My debt free diary - getting my life on track

rexelpink

Having a glass of wine, watching Jurassic Park and wallowing in misery!

I have decided to set myself a cleaning rota, spurred on by my Facebook experience earlier I have chucked some bleach down the toilet and emptied one of the bins. Have decided to make the rota and then write down my jobs for the day here.

2018 is going to be my year!

rexelpink

Morning diary,

This morning whilst the kids were getting ready for school I had a quick look at Pinterest and started an ‘organise my home’ board.

I’ve got 2 pins, a cleaning schedule (very basic but I’m starting small) and another pin about developing daily habits:

9 things people with spotless homes do every day:

1. Take off shoes (looking down shamefully at trainers right now)
2. Make bed (DH currently still sleeping in it!)
3. Wipe down kitchen counters
4. Clean as you cook (DH does the cooking but I will come in after him)
5. Wipe down shower
6. Sweep floors
7. Wipe mirrors and sinks
8. Put clothes away
9. 2 minute rule (basically if a job will only take 2 mins then just do it now, don’t wait till later)

Busy morning so far, walked children to breakfast club, walked home, just having a cup of coffee now and going to sort out my hair (love my morning walk hat!) then I’ve got to be back at the school for DS school assembly at 9:30

Plus side I’ve got the whole morning off after that and don’t have to be in work till 1.

rexelpink

Vanquis £20 payment is now showing - Current balance: £1,332.85

Took 2 days to show on my account. Now that has cleared, I am going to make a small £3 payment today. (Was planning to pay £1 a day, but might have to do £2 every 2 days as I don’t want to make additional payments until the others have cleared)

rexelpink

I am going to post my monthly goals here so that I can keep track easily:

Savings Plan 2018

February – Save £494
March – Save £521
April – Save £516
May – Save £500
June – Save £395
July – Save £409
August - Save £289
September – Save £389
October – Save £508
November – Save 391
December – Save £530

Total Save - £4,942

Added to Januarys savings of £1,258 - total savings for the year should be minimum £6,200 (yearly bonus not factored into this amount)

rexelpink

Total steps for today 10,50 not bad considering it was POURING with rain all afternoon so couldn’t do my lunchtime walk.

DS’s assembly was good. This is his last year at primary school so I’m trying to really savour all these events.

DH has offered to pay £50 a month by s/o to the vanquis card. I called them earlier to try and switch the direct debit to standing order (figuring that if I pay the same amount I did this month by standing order every month then the card will clear quicker as the direct debit amount will reduce monthly but a standing orde amount won’t) however they were really cagey about the payment due date and gave me this massive warning about charges if I got the payment date wrong etc... made me feel really nervous. Anyway this way works better for me as I can make one off payments via the app, plus DHs S/O and the direct debit.

According to google, new habits take between 21 and 66 days to form. So that would explain why my new 9 rules have been challenging today:


1. Take off shoes - came in, took shoes off, then realised I had nowhere to put them. Left shoes on stairs. Took shoes upstairs after about half hour. Needed to go out to car. Put shoes back on, forgot to take them off again. Am still wearing said shoes 2.5 hours later oops!

2. Make bed - done just before left for work. Tick.

3. Wipe down kitchen counters - erm... no excuses here, but they are ok as DH wiped them after cooking.

4. Clean as you cook - DH did this today!

5. Wipe down shower - done. Tick!

6. Sweep floors - again not done, no excuses

7. Wipe mirrors and sinks - did sinks, but not mirrors

8. Put clothes away - this is a mammoth job, one for the weekend.

9. 2 minute rule (basically if a job will only take 2 mins then just do it now, don’t wait till later) - cleared the top of my bedside unit (may have hidden some stuff in a drawer to sort another day) looks lovely, just a vase and my phone charger on the top of it.

Jobs for tomorrow:
Take DS to the dentist for check up after last weeks fall
Ring council and find out if I am due to have 2 months off council tax due to paying by direct debit.
Pay £2 to vanquis through app. (In all the hustle of the calls I forgot to do this today)

rexelpink

Morning diary, just about to leave for work.

Bed made, 4,109 steps in already, £50 from DH S/O pending on the vanquis card. On a roll today!

DH has got today off so I’ve asked him to bring up all the clothes so I can put them away later.

DebtFreeDuo

Just had a little read over the last few days of your diary, you seem very focused. That £50 towards the vanquis card will be great, they have such a high interest rate and they aren't always the best people to deal with.

I wouldn't let comments about someones house bother you too much, some days my house is a complete mess as other things come first. I would hope those who were harsh have a completely spotless home 24/7 which we all know is impossible.

enthusiasticsaver

Good savings targets and I like your 9 point plan re house cleaning etc. Our house is not spotless but always been tidy as I hate clutter. I pick one room a week and do something every day - hoovering, dusting, wiping skirting boards, pictures etc, window sills. Bathrooms and kitchen we keep on top of every day and deep clean once every two weeks. Takes roughly 20-30 minutes daily.

rexelpink

Hi DFD and Enthusiastic!

Thanks for taking the time to reply - I'm surprised you didn't fall asleep with boredom reading all my ramblings!:rotfl:

Having had a chance to look at the facebook group a little more, I think that most of the members do seem to have perfect clutter free show-homes.
In reality with 2 children the dog and DH and I now both working full time, I'm unlikely to hit that level of show home (I also don't have the discipline for it!) however, - like with the finances - If we continue as we are doing the bear minimum then things will just spiral out of control. I think my 9 point plan and cleaning rota will work really well in 'maintaining' the house, but I will need to make a list of some of the bigger jobs that need doing... Then stop procrastinating and actually do them!

Im hoping that by the time the 66 days have gone by for me to develop my 9 new rules into habits that the house will be sorted and I will only need to maintain clean every day (and deep clean every few weeks)

I do really like your idea of 'one room a week' to focus on Enthusiastic. Once the house is straightened out I will probably follow that approach.

Today following my budget I have put another £5 into the savings. Total saving so far for 2018 - £1,263.00

Pismo

Hi, thanks for popping over to my diary.

My DH would also plod along making 'essential' purchases despite knowing how much debt we're in.

On the keeping the house tidy front, join teamtomm on facebook or Google 'the organised mum method'. It's a wonderful supportive group and a great way of keeping on top of the house cleaning.

X