Joined 31.05.16

Poor_Single_lady

Thanks Dolly you are so inspirational.

Yesterday was a bit spendy. £45 in pub so well that is quite a lot. But it was a rare pub visit and i have been cutting back. None planned for rest of week and minimal next week.

Plus £10 on a toy for friends toddler.

Nothing else in plans till next week. Not sure where this leaves the accounts. Bit worried to look! But Will have a look and see later. Should be nsd today and tommorow.

20 days to pay day. Not too long really! xx

[Deleted User]

Glad you enjoyed the pub my sweet.

Good luck for your 2 NSD's.

I need to have a look through my accounts aswell this week to try & keep it under control.

Dxxx

Poor_Single_lady

Thank you Dolly. Its sort of crunch time now. Im doing it and feel lot less stressed, But I need to make sure I am on top of this. I think I am im danger of screwing up so need to make sure it doesn't happen. Its very hard tho. You have a few treats and then you want more. I find it easier cutting everything out and hibernating and following set rules!
I need to lower my alcohol intake. I will struggle to cut out altogether but going to lower it and this will help.

Plans
Keep flat tidy
Study for next exam
Plan clothes for work
Meal plan
Try and be less fussy on foods
Eat less chocolate and crisps
Stay focused and in control
Lower alcohol intake
Keep on track for target debt reduction in December

A lot happening right now. Its one day at a time 19 days to payday. Its not long really.

This is how things should look this time next month
2 x credit cards total £7900 0%
1 x credit card £3000 0%
1 x loan £1838
1 x credit card £1750 18%.

Depending on how the month goes it could be better. Its this month that is tough and busy. I will be trying to be at home as much as possible but life does go on around you and social things get arranged without you arranging them. its not always easy.

This weekend low spend, no/minimal alcohol.

Need to buy
Milk
Clingfilm
Stock cubes
Hair grips
Bread
Cucumber

Next week
2 x Christmas present
2 x social -hoping for low alcohol low spend
Lots of study

19 days left. Lots to manage but i will.
Got a few films to watch and bubble baths and excuses at the ready. Its going to be ok.

[Deleted User]

19 days will pass by in no time my sweet.

You sound like you have it all worked out for the month ahead.

I have quite a bit on this month also so will be hard work to make it through but we can do this.

Dxxx

Poor_Single_lady

Spent £20 boots, this is hair things, essentials and nail strengthener. It felt essential at the time.
£10 tesco, forgot stock cubes.

Need to pick up polish this week for windows and doors. Need to do a bit of cleaning.

Its so unbelievably hot. Not enjoying this at all. Cant wait for some cool weather. Its much harder to think properly in the heat.

Tommorow marks 18 days to payday. Then im going to sit on all the pay for as long as possible and put off big food shopping till end of october. There is loads in the freezer, work wardrobe could do with a few bits and everything else can hold.
Most things will have to hold til january really. No splurges. I have a plan till around april 2017 but beyond that I will need to replan at the time.
3 and 1/2 months till Christmas so if I can sort a lot of this just by cutting back till january then it will be worth it. At least strictly is back on saturdays plus the bake off wednesday and rumours of the apprentice coming back too. Good telly definitely helps.
Realistic total target £12,800 by end of december. This would be enormous. So looking forward to payday this month. It marks the loan potentially (but quite probably) only having 6 months life left. I will be counting down the days from january.
It helps getting christmas organised now too, I will definitely plan to do this each year from now on.

[Deleted User]

Oh this heat is awful, we are really struggling with it. Hopefully it will go away soon enough.

18 days to go!

If you have plenty food in then try & eat from the freezer & cupboards until you have nothing really left. Think of how much you could save by doing that!

I have bought a few pressies in already, wrote out my list of who I need to buy for so by November I want all pressies bought so I can have a stress free December. This is the plan for every year for sure!

Oh I love when the telly is good, just watching GBBO now, not good to watch when on a diet though

Dxxx

Poor_Single_lady

I have overspent already this month and its only 7th. 18 days left to be good.
Had spaghetti on toast. Very mse as it was just out of date but I ate it and it was fine!
Can see next week being hard but will be doing maximum effort. Feel a bit like I have lost my head a bit with the exam stressing but back on track from now.

Minimal social plans this weekend
Meeting friend tonight -low spend
Next week out tuesday, not sure of projected costs
Plus lunch out next week

It all adds up tho.
Part of me would like to cancel all of it but I don't think I can do that. Really enjoying a few nights at home recently and feeling more in control.
Baring family I am not going to commit to anything else social and hopefully that will help.

[Deleted User]

We can't be perfect at this all of the time, we still need to live a little.

I could be debt free in no time if I just had no life but I am not willing to do that & neither should you my sweet.

You are doing so well, think of how much of a worse financial situation you would be in at this time next year if you weren't making these changes in your life now.

You are making massive improvements while still enjoying some of life's little luxuries so enjoy enjoy enjoy.

Dxxx

Poor_Single_lady

Thank you Dolly. You are right as always! I think I need to go to the pub but not drink. I have only ever managed this on very rare occasions mostly for medical reasons or for being too hungover, never on money related grounds. So kind of new territory. Will see how it goes. I have to try. I have a good friend who I know will be onboard so that helps massively. I think it will feel quite strange but its happening! Will post about my efforts which will help (sorry if its boring for readers)

NSD today and no alcohol. But- and its a big but. I have an electrician coming tomorrow because something has gone wrong in my flat and it is essential to get it fixed. I think about £150 to fix but maybe more. Im going to ask him if I can pay at the end of the month. This will be ok if he says yes but if he wants payment asap it will mean going into overdraft. Its completely unavoidable so im not too stressed about it but just annoying. Its just one of those unavoidable expenses that come about sometimes.
The thing is I have no relationship with the electrician, he was recommended to me so he might be concerned to delay payment from an unknown person and worry i am planning to not pay. I will see what he says. Can only ask.

no social plans for tomorrow. Will wait and see what the electrician says then have a sobering think!

Poor_Single_lady

Very stressful. So electrician thinks the problem is fixed. I really hope it is. He said its ok to pay on payday. So relieved.

Sitting tight to payday.
Off today but studying and getting eyebrows done. Got foods till wednesday when small food top up shop is needed.
That's it for spending, in tonight, plans tomorrow, minimal spending, in saturday night for strictly. At parents sunday and work and home monday. Plans tuesday, food shop wednesday, home thurs and fri. Then saturday 17th and 18th no plans.
Easy on paper. 17 days to payday. Holding on.