Joined 31.05.16

System

PSL Italians always want to eat and feed you . Not good for the waste line I agree.

Hope you have had a good weekend so far.

What is your next MSE goal? Is it the OD?

Poor_Single_lady

I'm not sure Cumbria. Not much is going right so will be happy to pay all the bills and stay alive.

It's sort of small wins at the moment more than big goals. Making plans up to end of Jan. Next year going to get the council tax over 12 months instead of 10. Have put the water on direct debit once a month instead of twice a year. And massivly trying to cut down the drinking.
Bare minimal new clothes in October. Avoided quite a bit of social - but there are still a few things that are happening.

And I have a problem tooth that could escalate and be quite expensive. So need to have some time at home more than anything.

This week
Today - food shop
Monday no spend
Tuesday eyebrows
Wednesday low spend/top up shop
Thursday low spend
Friday out for dinner/drinks
Saturday - low spend

Have bought Lidl Coke to try, can't remember if I had tried this before or not. I do really like going to Sainsbury's but made myself go to Lidl.not sure why but for some reason it always feels far less like a place of poverty at the weekend. After work it feels far more like a discount shop.

Payday this week which is good. No drinking till Thursday but this will be very much contained.

StokieBecks

Nothing wrong with small steps PSL - hopefully with each little target you meet you will start to feel more and more in control and get some satisfaction from ticking them off

Definitely think it is a good idea to have your water bill as a monthly direct debit so you know each month it has to be paid - big lump sum payments are not idea for budgeting when you are trying to reduce debt as sometimes it is easy to go ohhh I have that money spare I will spend that.

Do you have some funds put aside for December/Christmas social so you don't feel like you are depriving yourself too much?

Poor_Single_lady

Yes small steps indeed. I'm hoping December isn't too social. I won't feel deprived I don't think, but will see when we get there.
Small steps and small wins for now.

System

Back from break , enjoyed it but had an upset stomach all week , so didn't eat much ! Hope you have had a good week PSL , think you were out last night according to your list .

Not much happening for me this week , have spent enough money this pay month already .

Poor_Single_lady

Bills go out tommorow Cumbria. Feel a bit anxious about the debt lately. I think I am going to cancel one of my cards that is paid off, bring the total number down.
Everything is 0% for at least another year.

It's a very quiet month this month. And next month isn't too too bad but I want to have all Christmas sorted by end of November. Getting there but small wins only.

StokieBecks

Cancelling a card if it has no balance on it is a great idea PSL. If you add up the balances on the 0% cards and work out how many months they have left before the interest jumps up maybe you would be able to work out how much you need to pay off them each month to clear the balances before the time runs out - of course totally get this might not be possible but try and work on clearing/massively reducing those that run out first.

You don't want to put yourself in a position that if you were unfortunate not to get offered another 0% deal that you end up paying a load of interest and putting yourself back a few steps as you are doing so well.

I've been putting a bit aside for Christmas each month since last November (last payment to Christmas pot is tomorrow and then start for Christmas 2018 on 1st November) and been picking bits up as I find them but we find this helps. Hopefully you can keep your Christmas spends within your budget without spending more on your cards

Try not to be anxious, I know that is easier said than done but there is nothing you can't get yourself out of

[Deleted User]

All those small wins add up PSL!

I need to go over my Christmas list to double check what I need to buy in, will do that this weekend.

Dxxx

sm_1988

What are your plans for the weekend PSL? I'm in Sheffield for a friend's wedding and I was meant to leave tomorrow around lunchtime but I've decided to go back to London today instead so had to buy another train ticket :mad: it was only £28 but still an avoidable spend if I had planned properly!

Poor_Single_lady

Thank you for your posts everyone. I have been very busy and AWOL lately. Nothing exciting- just work and family.

Low key weekend
And much needed quiet week next week social-wise, but work is hectic.

Today and Sunday- low spend, stay at home, small food shop, strictly and possible take away.

Monday and Tuesday - long works days, small food shop - possible lunch out with friend

Wednesday - busy work day but leave at 5
Thursday - no work drinks for first time in ages - leave at 5 if possible
Friday- no evening plans
Saturday 14th HAIR and food shop.

Next week credit cards will be paid. I cancelled the card that is paid off so feel a bit more organised. It had a limit of £6,500 which in my circumstances is just daft.

I think Stockiebecks I should be able to get a 0% deal this time next year when I need it. I've now paid off 2 credit cards (albeit with balance transfers) and the loan and I did a money transfer a while back so not utilising the overdraft in the same way.
Plan is to hopefully pay off the Sainsburys card next year so by the time I come to apply I will have 4 accounts paid off and have never missed a payment so I'm hopeful that will put me in a good position.
Plus as a truly last resort I could potentially ask my dad although I don't want to go down that road unless I am actually starving.

2 weeks and 5 days to payday. Trying hard. xxx