Round and round the overdraft....soon to be no more

louby40

I think I've over stretched myself this month.

I've been so obsessed with paying my cc off that I've left myself short in my actual day to day budget. I've thrown loads of money at my debt and I'm going to have to dip into my overdraft for the first time in months.

I haven't budgeted for coffee money at work £25
Christmas work function deposit £10
Extra expenses due to getting out of my phone contract £20
Money towards my sons bus travel £120 (3 months)
Printer ink £25

I think I need to slow down and have money so I can actually live. It's 9 days till I get my child benefit and 20 days till payday.

reality_check

It's so hard getting it right isn't it. In the dream would I would like an emergency fund, and also a contingency fund with maybe £250 in it for things like that, basically my own overdraft... I have tried this but I either dip into it as don't stick to my budgets as I know I have that money sitting there or I have it for a few weeks then decide to throw it at the debt as that makes me happy at the time and then left in the same situation as you.

Do you have an emergency fund? xx

louby40

I have £200 in my EF, £250 in my Christmas fund and £120 in my home renovation fund.

I had to use £200 of my EF in the summer to pay a plumber to fix a leak, so am starting again. Once it's at £500 I shall stop & throw the £100 a month at my cc instead.

My debt is so small really I just want it gone. I'll be £500 a month better off by then.

louby40

Mad crazy at work and some issues with my eldest, so haven't been on here for a while.

£100 into my overdraft but my own fault for trying to get my debt down too quickly. Luckily no charges on the first £250. Payday is 13 days away but I do get my child benefit on Monday which will tide me over.

So need to take stock in November and calm down. I need to live as well as pay my debts off.

tori.k

Finding that balance is the truth of it.

System

Amen to living and paying off debt. You will get there - and a month or two on top of your DFD won't be something you remember in the long run xx

Cailbhinn

Best of luck louby. I'm a DFW n00b and enjoy reading these diaries. Gives you some perspective and insight and to how other people are coping with debt. Re: forgotten spends - couldn't you put these on to your budget on YNAB?

louby40

Hi yes they're all on my YNAB - there is a lot of red on there this month. Once I get paid, YNAB can be sorted. So much for me paying £125 off my Barclaycard for the next 3 months - it will be more like £5 in November lol

Skint this month I've just spent too much basically.

Cailbhinn

louby40 wrote: »

Hi yes they're all on my YNAB - there is a lot of red on there this month. Once I get paid, YNAB can be sorted. So much for me paying £125 off my Barclaycard for the next 3 months - it will be more like £5 in November lol

Skint this month I've just spent too much basically.

With it coming up to the dreaded C word, I think my Nov/Dec YNAB will be an ugly shade of red and minimum CC payments only those months. I read earlier that it's a 'marathon and not a sprint'. Sums it up nicely and as YNAB says - 'roll with the punches'.

louby40

Well I'm into my overdraft - absolutely gutted about that but it's just one of those things. I get paid on Wednesday so can budget for November then. I've got a few nights out, appointment at the hairdressers, and other things to pay for.

I think I need to pay the minimum on my CC and see where I am this month now.

It's going to be a tight month.