£15,000 to 0

Treadingonplaymobil

That's a shame re OH's overtime. Hopefully you'll be able to rejig things without sacrificing too much in the way of savings goals. I am loving my DH having overtime at the moment, so I can imagine how annoying it is to lose it when you're used to it.

I am so pleased to have inspired someone in something! I'm not sure many would think that inspiring someone to pay debt off more slowly was a good thing, but I hope that maybe some people who might otherwise have given up will see that going hell for leather isn't the only solution, especially not at the expense of one's mental health. There's a balance to be found for all of us, I think, and it's not a one size fits all solution.

Silver_Queen

Treadingonplaymobil wrote: »

That's a shame re OH's overtime. Hopefully you'll be able to rejig things without sacrificing too much in the way of savings goals. I am loving my DH having overtime at the moment, so I can imagine how annoying it is to lose it when you're used to it.

I am so pleased to have inspired someone in something! I'm not sure many would think that inspiring someone to pay debt off more slowly was a good thing, but I hope that maybe some people who might otherwise have given up will see that going hell for leather isn't the only solution, especially not at the expense of one's mental health. There's a balance to be found for all of us, I think, and it's not a one size fits all solution.

It definitely is a strange concept. Before I saw the light, I confess that I definitely thought that you could go harder at your debt. Now I understand the reason why you don't, especially when you have young kids and a family life to maintain. With the sheer amount that you do, you're my absolute hero to be honest :cool:

Silver_Queen

Feeling a bit smug today because OH and I are almost done with our Xmas shopping and it isn't even October yet!

Just need to buy for two more people, which is an absolute wonder considering how many people we have to buy for (curse OH's endless family!)

We're slowly tapering off the Xmas spending year by year. This year we've managed to keep it below £300 for everyone's presents in total, which we will split between us at £100 each. I will also probably spend about £50 in extra bits including any Xmas decorations or activities for my own family. I love Xmas so nobody on the planet is ever going to convince me to do a no-gift Xmas...

Silver_Queen

Happy to report that I now owe £9,000.

Had an extremely spendy week last week, but this was to be expected as it was OH's birthday and my younger sister's major birthday. Feeling poor already but ah well.

Looking good on the saving front and not so good on the train ticket pot front!

Silver_Queen

Forgot to add that OH's close friend has been diagnosed with cancer. She's in her 20s and is very healthy so it's been a big shock. She's the only girl in that friendship group so whilst all the blokes are flapping around, I've decided to put together a care package for her. I expect to spend about £100 on that but that's an expense that I don't mind. OH has been trying to hide how upset he's been about it (they dated before) so I think it will help him feel a bit more useful to give her something nice.

Treadingonplaymobil

Horrified at your organisation with the Christmas shopping. I have a dozen jars of jam and marmalade and have done precisely nothing else. My children probably won't be thrilled with that as a gift selection! Must crack on. Oh, I tell a lie, I bought one of those miniature wind up musical boxes for DC3 a couple of weeks ago. So I'm basically sorted :rotfl: .

Sorry to hear about your OH's friend, that's a huge shock at such a young age. Your gift idea sounds lovely.

lonelyrat

Well done on owing £9000! That's amazing and you should be really proud

Also second TOPMBs horror at your Christmas organisation... I have yet to even think about it. Am going to have a very, very frugal Christmas this year. OH still not working so am sure his family will understand.

That's such a shock about your OH's friend... It's really scary how fragile we all are. You don't think 'cancer' and imagine someone in their 20's. Your care package idea sounds lovely and I'm sure it will be appreciated.

I feel deprived from my attempts at frugality when in reality, I'm not really being that frugal anyway. Better to allow myself to spend money and really enjoy what I'm spending it on, rather than feel eternally guilty whenever I do spend anything.

This ^ You're doing amazingly well with the debt busting anyway, but you can allow some flexibility with your saving. It's so hard not to just want rid of debt ASAP, but from my experience that's just resulted in me getting to stressed and spending to make myself feel better (while feeling guilty and then more stressed :rotfl:)

I found deleting social media on my phone was helpful for my MH. It took some getting used to but I now take my kindle on my commute and think it's a lot better.

Drawing sounds good! I love arty stuff but am kind of rubbish at a lot of it. Still fun though!

How is work going at the moment? Hope it isn't too stressy xx

Silver_Queen

Brrr, it's freezing here!


Have fallen off the wagon pretty drastically lately. Haven't increased the debt, per se, but I've been essentially living on next month's wage by spending on my credit card and then clearing it all on payday. Need to claw my way out of this.

My main culprit, sorry to say, is OH. Because I earn more than him, I feel like I need to pay for more. He hates it and would rather go without so I can't blame him for it. I've just been really awful at the 'treat yo self' mentality lately. I've talked about it on here before but I feel like I'm stuck in a rut and will never be able to earn enough, etc, etc, and it's been especially hard living with my sister who finds it fascinating and faintly repelling that I don't go out with my friends 4 times a week, etc.

My S&S LISA is not doing very well at the moment, which is also oddly frustrating, although I accepted the risk going in.

I should get paid on Friday so I will take stock at that point and see.

lonelyrat

Try and nip the cc spending in the bud asap! I say that just because it's how I got into problem debt in the first place... My wage wasn't going far enough so I supplemented it with spending on credit cards. But then that goes out the next pay making the next wage even smaller and meaning I relied on credit more. It's the beginning of a cycle... It probably won't end up that way for you as you have your head screwed on far, far better than I did BUT just be careful!

It's definitely difficult if you're bringing in more than OH. I feel like I just want to have a treat when I get paid, but OH obviously can't afford it. His solution is that we just don't do anything... But then it feels so draining that you're working and there's no "fun stuff". It can be hard but you'll get through it.

Whens your next holibobs? Try and focus on that and how well you've done sorting out Christmas. AND how you're at £9000. It may seem like progress is slow, but you're getting there and saving at the same time which is fab.

Relax your spending budget a little bit and try to work it in so you don't need to use the credit card. But please don't feel like beating yourself up about it... You're doing so well and there's going to be ups and downs (just like with your stocks and shares LISA :rotfl:)

lonelyrat

Sorry you're feeling in a rut as well... I wish I had some advice for you but unfortunately I am also a rut dweller so can help absolutely zero percent At least you aren't alone in your rut