This may take a while 27 December 2019 at 2:33PM in Debt free diaries 22 replies 1.3K views

Icandothisby2023

Lighbulb moment - check
Everything in as few places a possible - Check
Ready for 4 years of hard work - Check
I have to work on this for a long term goal of being able to move house. I have been keeping an eye on finances via YNAB for the last 3 months. Although I know it is an unpopular option I have consolidated some credit card debt into a much lower interest rate loan. I don't intend on using the cards I have cleared, or the ones I haven't.
I have a small emergency fund, cleared overdrafts (don't know whether I should cancel them or not though), paid off the highest interest cards and will be snowballing that way.
Still have some cutting back to do which I am working hard on.
At the moment I don't want to post an SOA, I know what I need to do on it and once I feel I have it more sorted I will post.
A lot of my debt built up when I was headhunted from self employment and was promised all sorts of things that never came to be

beanielou

Happy shiny new diary
Keep posting!

FootyFanDan

Welcome and good luck on your journey, some days might feel better than other but as they say its a marathon not a sprint. It might be a good idea to maybe do an SOA even if you don't plan on posting here to give you a better picture of where you need to cut. I did mine and was shocked at bits that were missing and only when completed SOA did it give a full picture.

Keep posting you will get some super helpful people here and some great tips

Icandothisby2023

FootyFanDan wrote: »

Welcome and good luck on your journey, some days might feel better than other but as they say its a marathon not a sprint. It might be a good idea to maybe do an SOA even if you don't plan on posting here to give you a better picture of where you need to cut. I did mine and was shocked at bits that were missing and only when completed SOA did it give a full picture.

Keep posting you will get some super helpful people here and some great tips

Thank you. I have done an SOA / have everything logged from the last 3 months in YNAB. I know I need to find time to change gas and electric supplier, cancel sky and somehow rein in OH ebay habit (am thinking of somehow giving him pocket money!)

BigDreams

Good luck x

Icandothisby2023

Paid off another £200 today.
OH whilst he has Christmas money is being slightly better about budget, as is giving me the cash when he has spent for him on the debit card, am hoping that will continue if he has cash budget.

Avoided quite a lot of my usual post Christmas sale spending, got a couple of half price things for next years gifts as hoping to even out that spending.

FootyFanDan

Icandothisby2023 wrote: »

Thank you. I have done an SOA / have everything logged from the last 3 months in YNAB. I know I need to find time to change gas and electric supplier, cancel sky and somehow rein in OH ebay habit (am thinking of somehow giving him pocket money!)

Its a great start to look at where you can save the odd bits here and there it really does make a difference

I was the same at the start of my journey, for me the thing I had to quit was the daily latte on my drive to work it was only £3 right what difference would cutting that make?..i was spending soooooo much just cutting this saved me loads.

Icandothisby2023

January 2020 goals
Cancel dog training online subscription - I admit to being one of those people who pays for something I never use. Payment has just been made so I intend to watch everything over the next 2 weeks and then cancel! (will save me £25 per month)
Change sky subscription (save £20 per month)
Change gas and electric supplier (save ?)
Look into package bank account to see if its really worth it

Start house clear out.
Sell stuff and throw out what can't be sold
Walk 10000 steps per day
Lose 2kg

pidge04

I love a new diary! GOOD LUCK!
Where do you find you have the most luck selling stuff?

Naomim

Icandothisby2023 wrote: »

Thank you. I have done an SOA / have everything logged from the last 3 months in YNAB. I know I need to find time to change gas and electric supplier, cancel sky and somehow rein in OH ebay habit (am thinking of somehow giving him pocket money!)

I do exactly that! MrM and I both have a monthly amount of money to spend on whatever we want and when it's gone, it's gone.

Naomim x

Naomim

FootyFanDan wrote: »

Its a great start to look at where you can save the odd bits here and there it really does make a difference

I was the same at the start of my journey, for me the thing I had to quit was the daily latte on my drive to work it was only £3 right what difference would cutting that make?..i was spending soooooo much just cutting this saved me loads.

A daily latte is the downfall of many! Certainly me too. I was also buying one everyday at the train station on the way to work. £15 during a working week PLUS the money I'd spend on coffee at the weekend out shopping or meeting friends. I found it a very difficult habit to break but have manged to cut out the daily ones and have one as a treat at the weekend now.

Icandothisby2023 wrote: »

January 2020 goals
Cancel dog training online subscription - I admit to being one of those people who pays for something I never use. Payment has just been made so I intend to watch everything over the next 2 weeks and then cancel! (will save me £25 per month)
Change sky subscription (save £20 per month)
Change gas and electric supplier (save ?)
Look into package bank account to see if its really worth it

Start house clear out.
Sell stuff and throw out what can't be sold
Walk 10000 steps per day
Lose 2kg

Don't forget to look at Quidco & Topcashback when you switch utility suppliers. I recently did a comparison and switched to another and have bagged £73. cashback on Quidco.

Good luck!

Naomim