Holy moly!!

Crikey123

Hi ramblehan, it's a nightmare isn't it. I am getting better though so hopefully debt busting is going to change my whole way of spending long term as well as short term. I definitely don't want to be back here in a few years having run up another load of debt!!

I haven't put anything on ebay recently. I did get into a bit of a routine of putting a few things on every week but really didn't get chance last week. I will put a few things on there this week though. It might not seem much when things are only selling for a few pounds here & there, but I worked out earlier today that since October I have made around £450 on there minus postage & ebay fees. That has definitely kicked my butt into gear to make sure I find the time this week.

My grocery spend has gone a bit crazy this month and I have gone a bit over my original budget that I had set, having to 'borrow' money from the money that I had allocated to pay off the credit card. I need to look at the receipts and work out why. I know I spent a bit extra because my daughter was having friends over last weekend and did do a stock up shop of things like washing powder, toilet roll, toiletries etc but it still seems to be really high even taking this into consideration. I'll have a look through my receipts tonight to work out where I have gone wrong

I have had a no spend day today. I brought lunch to work with me and don't need to get any top up shopping so I'll go straight home, make dinner (already taken something out of the freezer) and relax. I made lunch for the next 3 days yesterday as well so that will stop me spending money on lunch for the rest of this week. The little £3 here & there add up!

Crikey123

Well it's the end of February so I feel like it's a good time to update how things are going.

February repayments didn't go as well as I had hoped, but I did make more than the minimum on all debts. At the beginning of the month I was hoping to repay around £1400-£1500 but total repyaments were only £1300. I know it's still a huge amount & I am still clearing more than the minimum every month, so I am pleased with that, but I just overspent massively this month on groceries. I suppose the good thing is I can see where I have overspent so can address the issue.

My aim this month is to keep in control of my grocery budget. I have set the budget, have an order being delivered on Friday & I have a quiet weekend planned this weekend, so will sit down properly and work out decent meal plans.

I enjoyed the cake that I baked recently so want to do more baking on the weekend and also make some soup that I can take to work for lunch.

Surveys are ticking along, although I've not done as many over the last 2 weeks so the amounts aren't increasing as quickly as I'd like. I'll get back into it this week as well as some ebaying again.

I just can't wait for these balances to start disappearing. I keep looking at them & wishing them away, I wish debt was as easy to get rid of as it is to accrue. This is why I need to focus on the smaller targets for now, because otherwise it all seems such a long journey! As I said before, my first target is to get the one card below £3.5k. I've worked my budgets out & it looks like I'll be able to pay around £800 towards this debt, which is a massive chunk & will get me so much closer to this first target.

wishingthemortgaheaway

Is it not better to meal plan before doing the shopping order? I can understand planning afterwards if you shop in person and you can't make a list of ys food or what's available in the market, but, with delivery is it not better to plan beforehand?

System

waving hello.

our groceries budget always look horrendous but i tend to stick other stuff in there too like medicines, or if we have eaten out. Might try and split things out so i can see a true cost in the future. We have to drive a lot to pick up my SS so if thats a late pick up it usually means eating out on the way....not sure what i can do with this as have to pick up after school and its a 2 hr drive!

well done for paying off £1300! that is amazing. Don't beat yourself for hitting your other target. Might be better to set yourself a slightly easier goal so you keep positive. xxx

Poppy1984

Hi there just been reading your diary wow you have made such a difference since November!!! Well done. Subscribing x

Mydmp

ramblehan wrote: »

This is SO my problem too. Subscribing. Looking to forward to following your journey xxx

We have exactly the same problem. Really like YNAB but need to start using it properly.

Stayathomemum36

Very same issue here with grocery spend and YNAB budget. This months target is to split out the grocery spend and to try (again) to use YNAB better!

Well done on the progress, for a long time I felt that there was no point paying a £5 or £10 extra to debt but now I try to see it as progress to the end goal. Hard when it feels never ending though x

Crikey123

Wow hello all! I logged on today just to update, wasn't expecting so many responses. Thank you to everyone who is reading along & have given me words of encouragement or advice.

Right, on the groceries note. I finally did it, I made a meal plan!! I am trying to eat a bit healthier as I've noticed the weight creeping on. Also with the weather reports last week I realized my Friday delivery wouldn't have happened, so I cancelled it & decided to go shopping after work on Wednesday. BUT, I didn't want to go in there & just throw random things in my trolley & not have any actual meals, so while I was on my lunch break I made a 4 week meal plan & a shopping list to cover all the food I needed for Week 1 (started today) plus the meals I'd planned for the weekend. I'll keep an eye on it now, I've put some stuff in the freezer & will take out what I need each evening.

YNAB really is my debt lifeline. It's motivating me so much seeing the balances changing each month. I know that it will take some time but at least it's not going up anymore

Believe it or not, the snow days lately have helped with the debt busting. I haven't been able to go anywhere so not used any fuel, which means my fuel budget for March will last a little bit longer now. Plus because we've not been anywhere we haven't spent any money on anything at all and I also spent some time putting stuff on ebay again & found a few extra things that I can sell.

I've updated YNAB today because most of our bills come out at the beginning of the month & looks like a good month for repayments this month. I have budgeted for Mothers Day already & also have some birthdays to pay for this month, but for one of the birthdays I am going to use a gift voucher that I was given for Christmas.

I thought my home insurance renewal was due this month, but I just checked & it isn't due until next month. I have been putting the money aside every month & have enough to cover it. My current provider has already quoted. I have looked around but it is actually still the cheapest, which is surprising because usually auto renewals work out more expensive. I will check again closer to the time though, just in case I get any better quotes.

ramblehan - I used to put all takeaways in with my groceries, but I now have a 'Spending Money' category. If I haven't got enough money for 'Spending' then I can't have takeaway. Hopefully this will help with losing a bit of weight too!

SAHM36 & Mydmp - do it, YNAB helps me so much. I actually look forward to logging on to my bank & seeing direct debits leave the account so that I can update YNAB & see the balances changing.

Poppy1984 - thank you, I have really got my head into it now & enjoy saving money and paying money off a credit card. Every payment I make means I'm one payment closer to being debt free & I can't wait for the day I have all this money as savings & disposable income rather than debt repayments.

wishingthemortgaheaway

It's still worth ringing your currant insurance provider and saying 'is this really the best you can do?' You usually get a bit of a discount. I do this most of the time, although this time I did change providers for car insurance.

Crikey123

Thank you wishing, I will do that