The Four D's

alt80

@FootyFanDan Thanks really trying to make that commitment to family now - much more important to me than in the past tbh. Definitely tough to admit errors / even just faults we have glad to hear you're in a better place and things are on the up. Can't deny I'm thinking a lot at the moment about the many hundreds of thousands I've blown on stuff over the years. Spent my income many times over, leveraged to the max and been in worse positions than now debt wise. Completely f**ked if I became less credit worthy.

I like my tech / trainers too not a lot I don't like lol. The mindset and really weighing up whether to buy stuff (often for the sake of it in my case) is something I'm trying to force myself to do now - hope it gets easier.

Long term I think the 'pots' (presumably you mean a load of instant savers with different names allocated) will work but short term I've got the same issue. - Have you got/ can you get a 0% card? Know it's technically 'debt' but nothing wrong with paying for the insurance annually on the card with a plan to pay off, set up the DD as the amount/12. 

FootyFanDan

alt80 said:

@FootyFanDan Thanks really trying to make that commitment to family now - much more important to me than in the past tbh. Definitely tough to admit errors / even just faults we have glad to hear you're in a better place and things are on the up. Can't deny I'm thinking a lot at the moment about the many hundreds of thousands I've blown on stuff over the years. Spent my income many times over, leveraged to the max and been in worse positions than now debt wise. Completely f**ked if I became less credit worthy.

I like my tech / trainers too not a lot I don't like lol. The mindset and really weighing up whether to buy stuff (often for the sake of it in my case) is something I'm trying to force myself to do now - hope it gets easier.

Long term I think the 'pots' (presumably you mean a load of instant savers with different names allocated) will work but short term I've got the same issue. - Have you got/ can you get a 0% card? Know it's technically 'debt' but nothing wrong with paying for the insurance annually on the card with a plan to pay off, set up the DD as the amount/12. 

I agree re the money wasted, I try not think to much about it though. I am feeling like although I do still have debt I am  in a good place financially at the moment and even though I have had frustrations at work (mainly not work, more the people I work with) I do thank my lucky stars I have a job.

I don't buy lots of things anymore but when I do buy I try buy for long term and do like gadgets so tend to buy the branded (fruity type stuff haha) but its rare now and is only when needed. Plus its all saved for now and no finance, I think in some way I will always like tech but the benefit I have now is that I now longer have the want it now and get it now attitude and not wreckless anymore with it.

FootyFanDan

Another week has flown by. Hope everyone is doing well and keeping safe in what seems to be ever changing and trying circumstances. 

My week has been fairly standard, been on days at work so they have mainly gone quick but yesterday it was such as busy day and rainy which made me grumpy lol. Overall though a good week.
Debt wise I have made payment to debt of £280 which was been stored - the company still hadn't provided any details via post so I called and made payment that now clears debt so I am now officially into the 1k bracket....the top end of the bracket haha but in the bracket still. I am waiting on replies from other three remaining debts and I don't plan on pushing these as I am not in a place to just pay them off so I will wait til the responses come from those as they will also be accounts that were sent to DMCs.

I have managed to get the bathroom painted and all spruced up...eventually I also did the stairs whilst I had all the stuff, still got the kitchen and conservatory bit to do and hopeful I can do that before xmas but I will see.

Budget wise, everything is going well. I did treat myself to a new game for PlayStation but I knew that was coming up and saved personal spends for this so not impacted on household budget so all good. 

This weekend will be a chilled weekend and sounds like our area might be impacted massively with any new restrictions that may happen early next week so unsure how that will affect my plan for my other few days off.

Hope everyone has a good weekend

alt80

You’re doing brilliant mate. Into the £1k bracket must feel good?

mark55man

good work Dan - that light at the end of the tunnel, it might just not be another train this time 

FootyFanDan

alt80 said:

You’re doing brilliant mate. Into the £1k bracket must feel good?

Cheers mate. Yeah it finally feels like the debt is nearly done. I have learnt the hard way and some months early on I struggled and tbh had we not had the little one I may not have wanted to change so much but I want to teach her about money so she never does this debt thing

FootyFanDan

mark55man said:

good work Dan - that light at the end of the tunnel, it might just not be another train this time 

Cheers Mark, Yeah finally feels like the end is near, might be early into new year but if I can get debt free early into new year then I will be happy

alt80

@FootyFanDan Your mindset is admirable, daughter is very lucky to have you as a dad. 

Not thought about it before but I hope my son doesn’t inherit some of my worst traits including the insatiable appetite for spending. IMO not all debt is bad - I’ve got a residential BTL portfolio valued at just under £1.2M leveraged at a smidge under 75%LTV so far from owning outright but the only ‘investment’ I made was a loan of £20k of retained profits from my ltd co to an SPV to get started. Rest has come through refurbishment, rent and leveraging. I wouldn’t worry about your res mortgage either - have to live somewhere and unless very lucky you’re going to be paying for it.

Credit card debt for silly stuff or maintaining a lifestyle beyond your means isn’t wise as you (and I) know. I have a lot of trouble getting a grip on it and coming to terms with my actual income but you’re out the other side with that now.

FootyFanDan

alt80 said:

@FootyFanDan Your mindset is admirable, daughter is very lucky to have you as a dad. 

Not thought about it before but I hope my son doesn’t inherit some of my worst traits including the insatiable appetite for spending. IMO not all debt is bad - I’ve got a residential BTL portfolio valued at just under £1.2M leveraged at a smidge under 75%LTV so far from owning outright but the only ‘investment’ I made was a loan of £20k of retained profits from my ltd co to an SPV to get started. Rest has come through refurbishment, rent and leveraging. I wouldn’t worry about your res mortgage either - have to live somewhere and unless very lucky you’re going to be paying for it.

Credit card debt for silly stuff or maintaining a lifestyle beyond your means isn’t wise as you (and I) know. I have a lot of trouble getting a grip on it and coming to terms with my actual income but you’re out the other side with that now.

Its taken a lot of change from my side to adjust to the new mindset ( and reading along your diary this seems like a battle you are fighting at the moment) I think I needed to realise that buying things whilst I enjoyed for a while they were taking the limited funds I had away from sharing moments with the two people who mattered most. Do I still love tech and wanna buy stuff absolutely however I am not missing priority bills and debts (or increasing debt) to service that desire. These are all wants and the reality is they will still be there to buy when I have the funds. 

Its not always been easy and has taken hard work - and though I haven't commented on your diary, I am reading along and I think its admirable that you are trying to make changes I really do and its clear its a constant battle but you will get there. One thing I would say (and this isn't meant as a judgement, more of I have done it so know) Try not take your little one and Wife for granted - its hard, and early  on I had the well I work while she is at home all day attitude, its only when I took a step back and realised what she does at home - always clean clothes, house always clean, Little one entertained and fed, a bath run after work for when I get home, food on the table - Its all the little things that we tend to take for granted. In a way I prefer my job to hers lol but we now have a balanced approach where there is more of an understanding and its certainly helped both relationship and finance wise. Ps  I will fix the not commenting on your diary haha

FootyFanDan

Well, another four days off have come to an end so all up and prepped for another set of nights, really hoping there isn't many more of these to do haha. The days off have been really relaxed spent Friday playing new game ooops lol. Saturday was the usual drama school with little one and breakfast with partner and then Sunday was a family film day - Little one picked Goosebumps (she insisted she wanted to watch Chucky!! seen as it was spooky month - that wasn't happening!) then a classic throwback we watched Big!! Loved this as a kid. 

In other news....and maybe against my better judgement and a lot of arm twisting from my darling partner we pick up our new kitten today! Its a surprise for the little one who has found this last few months very very tough. I am downplaying it abit and tbh I am really excited about the new addition....but I obviously can't let my partner know that haha. I am a little cautious but my little one has been asking for a kitten for a while now and has no idea the new addition will be here for when she gets home. Its been an awful year and I also know that she has an heartbreak coming up shortly (her gran is very very ill) so we are going to ride with it and try put a smile on her face 

I need to really look at my plans finance wise over the next few days and start with xmas - I am planning that its going to not be too expensive family wise but I also want us to have a really good xmas with lots of fun. 

Hope you all have a good week