The Four D's

[Deleted User]

Hey Dan,

Just caught up and you are doing well already.

Coffee - I buy a jar and keep it on my desk at work, I drink it black now which took a bit of getting used to but now I love it. Last time I picked some up on offer it was £2.50 and that will last me about 2-3 weeks in work.

Debts - When I started off I paid off all the things with small balances first just so that I could close the accounts down and mark them as paid, a lot of people won't agree with that but for me it really helped to tick those ones off as complete.

Dxxx

FootyFanDan

Thank you Dolly

I feel whilst i have got a plan in place I won't feel like i've done anything good until payday when i can see the little payment disappear.

Coffee or latte as they say in the expensive coffee world haha is a weakness of mine. There is no excuse really. I have facilities at work to make my own coffee and also tried some of the shop bought lattes and they are nice. I believe its down to poor planning. I also buy stuff from supermarket to take lunch to work but still end up with meal deals! It seems so little at the time it was only when i calculate the figure it worried me. I need to plan better, but its going to be a learning curve for me, i am ashamed to admit it but up until recent i have been pretty much care free and spent until gone and no regards to saving up or the future.


I do have a plan that is set for 6 months, however i have made plans before and failed and i dunno if that was due to it been a poor plan or unrealistic or me not been committed enough? The reality is probably a mix of all three. I will review the plan probably every month. I think i need to set an amount that i can over pay comfortably at the minute until i nail the food spends and once i have done that and i know i can stick to it i can then put more of the disposable income to overpay once i am strict enough

In regards to debt I want to see work and sacrifice paying off so whilst i know this isn't the best/cheapest way i feel that if i start seeing stuff settled then the impact will be better for me than seeing a balance drop the odd bit.

[Deleted User]

I was the same with a latte everyday, I work next door to a Costa and about 4 doors away from a Starbucks which didn't help!

I honestly don't miss it at all now but not gonna lie it was a struggle avoiding it when I am surrounded by people drinking them all day, initially I just cut it down to one on a Thursday as that's my last day at work for the week then it was none at all eventually.

It was just me having to decide if I wanted that coffee everyday or the debt paid off quicker and more money to spend on other more important things.

You probably just need to sit down and go over it again, it took me a few goes before I got it right and I would imagine everyone would be the same, if it was that easy no one would be in this situation.

Just do what is best for you at the end of the day, everyone will give you hints and tips that worked for them but your situation is only yours so only you know what is best.

Dxxx

FootyFanDan

I have set my first real target of my diary. A while ago my old car broke and due to work location i need car rather than public transport, at the time i didn't have the means to get a new. So my mum kindly borrowed me a chunk to and it was agreed i would pay it back monthly. I then did so but she kept saying not too and over time its just dragged on.

My mum and me have always had a tough relationship since she left my dad when i was 15.Although i was old enough to understand why it happened, i was a daddy boy at heart and mum never really tried to keep in touch and from their it was 15 years til we spoke. After the birth of my daughter i reached out and made it work with us. The loan i think was her way to try fix it with money as per usual ha. However I am determined that i pay her back and this as hung over me a while. Sooo the plan is to pay whatever i can this month and the remainder next month, outstanding amount is £540. If i can get this cleared it would do a few things for me

- It would lift the emotional strain I have knowing i owe it her as i feel at some point she may use this as leverage.

- It would also take my figure under 6k. And whilst it isn't reflecting on my report at least i know that it is paid and i can then focus on other debts

[Deleted User]

Yay to the 1st Target.

FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS and just try to think of how good you will feel when it is paid off.

Dxxx

[Deleted User]

Well done to setting your first target - you can do it !

DancingInTheRain

You can do it Dan! x

joeyjimbles

I think you're finding your way, apart from the ultimate goal of paying everything off there doesn't seem to be one set way that works for everyone on this journey(s). So it's a case of have a go, review, go again.

And always remember why you started. You'll get loads of support on here and lots of great ideas.

FootyFanDan

Deleted_User wrote: »

Yay to the 1st Target.

FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS and just try to think of how good you will feel when it is paid off.
Dxxx

I will feel super happy once it is cleared. I just think if i set this short term target it will prove to myself that i can do it

SSDD23 wrote: »

Well done to setting your first target - you can do it !

Thanks SSDD23. I am determind

DancingInTheRain wrote: »

You can do it Dan! x

I will do this Dancing

FootyFanDan

joeyjimbles wrote: »

I think you're finding your way, apart from the ultimate goal of paying everything off there doesn't seem to be one set way that works for everyone on this journey(s). So it's a case of have a go, review, go again.

And always remember why you started. You'll get loads of support on here and lots of great ideas.

Thanx Joey. I feel accountable to this diary and it sounds silly but writing it down and having somewhere to pick up ideas somehow gives me believe i can do this. Its going to be tough no doubt and i will have bumps on the road but i know this can be done. This place is proof of that

The support here seems so great, the food shopping and meal planning is deffo something i need to pick up tips on, so will be reading up on that