The Last Leg.

lamarsi

I first joined this site ten years ago, and during that time my life has taken some weird twists and turns.
I joined because I was seriously messed up both emotionally and financially and it looked like I may loose my little bungalow as well as my job,my relationship and my sanity.
Long story short, job and man both went, and I eventually got into a better place financially and mentally, I re-trained as a mental health nurse (can’t beat them, join them), and kept my little house by the skin of my teeth and some serious money saving ( thanks y’all).
Although I’m in a much better place now, the whole experience has left me with anxiety around owing money. I know only too well how quickly stuff can unravel and what seems manageable can turn so fast. So I have some debt left, and I can’t rest until it’s gone. This means that most weekends I’m working extra shifts- working seven days a week.People are telling me to chill, pay a little,spend a little. But I can’t - I need it to be gone. So I can stop boring everyone about paying it off and start having some fun again. Sorry for the long rambling post, but this is it, the last leg of what has been a bloody marathon of debt reduction...

lamarsi

Ok so the chances are I may spend my time on here talking away to myself, but it would be nice to have company, and any words of wisdom on how to shunt this debt of in the fastest time I can. Ive looked at my outgoings and Im generally pretty frugal except for when it comes to toiletries and food shops. Last month I spent over 300 quid on supermarket shops for one adult and one cat. I got a community job last summer and although it was a promotion it effectively meant a pay cut of around £450 a month. I now have to pay fuel and don;t get enhancements for working weekends and nights. This meant I have been boosting my wage back up by working at weekends as a bank nurse, but working seven days a week has left no time for shopping and cooking. So lots of takeaways and two stone weight increase later ( ironically Im an eating disorder nurse now ) I need to sort this out and start budgeting and batch cooking.

redofromstart

Hi, wanted to say good luck with it.

It sounds a bit rock and a hard place for you - if you could get the food bill under control then you might not have to work the weekends, hope you can sort it, I'll come and cheer you along.

lamarsi

Hi, and thanks for your support !; I know I can cut back just need to get more organised- my lunch deals come to almost £100 a month so could easily save on them. Im just so tired after working. It is s catch 22! Im only off work today because they cancelled the shift. So Im going to make lots of soup and veg chilli for the week!

MeenaM

Hello and Welcome!

I understand how for your own mental well being you need to pay off this debt asap , and if that means working extra i am with you and would do that, also look to cut down on the food shop if you can

how much is your debt ? are you able to put extra payments towards it , i would throw everything you can at it and then you can relax and spend some money on fun things without feeling guilty ,

sounds a good idea for making soup and chilli

redofromstart

Have you got a freezer and tubs? Microwave for reheating? Are you veggie?

Sorry, I like cooking by proxy

WannabeFree

Hello

You've done amazing! Remember that.

What have you already tried for cutting the shopping?

Good luck

x

beanielou

Happy shiny new diary
Keep posting!

lamarsi

Hi everyone thanks for your responses, it helps to know Im not alone here! In answer to the questions I currently owe 8700 as from today. Yes I have a freezer and was pretty good at batch cooking and freezing before I started to work seven days a week. Its time really that I need to get myself organised. Im off work again this Sunday so going to do a shop and batch cook then- I really need to get the food bill down, but having been on the bones of my bum before now I am ok at being frugal if I have the time.
Yes I am veggie- well vegan really, so makes it hard popping into a shop and getting something cheap for lunch, I end up at boots or Sainsbury for sandwiches cause they make ones I can eat.
Did well today though, went to Aldi on my break and got wraps and stuff to make lunch all week.
That is it really apart from Im a bit worried just realised I may push myself into the next tax bracket this next week and not sure what happens at that point.
I also joined the credit club and it says Ive a poor chance of getting a loan- rude! Even though my credit score is 999 or something

lamarsi

Hello pay day, how I’ve missed you! Did an extra shift last Sunday at a secure mental health hospital. Been working most weekends for a while now, and I’ve paid back over 5k on my credit card so far by doing this. It’s weird cause they never pay the same, last Friday I was paid for the previous weekend, I worked Saturday and Sunday I got 370, this week I worked the Sunday and got 320... go figure- and thenI get hammered in tax on my normal wage. I’ve put the money in my savings to pay the cc. I’ve concluded paying the money back isn’t as much fun as it was spending it. Except for the vet bills, they weren’t fun either.

Siebrie

Hi lamarsi,


Maybe you can limit yourself to 1 shift per week? So that you have time to prep your week, get your house in order, play with the pets, meet friends? Spring is coming, and it's a good time to be outside.