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Brandysnap's diary
brandysnap47
Posts: 3 Newbie
Hi everyone,
I'm here again, I thought I was managing my finances quite well but lately my credit card bill has been increasing. I have been on secondment with my current employer for the last 18 months. although it was not a promotion, as such, I have gone onto shift work which has left me with extra money.
That last time I looked at changing my spending behaviour I was struggling to manage month to month. My hubby does not work for health reasons so basically the responsibilities fall to me. We have an old northern rock mortgage which was at a fixed rate for many years and is now on variable. I am too scared to look at an alternative as I feel with my only wage I may get refused, I don't even know if thats a possibility nowadays. Anyway we bought an old cottage that needed renovating and we had to get a loan for the renovation which is running along side the mortgage, These payments take up the majority of my money. Ideally I would like to but them together in one payment but wouldn't want to add any years.
Before you stop reading, wow she's miserable!! I'm really not. I'm feeling quite positive. I've done the hardest thing which is see my debts for what they are. I've stared them straight in the face, it wasn't pretty but it could have been worse, and I didn't turn to stone. I've been reading the forums for while, and had gone through a phase of listening to Dave Ramsey and believing that being debt free is actually possible. After being overweight since my teens I used slimming world to loose 6 stone, I have never believed it would be possible, but I'd managed to stop smoking, and I thought thats wasn't possible also. Basically it behaviour change. Its about being focussed and being accountable, which is were this diary come in
About Me. :j
I'm 50yrs next year and work in psychiatry. I have two adult children who have moved out, a husband with chronic back problems and multiple health issues. He stopped working 12 years ago do to this. He is not on board with taking responsibility for money. My hobby is learning new things I went through a baking phase and made 3d cakes for a while and now I'm sewing my own wardrobe. I'm careful regarding groceries shopping at Aldi and Home Bargains. I have a little store of discounted household items such as washing liquid, shampoo and there are things I never pay full price for. I use "my supermarket" to find out where has the best deal. But I want more. I started earning more and have started going on more things I had always wanted to do but felt I could afford it. Funny how i would make sacrifices if anyone else wanted to do things but never allowed my to do these things. Maybe it poor self esteem or thinking I'll do it sometime, But I'm nearly 50!!! so the last year, with the extra money, I thought, I went on a theatre trip to London, I have booked a Islay holiday for mine and my daughter's big birthday next year. I have some clear goals for next year and onwards and being debt free is one of them.
I'm aware this a a rambling post, but that the idea, A bit of a brain dump, to help with clarity and if anyone reads this and has any advice, is a bonus.
I have started a trial of YNAB and created a budget and it feels great to not have to have it all I my head, lets see how it goes :rotfl:
I'm here again, I thought I was managing my finances quite well but lately my credit card bill has been increasing. I have been on secondment with my current employer for the last 18 months. although it was not a promotion, as such, I have gone onto shift work which has left me with extra money.
That last time I looked at changing my spending behaviour I was struggling to manage month to month. My hubby does not work for health reasons so basically the responsibilities fall to me. We have an old northern rock mortgage which was at a fixed rate for many years and is now on variable. I am too scared to look at an alternative as I feel with my only wage I may get refused, I don't even know if thats a possibility nowadays. Anyway we bought an old cottage that needed renovating and we had to get a loan for the renovation which is running along side the mortgage, These payments take up the majority of my money. Ideally I would like to but them together in one payment but wouldn't want to add any years.
Before you stop reading, wow she's miserable!! I'm really not. I'm feeling quite positive. I've done the hardest thing which is see my debts for what they are. I've stared them straight in the face, it wasn't pretty but it could have been worse, and I didn't turn to stone. I've been reading the forums for while, and had gone through a phase of listening to Dave Ramsey and believing that being debt free is actually possible. After being overweight since my teens I used slimming world to loose 6 stone, I have never believed it would be possible, but I'd managed to stop smoking, and I thought thats wasn't possible also. Basically it behaviour change. Its about being focussed and being accountable, which is were this diary come in
About Me. :j
I'm 50yrs next year and work in psychiatry. I have two adult children who have moved out, a husband with chronic back problems and multiple health issues. He stopped working 12 years ago do to this. He is not on board with taking responsibility for money. My hobby is learning new things I went through a baking phase and made 3d cakes for a while and now I'm sewing my own wardrobe. I'm careful regarding groceries shopping at Aldi and Home Bargains. I have a little store of discounted household items such as washing liquid, shampoo and there are things I never pay full price for. I use "my supermarket" to find out where has the best deal. But I want more. I started earning more and have started going on more things I had always wanted to do but felt I could afford it. Funny how i would make sacrifices if anyone else wanted to do things but never allowed my to do these things. Maybe it poor self esteem or thinking I'll do it sometime, But I'm nearly 50!!! so the last year, with the extra money, I thought, I went on a theatre trip to London, I have booked a Islay holiday for mine and my daughter's big birthday next year. I have some clear goals for next year and onwards and being debt free is one of them.
I'm aware this a a rambling post, but that the idea, A bit of a brain dump, to help with clarity and if anyone reads this and has any advice, is a bonus.
I have started a trial of YNAB and created a budget and it feels great to not have to have it all I my head, lets see how it goes :rotfl:
0
Comments
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Hi and welcome :hello:
You are taking positive steps forward.
Whilst I am not a fan of YNAB or Dave Ramsay, I recognise that other folks find them useful / inspirational and that at the end of the day it really is a case of whatever helps or works for individual folks that matters...
This is a welcoming and supportive community here so join in, visit, read and comment on other folks diariesIf you need any advice or info just post up about it on your diary and some nice DFW will pop along to help, we really are nice like that
Good luck and safe journey to becoming Debt Free, keep posting and stay positiveBUGGRITMILLENIUMHANDANDSHRIMP I TOLD EM! - Foul Ole Ron
It is important that we know where we come from, because if you do not know where you come from, then you do not know where you are, and if you don't know where you are, then you don't know where you are going. If you don't know where you're going, you're probably going wrong.
R.I.P. T.P.0 -
Happy shiny new diary
Keep posting!I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.
Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.
***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb. ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.0
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