2019: Focus & Flow 27 December 2018 at 6:44PM edited 7 January 2019 at 8:45AM in Debt free diaries 26 replies 1.8K views

DestinyGamer

I’ve read other people’s diaries and seen the 20k debt which makes my 9k look pathetic but debt is debt and I need to shift it.

Between the beginning of 2017 & the end of 2018 I found myself in a spiral of debt brought about due to my health, An operation which left me unable to work for nearly a year ruined my chances of progressing in my career and caused a sink hole to open up in my bank account. I quit this summer gone because I couldn’t cope with the lack of progression and compassion from my new Manager about her choice to overlook me for promotion due to my time off. Since I have had only one job and that’s been a temporary Christmas Position which is now coming to an end.

I am forever an optimist though and have 2 interviews lined up for next week. I can’t be out of work again because I have rent to pay. I’ve maxed out my credit cards, taken out a loan I’m telling my partner is another credit card, he would flip if he knew the truth and I hate with every ounce of my self-worth taking handouts from my family. I’m fed up with being the broke sibling. I want to pay for my own rent and food. And I’m sick to the teeth of being jealous of my brother who has a successful career, his own house and is always happy happy happy. I must remember it’s not my fault I had a disease, my health had to come first.

So for 2019 I have a word to inspire me - FOCUS.

I want to focus on...

• Getting a full-time, permanent job
• Repaying my loan
• Getting out of the red
• Discovering ways to earn extra on the side to speed up repayments
• Cut down on food spending without eating less
• Spending less time on social media & more time with loved ones
• On me and what I want to do, not what others are doing

I will share how I do this in my diary so I can hold myself accountable but also to inspire you too. Below is what I owe right now, which is likely to get worse before it gets better due to the job situation going into January.

Ideally I’d like to repay my loan in less than 6 months so I can save a little money to go away with my partner on our 11 year anniversary in September So it’s going to be fun watching the debt vanish :j

DEBT (Updated regularly)

1. Credit S: £1774.86
2. Credit H: £2745.18 || Now £2717.73
3. Credit V: £2046.45
4. Loan: £2552.25
5. Current Account: £247
   Start £9365.74
   Now £9337.69

mark55man

Wow - that's a big collection of bad luck & misfortune. But you are still smiling and optimistic so boy that's impressive. In my poker playing days (long ago and not totally unsuccessful just worked out below minimum wage!) my favorite saying was "if it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all"

Good luck with your journey and with us all rooting from the sidelines you will get through it all. Many posters have climbed from bigger holes, albeit you may have more headwinds than most

pidge04

Good luck with your interviews. You have had a rotten time. Hope the future is much brighter.

SavingAFuture

Wishing you loads of luck!
I really like your point of "Focus: on me and what I want to do, not what others are doing"
This is such a great idea. It's all too easy to get pulled in every direction, leaving very little time for what you actually enjoy. I hope it all works out!
SaF x

DestinyGamer

Thanks Saving! Yes I’ve spent too much of the last 2 years observing others, comparing myself and looking after other peoples best interests rather than my own. I was doing so well until 2017 then my focus slipped.

DestinyGamer

I’m in the 2019 1% Club!

My number should be 71 (That’s what I’ve asked for) but I’ll be adding my percentage in my signature too. I’ve never done this before but because I want to pay off my loan in 2019 (by June ideally) I am finding any way I can to make it happen.

My 1% is £26 which doesn’t sound a lot at all when put like that but I will need to find 9 ways to make this each month to clear my debt in 2019, so I’m hoping to sell a couple of big items or earn extra so I can exceed this target each month & pay it off sooner.

Ways to make my 100%

1. Sell my old engagement ring (Worth £150-£200)
2. Find out how much my vintage 1950’s unused handbag is worth
3. Sell my old laptop for parts... but first see if I can get the photos off! (Gumtree)
4. Sell my old iPhone 5 (Envirofone or Mazuma)
5. Sell my 60+ DVDs I no longer watch (eBay)
6. Overtime at work (Ask if I get extra on top of salary for this at interview)
7. Get an evening part-time job perhaps dog-walking or cleaning
8. Signup for - Feedback for Developers UserTesting.com to become a beta tester for new websites that are being built. Get paid $10 into PayPal for 15 min reviews.
9. Get crafty - start drawing or painting again without spending money on materials - sell artwork on Fiverr/Instagram/events
10. Enter MSE competitions
11. Walk to work rather than bus and save the £3.80 p/d instead
12. Bulk buy cat food when on offer rather than weekly and save the difference
13. Buy discounted branded clothes at charity shop, clean it and sell it on eBay, pocket the difference (Doing my bit for charity while paying off my debt).
14. Verify 10 jobs on Job Spotter per day & gain around £25-£30 p/m in Amazon gift vouchers

This all sounds so much fun having a plan to pay it off! It’s kinda like a game don’t you think? What’s your number if you are doing the challenge too? Do you have any other suggestions to help me make my 100% target quickly?

mark55man

Good list

DVD's/CDs are a hard sell

Couple of things there that may be effort traps - MSE Competitions - lot of effort and whilst prizes are nice but not saving/earning money. Also ebay can be time consuming - make sure you work your costs out

retireving photos from laptop can be done - if the disk or windows is broken - try booting from Linux USB stick and then saving files to a second USB.

(sorry bit brief had written longer response but MSE WAF trashed it)

mark55man

PS also try bugfinders.com - follow become a tester link


its pay by results so you better be good!!

DestinyGamer

Thnanks for the advice Mark! Yes in regards to the competitions I’m only doing them for fun and preferably for cash prizes. Ebay I’ve been doing for many years and quite enjoy it. I always use free insertion fees and keep money in my Paypal for fees.

The best way to pay off my debt will be left over from wages after bills and rent. Plus getting a second job will help tremendously. I have to get that first job first though I have 2 interviews this week and will keep my diary updated with how they go.

doingitanyway

Great diary title. Good luck with everything. You have a great attitude too, that should see you through.

beanielou

Happy shiny new diary