Debt Free Determined!!!

SavingAtNumberTwo

Pretty low spend weekend looking after my Dads dogs, was glad to be home on Sunday though, £6.99 for lunch with friends on Saturday (£6.99!!!!). Managed to juggle figures from Friday's pay to maximise amount I can balance transfer. I worked out that November 16 until beginning of March I have paid £550 in interest.. :eek: if only that was coming off of my debt! Scary! So I can't balance transfer everything (due to only doing BT between existing cards and not having available funds to BT all) but should at least half the interest for now.

Fridays pay, £360.95, which is being spent..

£150.00 CC2
£158.00 Catalogue
£30.00 Savings
£10.00 Petrol

Leaving me £12.95. Maybe I will open another savings account for these leftover amounts. OH taking me on a spa stay this weekend as he has been working so much, looking forward to some quality time together and a bit of R&R

Bobarella

I hope your Mum is better soon RA I did smile at your description of your Granddad

SavingAtNumberTwo

Thanks Bobarella, she seems to have found her positivity now she's on the mend, I really felt for her because there's nothing worse than being ill! Hope all is well with you

Bobarella

Well that is good news. Hope you enjoy the spa break!

Scott_Weiland_2

My advice try doing market research surveys its a nice little income boost 50-100 extra per month for 1-2 hours a few times a week.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/make-money-surveys

Second tip top cashback.co.uk or quidco sign upto either of those if your buying online use either of those good money is there to be had for little things i recently changed my internet provider and got 50 quid, a friend moved from a bt package to sky and i got 135 quid just for going through top cashback. Every little helps me and my oh use just eat from time to time getting money back for buying a takeaway treat 1-2 times a month is great, ebay, argos, dixons, hmv etc etc are all on there.

Third tip be realistic with yourself as an example do you really need a/b/c/ etc etc having an iphone 7 etc etc is great but is it worth it. I work in the financial services industry and i see on a day to day basis people with the last mobile phone contract 50-75pm or virgin or sky bills for 75-100 pounds per month or huge huge weekly shopping bills. Do whats called an soa i will post a link later then go through everything and think right as an example say you paid the following

car insurance 60 quid (if i swapped insurers at time of renawal what could i save/earn via a cashback site)

virgin media 75 quid (could i get a better deal elsewhere/cashback site again/could i bin the movie channels or sports and get a better deal elsewhere/now tv/ or ring your provider and say look virgin/talk talk have approached me what can you offer?.


mobile phone 45 quid (sim only deal)

gas electric 90 pm (try cashback sites and go compare etc)

SavingAtNumberTwo

Thanks Bob, bit annoyed with myself for leaving it so late booking in our treatments, we took the two last slots at really awkward times but hey beggars can't be choosers! I'm working my way through your diary and enjoying it very much I will post when I have read it all!

Thanks for all the amazing advice Scott, I have been thinking of doing an SOA but wasn't sure if I can use a template from somewhere.

I used to use Toluna I think it was called but found it very time consuming and honestly I take my hat off to anyone with the patience for it. I might have to give it another go when I get some time.

With my phone contract I have an iPhone 6, contract ended in December and I looked into upgrading to iPhone 7 Plus and didn't see I could justify upgrading for very little difference in phone spec (that I would notice anyway!) so I'm paying £18 pm sim only and not tied into contract. Renewed Virgin in Jan, TV package, phone line and broadband £45 pm tied in for 12 months. Car insurance I definitely could do with renewing I'm paying £57 a month and if I renewed now it will cost about half but it's not up for renewal until Sep and could really do with this years NCB. Hope all is well with your flat? Are you in now?

Scott_Weiland_2

try starting off with these survey sites

opinionoutpost.co.uk

the surveys are usually 4-5 mins long and payout is easily achieveable

power of opinions.co.uk

one poll.com

and ipsosisay.com

Scott_Weiland_2

Yes flat wise i am in and settled kinda, i still have some bits to get for my kids room when he visits but i will get there slowly lol

SavingAtNumberTwo

It does take time, I've been in my flat almost 15+ months and I still have blinds and curtains to put up! Glad you're getting there though.

Spa weekend was so lovely, just what was needed and we had our rooms upgraded to sea view for free

Friday means payday for me so have my amounts ready to be paid towards my debts, a chunk (£190) of this weeks wage (£361.15) is eaten up by car loan but have put as much as I can towards debts with whats left, it all adds up. I feel so much more in control of my money now that I plan so far in advanced exactly what I'll pay and where. It feels really satisfying! It's the little things I guess.

Savings took a slight dip over the weekend and beginning of this week. I had a moment of weakness and bought two tops (£30 - not too bad but felt so unbelievable guilty afterwards - something I clearly haven't experienced before) and had to take out another £20 for fuel and contribution to a friends welcome home present. She is in the Navy and has been away on ship for +6 months so we have got some goodies for her.

Last night I went to the cinema (half price cinema tickets courtesy of a friends corporate discount) and had a voucher for free popcorn after filling out a survey on their website so cost me a total of £6.50 all in. We watched Beauty and the Beast and I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone, it's honestly so magical.

Off to said Navy friends for dinner with all of our friends tonight for a much needed catch up. Potential NSD (aside from petrol put in this morning) today and tomorrow if I play my cards right. Have a Prezzo voucher I may use tomorrow to treat OH to dinner and doing a home cooked Roast on Mothering Sunday for Mum.

Will update totals soon, they don't look much different at the moment thanks to Balance Transfer fees (rubbish deals too but thought 6 months no interest was better than nothing..)

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

R x

Nob0dy

RebeccaAnney wrote: »

To be honest the weekends are a real struggle for me to avoid spending, how does everyone combat this?

Leave your card at home.

I don't really have that problem as I drink ale, an expensive night out to me is £25/30, and at £2.50/3 a pint that's A LOT of drinking and probably a kebab afterwards, still, I make a point of getting the cash out and avoid paying by card.

Cards depersonalise money, it's why casinos got chips in the first place, doesn't feel like spending, £50 down the line and you realise you've spent it only when you check your balance in the morning, if you've stopped there... but cash out the same £50 and chuck them in your wallet, later when you will open it and realise that's your last tenner, maybe you won't get that extra drink, and most definitely you won't cash out more or pay with card if it's not with you.

A friend of mine always goes out with good intentions, then decides to go to the club, she gets twatted and get the card out, spending a fortune on cocktails and shots at that point is pretty quick, is not uncommon to hear from her that she went out with her mates and found out in the morning she was off £70/80.