No more credit.... no more debt

nomorecredit

A big happy New Year I can't believe its been over a month since I came on here I really don't know where the time went but I have been hiding as I have to admit .....

my debt has increased and is now ...

£2,328.95 :mad: not cool

It wasn't because of overspending at Christmas for the first time in 25 years !

I did get too excited and ordered some bits on my n£xt account in their sale will be returning them whilst I do want to keep some things I have no money spare. I am trying to change my mindset and if I don't have the available cash I can't have it.

Things went a bit wayward with various things, my two girls were both poorly one after another (the norm i think) but now back to having a good nights sleep after a month.

We visited friends in Cardiff between Christmas and new year and had some lovely long walks the weather was fab.

Its been such a spendy lovely time with family and friends so can't complain but glad the socialising is over for now. The girls have loved every minute of it. Looking forward to getting back to the normal routine and to work.

Back to WW tomorrow missed last week as we were away. I am currently consist of cheese, bread, chocolate and corona and I am done but thoroughly enjoyed it.

We have had an unexpected bill its not pretty in the slightest and kind of dampened the start to Christmas (didn't ruin it but knocked the wind out of us) and will set us back quite considerable for this year so my OH actually agrees with me for once that we need to rein in the spending. I can't afford his lifestyle anyway and now he can't so we have a tricky year ahead.

Financial Goal setting for 2020
- Pay off debt
- Save for Christmas 2020
- Emergency savings - £1200
- Be mindful of spending - think before buying

Lifestyle Goals
- More free outdoors family time (doesn't cost anything to spend time together)
- Sign up and complete 10k
- Sign up and complete 24 mile hike
- Balanced diet
- Read 4 books

I will break down the overall goals into monthly goals.....

January 2020 goals - Finance
- £300 to debt
- £100 to savings
- CASH only
- Track spending
- 12 days taking lunches to work
- 20 no spend days
- Close n$xt account

Lifestyle -
- Track food and drink daily (starts 4/1/20)
- Start 0-5k at week 3
- Family time - starting with a walk Saturday pm
- Meal plan and reduce / eliminate food waste
- Grocery budget £320 for month

So far there has been 0 no spend days and I go back to work on Monday so LTW kicks in then. Today will be a spend day as the pooch needs his vaccinations but nothing else planned apart from getting the house cleaned, washing and ironing done. We will have lunch and dinner at home and is planned.

Have a lovely last day of the holidays
Best wishes
NMC x

nomorecredit

Day at home pottering around at home day doing housework and things and then took the pooch for his vaccinations - £41 spend there but that was it.

Been looking at the budget for January pay forgot I need to add in school dinners so need to go back and tweak - there is always something to pay out !

Best wishes
NMC x

DancingInTheRain

Pleased to see you back and don't be so hard on yourself, life happens sometimes!
Good plan for January and pleased that your DH is onboard, good luck & keep posting

DancingInTheRain

Hope all's well with you NMC x

nomorecredit

DancingInTheRain said:

Hope all's well with you NMC x

Good thanks Dancing RL getting in the way I must try harder but  thank you for checking in xxx 

nomorecredit

Hello February 29th
Eeek its been too long the days just fly by yet again.      
Life has been a whirlwind and chasing my tail most days, work is extremely busy, the kids are busy  and I am failing miserably with money.   My money situation I feel is getting worse not better, I am like a duck all calm on water but paddling ten to the dozen underneath  !!! 

My lovely pooch was put to sleep a couple of weeks ago although he was old it was all so quick and we had to take him to the out of hours vet and we didn't have the disposable funds to pay so it added to debt.  Anyway its been a sad time he was 14 and had a great life and was loved the out pour of love for him was lovely, lots of tears and he is missed the house is so strange without him. 

Anyway, whilst not living the rock and roll life we have had birthdays, including my birthday gift to go see The Script who are always amazing, February is awash with birthdays.    February is always an expensive month which includes my youngest's birthday.  I am looking forward to getting to March pay day only 2 birthdays for this pay period whoop!  I am officially  a grown up as for my birthday I asked for money and vouchers for new bedding which has just made a lovely difference to the bedroom so happy I did that instead of just buying nonsense.   

Having a chilled day at home I scalded my arm yesterday so feeling very sorry for myself and for the £9 spent in boots on dressing and painkillers because of it !! So taking the opportunity to have a good old read on the MSE site. 

I have decided that  rather set myself loads of goals to go back to basics with my finances,   I never see things through and stick my head back in the sand then spend, I should be in a position not to rely on credit and it needs to stop.   I have refused some "days/nights out" I just want to get my head above water and stop living "paycheck to paycheck" .  I find finances so overwhelming and it gives me a constant headache to be honest  Everyone seems to have their "s***" together, are consistent, focused and determined and see it through I am in awe of you all I truly am.      You can see the change in peoples behavior which is admirable but I find this so tough and that its easier to slip back to my old ways then see it through.   I start each month so positive right this is the month I am going to crack this budget and stick to it within 2 weeks its all fallen apart,.....  I feel a failure constantly I 

I have also adjusted by budget so I can start paying into a pension again I need to look after my future too.   
Positively I have....
- Taken my lunch to work even used up some veg which looked worst for wear to make soup for my lunches and it was lovely !   
- I have had 28 days without chocolate not doing that again!!   
- £200 saved for Christmas 2020
- I have been using zipzero for scanning my receipts since Christmas and have sent £23 to the council tax 

No spends days are actually forced when you have no money left because you blow the budget and then NSD's are no option so won't be taking any credit for that !   
So to go back to basis - March plans are:
Cash only  
15 NSD's 
10 lunch to work
Payday is 15th March and I am counting the days already and really want to be in a position that I don't do this. 

Take care
Best wishes 
NMC x 

 
 

nomorecredit

Just to be honest with myself........

I have just looked at the goals I set for 2020 and Jan 2020 all of which are achievable and sensible all of which I have messed up already and lets be honest not even tried!  :-(    

Financial Goal setting for 2020
- Pay off debt 
- Save for Christmas 2020 
- Emergency savings - £1200
- Be mindful of spending - think before buying

Lifestyle Goals
- More free outdoors family time (doesn't cost anything to spend time together)
- Sign up and complete 10k
- Sign up and complete 24 mile hike
- Balanced diet
- Read 4 books

I will break down the overall goals into monthly goals.....

January 2020 goals - Finance
- £300 to debt - NOPE AND ADDED TO DEBT  
- £100 to savings - YES 
- CASH only - HALF CASH / HALF CARD 
- Track spending - TRACKED UNTIL 18th January not tracked since 
- 12 days taking lunches to work - can't remember how many but better at this one 
- 20 no spend days - Who knows ! 
- Close n$xt account - nope still open and have used to get impromptu gifts or presents when I have ran out of money 

Lifestyle -
- Track food and drink daily (starts 4/1/20) - did three weeks in February 
- Start 0-5k at week 3 - NOPE 
- Family time - starting with a walk Saturday pm - YES 
- Meal plan and reduce / eliminate food waste - A LOT BETTER BUT IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE e.g. thrown some out of date salmon away £3.99 down the drain 
- Grocery budget £320 for month - AROUND £420 at the moment including top up shops would be better if the girls and OH didn't come !!!

Think my values need to be evaluated asap 
NMC x 

teafor2

Hi NMC Sorry to read about your dog. I find our two worse than having children at the moment - the DC's have grown up enough to look after themselves while I'm still on 4 hourly outings because I have to get back for the dogs - but having said that they do become part of the family and are sorely missed when they leave us.

There's always something to be paid for or bought that's for sure. It's just trying to get to that 'ahead of myself' place that's the hardest thing to do and can take longer than we think. 

I don't think you did too badly with your January goals but time to put those to bed now and write some new ones for March I'll be watching to see what they are. Have a great weekend and I hope your arm isn't hurting too much. xx

nomorecredit

Thanks Tea for stopping by and your kind works much appreciated x
I can't believe I scaled myself  it is still sore but not as painful!
You are right they do become part of the family and he was like having a 3rd child, I still now get a bit anxious if I stay out too long and thinking I need to get home for the dog , I think I have got so used to him being here and taking him into consideration too as well as the kids if you see what I mean!   

I am going to write some new ones for March just small ones and try to track each spend again just out of my "fun money" and food shopping.   To get ahead would be so comforting I would love to be a "pay day" in front having £10 at the end of each month would be an amazing achievement!!!!  Trying to plan for every eventuality is too complicated I suppose that is why people have emergency funds.  I have forgotten about the girls brownie subs even though its £10 each term I always forget going to but it into my budget now whilst I have it in my head..  I have now included school dinners in my budget as this is £12.00 per week and my bank account was feeling the hit as I wasn't accounting for it.   Some months is can be nearly £60 so needed budgeting for. 

My youngest has been at her friends since this morning and staying for team ether so myself and my eldest have had a lazy day and its been lovely and no further spends since this morning.  

Next weekend we are at the coast for my friends birthday and I have put aside £100 for spends we are technically only there Saturday as we don't go until Friday after school so hoping it is plenty.   From the week after it will be £20 per week challenge for me.  
Best wishes 
NMC xx 

nomorecredit

Evening Sunday 

How is the weekend already over ! Busy day food shop done, school uniforms ready for the week and washing done. Also put youngest new bedroom curtains up and my mum came for tea. Only spends were the food shop which whilst planned it came in over budget by £9.08 wanted to be £80 i should of known taking OH and the girls with me including our nephew it was game over before I even started !  Need to get tougher so next weeks budget is £70 let’s see if I can do better. 

Best wishes 
NMC x