Debt Demolisher

motivated

Oh yes dotty a new month :T

Let's hope it's a happy debt busting one for all
M

motivated

:j Our first Stepchange payment gone today :j

This is the very first step for us on our DMP and I actually feel good about it.

I finally feel like we are on the road to debt freedom. I never ever thought I would be in this situation but have embraced it and will NOT let it hold us back.
Actually had a lovely weekend and last week at work then 2 weeks holiday
yippeee. Not going away but am looking forward to the break.
M

Stb_2

Well done!! Great work - hope you enjoy ynab

motivated

I'm still getting to grips with YNAB Stb but hopefully in a couple of months it will become second nature.
Must stick with it
M

motivated

Hi all
I have one more day at work then 2 weeks off :T. I'm so,tired and need to recharge myself. Finishing early tomorrow so another bonus there. Have many jobs planned for the holidays. Tackle housework jobs that tend to get overlooked from time to time. Will be spring cleaning the whole house,doing a little extra job as well as my usual mountain of daily chores

I've spring cleaned my finances so I'll spring clean the rest of my life while I'm at it

Another budget to do and another grocery shop needed. I still have quite a bit of meat left that I bought from the butchers last week. Really need to meal plan before I go so I don't overdo it.

Have also been doing surveys and need to do about 8 more to get my £50. I got to £50 before, had it paid into my bank and of course wasted it . Not now I will definitely be saving this one. Although when I get nearer the end the surveys seem to come in more slowly.

Being off work will give me lots of time to batch cook and I plan to make lots of meals and freeze them, making life a little bit easier :T

No luck with my eBay listings. They end on Sunday so it's not over yet. Fingers crossed
M

motivated

:j

Yay made it to the holidays phew

Have lots of jobs planned but am really just looking forward to the time off. I love my job but hate having to run on a tight schedule all day. Although it makes the day go quickly.
When I'm off I can do what I want when I want

The weather is supposed to be quite nice so a chance to finish tidying my garden, have done the pots and already a little colour makes all the difference.

Haven't done my budget yet for the week ahead (smack on wrist) but I went grocery shopping Didn't overdo it though. Mustn't get into this habit or I will be asking for trouble.

DH had a little extra in his wages this week so we will have a little extra to add to one of our savings accounts. Every little helps.
Will spend some much needed time tomorrow meal planning, budgeting and moving money around the accounts.

Just realised too it's only 6 days until payday for me. I will then have another SC payment ready and waiting for round 2 :T
M

motivated

Hi all the sun is shining

Have just done yet another budget on YNAB. I keep messing it up I refuse to give in though.
Have paid my weekly expenses and have moved money around the accounts. We have some fun money and some extra grocery money for top ups. Even though I have been grocery shopping I have left a little for milk etc during the week.

We are also saving for a nice trip away, don't know when, don't know where yet but I have opened a savings account that I can add money to whenever I can. So far we are up to £95.90 :T I don't even know how I've managed this, I just round down accounts and add little bits here and there to it. It soon mounts up doesn't it. I know some will frown on the fact of us saving for a break away but we are paying our debts back, every penny of it. I just think we also need to be able to live a little too. Every holiday we have ever had in the past have been whacked on a CC without a second thought and then balances moved around etc until I lost track of it. Determined that our next holiday will be paid for using our own money that has been saved :T

Our yearly savings account is also building, This is for Car tax, Car insurance, MOT and any other expenses that arise like vet bills. I have a standing order set up for this one transferring a set amount to it and just let it build up. I estimate that by March 2018 we will have approx. £2,000. This is when things will be due again.

All in all we now have 5 accounts that I can move funds around as and where needed. One is looking after our EF though so not to be touched.

I have just worked out also that by March also we would have paid off around £11,500 from out debt :eek: Now this I am looking forward to.

Our Christmas funds are being saved in cash. I decided that having a sealed pot to add cash to whenever we can will build up nicely too. Whatever we end up with will be what we spend. I never overdo it at Christmas anyway. My pot is now tucked away safely :shhh: its my secret

I need to be this organised and being able to see the accounts looking ok is what is keeping me 'Motivated' I can honestly say too that I have NOT missed CCs one little bit.

M

motivated

Hi diary world

Have been away visiting family for a couple of days and have missed so much on :money: need a couple of hours reading and catch up time on here.

Glad to be home and get back to my budgeting. Didn't overdo it too much financially whilst I was away. However my wages went in early due to the bank holidays so have managed to shift money out of one account and into another removing temptation to spend what I don't have. Once my budgets and our SC payment , rent council tax etc are sorted I will feel easier.

OHs wages went in a day early too are are quite a bit short :eek: His answer to this was oh I will speak to someone next week.
NEXT WEEK!!! :mad:

We won't starve because of it and we still have our DD money etc but his laid back attitude makes me :mad: Will definitely need a concrete budget this week now.

Also finally had a letter from Halifax who have acknowledged our payment plan and have said they will suspend interest as long as we keep up the agreed payments. At least that's another worry off my mind.

Don't have any exciting plans for the bank holiday weekend but will enjoy the rest, even though I haven't done much for the past 3 days
M

motivated

:EasterBun

Hi all and Happy Easter

The sun is shining again here and this makes my mood :j

Having quite a relaxing day today (again) but will be cooking a nice roast dinner. Already done washing and ironing just need to vacuum through and then plan to spend some time catching up on peoples diaries. I like to find/steal people's ideas for money saving etc Hoping there may be a decent film on to watch later on too.

Halifax seem to playing around a little as I've had letters now saying they haven't received payment and my payment plan will be cancelled and they will start recovery proceedings :mad: A second letter also arrives saying they accept our payment plan and will review it in October :eek: A call to SC is definitely on the cards on Tuesday. Will not panic about it hopefully SC will be able to sort it out for me. Hopefully it's just a mix up in communication.

Finances are still doing ok it feels a long time again until I can pay my second SC payment. (Must stop being impatient). I have approx 5 more surveys with yougov and then I can cash out my £50. This will be added to one of my many savings accounts.

Hope you are all relaxing too.
M

motivated

Update on Halifax

Spent an hour on the phone this morning as they have added over £500 interest on the 2 loans I have with them :mad:

The lady I spoke to was quite friendly but very adamant that the payments on my payment plan were missed and they would restart the plan in May. I promptly reminded them of the letters they had sent me dated the 12th April thanking me for my payments in line with our payment plan etc.

I then had the courage to ask it to be escalated to a manager. Go me.

The manager eventually agreed to refund ALL interest and assured me it will be stopped from now on :beer:

Feeling very proud of myself this morning as I don't know where this new me has come from
M