DaringToDream of a Debt Free Life!

DaringToDream_2

So thought i was doing really well today, only £2.30 spent, decent day at work for a change, healthy tea and then straight to an exercise class. But then came home to an email from my yoga teacher saying i had somehow fallen behind in payment. Now in my defence i didn't get a reminder, but how embarrassing, and not in the budget. So had to find £70, which basically means i now have £135 for the rest of the month, plus a few work expenses to come in. With that i have to somehow do a 600 mile drive next weekend so a full tank of fuel, and also fuel and food for 2 weeks of work. So the end of the month is going to be super tight. Looking on the bright side i am now paid up with yoga til after Christmas, and also the broke-ness will mean that i have to be super mse, and focus on surveys/eb*y sales to up my income. I've got decent cupboards of food so it should be ok, it's just all the working away that makes it tricky, having to pay for things and then claim them back, but will just have to be disciplined! Grrr...

DTD xxx

DaringToDream_2

Another day on expenses today, so should be a Low spend day. Need to pop to ALd* after work and grab a couple of bits for next week as I'm away with work all week and need a few snacks/tins of soup etc wth me so I don't spend on lunches unnecessarily.

3 more working days this week as I'm off on Friday. Already counting down to the weekend �� Xx

DaringToDream_2

Fairly low spend day today. Only went £3 over expenses budget. Then popped in to Ald* on my way home and got some chicken for tea and lunch tomorrow, and also saw they had some of their amazing jo malone style reed diffusers/candles in, so picked up a few as Christmas pressies for mums/sisters In law. Will have to get them something else as I feel bad only spending £3.99 on people, even if the diffusers are lovely and look a lot more expensive.

So not too bad all in all. Also paid off the balance of the holiday today which was scary paying so much money, but nice knowing it's all paid for and now all I need to cover are some spends.

Tomorrow should be another low spend day. Going to head to Mr S after work to try and take advantage of their double points deal to get toys for the kids. Planning on trading in £20 of nectar points to swap for £40 of toy vouchers, which should cover the 2 bigger kids, and I've already got the stocking fillers covered.

DTD x

DaringToDream_2

So a decent day yesterday, took my own breakfast and lunch to work, managed to speak to OH, exercise class in the evening, and then went to Mr S and took advantage of their points double up so got 2 x legos for step son and nephew, a Thomas train for other nephew, and a Christmas light is been eyeing up. So £30 of points (doubled to £60) and £16 cash so not bad at all for such a good haul. Can't believe how expensive lego Is now! Still got £20 of points left to put towards Christmas food too, and that is the bulk of the xmas shopping done now!

Back in London today, team away day in the afternoon and then home for hopefully an early night before an early start to head over for a relaxing weekend at my parents house. Can't wait! Xx

DaringToDream_2

So a good day today, a couple of big meetings and a fun afternoon with my team doing some development meetings, plus a team lunch and a pub trip. £12 spent on lunch, but because I'm not drinking the others wouldn't let me get whole rounds when I was just drinking soft drinks so not a penny spent in the pub which is good. Home now and had dinner from the cupboard so pretty good although not the most nutritious (peppa pig spaghetti shapes anyone :rotfl:).

Up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to drive up to the parents. Car is full of petrol and got some car snacks so except for a coffee (totally allowed- it's a 7 hr drive) I shouldn't have to spend much. Mum and dad have said they will pay me back for an event ticket which I have given to my little bro. Normally I wouldn't let them but given that the ticket was £65 and it is the end of the month and I am broke, I think I'll accept a little bit, although maybe not the full amount. I love being able to treat people, especially my family, but that's partly what's got me in this mess to begin with!

Should be a nice weekend though and a good relax. Really looking forward to some girl time with my mum too. Next week is busy away with work all week. I've got accommodation there but am hoping to make it home at least 1 night! Will have to pay upfront but will claim it back, and should land in my account by payday. But have to keep disciplined, with all these work expenses flying in and out it's really hard to keep a decent track of my finances!

DTD xx

DaringToDream_2

Had a great weekend with family. Spent £80 on petrol but still have half a tank left for next week. Otherwise was a pretty cheap weekend, and any other spends I made were offset by getting £40 back for an event ticket i gave to my brother. Feeling very quiet and a bit lonely now that I have come back to an empty house after such a lovely weekend away!

10 days Til payday. Will need to spend a bit this week but will be able to claim a lot of it back as on a work course. So should have the expenses in by the end of the month, and will try to put them against the cc when they come in. On the nights that I am home this week I'm going to try and eat out of the cupboard/freezer.

Shattered after my long drive so bath and bed for me, and then power through the next week. Have got another job application in so fingers crossed I will have an escape plan soon! Xx

DaringToDream_2

Busy week away on a course, but made it home last night and tonight which is great. Don't think I will for the rest of the week though so must charge my kindle so I can have a relaxing evening and read tomorrow night! £18 spent yesterday on food for the week, and 70p spent today. Have done the sums for the rest of the month and it is looking very tight. I have given myself a budget of £10 for food and £25 for petrol. But it's the work expenses that I have to pay and then claim back which are killing me. Doesn't look like I'll make too much of a dent in the debt this month but it should still go down, which is good considering I've spent on pressies. Still a week to go until pay day, but I have a quiet weekend planned so fingers crossed will have a few NSD's for the rest of the week, and at least be cost neutral once I get my expenses back. No more eBay sales which is a shame as they would have been really useful moneywise at the moment!

DTD xx

DaringToDream_2

Playing catch up after a week away with work, did manage to make it home a couple of nights but was pretty much just here to sleep. So this weekend has pretty much been housework and laundry, although did make it out for a (very slow) run this morning.

Counting down to payday-Thursday!! Cannot come soon enough. Has been a pretty MSE weekend, had to buy some food yesterday as had nothing in, but hit the local market and got some amazing veggies in at a good price. Also had a bit of an eb*y fest- got 19 things listed now, some of which i am selling for my mum and we are going to split proceeds 50/50- she is a technophobe and i'm broke so mutually beneficial :rotfl:. Got a lot of interest in a few items already so fingers crossed i make a few sales.

Broke now until payday on Thursday. Am owed £40 expenses from work, but that won't land in my account until Wednesday. Am also working in London Mon, Tues and Thurs so that will be pricey initially until i can claim back the expenses, so will have to put it on my cc and pay off once the expenses land, i literally have no cash to my name in my current account! I don't know how anyone else managed on expenses, i find it so hard to keep track of my spends with expenses flying in and out.

Except for the spends i'll be able to claim back on expenses, should be a low spend week. Got an exercise class tomorrow which is already paid for, and got another class on Wednesday which is £5- should be able to scrape that together from change around the house, and fingers crossed for some eb*y sales before then too.

DaringToDream_2

Decent day today, only went £2.30 over my expenses limit so not too bad. Now waiting on £56 expenses back which will fingers crossed be in Wednesday/Thursday. In good news though i sold a dress on eb*y for £25 today, so will post that tomorrow and means that i've now got £10 cash to pay for the exercise class on Wednesday (is only £5 so will have some leftover), and the remaining £15 will go towards a direct debit which is coming out on the 30th- means i won't go into the overdraft (just), so the sale came just in the nick of time.

Has been extra tight this month, paying the final payment of the holiday, Christmas pressies and going halves on a security light with the neighbours, but looks like i'll make it to the end of the month without going into overdrafts (although a little more has gone on cc than i was hoping). Expenses when they come in will go straight to cc (maybe leaving a £10 buffer in my account) and then can't wait for payday so i can update my totals. Slowly slowly but i'll get there.

DaringToDream_2

Ugh this week is turning into the week from hell, absolutely horrendous at work and actually burst into tears in a meeting which is so unlike me so I definitely need a new job if this is what the stress of my current one is doing to me!

Been a fairly low spend week. 2 days so far on expenses and only gone minimally over the limit, although I had buy some tights (again!!) due to laddering them- really must carry a spare pair in my handbag so I don't have to keep paying london emergency tights prices!!

Payday tomorrow so can't wait to update figures. Don't think there'll be a huge improvement this month because of Christmas pressies, or next month because car insurance is due, but if I can get the balance to still go down then I'll still be happy!

Managed to wangle 3 days working from home next week which is so rare in my line of work so am really looking forward to it, plus will save on petrol. Exercise class tonight which I think will become a regular occurance, really enjoyed it and got a good workout so £5 well spent! 1 day Til payday and 2 to the weekend- wooo!!

Xx