Aligning the Stars

Starmummy

Oh Redo. I know that feeling. Star Child has taken to eating either two breakfasts or two dinners on any given day. It's knocking my meal plans and food shop completely off kilter.
Mr Star and Star child seemed to be in cahoots...he has taken to having second helpings at dinner also, so cooking extra for the next days dinner or for him to take to work for lunch has become pointless.
Oh well it's good healthy stuff and they are both very active

Starmummy

Happy Hump day folks


I've been a little quiet this past week. Still plodding on and being good-ish.
Although I'm not sure how good. My current account switch was actioned today and my account balance transfered, however I've not updated my budget tracker this week so I'm not sure what bills have gone out. What a silly oversight. I knew I should have done it yesterday! I shall have to wait for my paper statement as my old account is no longer assessible on line.

The debts are still going down so that's fab. £349.33 paid so far this month with another £367.61 minimum...possibly another £250 on top of that if i get some money I'm owed that was promised this week.
I've only spent on fitness this month so yoga and a swim event...however the joint account took a bit of a thrashing at the weekend. My parents had Star Child so Mr Star and I went to a comedy festival, ate lots of lovely food and drank lots of beer/gin. :beer: It was just what we needed. There is enough money in the account to cover the next three weeks food and fuel etc...but half term might have to be a bit of a free entertainment job.

I hope you are all plodding on nicely.

Take care
SM

Starmummy

Just £82 away from being in the £13k's can not wait for the big loan payment to come out!
when it's paid I will have paid well over £4k so far this year.

It still feels like a bit of a weight on my shoulders. I will be much more settled when it's sub £10k which I should achieve by the end of September if all goes to plan.

I desperately need to up my study time for my impending June exam...I have a pay rise dependant on me passing it will only bring me about £30-£40 after deductions but that covers my monthly cost of swimming and yoga which means a better work life balance and a happier me.

Must keep plodding away.

take care

SM

Rachel24

Really enjoyed reading your diary so far! You have paid off so much already! I hope you and Mr Star have got things sorted with communicating. I'm a step mum to my OH's 2children and I know how hard it can be sometimes.

Starmummy

Hi Rachel24

Thank you so much for popping in and reading and for your lovely comments.
It's such a relief to be able to get rid of the debt. It's become a sort of therapy. Getting rid of the debts is getting rid of all the pain and tears and heartache of my journey of being a single mum. The fact that i'm no longer in that place, both romantically, with the support Mr Star gives but also all the hard work I put into studying when Star child was so small, all the sacrifices I made, missing out on nursery performances and just in general having worked full time almost all her life. It's paid off by me getting my wonderful job late last year. Both getting a big pay rise and the flexibility it provides.
I thinkIi still have a way to go with my mental health/anxiety caused by the hard times, Mr Star has suggested I try counselling...but i'm not great at admitting I need help. And a really silly part of me thinks the £45 a session is dragging back my debt free date. It's another thing we need to discuss I suppose...an investment in our future. realistically I won't feel ready to seriously discuss marriage and children until I have gotten over a few things...it just wouldn't be fair on Mr Star.

I must be the only person counting down the seconds until Monday morning. The big loan payment goes out which will bring me into the £13ks...and will bring my debt payments YTD to £4222.93...may have to do a small round up to get it to £4225.

I am still a little worried about how I can budget for a few things I have coming up, a hen do, a wedding, my two siblings birthdays and a weekend away...all in the next two months. Realistically I need £400-£500 to cover them. I don't have anything put aside yet as I've concentrated solely on debt slaying and repairing my car. I will have accrued £400 in emergency savings but that is not what it is there for! my personal spends over the next 2 pay days will total just £90 which also needs to cover yoga. I am still waiting on some money that was promised last week...I don't think I can count on that. I should also get my switching bonus next month which is either £125 or £150. I did have a small win. I had an event I can no longer attend next month, I contacted the box office and they have managed to sell on my tickets..so tomorrow I shall phone them up with my bank details so they can refund me. That's £38.

Feeling a little bit hopeless...determined not to use the plastic so I shall just have to try and be clever.

Take care
SM

Starmummy

The loan has gone out :j :j :j :j
debt down to £13,714.26.
won'y update signature until 1st...can not believe it's almost June

Starmummy

I've been agonising over my budget spreadsheet.
I am totally guilty of punishing myself for getting in this debt..I know I shouldn't. It was unavoidable at the time to keep a roof over Starchild's head. I must not punish myself.

I have looked at all the options and I know DFD is only 16 months away but giving myself so little personal/fun money is proving impossible ( average of £45 a month) I can't join in with any of the social things I've been invited to, I can barely afford my weekly yoga class, I can't afford my monthly contact lenses (I've had the 30 pairs I ordered in November last until now by wearing my glasses most of the time...but glasses wearing in summer is hard work)

I overpay on both credit cards and i still want to get rid of the smaller one to the same plan to avoid incurring interest...I also still plan on making over payments to the big one...but only to the amount that clears it before the 0% deal runs out. This would give me about £60 pw personal spending money from November. which means I can actually afford to replace clothes and treat myself and Star Child to days out. It would mean pushing my DFD back by 6 months though...but from sept 2019 my debt repayments would only be £250 rather than the current £800-900.

Does this sound sensible? or am I just being greedy?

Thanks for popping by

SM

redofromstart

A vote for sensible, you didn't get into debt overnight, it takes time to get out too.

AnnieG

Hey Star Mummy, I've just read your diary and am so impressed by what you've achieved.
I think you need to give yourself a break though and allow yourself a little bit more fun cash... don't make yourself miserable or stressed.
Xx

Starmummy

Good morning lovely people.

Feeling a bit more positive this week.
opening up the conversation with Mr Star this week has helped a lot...as has deciding to relax a bit on over paying the bigger credit card. Together we are wealthier than most people and I really need to stop acting like i'm in this on my own. I'm still point blank refusing to have him pay off my debt but I know if i need help or the car blows up of if i'm stressed to the eyeballs and need a weekend away then I can get that help. I guess that makes me a bit of a fraud on these forums as this debt isn't an issue for us as a family. just to me personally.

It's not even 10am and I've already spent some money..I'm not worried about it either. It was a measured decision. A new item of clothing to add to my capsule work wardrobe. A lovely pencil skirt I've had my eye on for weeks that was originally £130 but reduced to £39. I've used the money I got refunded for the theatre tickets. I really need to start dressing for the job I want, I need to look smart.

I'm hoping to move into contract/project work in a couple of years time...which would mean my daily earning potential being 5x higher (hello 6 figure salary) :money:. I figure this is a three pronged attack... experience, qualifications and being able to sell myself and looking the part certainly helps with my confidence (almost like an actor putting on a costume to play a part)

I've also contacted the local college who have a beauty school, they run a salon in term time where I can get a 'Luxury pedicure' for just £13. I'd like to treat myself to manicures too but there is no point until after my big open water swim next month as i need super short nails to get my wet suit on :rotfl: and I'm going to bite the bullet and book a salon appointment with my hairdresser I haven't had a trim in 6 months and Starchild needs one too. I'm also going to replace some broken items in my pittiful make-up bag (no joke it consists of one blusher with no lid, an eyeshadow palatte with a broken lid, an eyeliner and a dried out mascara) I've felt a bit scruffy/frumpy for the past couple of months and I feel I'd feel much better if i started looking after myself. so take ten extra minutes getting ready each morning, drink more water, cut the sugar etc.

wow, surprise surprise another long waffly post.

Take care lovelies
SM

No other real news on the money saving/debt slaying front. just coasting along until pay day.