Paying off debt to freedom

camz2017

Yeah I think once I pay off the debt I will likely switch to fitness as a full time profession, maybe doing personal training and that stuff. I have a few people I help out for free nowadays who I know can’t afford to pay but it’s really rewarding to help out.

I really hate the messages given by mainstream media whereby they blame obesity on the individual, it’s always the individuals fault. When you look at poor US communities fast food chains lobby for USDA to issue fast food vouchers to them, you have the world health organisation being funded, by Coca Cola, nestle etc. Then we have governments ensuring corn can be produced below the cost of production which makes crisps, crackers etc super cheap.

Nobody ever trains doctors on nutrition, just on issuing a pill, yet we know good diet and vitamins ward off disease and prevent illness in the first place. We live in a society where we address the symptoms, not the cure.

Take some nuts, or some kind of healthy fruit, it might be 150 calories, but it’s full of fibre which promotes it going through the body, being absorbed slowly, and offering an energy store over time which we can use in our daily activities…vs a Coca Cola where there is almost no fibre, and no good nutritious value, this will get absorbed into your body quickly, causing high blood sugar levels, your liver and body to react by turning it into fat as quickly as possible, as it’s an overload. Yet we sit there on my fitness pal logging down our calories, wondering why we aren’t getting to where we want to be.

We are all trying to ensure we consume the correct calories, not the correct foods - which means these products we see on the shelves, with long shelf lives, manufactured in a lab somewhere, are what we end up eating because they say “low fat” on the box or “low sugar.” Ask yourself, when did you last pickup a pineapple and see a sticker on the front “low fat” and “packed with vitamins.” Often the foods which try to market this idea of health are actually the ones furthest away from being truly healthy.

So anyway, my background is I was fat from around 9 to 13 years old, then I was underweight at around 16, and it wasn’t until I began gym, followed by an evening nutrition class and then personal training that I began to stay in control whilst being able to eat without worry. I still eat junk food like mcdonalds etc, but I don’t have any junk food in my house, drink 4 litres of water a day, and follow macros on sugar etc closely. I have a couple of guys I do fitness classes with on weekends, which gives me a good workout, but also helps them out, and we all follow each other on my fitness pal to track macros etc. As much of a harsh guy I can be at times, it does break my heart to see someone overweight not getting anywhere. My app really just tailors macros to your weight, height etc, and it explains carb cycling, HITT trainings, sweeteners and the affects on the body, gives workout sets that kinda stuff. Maybe I can give you guys a free version when I get it going

camz2017

So I listed a few things on eBay, then took them down as I feel too attached to them. Anyone else really struggle going away their stuff? I’m like it’s mine!!!!

On another note, did one of those snowball calculators and I’m getting 5 years when all interest is counted for. Instead of beating myself up I’m considering it a long loan, plus I intend on paying more on months I have some extra floating about.

natsplatnat

Run the snowball again with an increased payment of say £100.00 a month - see what that brings the date down to! If £100 is too much (or even too little) work out what you can realistically commit to monthly as an overpayment and see what that does to the date. Nothing like seeing that date get closer and closer!! Pop you SOA up here if you like and we can have a looksee and see if we have any suggestions on releasing more pennies!
Have a great weekend

camz2017

So we have 62 months with my budgeted payment. 53 months with £100 extra.
48 months with £150 extra.

I think my target should be £150 extra - ie cleared in 4 years, but that's going to be very tough to do. I will transfer my leftover money into my Monzo account, see how I get along at the higher amount. I think some months I can do it, and others I wont be able to, but worth aiming high

I have everything in YNAB and I have gone through line-by-line so there's little gains to have.
e.g. changed gyms to PureGym at 16.99 instead of £50.
Lowered netflix package to the one screen plan (I use it everyday so worth it for me)
Reduced phone bill down
Got rid of iCloud backup and backed up to laptop instead
Called my breakdown cover got that half price
Called Sky got our package reduced - I cannot get rid of the package as I'm in a 3 way shared house and the guys all use it.
Switched to cheapest gas, electricity etc

I then have categories for the following and budget for each:
Haircuts
Lunch - often flows from groceries as I will cook something at home
Groceries
Fuel
Parking - often do not budget for at all
Eating Out - Budgeting for 1 meal out a month
Clothing - Budgeting a small amount monthly (around £25) for emergency things e.g. new shoes
Fast Food - Budget around £5 to £10 as I do get a 99p cheeseburger and realistically, even if I don't budget for it, I know I will do it.
Events Out e.g. pub - no really budgeting for
Coffee - some months £0, some months 1 or 2 budgeted for the month (depends if I'm at clients or not where you have to pay for coffee).
Taxis - generally no budget for this
Electronics - around £10, covers things like new iPhone cables, batteries, little things that crop up every month
Personal Maintenance e.g. new bedding as required etc - I assess at the start of the month
Postage - usually for ebay sales, so sorts itself out
Medical - prescriptions etc, when I need to get them I move money from other categories
Things I forgot to budget for - incase something is missed.

Lets see if I can do this £150 extra, as it would be so nice to see the debt gone in 4 years.

Activities for today, joined a local rugby team, had a good play this morning which was so much fun - I haven't played in around a year. So I think I will keep that up.

Done 2 hours of gym (also free).

Ate a Mcdonalds cheeseburger (99p), cooked some chicken wraps, now laying in my bed for a while I'm exhausted.

camz2017

Just a thought, I get a payrise in Jan, so that £150 might be quite realistic afterall!

natsplatnat

camz2017 wrote: »

Just a thought, I get a payrise in Jan, so that £150 might be quite realistic afterall!

Well that's great news - make sure you move the extra over as soon as you get it ... then you won't miss it!


Just looking at your list of categories - can't see anything for your car (fuel, maintenance, insurance etc) or any contents insurance?


Rugby sounds great - I'll stick to watching it on the TV though!

camz2017

Fuel is budgeted for.

Car insurance comes out of my annual bonus (around 4k), so it covers it even after tax, and even if I only get 50% bonus. I also keep a bit in there for maintenance.

Anything extra can go to debts.

Finished work for the day, time for a run I think Need to clear my head, I've caused myself so much drama with the ex, she started messaging me from her work phone and I replied, ended up inviting her around and stuff happened... Was totally not worth it - I feel like I'm in an episode of the only way is essex as the bad guy now, got so many girls having a go at me. I was at a friends birthday yesterday (open bar couldn't say no), one of the girls and her crew came over to me and she tried to throw a glass of water over me after I didn't agree with her points lol. It missed me, got me like 25% as I ducked left, got a girl behind - but too much drama :eek::eek:

camz2017

HATING being in the office today, just don’t wanna be here. Got so many calls with clients for end of year stuff, man I’m in a foul mood lol. Also only got £10 until Friday as per the budget, can’t even afford decent chocolate to cheer myself up haha!

I was also supposed to be travelling abroad to client next week which meant all expenses paid for and no need to buy groceries etc, I was banking on throwing £100+ at the debts, but that’s now cancelled. On a plus note I finish on the 8th for Xmas yay

natsplatnat

Morning camz,
Hope your mood lifts soon - even without chocolate. Does your office have a coffee machine that does hot chocolate? Just a thought!


You can totally make that £10 last until Friday!!
You finish on the 8th Dec for Xmas? WOW, that is early. We're open and trading until 5pm on the 20th, then a 2 day stocktake. I hate stocktake with a passion - it just seems to highlight peoples inability to follow the simplest instructions (not to mention their counting ability... or lack of!)

DebtFreeFrog

Hi Camz.

Great news about the payrise in Jan! That should make a big difference

Sorry to hear that you're hating work today, not long untill you finish for Christmas though. Just under 4 weeks for me :rotfl: