The Money Diet

Lauralozzle

Tuesday 31st July

I had a good sleep last night. No alarm shenanigans last night :beer: as such, I've felt much better. Had plenty of sleep last night and woke up with an appetite!

Today is pay-day so the usual monies have been allocated!

£850 into the joint account
£100 into my savings account

I have made an overpayment on Credit Card no. 3 which is now at £368.49. This should be gone on October's pay day using my calculations.

Tonight we're having prawn Thai curry (which was meant to be yesterday's meal). I've also tidied the living room and hoovered the sofa, living room floor, downstairs hallway and the stairs. At least part of the house is looking considerably cleaner and tidy (if only I had the energy to do the rest of the house).

Lauralozzle

Wednesday 1st August

First day of the month is a NSD, so that's a win. Hoping tomorrow will also be spend free.

We've had mushroom risotto tonight for dinner, with enough leftovers tomorrow for lunch. I've had a nice today today - worked from home so I could afford a lie in this morning.

Lauralozzle

Monday 6th August

All has been good so far. Well within shopping budget for the month, got some nice bits too for dinner this week. Pork shoulder for pulled pork, pork tenderloin, some fish too. My grandmother gave me six chicken breasts too so we've got enough to last for a while.

Credit card payment for card no.2 has gone out, so I've updated my signature for that. I cannot wait until that is below £1,000.

Lauralozzle

Tuesday 21st August

So, August has been pretty good so far. Our mortgage is in the next £10,000 bracket as we're now below £110,000 which is good. I imagine it'll be some time before it's below £100,000 but every small win is progress and a step in the right direction.

Our emergency fund is also looking okay. It's well off £1,000 target but at 414 it's certainly better than it was a few months ago (which was non existent, to be honest).

I think for the first time (ever) we will also hit our grocery budget of £250(including takeaways). This has been difficult but making menu plans has been very useful, as has grabbing reduced items and popping them in freezer which will then be the basis of next weeks meals. It is helping keeping costs down which is good.

It's only Tuesday but I am exhausted. I've been training people at work which is zapping my energy. I'm glad it's a bank holiday Monday next week, an extra day off is definitely required!

Lauralozzle

Sunday 9th September 2018

Where has this year gone?

Payday has come and gone, so the credit cards got their usual monthly overpayment. Credit Card No.2 is now £1,259.98 and Credit Card no. 3 is now £227.49

I know we are making progress on the cards, and no.3 is nearly paid off but it is feeling like a lifetime to get credit card no. 2 under £1,000. I'm helping out painting at the end of this month, and I been promised a monetary reward so I'll walk that straight into Credit Card no.2. I should *hopefully* see my bonus in October - six months after earning it! - so I will pop that on the credit card too.

The emergency fund took a hit - I have changed phone contracts and ended up paying an extra payment I hadn't budgeted for but that should be back up next month. The goal is £1,000 and when it's there I'll be happy!

Lauralozzle

Thursday 13th September

It should be a Friday after today!

I've lost £50. It was in my pocket, ready to take to the bank, when I went to grab it it was gone. I'm so angry with myself as I was going to use it so overpay the credit card. We'll manage without it, but I feel sick knowing it's gone. Hopefully whoever picked it up has enjoyed it at my expense.

Lauralozzle

9th November 2018

I've been quiet, but still very much plugging away at the debt, slow and steady wins the race. I've made good progress, I think. I still haven't received my bonus, work are saying it should be next year now, which is frankly ridiculous when you think that I earned it in April! I've since earned another bonus, but I don't imagine I will see that any time soon. I suppose I shouldn't expect to much, though, the Civil Service is not known for its efficiently and for doing things quickly!

I have now paid off credit card no. 3. This means we only have one credit card left to pay off and then we've paid off the wedding, which is great! The extra payments I was making can now go on the remaining credit card so hopefully that will go pretty soon.

We have also celebrated our one year anniversary. We found a cheap cottage in Cumbria and have spent 4 days exploring. Now we are back, I'm tightening the purse strings so we can be ready for Christmas. I've also had to up the budget that goes into the joint account. £850 each was not quite covering it, so we are now putting in £900 a month, I will keep an eye out on that, but that should cover it. I am finding that food is getting a bit more expensive- I have tried to keep the shopping bill down to £250 a month, but we keep going over by £20-£30. This also covers all household items too (such as cleaning products) and it was not covering unexpected bills so this extra should create a good buffer so we are putting in more than is going out. The emergency fund has taken a bit of a hit as for the past few months, we've been dipping into it by £30-£40 and I want to put a stop to that.

House renovations are planned for next year - once the card is paid off (well, probably a month or two after). Our plan is a new bathroom and kitchen at least. Getting as much as we can on 0%. If we saved up, it'd take us years to do it, and the house is beginning to fall apart, but I'm hoping the money we spend on it we pop us into the next LTV bracket as it should increase the value of the property. We should then see the rewards when we come to remortgage next year with a (hopefully) smaller mortgage payment (if Brexit goes well and doesn't mess with interest rates too much).

Lauralozzle

2nd February 2019

Time has flown by, that's for sure.

My absence does not mean it has all gone backwards though! All credits cards are now paid off, which means we can focus on saving money! So, positive things have been happening.

I've also had a promotion at work (temporary for now, but with a view to become permanent). That will mean an extra £100 a month once the pay is sorted, which I hear can take a while to go through. That will come in handy and help towards saving as I'll be doubling my savings amount.

System

Whoop ace news on paying the credit cards off! You’re so determined and have been great to follow ☺️