GOAL:Debt free by 43! but how will I get there!!!!???

Lancashirelass1

Hello all :j

On the 2nd August 2017 - I made my first attempt at joining in on this site, so inspired by some peoples post that I joined. I also like the honesty on this site, and I love that! Just warning you though that I talk A LOT!!!!

For a few months I have been living wage to wage and paying off money, minimum payments etc.
Quite happy to be living like this, or so I thought.
My dad is very poorly and terminal at only 60, this has been heartbreaking to watch and for my dad, him facing mortality so young is just awful, and in times of sadness, things can be put into perspective, he asked me how many years are on my passport....I told him, and he told me to use it....this was not advice - it was an instruction. He knows about my debt, he can probably see I am wasting money. One of the things is that he said 'that my daughter, she wont remember all this stuff, she wont remember this and that, she wont remember you getting the extension done, but what she will remember is you both having fun and making really good memories.....and he is right.
So, I am now 42, I will be 43 next April... I know every reason why I have spent the money, I know how I got here too, and I know now, that I want to stop doing it and I want to go on holiday next year with my daughter not having to worry.
I posted on the 2nd August and I have had an amazing amount of support and so I start my new thread as I now account for what is happening with my personal journey to be debt free by 43!
What I post, some will be good, some might be awful, some where I have messed up, but the outcome from this is that it will be a bumpy journey, but I am aiming to do this.....and I hope to make some friends along the way who I can account to!

As I am very new to this site, I am still trying to find my way around.....
so I will just post what I have done up to now from my other thread and then post my snowballs....my first snowball starts next week and the really funny thing is that I am currently wishing my life away, because I really cant wait!!!! If I have missed anything please just shout out....

ACTIONS UP TO NOW AUGUST 2017
Get all debts together
Sign up to forum
Get lots of advice
Meet with financial advisor and tell her everything and so a SOA
Opened up new bank accounts - have other accounts attached as small savings accounts all named various things, I now have a total of 3 bank accounts one for wage, one for bills and one for set aside.
Excel spreadsheets with each debt and a snowball debt spreadsheet.
All companies contacted and changed the bank accounts to the new bills account
Set up payment to transfer the bill account money from old bank account.
Have a spending diary
have pledged a no spending rule from now till December on any clothes, make-up, shoes, pretty things - this is my first small steps goal so I don't get ahead of myself and this will help me with small goals which I will set up myself as I go along and are more than likely be achieved.
Set and pencil in meetings with my friend who is a financial advisor next one in December.
Give myself either 200.00 on a 4 weeks month or 250.00 on a 5 week month only for shopping.
destroy all credit cards
put all debts together in their own file system on paper.

and the most important one for me is be proud that I have eventually started something and making a better chance of living debt free!
So as I am new, I have no idea what i am supposed to post, so this is my new thread and I will be posting when i get paid!
Wish me luck!!!

SavingAtNumberTwo

Good luck Lancashirelass! I will be subscribing and cheering you along the way :T :j

redofromstart

Good luck with your diary. Its up to you how you use it. Some of us use them daily to keep track, others post monthly updates. Do whichever works for you. I post a lot as it keeps me focused, and its harder to pretend to myself that I haven't had a sneaky spend.

Your no pretty things till December is brave - do you have unopened things you could put in a box and get one out on payday so it isn't as hard going? Shopping from stash rather than with real money then it feels like a treat but no spending.

enthusiasticsaver

Living debt free is a great aim. All your money will be your own. Saving for things you want rather than borrowing helps keep your finances straight and will give you and your daughter a great future. How much debt do you have and which one are you tackling first?

BadBookkeeper

Good luck on your journey sounds like you have plans and goals. We are the same age & I flitter money away!! Desperately want to take my DS to Florida so same sort of goals as you.

Lancashirelass1

BadBookkeeper wrote: »

Good luck on your journey sounds like you have plans and goals. We are the same age & I flitter money away!! Desperately want to take my DS to Florida so same sort of goals as you.

so we can egg each other on then and try and help each other reach the goals....
Have you ever been to Florida?

Lancashirelass1

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

Living debt free is a great aim. All your money will be your own. Saving for things you want rather than borrowing helps keep your finances straight and will give you and your daughter a great future. How much debt do you have and which one are you tackling first?

Hi there
I am going to post it all next week when i have done my first snowball, i am tackling the highest interest from what I have on these spreadsheets but they are saved in my work files so once I paid everything next week, i will post it all up.
Its not pretty I can tell you that much!!!!
thank you for your post

Lancashirelass1

redofromstart wrote: »

Good luck with your diary. Its up to you how you use it. Some of us use them daily to keep track, others post monthly updates. Do whichever works for you. I post a lot as it keeps me focused, and its harder to pretend to myself that I haven't had a sneaky spend.

Your no pretty things till December is brave - do you have unopened things you could put in a box and get one out on payday so it isn't as hard going? Shopping from stash rather than with real money then it feels like a treat but no spending.

HI there
I had a look through everything I have, I have literally got everything I need, all beauty products, etc and clothes I have loads!
The only thing I will need, I know this for a fact are trainers only because they dont last long with the training that i do.
Everything else, I have set myself and pledged to it that I will not buy anything, if you could see how I have you would understand what I mean!!!!
in terms of the diary, I will post on as i have paid, I hope some day it comes in useful for someone who is going to start to be debt free one day!
I know it will be bumpy so I will probably post a lot too!!!
Spending diary has been my saviour you know this past few weeks!!!
Thank you

Lancashirelass1

RebeccaAnney wrote: »

Good luck Lancashirelass! I will be subscribing and cheering you along the way :T :j

Thank you!!!! will follow you too.....:beer:

System

Following you as I love your user name, I am a Lancashire lass to, but just love Cumbria hence my name ! Have subscribed.

JoJoC

Nice to read about through your opening post - I'm so sorry about your dad, but actually it's inspiring to see this horrendous situation giving you such a good reason to make changes. Your dad sounds like a wise man.

All the best on your journey.