Debt Free Determined!!!

SavingAtNumberTwo

N0b0dy.. I am quite possibly the friend you refer to. I can get so carried away and leaving my card at home is definitely a far more sensible idea! To be fair I'm not a huge drinker and a bit of a lightweight so I don't need as much money as I end up spending! Definitely agree with cards depersonalising money I can be so spend happy on my card £10's, £20's here and there and before you know it you've spent £100's!!

Another pay day today, not so much of a non spend weekend ahead. Lunch with OH's sister tomorrow, dinner for a friends birthday tomorrow night at a lovely restaurant renowned for its amazing/expensive cocktails that I need to avoid - so I'll be designated driver. The joy. Talking of food, I re-joined slimming world yesterday, I'm not in the dieting frame of mind but once I've started I soon gather momentum. 3rd time lucky...... keeping it off is the problem! R x

SavingAtNumberTwo

Little totals update, CC's don't look like they have made much progress but I had to pay fee's on each to balance transfer for 0% interest (for only 6 months but at the time was the best I could get :mad:)...

UPDATE 31/05/17
CC 1 & 2 - £6872.30
Catalogue - £170.29
Overdraft - £2350.00
Car Finance - £3781.20
CURRENT TOTAL £13,173.79
(07/03/17 TOTAL £ 14,879.52)
TOTAL PAID £1,705.73

It's all slow progress but as long as the numbers aren't going up surely it's a good thing! I have started to slip back into keeping my credit card in my purse for emergencies/retail therapy/finding bargains I cannot afford and do not need. I need to take my CC back out of my purse to avoid all temptation!!! I had some money saved but we had a little last minute all inclusive week in Spain at the beginning of May. I have to say it felt so good to not increase any debts for the booking of said holiday or holiday clothes, spending money etc. I feel sensible even if depleting all of my savings was not so sensible. I did better at not spending on credit cards when I had that buffer so I will work on replenishing that little buffer.

Very excited for payday this Friday as catalogue will be paid off so once that has cleared I will close the account (or do you recommend keeping it open but not spending on it?). It will free up a lot more money to put towards credit cards so they will be attacked over the coming months :T

So targets this week;

- Pay off Catalogue
- TAKE CREDIT CARD OUT OF PURSE
- Sort things to sell on eBay (I had such a nightmare with my last batch of clothing I sold its almost put me off of doing it!)

Hope everyone has a good week, nice short one for me thanks to BH, I think every week should start on a Tuesday :rotfl:

R x

SavingAtNumberTwo

That's it, Very account is paid off as planned! Another one ticked off of the list. As you can probably tell I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself, still a long way to go but it's a mini milestone reached.

R x

Hiddenidenity

If you think you'll be tempted to spend on it. Close it. I'm not the best at knowing what to do. But I know I'd be tempted to use it in the sales or on something I wanted and didn't want you wait till I'd saved.

As for the weekends set a realistic budget. It's pointless saying there's 0 to spend because realistically you'll just feel bad when you fail. Set a realistic budget of what you have and then stick to that. Everyone's budgets and needs are different but if you know you enjoy the weekends and eating out etc give yourself an 'allowance' for that. One that fits in your budget. Hope that makes sense.

Selling stuff can definitely be the biggest help to overpayments especially if you like to buy 'stuff'

Well done on how much you've paid already that's brilliant progress as well as having a holiday etc

You still need to live while paying the debt or you'll just end up falling of the wagon. Slow and steady

reality_check

Hey!! Just read your diary so far, you sound just like me! (hope that doesn't offend you :rotfl: The times that I have been successful with paying off debt is when I give myself money. I tried paying every last penny to debt, and then I would then spend the same if not more on buying stuff because I had no money and just got annoyed that I was working for nothing it felt and would then just feel sorry for myself and go shopping!

Have you paid off £1,705.733 since March?! That's great so far! xx

SavingAtNumberTwo

Thanks Hiddenidentity, you're definitely right about closing the account. I already know I'll be tempted to spend on it so I'll just close the account and if there is something I want I need to save for it. I need to get into that mindset!

I don't allow myself enough for the weekends etc but I'm worried the more I allow myself the more I will want and I will get a bit spend happy. Spending is a bit infectious for me so I'm trying my best to avoid temptation for now.

Reality I know! I have read your diary and found the similarities are uncanny :rotfl: I just don't want to allow myself more money to then waste it on rubbish... not that I buy rubbish, everything I buy is well thought out, not at all impulsive and something I definitely really, really needed...

Weekend consisted of treating Mum to lunch on Saturday with clubcard vouchers, we always use them at Prezzo so changed it up for Bella Italia which, as nice as it was, was a bad choice! Yesterday was a lazy Sunday watching new season of Orange is the New Black. OH worked all weekend but is giving himself next weekend off, things have been a bit strained lately so will be nice for some quality time together

R x

Hiddenidenity

You need to find that middle point, where its enough to not make you feel like you fail at your budget every week but also not too much that it drains other places.

If you don't set enough, the constant feeling of failing or being over budget regularly will just make you feel worse.

Hope you have a nice day

SavingAtNumberTwo

Been a good week for me this week, the sunshine makes me so happy and we live on the coast so lots of time spent at the beach and BBQ's for tea. Perfect. Just work getting in the way I am so proud of where I live but even more so in this weather it is just stunning in the sunshine.

On track with all my payments, closed my Very account, credit card has been removed from purse thus removed from all my temptations.. will do a totals update on the 30th June but all looking good so far. Roll on Payday on Friday!

Hope everyone is having a good week, Beach after work today for a little catch up with my Mum so hopefully a NSD for today (bar the petrol I put in this morning but was allowed for, does that count as a NSD... guess technically not) and NSD for the rest of the week.

R x

SavingAtNumberTwo

Hiddenidenity wrote: »

You need to find that middle point, where its enough to not make you feel like you fail at your budget every week but also not too much that it drains other places.

If you don't set enough, the constant feeling of failing or being over budget regularly will just make you feel worse.

Hope you have a nice day

Thanks Hidden, I have rearranged the forecast to allow myself a bit more money, if I don't use it (unlikely) I will put it aside but will be restrained to not waste it just because I have it. It's like I am teaching myself how to use my money, with the help of you lovely lot of course :rotfl:

SavingAtNumberTwo

Happy Monday!! Checking in with a little totals update as I need to kick up the a**e. So my credit cards have been locked away safely at work in the petty cash tin. Safest place for it because since its been there I haven't touched it. Physically. I say physically because my clever little phone remembers my card info. Massive money saving fail. I'm going to have to delete the card details off of my phone somehow. So I have spent a total of £330.47 on said credit card but in a valiant effort to redeem myself of my sins I have so far returned £192.25 worth. Its all clothes, not silly going out/evening wear/wear once and never again outfits but things I will wear day to day but I still feel very guilty. And a pair of trainers too. So my totals aren't as good as I had forecasted..

UPDATE 03/07/17
CC 1 & 2 - £6369.70
Catalogue - PAID OFF :T
Overdraft - £2350.00
Car Finance - £3592.14
TOTAL £12,311.84

(31/05/17 TOTAL £13,173.79)
(07/03/17 TOTAL £ 14,879.52)

I feel slightly better about my splurge having seen the totals progress. Line drawn in the sand and will wipe credit card from my phones memory.

Off for dinner with friends tonight at a small tapas restaurant then watching Sister Act at the theatre. I had to buy Sister Act on DVD as I had never seen it but will never pass up on an opportunity to go to the theatre!

R x