No more credit.... no more debt

nomorecredit

Hi

Well its only taken me 11 years to finally start my own diary and hopefully begin to pop in on other diaries which I have been following for years There are so many inspirational people on here its such a wonderful community, I read diaries every day without fail I just haven't had the courage to post and I am not sure why!

I live with my OH and my two little ladies aged 7 and 5. I am fortunate enough to work part time (3.5 days a week) and have a wonderful family and group of friends so very lucky in life.

I have been in debt constantly since the age of 18 it was relentless but all my fault - constant overspending and not taking responsibility for my money. I have never in all the years of working (since 16) got to the end of the month with money in my account and I am determined that this will change.

I turn 44 in 10 days and its time for me to grow up. I have been so fortunate that my partner was in a position to help me clear my credit card debt and this is no longer the heavy burden that I carried around 24/7 and the cause of constant anxiety. I never want to feel like this again. Another reason for starting this diary. My mentality towards money has to change.

However, I am not out of the woods yet, it is the first Christmas in years which I have not used a credit card to get through Christmas or buy anything on credit what so ever but I do have two existing debts and owe my mum £550 and N$xt £80.

I have £96.79 in my account until payday (15th of each month), there is a DD to come out and also to pay for travel so that leaves me with £56.30 left with £6 in my purse. Therefore I thought this would be an opportunity for me to have a fresh start and begin to track every spend, savings etc to keep me on the straight and narrow and be accountable.

I have requested that my credit card account is closed and aim to pay my mum and next off by 15th February 2019.

My weakness is mindless spending such a bad habit and this needs to stop, one of my goals for 2019 is to get to the end of the month with some money left, track all spends, stick to my monthly budget and save money for holiday, school uniforms, emergency fund and Christmas 2019. Oh and lose a stone in weight !

I love shopping any shopping, buying for others too especially my little ladies but they have more than they need. I am a lot more careful nowadays but it is still not good enough. I have habits of taking lunch to work then buying it !!! Again bad habits which need to stop.

I have started the 2019 1p savings challenge (£17.18 in there already - I found a tin of coppers and 5p's so a great start) and 2 NSD's in January so far aim to do at least 15. I also want to take my lunch to work for at least 14 days (I work one day from home so not counted these)

My proposed budget for 2019 has been set up and I have decided to use the cash envelope system - cash works better for me as I lose track when I use my debit card and find it too easy to spend (will be leaving this at home from now on)

I am fortunate enough to live in an area which is close to a train station and lots of amenities together with the girls school being in walking distance I no longer have a car and walk everywhere whatever the weather and don't need a car = no expenses. I use my partners car at the weekend if needed.

So here I go, no time like the present to get started.

Thank you for taking the time to read this

Best wishes to you all for 2019
NMC x

JohnJ76

Happy New Year and all the very best in clearing those debts.

Wish I lived in an area where I could afford to be car free, I can (just) about manage to cycle to work but that may be easier if I lost a few of the different type of pounds! I used to live near a tram stop and lived car free for 4years but now it is an necessary evil :-(

nomorecredit

JohnJ76 wrote: »

Happy New Year and all the very best in clearing those debts.

Wish I lived in an area where I could afford to be car free, I can (just) about manage to cycle to work but that may be easier if I lost a few of the different type of pounds! I used to live near a tram stop and lived car free for 4years but now it is an necessary evil :-(

Hi John

Thank you so much for stopping by, thank you and to you too. I am so lucky its actually easier to walk than take the car sometimes to get around locally so much quicker. I know a lot of people where it would be impossible not to have a car. Have a great weekend

nomorecredit

I am out this evening for a meal for my friends birthday, which is 2-4-1 so all good, I have offered to drive so water or lime and soda for me - I will take no more than £20 and leave my debit card at home. Ideally don't want to spend more than £15. I will leave after the meal and leave the young ones to it. I am hoping this is my only spend this weekend.

I need to meal plan for the week and do a shopping list but will check what we have in the fridge, cupboards and freezer. The freezer is fit to burst. We food shop on a Sunday at the local A£di myself and OH have separate finances, but share the food bills, so we do 2 shops each per month.

I try budget £100 pw (could be better and I am to work on this to about £75 this includes dog food (he can only have a certain brand - we learned our lesson getting a cheaper alternative and it ended up costing us more in vet bills as he became poorly with it), toiletries, laundry, cleaning products etc...

However, hopefully this week will be cheaper if I plan properly.


I used to spend £150 per week on food shopping + top up shops and wasted so much food but I have changed over the last year. Don't get me wrong I am not perfect my any means but we don't have much food wastage anymore, room for improvement but we run out of things more than waste.

Best wishes x

nomorecredit

I am very pleased as only spent £10 last night so still have £16 left in my purse and am determined to have a NSD today and fingers crossed for tomorrow as it’s my OH turn for the food shop.

In my attempt to be more organised I am currently planning the meals for the week ahead and shopping list I have tided and cleaned the fridge, and cupboard and stock checked the freezer. Tea is currently in the slow cooker and a lentil, chickpea and spinach Moroccan stew on the hob to take for lunches or for a quick tea next week I will work this round my plan. All the ingredients in stores so all good.

So as it stands I have £52.30.

I have requested that my credit card account be closed, it was the right thing to do as I kept getting requests for 0% balance /money transfers and did have a moment of sheer madness of if I transfer £50 to help till I get paid and I could pay it off in full next payday ! I am so glad I gave myself a stern talking. This is another reason I started my diary, after this moment of madness I started it the accountabilty does wonders.

Old habits die hard and it’s something I am constantly working on daily. Onwards and upwards.

Right meal plan to do, Hoover, put some washing in and ironing pile to tackle. Keeps my purse in my bag!

Happy weekend x

teafor2

nomorecredit wrote: »

Hi


one of my goals for 2019 is to get to the end of the month with some money left, track all spends, stick to my monthly budget and save money for holiday, school uniforms, emergency fund and Christmas 2019. Oh and lose a stone in weight !

Hello there NMC, just popping in to say hello. Your family set up sounds lovely and a supportive husband always helps. You look like you've got everything under control and know what to do so that's always a good start :T

I hear you when you write about tracking spends, saving up, sticking to the budget and planning ahead, it's exactly why I started my diary.

I see you've noted down what you've got left. Writing down on here every day exactly what I've got left in my kitty is one of the things that's really helping me. It's focuses the mind a lot more seeing it in black and white :rotfl:

Good luck with your plans. I'm subscribing and will be cheering you on x

pidge04

Several things I read in your opening resonated very loudly and clearly with me. I think it sounds like the future is bright for you. I reckon you are going to become a saver! Good luck with this. How wonderful to have such a supportive network.

nomorecredit

teafor2 wrote: »

Hello there NMC, just popping in to say hello. Your family set up sounds lovely and a supportive husband always helps. You look like you've got everything under control and know what to do so that's always a good start :T

I hear you when you write about tracking spends, saving up, sticking to the budget and planning ahead, it's exactly why I started my diary.

I see you've noted down what you've got left. Writing down on here every day exactly what I've got left in my kitty is one of the things that's really helping me. It's focuses the mind a lot more seeing it in black and white :rotfl:

Good luck with your plans. I'm subscribing and will be cheering you on x

Thank you tea for popping in, I have to confess I stole the idea from you of writing down what I have got left it’s really helps and I am reluctant to spend it now :rotfl: yes I am lucky we have been together for 18 years he’s very patient!! I hope to start tracking savings too just want to get the remaining debt done in next couple of months x hope you had a lovely weekend x

nomorecredit

pidge04 wrote: »

Several things I read in your opening resonated very loudly and clearly with me. I think it sounds like the future is bright for you. I reckon you are going to become a saver! Good luck with this. How wonderful to have such a supportive network.

Hi pidge thank you for stopping by, I am definitely going to try I need to do this for our future. I have been following your diary for some time now and you are doing fantastic you the encouragement is just lovely, I will pop in and say hi don’t know why it’s taken so long for me to start x

nomorecredit

Morning Monday

Such a busy day yesterday getting ready for the week ahead, food shopping done little ladies see back at school today but uniforms all ready washing and ironing up to date (will last 2 hours) meals all planned etc. Had a quiet weekend which was needed and my mum came for tea yesterday.

Still have my £52.30 in tact but this will change today as I need to get some birthday cards it’s my partners birthday on Sunday

Claiming 2 NSD’s this weekend as it was OH turn for food shop. I am going to buy my train tickets in one lot today for the week so hopefully can get a few more NSD. I will be meeting one of my friends for coffee on Friday for a catch up.

Right better get ready I cannot be late for school on the first day back. Will catch up with everyone diaries on my way to work.

Have a great Monday x

nomorecredit

Evening

What a long day I don’t get home until 7.15pm Monday to Wednesday so the days feel long and nights short !

As suspected a spendy day today I have bought my train tickets now until payday so that’s £16.30, birthday cards x 3 for OH and also picked up 3 big Christmas gift bags (37p each) and roll of Xmas wrap (25p) with 75% off so will save these for next year - this came to £4.13. I nearly bought a bottle of pop but decided I would stick with water sand kept the £1 in my purse. All bills and travel paid for the month now so I have £48.17 left until 15th Jan. I am going to send 17p to my 1p savings so that’s £48.00.

I have done my budget for next payday and it’s going to be an expensive month yet again, I have just been reminded that rainbows and brownie fees are due and have not taken this into consideration so that’s £48 to find. This will take them to Easter and I dropped my phone New Year’s Eve and cracked the screen so I need to get that looked at. I have never done that and very mad as it’s only 2 months old!

I am going on a 2 night spa day for my birthday next week with friends my best friend lives in wales and my other lovely friend is visiting from oz so really looking forward to seeing them. The hotel is already paid in full and i have accounted for the spends whilst there in addition to my monthly entertainment spends in my next pay. It will be tight but not impossible. My diary will keep me accountable.

My credit card account and studi0 c&rds account are now closed. I have returned a coat which I bought with a gift card from my last birthday and paid the rest in cash so expecting £20 to be returned to my bank and £20 in a gift card refund. The cash I will send to next when I receive it.

Well off to watch manhunt

Night x


Took my lunch to work today and same plan is for tomorrow and Wednesday.