Fighting the Waves!

swimminginaseaofdebt

Mum of one currently owing around £18,500 across 4 credit cards. I’ve been on a DMP with Stepchange since 2015 and am making very slow progress in paying of my debts. I started a diary before but didn’t keep up with it so thought I’d make a fresh start. I hope to keep this diary active.

I was on maternity leave for 14 months and just returned to work on a part time basis in the last week of July. I have taken a hit in my wages although I won’t know the full of extent of my finances until I get paid at the end of the month and the tax credit people finally get round to processing my renewal from last year in addition to adjusting what I’m due on my new wages.

Anyway these are my goals, not too many or else I get overwhelmed!

August Goals

• £280 for spends
• 15 NSDs
• Take lunch to work 13 out of the 14 days I’ll be there
• Take part in the make up £10 a day challenge and aim for £124
• De-clutter a minimum of 31 items from my flat
• Catch up on my Goodreads challenge

Saving Pots

• D’s clothes fund - £10/£250
• Childcare - £200/£420
• Annual expenses - £81.91/£500
• Emergency fund/D's Savings - £845.07/£1000
• Fix this house fund - £0/£1000
• Turkey 2018 – £1200/£1200
• Full & Final settlement fund - £1408.12/£2325

I’ve deliberately overestimated numbers 5 & 6 and plan to put any leftovers into the full and final settlement fund.

Will post a weekly update on my progress in the hope that having to write everything down will make me more accountable.

UncannyScot

Hello and welcome
You can and will make it through this
We are all here to help each other on this forum
You seem organised and you have a plan
if you need any info or advice, just ask
Join in, we are all friends here

Hiddenidenity

UncannyScot wrote: »

Hello and welcome
You can and will make it through this
We are all here to help each other on this forum
You seem organised and you have a plan
if you need any info or advice, just ask
Join in, we are all friends here

:A Couldn't have said it any better

swimminginaseaofdebt

Thank you Having a plan is the easy bit, sticking to it much harder!

I did a SOA for myself (had to estimate my income for the time being) earlier and identified a few areas to investigate where I could save money. These are: TV, mobile, entertainment and utilities. Will investigate these and maybe switch by the end of the month.

Can't believe the first week of August has passed already. This is how I've got on with my goals:

• £280 for spends - have spent £79.87/£280 to date mainly on groceries but also on a trip to soft play with the little one. I've spent slightly more on groceries than I'd have liked to but have not had the time to shop around the past week. Next weekend I need to batch cook some meals for the little one and I'm planning a trip to Aldi for the ingredients. It'll be my first time shopping there but I've heard good things about them and in fact my sister fed me a 95p cheese pizza from there which was quite scrumptious I'd also like to batch cook for myself but my freezer isn't big enough (£79.87/£280).
• 15 NSDs - have had 4 so far which I'm pleased about. This is definitely easier now I'm back at work as there's less time to just 'pop' into a shop or two (4/15).
• Take lunch to work 13 out of the 14 days I’ll be there - Been to work 2 days and took lunch on both of them (2/14).
• Take part in the make up £10 a day challenge and aim for £124 - Have had some payouts and transferred them to my bank account but I locked myself out of online banking and can't get access until they send me a new pin. I'll update this then.
• Catch up on my Goodreads challenge - I finished a kindle book and am now 4 behind schedule rather than 5. I've made a start on the next book which I borrowed from the library.

Scott_Weiland_2

Re tv have a look at things like now tv, i used to pay 55 for a virgin media all in ie phone/broadband and tv,

I now pay 7 quid for broadband and 6.99 for now tv's entertain pack 3.69 for there movies.

Contact your broadband provider and ask re line rental saver. Its a good way to save money each month.

Sim onlys re mobiles and look at go compare through top cashback re swapping utility providers.

Lemon_Tree

Just thought I would say hi. I'm back in the boards after a few years absence so catching up with people old and new. Look forward to following your journey

BadBookkeeper

Hi!


Good luck. Sounds like you have a plan

doingitanyway

You seem organised. I am sure you will do well

redofromstart

Hello, and good luck!

swimminginaseaofdebt

Scott_Weiland wrote: »

Re tv have a look at things like now tv, i used to pay 55 for a virgin media all in ie phone/broadband and tv,

I now pay 7 quid for broadband and 6.99 for now tv's entertain pack 3.69 for there movies.

Contact your broadband provider and ask re line rental saver. Its a good way to save money each month.

Sim onlys re mobiles and look at go compare through top cashback re swapping utility providers.

Thanks Scott, I have never heard of line rental saver will need to investigate! Can I ask who your broadband is with?

Lemon_Tree wrote: »

Just thought I would say hi. I'm back in the boards after a few years absence so catching up with people old and new. Look forward to following your journey

BadBookkeeper wrote: »

Hi! Good luck. Sounds like you have a plan

redofromstart wrote: »

Hello, and good luck!

doingitanyway wrote: »

You seem organised. I am sure you will do well

Thanks everyone, I see you all have your own debt free diaries I will pop in and have a read and hopefully pick up some more tips!

It’s the end of the second week of August and I think I’ve managed to catch a cold . My little one has also been fussy after having his jabs on Thursday, hope he feels better soon as he’s been hard work! Looking forward to going into work tomorrow so I can have a rest :rotfl:.

I’ve made a bit of progress on my goals and spending pots though I’ve adjusted the balance downwards for some of these. Think I’ll be adding a new category in here as I want to start learning to drive, expensive I know but it’s going to make it easier to get out and about with the little one.

Here’s how things stand at the moment:

August Goals:

• £280 for spends – had a few spendy days so I’ve now spent £145.35 of my budget.
• 15 NSDs – now up to 8 NSDs, really pleased with that.
• Take lunch to work 13 out of the 14 days I’ll be there – took lunch to work 3 days the past week. I’ve now done this 5 out of 13 days.
• Take part in the make up £10 a day challenge and aim for £124 – Reached my target today and am sitting at £129.13. Will keep going to see what I can get to.
• De-clutter a minimum of 31 items from my flat - No progress.
• Catch up on my Goodreads challenge – finished another book but I’m still 4 behind schedule.

Saving Pots:

• Float money - £250/£250.
• D’s clothes fund - £10/£250.
• Annual expenses - £9.94/£500.
• Emergency fund - £1000/£1000.
• Fix this house fund - £0/£1000.
• Turkey 2018 – £780/£1200.
• Full & Final settlement fund - £35/£3000.

Have a great money saving week everyone.

SusieT78

Hi swimminginaseaofdebt,

I'm returning your visit to my diary. Wishing you good luck in your debt busting journey too. Well done on all the no spend days and for exceeding the target on your up to £10 a day challenge.
Hope you've now recovered from your cold.