Choccy's last debt diary! Tme to stop messing and focus.

Choccygirl123

Took £60 cash out the joint account this morning rather than spending on the card. Spent £18.50 on the market stacking up on the fruit and veg. Another £39.62 in Aldi so we're sorted food for next few days. Balance is 59p but at least it's in the black, just!

It's my pay day tomorrow so will get my car filled up again. Going to take the kids to the cinema over the weekend for a treat using free tickets my dad got feee from his bank.

No other spending planned for a change.

Choccygirl123

-pay day for me
-nsd
-account balance £572.56
-over hauled excel spreadsheet
-allocated every penny to a job for February
-adding to the budget saving pots

twiggy86

Glad to see you back posting!

Choccygirl123

Thanks twiggy, I need the regular mind dump waffle to keep me focussed. Hubby is complain board with the debt repayment but never gets involved.

Yesterday was a good day with low spends. Took the kids to see 1917 (which was amazing Completely on the edge of my seat) we used the free vouchers gifted and didn't buy abacus other drinks. I made up 4 coffees in our hot flasks and took a cereal bar.

We nipped to Asda to fill up my car which annoyingly didn't spit out a receipt for tracking purchases. It was £61 accordingly to hubs have logged it in spending budget.

The girls desperately needed shampoo so whilst at Asda bought some decent stuff that was on offer £5.25 x 2 to £3 each. We've tried cheap stuff but makes their hair too fuzzy. They're a lot better now for just using what they need. £1 on bag sweets, and 5 mini bags £1 and crusty bread puns for bacon sandwiches £1.40. Total spend £9.40. Logged in budget spreadsheet and all receipt trackers.

Off to watch a rugby match today will take coffee and fruit to stop us spending. Having chicken drum stickers with chips salad and pickles for dinner as won't be home until late afternoon.

Choccygirl123

Last few days i've been tweaking my budget/spending sheet and i think we're finally in control. Child benefit arrived this morning, so have transferred it across the saving pots. Normally by this time of the month, we'd be back to zero or worse in the OD after i get paid around the 24th.

I've tracked and recorded every penny we've moved to pots or spent. I think tracking every penny and allocating it a job in the budget has completely changed my mindset. We'd alway make sure the bills where allocated etc, but the surplus was just left. It was cash that was there one minute, gone the next with not a lot to show for it.

I've done realistic saving pots now and everything has a role, but i don't feel like i've skinted us too much. There's even £122.92 in the misc spending category. I need some files for an old wooden filing cabinet i found on ebay 6months ago, but haven't got around to using. I'd also like to get some glass cut for a chest of drawers, but will wait to see how the month goes. It's given me more money focus and certainly is making me think about how best to use that cash rather than fritter it on junk and takeaways.

Choccygirl123

Have ordered the suspension files and folders this morning to get my paperwork sorted once and for all. I need to have a good sort out of the hoarded paperwork. I've kept old insurance details, random instruction manuals and just general junk. I've got 2 metal tins and three huge boxes of crap. Will keep the important things like last bill from credit card companies confirming accounts closed, tax returns etc and will get them hidden away in the loft. All the current and important things will go into the filing cabinet. It;s going to take hours to do, but only needs doing once!



Hubby added some new studs for the eldest's boots and a set of new tooth brush heads. So much for a cheap spend at £32ish but it's all be logged on my new spreadsheet.


Need few bits and bobs shopping wise so will withdraw a week's cash. The kids are both away with friends so won't need to worry about big shop to feed them. Local butcher has current offer on 5lbs of lean mince and 5kgs of chicken breasts. Going to nip and grab few odds and ends. Will meal plan tonight and try use up the store cupboard stocks as much as possible.

Couple more days until hubby's pay day, but joint account looking really healthy. Allocating all the cash certainly seems to help, but it's early days. Looking forward to getting the saving pots built up, as this will really take the pressure off when the money needs to be found.


Trying to find the motivation to finish the ironing and run the hoover around. Feeling quite blurgh and just run down. I keep dreaming of a sunny beach, but we need to get the credit card paid off first!

Choccygirl123

I need to keep posting to keep on track! 

No posts since January, so quick update. Have been plodding on paying bits off, hubby had to upgrade a car and borrowed cash. Definitely one step forward and two back. Saving pots for bills are going well and in regular use. Extra income from surveys, cashback, receipts and selling (before lockdown) is slowly adding up for Xmas 20 abd is approx £365.

debts 1/5/20 
zopa 1 - £5727.60
zopa 2 - £10217.12
0% credit card - £1284.00

total debt - £17228.72 

gutted its now higher than ever, but due to being very rural hubby needed decent car. We've bought something a lot smaller and cheaper to run. In normal months this is saving about £120 a month in fuel alone.

With current lockdown our spending like everyone's has changed. Food costs are up but fuel etc down. My plan is to tackle the 0% credit card first, get that out the way before the interest hits. 

Will update saving pot totals as may's money has been transferred in. Need to finish budget abd work out extra payment amount for the CC.

Hope everyone staying safe in these scary times. 

Choccygirl123

It's pay day again and it's week since i've last posted. I'm still off work due to covid, so have been making the most of having time to sell items and complete surveys. The Christmas saving pot is looking really healthy with £767.67 sat in there from extra income i've made since 1/1/20.

I've been trying to cut back on food, but with 2 teenagers and hubby all at home 24/7 it's hard going. Have been using up store cupboard stcoks, but i know i can reduce my spending for sure. I need to keep hubby out the local coop and away from the beer and snacks.

Have been trying to tackle the Credit card as our priority. Our debt balances today is :

zopa 1 - £5332.59
zopa 2 - £9858.63
0% credit card - £725.00
total debt - £15916.22

My plan is to keep saving the extra income until the account hits £1000. I'll then put anything extra I make off the credit card. It's still 0% for sometime, but i want it gone.

beanielou

That is a great amount to have in the account.
You will have the credit card gone soon   

Choccygirl123

Thanks beanie, it's anaxing how quickly the odd 1/2 sales here and there add up. It's nice to know that Christmas is covered and we won't be putting anything on our credit card again. I've had another two little eBay sakes yesterday and some survey cash so will get that moved across as soon as they clear into pay-pal. 

Our food spending has been crazy Since lockdown and I've been shopping in tesco and coop. Ventured to our nearest aldi today which about 10minutes further driving and remember why I love it so much. 31p saving just on a packet on bagels for the kids! I spent a whopping £122.32 today but filled the freezer with meat to keep us going and stocked up on everything else tins of tuna, rice etc. With a £400 budget for the month I'm going to have to be good and meal plan. 

I'm desperate to get that card pay off. I took part in a medical research (only questionnaires) abd recieved £20 Payment for my time. It arrived into my account this morning, so pinged it straight across. Credit card balance now £705. Have the min payment which is rounded up to £50 to go out, but will find an extra £5 to round it down to £650.