May I've paid £386 off my credit card, bringing it down to a nice round figure 1800.

My goal is that if I have any left over funds from petrol/food allowance I shall use this to pay more off my credit card/put into savings.

I also have a spare 162 sat in a separate account which I used for match betting. I need to keep more on top of this to be honest and do a bit more but it's finding the time. I am leaving that money unaccounted for and hoping that if I pull my finger out I can build up a balance enough to pay my car insurance/car tax which is due in August. I am budgeting around 700 for both combined.

The small steps I plan on taking the rest of this month:

- Coin sweep my bank account daily if possibly. At the end of each week will transfer this amount to pay off credit card.
- Check my bank account daily to keep on track on any outgoings.
- Build up a buffer for my car (£700 by end August).
- Start a holiday savings pot.
- Continue to my transfer of £200 to my HTB Isa. I hope by the end of the year to have around £2800 in there.

I really want to get rid of this credit card debt. It gives me anxiety to know it's there but it would give me great anxiety to use current savings. It's 0% for a further 18 months and was used for something essential. If I carry on with minimum of £200 a month it should be paid off by next February. However I want this to be sooner. I hope to clear it by the 1st November if possible.

Today I am working a lovely 9-5 shift in the community. I thoroughly enjoy this work and the people I meet. It gives me great satisfaction. The weather is lovely today and is making me feel very positive.

My aims/to do list for today are:

- Input travel expenses.
- Chop spare onions up.
- Have lunch at home on break.
- Have a no spend day.
- Eat breakfast (I'm a buhger for this one, I don't usually eat it which results in me being hungry and snacking).
- No snacking on junk food.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Cook enchiladas for tea, using up the wraps we have and a mix in the cupboard which has been sat there a while.
- Email work to say I can't do a certain shift due to an upcoming cbt course and another course I have for work related training next week.

Dontletmeletyougo

It's 11am, I'm on a quick break so will update what's completed so far.

My aims/to do list for It's are:

- Input travel expenses.
- Chop spare onions up.
- Have lunch at home on break.
- Have a no spend day.
- Eat breakfast (I'm a buhger for this one, I don't usually eat it which results in me being hungry and snacking).
- No snacking on junk food.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Cook enchiladas for tea, using up the wraps we have and a mix in the cupboard which has been sat there a while. I'm putting these in the slow cooker right now
-Email work to say I can't do a certain shift due to an upcoming cbt course and another course I have for work related training next week.

I've got quite a bit done so far. Will update again later on. Had a very busy morning and I need a breather.

Dontletmeletyougo

I achieved everything yesterday apart from putting in my travel expenses and not snacking (I did well up until tea time oops). I can do my travel expenses today though whilst doing my ones from today.

All my direct debits have gone out for the month now. This provides me great relief. As the numbers look clearer and less confusing.

Last night after tea I felt exhausted. I'd had a busy day and the hot weather didn't help so the first time in God knows how long I catches up on some television.

Todays list

-Input travel expenses.
- Walk to school to pick son up.
- Walk to ice skating and back.
- Do some matched betting.
- Peel potatoes ready for tea.
- Sort through my underwear and sock drawer.
- Throw out worn out boots which I don't want to but they're on they're last legs and it is getting too warm for them now. They've lasted me over two years and we're only £30 so I've got my money worth out of them lol.
- Go through floordrobe and put stuff into the wardrobe and throw out anything I know longer want. I may take them to a cash for kg shop. May only be pennies but better than nothing.

BEAT_THE_DEBT

Hello and welcome

milasavesmoney

:TExcellent beginning! Welcome to diary life!

Dontletmeletyougo

I've had a bit of a random day. I've finished work and will pick son up soon. It's raining currently so will drive. However we will be walking to ice skating as I refuse to pay £2 parking and petrol for a 10 minute walk away.

I've managed to input my travel expenses at work for the past two days. Yay to me. I feel better knowing I have.

I've managed to sort out some work issues regarding courses, training etc.

This morning I also randomly decided to pay off a further £585 off my credit card bringing down total debt to £1200. It's come from my savings but I figured it will do for now. I must remind myself I'm still saving in a help to buy isa.

I have a feeling over next few months my tax credits shall decrease dramatically until it's literally 0 and other worth claiming due to increase in wage due to me qualifying and at the time took up a full time position. I'm waiting for another position to come up in the team I want to work within so for now I'm doing bank work. I am waiting for the hospital bank to contact me and when they do, I've requested weekly pay and will hopefully do two nights a week or one long day and any money I make there will go towards paying off debt and savings.

I'm going to set myself goals to try and beat and reach. We want to go on holiday next year abroad maybe with friends. Looking at around 2k for two weeks during term time which I'll get fined for however it's important to me to spend time with my son and I struggle to in school holidays.

I have an upcoming operation soon. I will not recieve sick pay so hoping to do some easier shifts in the mean time to get by and take it easy.

milasavesmoney

You are well thought out and doing a good job of planning.

We received a large tax return (USA) as we had over paid last year. It has all gone into savings and paid off one monsterous plumbing bill. I had been making payments on the bill but it was a huge relief to get it paid.

You will feel so much better as you see your credit card bill keep coming down.

Dontletmeletyougo

Mila it is a huge relief and I have the money in my bank to pay it off to be honest. However I don't want my savings to go below a certain threshold and look too poor.

We are off to London end of this month for a week. We are classing this as our holiday this year. We're staying with my sister so just have travel to pay which is already booked and paid for. We have merlin passes so will be using them for the London attractions whilst down there and will also hopefully be doing Legoland Windsor and Chessington world of adventures and using my sisters place as a Base. Just means lots of travelling by train but that's okay we can use the railcard.

I'm not working today. I have a new cbt course I'm starting. It's a group called compassion focused therapy. It's on for the next 9 weeks and is 2 1/2 hours each week. I will see how the first couple go and whether it's for me. I don't usually like groups however I'm pushing the boat out here and placing myself outside my comfort zone. I keep telling myself it's for the best and I may even make new friends or meet people who've experienced same troubles as myself.

I also have a hospital appointment at half 3 as a preoperative assessment for my next operation. Will hopefully get an op date through. Hoping its not before we decide to go away as I will be in lots of pain. I'm having a sinus removed (2nd time this year as it's come back) so it's in the sacral area. Very painful and requires daily dressings. How fun.

Not sure what list I've decided to make today. I feel a bit foggy this morning.

milasavesmoney

Oh I hope the operation is after your London trip! That sounds amazing and fun!

Continuing Ed it the only way to move up into a job that you will love probably? My son has worked for several years with the mentally fragile in group home settings. He is about to begin classes to get a Masters in Public Health here in the US. He has a degree in Anthropology. I'm really happy that he has decided to advance. It's not fun while you're doing it but so very worth it in the long run. And education always made me feel good about myself. I like achieving. I'm very shy and reserved so it always expanded my comfort zone, but it could constrict back to something more comfortable when I finished.:D