DaringToDream of a Debt Free Life!

DaringToDream_2

So payday yesterday and have done the shuffle today and can report that now have paid of 3.5% of the debt. Will post a proper post later but i've made a few steps towards moving things onto lower interest rates which will make the debt a lot more manageable in future, plus obviously intend to make overpayments where i can. All in all a decent start to the weekend! DTD x

DaringToDream_2

So another week started, 14 working days Til I finish for Christmas- counting it down!!!

Have decided to set myself a budget each week to try and control the spiralling expenses claims. Or at least help me keep track better! I'm going to allocate myself £50 cash at the start of each week, and that is to cover food and fuel (although I've started the month with half a tank so a bit of a head start). I've already started this week, so budget left is £40. In London tomorrow and working from home for the rest of the week, and have a decent freezer and fridge. Anything left will go in a pot for the Christmas shop!!

All my Christmas pressies have been bought and paid for, I have £35 in nectar points which will go towards Christmas food, along with any extra money I have left over. Still not sure yet if OH will be home for Christmas, so not sure where I'll be. If he doesn't make it back I'll go to my parents so may not have to spend much on food at all.

Car insurance is due on the 26th so all survey, eb*y money is going towards that. Will pay on cc to get the points and then pay off come payday on the 1st Jan.

Otherwise just plodding along, applied for some more jobs so hopefully the new year will see me move jobs into something I enjoy more!

DaringToDream_2

So another low spend day today. Only went 80p over my expenses limit, and then spent 6.90 in the supermarket getting some fresh food bits. Have £23 of weekly spend budget left, but fridge is full and won't need any petrol. £20 of the money I've spent so far is also reclaimable on expenses so will appear back in my bank account in a few day, however I'm still counting this as money spent to a) keep me accountable and b) give me a buffer at the end of the month.

Exercise class tomorrow which will be £5 but otherwise shouldn't need to spend anything. And hopefully a quiet rest of week working from home and catching up on the house/sleep!

DaringToDream_2

Working from home today which is amazing- it's something i never get to do normally and such a novelty to actually be able to get all my chores done that i can't normally get done in the week. Plus i've gained 3 hours today just by not having to commute!!!

Had a decent day yesterday, had to pop out and get stamps for Christmas cards so £6.72 spent, but didn't end up going to my exercise class because i've hurt my knee so that saved £5. Will try and run later and see how my knee holds up, which will at least be free, just in case i have to give up after 5 minutes!

Did a few surveys yesterday and got a few things listed on eb*y too, plus a box of old cds and dvds for music magpie- only £5 but gets rid of clutter and is a little something extra to add to the pot!

Starting to feel a bit more on top of things, the girls want me to go into London this weekend, but with the cost of the train in, let alone any drinks or food once i'm there i think it will end up a pricy weekend. Would be really nice to see them, and i don't get to that often now i've moved away, but i just can't really justify the cost, especially with Christmas and lots of other spends coming up. I'm the first one from that group to have to leave our little London bubble for family commitments, and i don't think they realise how different my life is now, and how if i'm commuting 16 hrs a week the last thing i want to do at the weekend is get back on a train! Can't help but wonder if i'll actually have any friends left by the time i pay off this debt if i keep being a scrooge like this- maybe i need to put some money aside now and get something in diaries in the new year, or just bite the bullet and go down!

DTD x

DaringToDream_2

NSD today, plus managed a good run so free exercise (woo hoo!). Also managed a few surveys so technically I'm up!

Should be a low spend day tomorrow, going to head into town to pick up an xmas parcel I ordered on line (last of the Christmas pressies) and also grab a few other bits I need with my boots points. I also need milk and teabags so will grab them while I'm out.

I've decided to go see the girls on Saturday though. I'm just going for the day but after working from home the last few days i need to get out and I think talking to the girls about work stress will actually be really helpful. Only 2 working weeks Til Christmas, and fingers crossed OH will make it home in time (I hate the reliance on flights, especially now we are in winter and the weather is bad)

DTD x

DaringToDream_2

£30 spent today, including some bits of food, toiletries for me and also some toiletries for a Christmas package for a homeless charity that i am putting together. We may have debt but we are very lucky in all that we have so diverting a little bit of debt repayment money to get some things that will make a big difference to someone else is a no brainer for me.

Going to go to London to see the girls tomorrow. Money may be stressing me out but i think i need some company and some support. I'm finding the run up to Christmas really quite hard in OH's absence, and because he has been working away we're prioritising his family when he gets back, so i'm feeling a bit emotional not knowing when/if i'll be seeing my own family over Christmas. I know this is just part of growing up and that being part of a couple is give and take, but it's the first year that i'll be without my family at Christmas, and without knowing if/when OH will make it home, and when we're having stepson etc. i'm finding all the uncertainty a bit overwhelming. Think this is just the calm before the storm, sitting here on my own and then it'll be mayhem once he's back and we're trying to fit in seeing everyone!

Got another bid on an item i'm selling, and did a few more surveys today, so waiting for a bit more to go to payable and then i'll cash out on prolific. Bath, chick flick and an early night tonight for me!

DaringToDream_2

Snow day!!! Absolutely bucketing it down here! Absolutely beautiful but already thinking about how the commute is going to be tomorrow- have a feeling 2 hours is going to turn into 3+, but they've got today to try and get the trains running I suppose!

Didn't end up going out with the girls yesterday, wasn't very well so annoyingly had to cancel. So In theory should have been an NSD, except then I did some online shopping and got some shoes for a wedding we are going to (in the sale and used cashback) and also got a Christmas eve spa morning for OH and I when he gets home. Wasn't hugely expensive (£32 each including breakfast and 4 hours of spa facilities) but that time together will just be amazing, and if it turns out he's not able to get back for Christmas then I'll see if my mum wants to meet me there instead. The spends went on cc but will chip away at it using eb*y sales, cash back and prolific, and then either clear at the end of the month with what is left from this months budget (if I'm good as stick to the budget i should have some left over for overpayments), and clear the rest on payday. That means I should go into Jan with no cc debt, and only the loan to work on. Nice little goal to keep me on track over the festive period!

Should be an NSD today, and hopefully roads will clear enough later to get to my exercise class. Plan for today is To hand deliver cards to neighbors, tidy house, do some work and finish the wrapping! 1 eb*y sale ending later which will definitely sell, and 5 more with no bids but some watchers so fingers crossed for some more sales!

Enjoy the snow for those of you who have it. DTD xx

DaringToDream_2

Morning morning.

Managed my NSD yesterday, plus got a couple of eb*y sales so will post those today along with my aunts Christmas present. Chipping away slowly at that cc debt, between sales and prolific that is due i should have enough to pay £20 off which nearly covers the wedding shoes!

In London today, figured that the train would be running better than the roads seeing as I live near a major train line but the roads are all tiny! Means I'm on expenses so should be a low spend day.

Work Christmas party this week so need to budget for that. Dinner and then a pub trip so will be spendy- trying to decide whether to drive home and therefore not drink, or I can book a room at work for £13 (we have accommodation for people who work shifts) but means I can have a drink and also save 60 miles of fuel so will offset it slightly! Either way will pretty much have to be NSDs the rest of the week to cover the cost!

Other than the party planning a really quiet week, a few exercise classes before the Christmas excesses, and a quiet weekend cleaning the house and getting sorted, just in case OH can make it home for Christmas!

DTD xx

DaringToDream_2

Brr it's so cold. Got home from work and the house was freezing so whacked up the heating but then had to go sit in the drive and turn OH's car over so it doesn't die in the cold. Meant to be -7 here tonight so dreading the commute tomorrow!! Already got 2 duvets on my bed but might leave the heating on low all night to take the edge off!

Relatively low spending day, only spent £2 over my expenses budget. Then posted my parcels, although also posted some Christmas gifts up to family which cost £6, but not sure I'll see them for months so important to get something up to them! But that ate up some of the eb*y profits!

£48 left of budget for the week. Still got just under half tank of fuel, and only real planned expense will be the Christmas party, otherwise need a frugal (and healthy) week.

Fingers crossed the heating kicks in soon and the house warms up- brrr! Xx

DaringToDream_2

Finally back home after a really cold day in London. Only spent £2 over my expenses limit which was good.

£11 landed in my account from prolific so has gone straight to my cc. Shoe delivery has arrived but they are with my neighbour and they are out so i can't get them- i want my shoes!!!

Otherwise just trying to get through this week, and get to the weekend. Not long until OH home!

DTD xx