Why is spending money so easy......

Snwps

Just logging on quick while in work. 2nd job on Sunday went really well. Everyone was really nice and helpful. It was really busy and time went quick. I done 11 deliveries and only got 1 tip of £2 so you guys may be right in that if ordered by card chances of a tip are pretty slim, but even those paying by cash either had the right money or had their change. Never mind, still extra income so can't grumble.

Snwps

Snwps wrote: »

Other news. I've sold 9 items on ebay and made £40.79 profit after P&P. So its a good start.

Forgot to mention earlier. I've not sold on Ebay before and was really chuffed when I sold my first 9 items over the weekend. Total sales came to £76.79. I had to pay £36.00 delivery (as done it signed for), then there was Paypal fees and ebay fees which means I made a profit of £28.19! I was a little gutted as it seems I practically gave the items away.

Don't get me wrong it all helps it just seems such a difference. I'm going to keep at it for now, may as well but might have a look at other selling sites. Dont want to use facebook as too many nosey parkers on there.

suki1964

Get a new account on Facebook for just selling, I never sell on Ebay anymore and have a separate account for selling and a different number so even in this small place where I live, unless the buyer who turns up at my door is someone I know, no one else knows my business

monz

Following you are doing fab.

Some survey sites I find amazing

Prolific (seen you already joined)
Opinion Outpost (pay with paypal and can cash in at £2.50, also prize draw of £5,000 - I used to mock this but I won it and got myself out of debt and my son and I to Florida!)
Ipsos I say - can get amazon vouchers etc
Valued Opinions - can get vouchers
I know some people panelbase... its not for me but some people recommend.
Also Populus - I just cannot deal with £50 wait for cashout xx

Snwps

More items sold on Ebay since the weekend and all posted. Profit on ebay currently £51.50. Quite pleased with this and clearing unused items from the house is great.

Snwps

Been a little quiet lately and not posted much. Car has been in the garage and MOT now done. Bad thing is that as I had no funds in place for this its gone on the credit card. So debt as it stands at today is £37,189.36 which is just £303.89 less than when I started. Never mind. This has proven that we need savings in place for these situations otherwise I'm just chasing my tail.

Its payday today so have spent some time updating YNAB.

Second job going really well and am enjoying it. Doing around 15 hours per week and the first payday will be in about a fortnight. I'm so looking forward to paying a chunk off one of the cards. I've decided to concentrate now on the largest APR one where the balance at today is £2,554.42 and we're paying interest on this. I've worked out that paying the minimum payment and the 2nd job wage toward this it should be cleared by end of the year. Well that's my aim. Target 1.

Lots of payments due to come out over the next week or so. Looking forward to reducing that debt amount.

Getting started on this journey seems to be really slow. I'm hoping to pick up the pace over the next few months.

We've been growing our own veggies in the garden this year. We're limited with space but things are now starting to grow and it looks like over the next few weeks will be ready to eat. I've already had some french beans and they were lovely. Picked cooked and eaten same day. We are no where near the volume to be able to save cost wise but it will help. Plus will teach the kids.

mark55man

it does get better, although its a long slog!! - you can't change long term spends/obligations in a month. what you can change in a heartbeat is your attitude and you're doing well with that - then its a matter of ramping up the saving money, the not-spending and cutting down the extravagances

your extra income is a great call - that's pure snowball for you

suki1964

You have to think of it as a journey. It was explained to me as a train journey. You got on board and you moved forward . Sometimes you ended up in the sidings for a while or stayed at the same station for ages, but you only ever moved forwards, never back

So this time you used your credit card, but you have also paid of some of your debt, you have moved forwards. You are now aware how important a few savings are, you have moved forwards

Snwps

Oh my, another few weeks have passed since posting. I've been so busy I've not really noticed how that time has flown. I've been on the forums reading but not really had much to post about.

Its still early days on my journey and we've been working hard the past few months in getting the budget right and workable. I wanted to work on living withing our means and not relying on the cards like we have been the last few years. Its been hard, we've had ups and downs and we have had to use the cards a few times. But the budget is getting there slowly and I've learnt that life ain't always easy and I cant always stick to the numbers I have on my plan. I'm slowly learning to forgive the slip ups and put it down to experience, they will happen.

But the debt is going down for the first time in years. Now that we have a workable budget we're ready to step it up a gear and we should now start to see the figures go down.

I plan on posting more often. Today should be a NSD and tomorrow is payday. I've already filled my pots on YNAB and even though the 'amount to be budgeted' is a big red minus figure it's nice to see all the pots green knowing it will all be ready tomorrow. I can never seem to wait until actual payday lol I also plan on posting monthly updated on last day of the month.

Next big spend is the dreaded uniform shop. We're lucky we get help off the in-laws for the uniform (they're great like that and it really helps). Then once this is sorted there shouldn't be anything in the way until Christmas and that has already been budgeted and saved for with Park Vouchers.

Snwps

Just jumping on quickly to give a round up of where we are with the debt busting as at 31/08/2019.

Debt total at 31/08/2019 - £36,420.14

Debt cleared since 25/05/2019 - £1,073.11 - 2.86%

Good points:
Uniform shop is done and paid from budgeted amount instead of putting on the credit card (as usually happens) Mainly paid from the first wage from the second job
Have not used the credit cards for a couple of weeks now and budgeting is going well, thanks to YNAB
Second job going well, we've had some teething problems but overall enjoying and payday this week which will be going straight off the debt (estimated £400-£430)
We have 2 birthdays coming up in September but other than that nothing major this month.

Bad points:
Really need to get the food shop down plus stop having takeaways so often (spent £123.08 on takeaways last month, this has to stop). This is down to poor planning and being busy and not prepared on those days I'm working the 2 jobs to feed the DH and kids. Will work on this in September.

Emergency fund is coming on nice, it's around the £500 mark and has come from selling mostly on eBay etc. The plan is that once we get to that £1000 to cut up the credit cards. I just cant bring myself to cut them up at the moment for the fear of 'what if' scenario.

So the plan for September is to :
- Not use the credit cards at all
- Get the debt figure to below £35,000
- Food plan
- Reduce Takeaways

Its going to be a long day today, working all day in job #1, then to college to enrol for my course then off to job #2 until about 9:30pm.