Starting Again... I can be debt free before 50

raldo

Today I’ve completed my tax return for last year. I have a small business that doesn’t really make me much money (nothing last year) but I haven’t really been that bothered about it over the past year due to all the upheaval but I started it up again before Christmas and put myself out there again. Whilst it wasn’t as good as last year it could do well if I go ahead and start putting the time and effort in.

I went for a walk round the grounds of the estate which was nice. Met my neighbour who had been shopping and was telling me about the bargains they got so I made my excuses and came inside cause all I wanted to do was go to the shops and buy stuff! Might sound stupid but feel like I’m missing out on the sales but I don’t need anything so would be wasting money I don’t have.

Went online to see if I could get a decent car insurance quote. My insurance isn’t due till end of Jan but managed to get a quote of £230 which would save me £170 of what I have budgeted for it which would be good. Will see what my insurance company offers when the renewal comes through and take it from there.

raldo

Spent a bit of time this afternoon and evening doing some sums and reading various posts on here trying to come up with a plan.
I’ve decided am going to try and raise / save an extra £6000 this year to try and afford all my outgoings without having to cut back on things. So over the course of a month it would be an extra £500 to make, £115.38 a week or £16.44 a day. It’s quite a lot but if I can do this then I can keep everything as is. The easiest way to try and do this would be to either look for a better paying job or another part time job that I could do at nights or weekends. The other option is to try and build up my business and make some money from it.
I would also like to reduce my debt to under £30k by the end of next year so without including monthly minimum payments I would be looking at £4K to payoff over the year which is £333.33 a month, £76.92 a week or £10.96 a day.
My priority is going to be making the extra to cover my outgoings but I don’t like to make things easy for myself and really need to push myself to make some changes and sort out my life so I’m going to go for £10k in total this year extra income!
This equates to making or saving £27.40 a day, £192.31 a week or £833.33 a month
Now this may sound like an impossible goal but I’m hoping with some extreme cost cutting and some de cluttering I might be able to get somewhere towards fulfilling my goal.
I’ve already done the free clicks on Quidco and Topcashback so today I’ve made 75p now it might not be much but it’s 75p more than I had when I started this morning!
I’ve also went through some dvds and tried music magpie but they were only going to give me 1.64 for 10 so I’ve listed 16 dvds and one ds game on eBay tonight which hasn’t cost me anything and if they don’t sell then I can always send them to music magpie or keep them for a car boot sale in the new year.
I’m going to do this 1% at a time so I’m going to get 200 envelopes and will save £60 in one and £40 in the other. I’m going to do the £60 one first as this is money I need towards my normal budget and only once I have that one put away will I start on the £40 ones.
I’m probably setting myself up for an epic failure but I need to start believing in myself and knowing that if something needs done it’s only me that can do it. I have to learn to rely on myself and thinking positively... I CAN DO THIS!!

raldo

Just logged onto my yougov account and I’ve 2645 points so only another 2355 before I can cash ou £50. If each survey is roughly 50 points then I only need to do another 48 must check my emails more often to see when they are available!

Aaleigha

I think you have set very large targets but you won't know till you try
I gave set targets but like you I don't know what our actual income will be yet
Hope you find your quite quickly

My daughter gas an evening dog walker on her long days justice turns up about four thirty after school and walk them for 3/4 hour and daughter gives he ten quid each time

But don't try to take dogs from different homes unless they have met before and it's ok with the owners

Justin's also takes in one persons irony and gets X per hour from a neighbour sheik only 15 and is saving 75% bet she won't need to be here

raldo

Well I didn’t have a good sleep last night so didn’t get up until lunchtime today. Wasn’t feeling that great so decided to go for a run which made me feel a bit better then the shower after it has woken me up a bit.
No bids on any of my eBay things but still 6 days to go. Got another survey on yougov so another 35 points banked.

EarlyRetirement

Well done on moving to the cottage and selling your house. I am so pleased for you. You are doing amazingly well.x

raldo

Happy new year!
I was apprehensive about seeing the end of last year as it’s been a bittersweet year. I sat in my cottage myself stayed up till 5 past midnight had a few tears but it was something I needed to do. Used to be that my phone would of been going mental after the bells but I got 3 messages and I am happy with that cause the 3 people that messaged are the ones that have been there for me through one of the hardest years of my life so far.
I went out for a run with my neighbour this morning then a walk around the estate so it’s been a good start to the year.
I’ve been onto the Stepchange website this afternoon and it came up with a trust deed being my option based on my current wages. Then when I did one for my new wages it came up with bankruptcy as my option. Both of these options mean that I would lose my car and have to give up my small business. So I’ve decided that I am going to continue as things are at the moment, however, once my wages reduce I am going to re asses the situation because as much as I want to do this on my own and pay every penny back I don’t want to make myself ill doing it.
No more talk of anything depressing today it’s a new year new start and it’s going to be a good one. No more talk of debts today I’m going to mums for dinner so am off to get myself ready

raldo

Had a lovely day yesterday. Didn’t sleep well last night and woke up with a banging sore head but been out for another run then a walk this morning so although I ache all over I feel much better for it.
I got another yougov survey today so another 50 points closer to my £50 only 2220 points to go. So only need another 45 surveys let’s hope they keep sending me them every other day!
Did the free clicks on top cash back and Quidco last night so that’s those done for the week. Still no bids on my eBay items as yet.
Not sure what to do with the rest of my day now. I have piles and piles of ironing to do and a spare room that needs completely gutted and cleared out but for now I’m going to put my feet up and have a cuppa just now.

raldo

Well haven’t made it up to the spare room today! I decided to clear out my freezer and write down a list of everything I have in there. Didn’t get any surprises apart from the amount of food that I actually have and only had to fling out a couple of slices of bread. I have sat down and written a list of the meals I have and out of my freezer with only having to buy a small amount of fresh veg I have got 87 possible dinners, 11 lunches and 11 breakfasts. Now the breakfasts and lunches will be for days where I’m home. So I’m hopeful that by using the stuff in the freezer I will be able to only spend a max of £10 per week on shopping so that could save me £60 a month for jan, feb and March then I will need to do a big shop. I will be keeping my eyes peeled for reduced items to fill up my freezer with and I may buy a few bits and pieces that I normally use if they are on offer depending how much I can save throughout the month. Only problem is I’m rather hungry now and can’t decide what to make for dinner!

Aaleigha

So what was dinner then? Yesterday ours was gammon egg chips peas and mushrooms

You are so focussed as things have suddenly changed with me I need to set myself some different targets for the next quarter.

I have one for as soon as we move and hopefully that will go to pay off the overdraft and as I keep going I will make over payments on our small mortgage I want that gone ASAP

For this I love your envelope idea, so going to pinch this, think my first two will be emergency fund and over draft thanks for the idea
And with the money out of the bank account it's less likely to be spent