AimeeMum's Debt-free challenge

aimeemum

Quick pop in this morning - 

On Thursday I paid £76 off debts and added my normal £20 to savings, plus £25 into SF's for holiday and kids PM. 

Yesterday I popped into town and picked up my prescription and ended up in the shop for treats for the kids - naughty but deserved. Spent ALL my fun money for the week so I have no choice but to be good this week!  

Today I got up and started on a new journey. Hubby has been doing workouts for the last 8 weeks and is getting some great results. Initially I had said that while my eyes, ears and teeth were bad I wouldn't but my 'get better first' strategy is taking too long. I'm a lazy cow at the best of times but if I want to be healthy as I grow older I need to start now, from point zero. A friend on FB recommended I look up 7 minute workouts on YT and there's hundreds. I've picked out a few by different people and did my first one today ( a really gentle one aimed at really fat people! I'm not fat but I am perilously unfit so thought it'd be best to build up from nothing so I don't hurt myself). I am now a little bit sweaty (which is worrying! lol) and proud of myself. Now to make sure I keep it up! I'm also about a stone overweight so I'm watching my intake too - already dropped 2lb last week just doing that. Aim is to be target weight by the time we go away in 2.5 months time. 

aimeemum

Workout 2 done this morning. Worked a little bit harder than yesterday (who knew you can get *that* sweaty in 7 minutes). It may just be psychological but I swear I feel better already!

Yesterday I set too with the house and what started as a 'lets get rid of some rubbish' exercise turned into a full scale de-clutter and stocktake. I have a massive pile of stuff to sell/donate/trade in and a list of stuff we need to buy - mainly hockey kit and clothes for summer for us all - so I am getting on with listing that all today....some ebay, some FB and some I'll do a ziffit/webuybooks. Not setting a target, but hoping for a good amount. I need to write it all down as I'm listing it and assign the money to a particular pot/SF so I don't spend it all  

On the plus side the house feels better and, while I'm not a massive believer in manifestation or anything like that, after I did all of this we were offered a 1 cup cafetiere from a friend (something we've needed for a while as we only have a 4 cup) and a 32inch television!! We have been thinking of getting a TV for the boys for upstairs but we would probably have waited until After Christmas as we wont be able to afford even a little one until then......Need to watch myself and keep up the pace I think

aimeemum

Workout 3 done.....I tried a different one this morning and didn't enjoy it as much so I shan't be doing that particular trainer's videos again lol. I also didn't feel like I had worked very hard - was more of a warm up but it will do. I will just have to take the dog a bit further later  
Most people are back to school today but not us so I'm tempted to make today 'not back to school' day and just have a day doing stuff they couldn't do at school - Wii fit, take the dog out in the fields, watch a movie under blankets......I shall see how we feel when we get up. It's Monday so it's supposed to be house-cleaning day too, but I'm not sure I'm in the mood 

aimeemum

Proud of myself. 5 days in a row I've done some exercise. This morning's was boring!!!! but I did it. I'm finding the trainers I like and the ones I don't so I can keep going. Plan is to do 5-10 minutes every day for the next few weeks then I'll see how I'm doing and up it to 10-15 mins but 6 days a week. After that I'm not sure as I'm trying not to plan too far ahead. It's all about raising my fitness/activity levels which were/are at absolute zero. 

As for money, I'm a little bit demotivated at the moment. I've got a distinct 'So near yet so far' feeling with it all. It's pay day tomorrow and I know that's a good thing as we're making progress every week but I feel like it's holding us back and I'm desperate to move on. I've tried finding stuff to sell and only managed to find about £25 of my own money. Hubby has sold a few of his extra hockey jerseys and they've sold well but he needs a new helmet so that's going to just about cover that expense for him (which is good as that's a lot less for me to worry about but doesn't solve my frustration about this last £1500 of cc debt that just wont go away.......I am obviously exaggerating but honestly, I'm about to lose my patience with the whole situation. It's been a long 2.5 years and I'm fed up!! 

abba1772

I know what you mean it does get frustrating when you commit yourself to finally tackling your debt straight on but the end is in sight, you'll be free of the debt repayments soon enough keep going we all have those stuff it days but it'll pass you're doing great keep going and well done on the exercise xx

aimeemum

The last few days have been a bit disastrous. Wednesday night I got a major bout of toothache - was awful and I nearly passed out it got that bad!  I called 111 and was referred for an appointment yesterday at a dentist 40 miles away - they found the tooth needs to come out (which I knew) but as it's going to be a tricky extraction (back molar) and I have signs of infection they wouldn't do it then. I have had a temporary dressing packed into the tooth, a course of anti-biotics and been told to get booked in to get the extraction done as a planned procedure. 

Spent this morning calling dentists - I did make a tiny bit of pregress as I'm now on 3 local waiting lists. 2 private ones that are 3-6 months long but I can't really afford the £300-£500 I was quoted for a basic extraction, not including any after-care, but if that's what it takes.....the other is the practice I originally registered with in 2019 (the one I thought I was already registered with)....I called this morning to see what the crack was and they've told me it's approximately 6 month's wait but as they're opening up their books next month it could be quicker In the mean time I've been recommended a 'temporary fix' of DIY temporary fillings off amazon and to call 111 again if I have another attack like the other night. 

I have been really struggling to keep up after Wednesday night - exhasuted and pained so haven't managed a work out which is annoying me a lot, but I've made a decision to continue to save up and hopefully I'll get in with the NHS dentist over the summer....if not I will just have to pay to go private. 

In other news my little side hustle (history-based educational resources) is starting to move. I have made a whole £6 in the last 2 days on Etsy (that's after fees etc) ....that's £6 that I have earned from my own efforts. It's the most I've earned since 2018!!! I opted for monthly pay on the 1st when I signed up so there's still a lot of March to go, but honestly £6 is a whole lot more than I was expecting only 1 month in!! 

aimeemum

abba1772 said:

I know what you mean it does get frustrating when you commit yourself to finally tackling your debt straight on but the end is in sight, you'll be free of the debt repayments soon enough keep going we all have those stuff it days but it'll pass you're doing great keep going and well done on the exercise xx

Thanks - I hope that I can use the frustration to motivate me but I keep telling myself it's my paying my dues, that's all. Once it's paid off I'll feel so much better, but I've got to get through the nasty bits first. No shortcuts!  

aimeemum

A new day and I'm feeling a lot better after a good night's sleep. I didn't do a workout this morning but after lunch I founda  1000 steps walk through the Grand Canyon so myself and my younger 2 boys did that together. Was actually really good fun so I think we may look for some others like that. With all the expenses from the last few days I've not managed to make much progress with the debts. I've made a little though so it's not a failure.....at least that's something. 

aimeemum

Been away for a few days as we've had a lot going on. Hubby had to have a covid test as he woke up with a sore throat. He had his rota'd 6 days off then he had 2 more off while he waited for the results so my whole week was out of whack!  

Anyway - money. Paid a chunk off the CC's from the Ebay things we listing (£57 altogether) but as hubby was off and I hadn't been well that £57 plugged the gap from last week's outlay for the dentist etc so we were all square. This week hubby's wages were a little higher than normal (only £10 but still lol) so I was able to send £82 over to the CC's altogether. The piano app subscription we use for the kid's home-schooling renewed for another 6 months (that's £48 on the CC) so all in we're definitely making progress now....albeit slowly. Means that with the savings, EF's and extra payments our net figure is now only £200 in the red! I'm really hopeful that I can get that gone in the next 2 weeks and be debt Neutral on the 1st April like i had aimed for. Next week is UC and CB pay weeks. I've also had the new council tax bill through so will need to ring up next Friday and square this year's away as I appear to have made a minor miscalculation - we're about £90 off being completely paid up for the year. That's annoying but it has been over £1k in the past so I can't grumble at all! 

On a more personal note in the last 7 days I've lost 2.5lb and done a workout or a long walk (at a good pace as hubby's been with me so we've had his tracker going) every single day On track to be below 11st and fitter by the time we go on holiday! 

Whatlifeis

Well done on both the weight loss and the debt-busting. That’s awesome