This Duo's debt free journey

HairyHandofDartmoor

It's the one technique that has really helped me to stick to my food budget. If it goes over my budget at the checkout I put something back .

DebtFreeDuo

Should stay off the internet on black Friday, so far I have bought some nakd bars which my DS loves and were a real bargain and some yankee stuff. I have been looking for a nice yankee gift set for a few weeks and then today saw the free gift set when you spend £40, the gift set was worth £60 and will go down very well and I can use the other candles throughout the year for gifts.

Also found a present for one of the kiddies I need to buy for which would then only leave me with 2 left to get but the delivery will cost me £4 (present is only £7) so I didn't get it.

On the plus side I have received £120 today.

Willowtree222

Great news on the £120. I have avoided the internet all day today, and only on certain websites tonight!

Sounds like the yankee stuff will be for gifts though x

DebtFreeDuo

Yeah the main giftset will make a really great present! Managed to resist everything else so far!

Willowtree222

I can't look otherwise I'll undo all the goodness I'm about to do tomorrow x

DebtFreeDuo

They have sold out of almost everything now on their website,including the free gift set so no temptation!

117pauline

Perhaps you could find a happy medium regarding checking your accounts too often. I find a pen and diary more effective along with paying in cash for me to successfully monitor my spending. Give yourself ten minutes to check totals then close your accounts. Each time you worry during the day, stop and consciously say to yourself that it isn't the right time. Give it a try anyway.

Were you expecting the £120 as part of your budget?

Have a good weekend, take care
Pauline

I am not buying anything today as part of the No Buy Day.

DebtFreeDuo

Its not part of my usual budget, have been expecting it since last week though (maintenance not usually received).

Went through my diary to find my 2018 goals so that I could write them down in my notebook, the main 2 goals I am concerned with is clearing my debt and getting my house fund up to £8000, hitting both of these will be tight but not impossible.

I have copied my SOA into my 2018 spreadsheet, I have a column for income, outgoings and then a column for actual spends. I have done it as yearly figures rather than monthly due to how student finance works. I am going to track every penny that goes out next year, will input it into my spreadsheet and may even set myself a NSD target for the year. I am going to use December as practice to try and get myself used to reporting every penny.

Willowtree222

That's really detailed. Looking forward to hearing how it goes.

I'm setting targets in January, I think x

DebtFreeDuo

So last night I was awake until around 3am going over my finances for 2018. I have gone through month by month and amended my DFD. I think I had the approach of just wanting my debt gone without really taking into consideration whether it was realistic or not. I have given myself a more realistic budget for day to day spends and whilst it will take me longer to pay off my debts I will be happier throughout the year and it will be a less stressful journey.

I am still going to pay off my loans in January and April but I will be using my overdraft throughout the year (interest free). So my target DFD is December 2018 which it was originally before I started thinking I could use every penny on debt and have nothing left to spend on my daily needs.

Today I have completely cleared the smalls room, listed a couple of things to sell (one of which sold immediately so £15 in for the SPC) , ready for the new things he will get for Christmas. I am going to try and clear one room every week or two and get things listed to declutter and add to the SPC. If I have any remaining debt next November then it will be cleared with the savings I have in my pot.