Crunchy's Final Debt Free Diary!

Sarahwithlove

crunch_time wrote: »

Thank you! Sometimes it feels like we are wading through treacle and doesn't feel like we are getting anywhere at all, especially with that pesky credit card.

Monzo is awesome! It is making things soo much easier. Its just a pre paid card and an app. The great thing is husband and I can keep tabs on the food money and also have our own spending money separate from our accounts. We have a joint card for food and fuel and then separate cards for oursleves.

Ahhh ok so quite similar to what I have a the moment. I have a bills account which my wages into and DD come out of, then a spending account which food and spends come from and a car account which petrol and car expenses come out of. I transfer my monthly mileage into this. I’m getting bit more used to having 3 debit cards now lol.

Sarahwithlove

crunch_time wrote: »

Total debt except car loan is now £18,712! Finally dipped below £19k!!

In other money saving news, Husband is getting on board with the food ordering from sains. He has planned our meals this coming week and we have agreed to no top up shops. We spent £127 this week. If we spend this every week we will massively reduce our food bill by about £50 a month -It was the top up shops that was killing it and he was the main culprit for this.

Congratulations on moving down a number it’s always so nice when that happens.

It’s great that hubby is on board with this, I’m terrible when it comes to menu planning and really need to get back on this as I managed to spend £30 in Aldi other day and don’t feel like I achieved much at all 🙈

crunch_time

Morning all

Another working week done for me and just one more left as a teacher! I'm feeling scared and excited all rolled into one which I guess is a good place to be.

Paid off the minimum payment off husbands Virgin card yesterday so that is now £7200 and total debt is £18,612!

We have around £1000 ish left of husbands bonus in the bank ready to pay for wall tiles for the bathroom and outside house painting. The quote I got for the house painting was about £775 and I was hoping to get tiles for about £400 but it's looking more like £600 for the ones that we want. We need to spend some actual effort looking around for the right ones to match our floor tiles so this is the next step. We also need to buy a new shower and pay for a plumber to install it. This means we may have to divert money away from debt overpayments and into this saving pot until these jobs are complete. They are the only big things we need to do to the house. The rest is quite small in comparison.

Our old second run around car has a flat battery so we will need to spend a but of money doing that. We need to it pass its MOT in March and then last till the end of the year although we have now organised our finances so that husband can get a small loan to replace it if it suddenly dies.

Once half term comes, I shall start looking at our clothes and plan what we need for the rest of the year so there are no surprises. We invested a lot into our wardrobes last year and there are certain things that I know I will need this year to go with what I already have so it makes sense to plan and start shopping around for these purchases - for all of us actually.

Husband and I are meal planning today - I'm hoping to keep our bill under £100 but we shall see. When I am not teaching I am planning to get really into cooking and being frugal again like I was when I was on maternity leave many moons ago. To do so I feel I need lots of head space to think creatively. When time is constrained I tend to rely on convenience.

Right - off to have a tidy up and walk the dog!

Crunchy xx

Seasidegal58

How are things going crunchy?  

crunchy_time

Hey everyone!  It's me!  Crunchy - but with a slightly different name!  
Basically the forum stuff changed, and the email address I had for crunch_time was one that I deleted years ago.  So after a lot of ball-aching trying to log in and then forgetting about it for a bit, I finally sorted out a new account so I can continue my journey with you guys!

I have absolutely no idea how to start a new diary - why do they have to change everything - it was working perfectly fine before.  It looked a bit old school but the best things are anyway.
I'd like to say that not much has changed since I last posted way back in February but since we are in the middle of a global health crisis, pandemic lockdown, financial shizz hole, I supposed I should say that it has.  Thankfully, husband and I both have our jobs so very grateful for that.  About 6 weeks ago, we consolidated all our credit cards which were causing a lot of stress juggling payments for onto one big loan we are planning to overpay to 'beat the interest.'  And the overdraft which was about £1050 will be zero on Friday when I get paid.  We are of course not paying any childcare at the moment so using this months to clear it.  I would much rather be paying childcare of course.
Anyway, I am off to figure out how to start a diary, I shall then come back and post here where it is of course!  
Miss the forum - its good to be back! Hope everyone is doing ok considering.  Lots to catch up on!
Crunchy x

crunchy_time

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6129485/crunchy-pays-off-the-loan-early-and-other-stories/p1?new=1
New diary above!