A welcome wake up call

Franalamadingdong

I've just read through your diary and you are doing so amazingly! Not just in the payments you've made but for having such a great attitude. I'm totally looking into that receipt thing and love that you went through your friend's receipts.

I did a thing a few years back that if we came under our grocery budget for the month we could get fish and chips. So there was a little treat at the end of the month. I do now have a few bits (homemade meals and beige food) in the freezer for those really can't be arsed days. And don't under estimate the power of just having beans on toast or a bacon butty for your tea sometimes instead of a "proper meal". Luckily we don't have many options by way of takeaways where we live so the temptation isn't there.

You're kicking butt, look how much you've paid towards debt in just a few months! And how much you've reduced interest payments! And you've coped with some rather up and down times!

twiggy86

Oh you guys are so blooming lovely!!! Thank you!

Haven't had a chance to get stuck back into my old diary again yet. I had been considering the difference in my outgoings between now and then, as I earn more but don't feel like I have extra "spare" money! I have worked out a few areas where I know there is an increase - such as my car and there was also my parking but obviously that has mostly gone now!

I had a really good chat with OH last night (and he instigated it) and he is slowly coming around. Although he does still need to turn his mindset around as he said "once we've got this paid off we can borrow some to do finish the house"!!! No my darling, I want to be in the financial position where we have the money in the bank!!! He was saying we are very fortunate in that our total combined debt (i.e. CC and mortgage) is low for our house, where we live and our age - and he is right, we are very fortunate but doesn't mean we have to accept debt as a life style!

Yesterday I actually had a NSD! However, I couldn't be bothered to make lunch this morning so I bought some! Oops! My poor excuse is that I slept badly! But today's good result is that I offered to buy a present for my friend as I work in town and she was making a trip just to buy this one thing. Bought it, messaged her the amount and she put extra in my account as a thank you!!! £50 whereas the present only cost £39!

Plans for this weekend include doing the Christmas food shop (wish me luck!) and meeting my friend's baby twins! Some other friends are going for drinks at a Christmas market but I think I'll give that a miss - particularly because the weather is pretty horrid at the moment! Must also wrap final few presents and then I'll feel prepared!

twiggy86

Hello - I'm back!

Sorry Diaryland for being awol! I have however been in the MSE mindset over Christmas! I just can't stand posting on here from my phone so only come on when I'm at work.

I did decide to go out for those Christmas drinks with my friends and did not allow myself to feel guilty about spending money! I had the money and very rarely see all those friends together. £43 spent.

However other than that I had a very quiet Christmas and intentionally avoided the temptation of the sales. Only naughty moment was a takeaway last night! Total spent last week including tortoise dirt, a last minute Xmas present and a takeaway - £75.21. The fact that I know exactly where every penny went is something in itself and a really big change in my money ways!

So today I used the re-payment from my old energy supplier to pay £228.02 off the CC (I'd previously used a couple of pounds from it to round off some numbers - I think to take total "difference" this month to £200!). That means so far this month I've paid £452.15 off the CC, so total debt stands at £11,103.18. Meaning I need to find £104 to meet my target which I can do! Will hold off until tomorrow (payday) but I currently have £97 excess in my pots. For example at the moment I've decided to still put the full £80 a month aside for parking even though I don't intend to buy a monthly permit - it makes sense in my head to do this and then use anything left to overpay CC.

In non-money news, I realised I need to start my marathon training! I've had a long term injury which means I haven't been able to run for nearly two years(!) but I am going to do London marathon regardless! So I've downloaded a beginners training plan which officially starts next week! So on that note, I'm going to pop to the gym to do a gentle run and some stretches!

twiggy86

twiggy86 wrote: »

My goals for the rest of the year are:
* Close Vcard, if I can, once the statement has come in and any final interest paid
* Try get total debt figure to sub 11K (currently £11,536.20)

So I did a shuffle today which I was able to pay £103.19 off my CC which takes my current debt total to £10,999.99!!! Meaning I met the goal I set on 29 November and managed to clear £536.20 in the notoriously most expensive month of the year!!!

twiggy86

I'm setting myself to following goals for the coming year:

1) Pay off Hcard
This is my only interest accruing debt so is my number one priority. The outstanding balance currently stands at £4,219.95 so that needs to go! I did have a balance transfer offer but I'm not sure it would have actually been beneficial as it had quite a high fee and the interest on this is "only" 4.9% and doesn't expire until 2023 - although of course if I achieve my goal that is irrelevant!

2) Pay off minimum of 50% of current debt total
Current debt is £10,999.99 so my goal is get this below £5,500 by the end of the year. This means a minimum monthly payment of £460 so this should be achievable. Obviously I'd hope for as much as possible but I think this is a realistic goal.

I also have non-financial goals, including hopefully running London Marathon! If this is to be achievable I need to get myself into training! I've downloaded a free training plan and am going to write it up on a calendar later so I can see exactly what I'm meant to be doing when! However, I have been out of action from running for nearly two years due to an injury which still hasn't totally rectified - so I am really hoping I can manage the injury! I won't be running for a time, just doing it is my goal!

What's anyone else who may be reading this waffle(!) goals?!?

twiggy86

I am pleased to report my first over-payment of the year! OH gave me some money he owed me so as the £10 was out of last month's pay I'd already counted it as spent so used that £1.75 received from TCB. So that's £11.75 paid off.

I don't think I mentioned by I received a £100 bonus for Christmas from my work! I know I could use this to overpay the debt, however I also like to use gift money for something tangible. So as me and my friends are talking about going to London to watch a show later this year, I am going to use it to buy my ticket and train!

Speaking of London, yesterday I spent the day writing out a marathon training plan! It seems to start very easy with a lot of run - walks, so at the moment it doesn't feel too intimidating! Hoping my orthopedic consultant on Monday doesn't tell me I can't and/or will do permanent damage! I then have physio on Tuesday so will discuss with her too.

Back to money... OH has been making all the right noises over Christmas and wants to set up a savings account! Think I'll help him with that tonight to try and cash in on his mse mindset! Hopefully this attitude lasts!!

twiggy86

I actually had a NSD yesterday!!! And I found £5 in my leggings - although I do know where it came from.

Today i received £2 reward from my bank account so that's gone straight off the CC. I'm hoping today will be another NSE but I was less than one receipt from a payout in Shoppix so I snaffled a receipt from my boss, once that has gone through I will cash out £5 - not bad as only last cashed out towards end of Nov!

I have bought myself an ecig with a view to first cutting down and then quitting smoking - hoping the marathon is the kick I need to quit! I did cold turkey a few years ago for 7 months but I don't feel like I'll stick at it if I cut it out in one go (maybe that's simply an excuse), so I've instead cut it in half. Today is day three and I've gone from between probably 15-20 rollies to 6! Obviously this will be money saving too as well as the health benefits!

My wool delivery arrived today so I can continue with my crochet! I've got two projects to finish and one to start from scratch and then I've got all presents covered up to the end of March! Then the birthdays are more spread out so won't be so much pressure - although I do really enjoy it and find it relaxing. But obviously with marathon training hopefully starting next week, I didn't want the pressure of having 7 projects to complete between now and the marathon!

twiggy86

Afternoon DiaryLand! Not sure I've really got much to report on (let's watch me now waffle on for ages!) but wanted to post to ensure I stay accountable!

I received the £5 from Shoppix so that went straight off the Hcard. Waiting on a small payout from TCB and then that will go off there too. My MBNA statement came through, so I've paid the minimum off there. Just waiting on the others to come through. Once the Vcard statement has come through and shows a totally clear month with no payments due, I will call to close that account.

With what I've paid already this month and the minimums on the other cards, I will need to find another £250 to meet my monthly target. Determined not to fail on the first month of the year!!!

Due to having hospital appointments the last two mornings, I've had to pay to park at work which has really annoyed me! However, I just looked back through my spreadsheet and since 10 November I've spent £25.50 on parking - this would have been £160 with another £80 being due in another couple of days! I hopefully shouldn't need to pay again this month. Such huge savings there!

[Deleted User]

How did your appointment for your foot go, twiggy?

twiggy86

Sorry SSDD23 - just saw your message. Thank you for asking. Both my orthopedic consultant have said I can give it a try! Basically just need to judge the pain level, but I now have a better idea about what level of pain/ discomfort is ok! Basically if it hurts whilst running that's ok as long as it doesn't continue at a high level for days after. So we'll see how it does!!