Debt Free by 40 14 January 2020 at 2:03PM in Debt free diaries 73 replies 2.6K views

Eyebright

Well I was sent home from work yesterday, I wasn't much use to anyone, so my manager told me to go home and get some rest.

I mostly slept, though I did manage to finish making the sympathy card and will shuffle down to the post box later with that.
Still feeling under the weather again today. Shame, cos it's payday tomorrow, but I can't find the enthusiasm for it yet. Hopefully if I rest a bit more I'll perk up and can continue tweaking my budget.

Also managed to make £1.25 on a Prolific study yesterday, almost at £15 on there now. Will try to get it up to £20 then will cash some out, and put it towards OP the loan. I've decided for now that survey/Prolific cash outs will be all I put towards the debts until the EF is fully funded. The things I sell on FB and eBay will go towards covering the 3 birthdays coming up whilst the birthday sinking fund isn't funded!

Making progress slowly, and today will be a NSD, I'm not going anywhere to spend any money today.

Eyebright

Feeling a bit more like myself today. Did manage to do a few studies on Prolific yesterday, so I've hit £20 on there and requested a cash out. Once that clears I can make an OP to the loan (and colour in 2 squares for my challenges in the BuJo- living the life me!)

Payday today. I've got the free trial of YNAB, trying to wrangle with that! I've got myself all confused as all grocery and petrol spends etc go on our Santander 123 CC and we pay off the statement in full each month, so in essence this month's grocery/petrol budget will go to the CC payment for last month's items. I guess at some point I need to get ahead of myself somehow by keeping under budget as much as possible and building those pots up??? Uggh my money mismanagement keeps coming back to bite me, and give me more obstacles to overcome! So I can look forward to months of YNAB telling me I'm over budget in those categories?! I think that's what will happen. I'm so confused!:rotfl:

Maybe once I get ahead of the CC, and have money ready to pay off the spends as they are made then I'll get rid of it. I think it might be easier. But does having a CC that gets paid off in full each month help with building back up my credit score?????

Anyhoo, toddler wants to bake a cake, so need to go and do that, the front garden needs a bit of weeding doing, and I have an appointment at the Dr's this afternoon. I'd best get off the laptop and crack on.

twiggy86

Just popping up to say I've read your diary and think you're doing brilliantly! I've been debating getting a bullet journal but not sure if I'm just looking for an excuse to buy something!!!

SuperFrank88

Hi Eyebright,

I’ll be listening to how you find using YNBA. I’ve had a quick look at it but didn’t go too in-depth. What’s a budget journal?

Poppy1984

Hi Eyebright
Sorry you've not been feeling well, there's so much going round at the moment!

Woohoo for payday! And congrats on your overpayment to your loan.

Fingers crossed for your sales on eBay and fb.

I can't help with ynab software as I've never used it I just use spending tracker for my budget.

Poppy

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Just read through your diary, you've got off to a great start.
I wonder if we do a similar job as my professional fees are around that amount. I got a rebate on my uniforms and subs recently too, although the just changed my tax code by £485 for the coming year. Same difference I guess, although I think I'd have preferred the cash!
I'm using YNAB too, it can be a bit confusing sometimes, but I really like it. I've set up my credit card payment as a bill just like gas, electricity etc rather than having a separate account for it. Mainly because I was getting confused when doing it 'properly'.
Good luck with your journey, I'm subscribing and will cheer you on!

savingholmes

Hope you feel better soon

Eyebright

Poppy1984 wrote: »

Hi Eyebright
Sorry you've not been feeling well, there's so much going round at the moment!

Woohoo for payday! And congrats on your overpayment to your loan.

Fingers crossed for your sales on eBay and fb.

I can't help with ynab software as I've never used it I just use spending tracker for my budget.

Poppy

Thanks Poppy. Haven't quite made the OP yet, as waiting for the payour from Prolific to hit my account, but you can bet your bottom dollar that as soon as it hits my account it's going straight back out again!:D

ohshithowdidthathappen wrote: »

Just read through your diary, you've got off to a great start.
I wonder if we do a similar job as my professional fees are around that amount. I got a rebate on my uniforms and subs recently too, although the just changed my tax code by £485 for the coming year. Same difference I guess, although I think I'd have preferred the cash!
I'm using YNAB too, it can be a bit confusing sometimes, but I really like it. I've set up my credit card payment as a bill just like gas, electricity etc rather than having a separate account for it. Mainly because I was getting confused when doing it 'properly'.
Good luck with your journey, I'm subscribing and will cheer you on!

Hi OSHDTH, thanks for dropping in! Have you got a diary kicking around? I'd love to subscribe back if you have!
Oooh maybe we do work in the same field?? I'm in Pharmacy, which some days I love and some days I hate!:rotfl:

Hmmm the credit card is definitely confusing me on YNAB, I've now deleted my groceries and petrol budgets and just allocated money that's due to go out on the 28th to the CC as a payment instead. Will see how that goes...I'll track my grocery and petrol spends in my BuJo instead to ensure I stick to my budget. I spend waaaay too much on food every month and take-aways have gotten out of hand too, so there's some easy wins there in the budget if I just get myself a bit more organised...

savingholmes wrote: »

Hope you feel better soon

Thanks savingholmes, I'm a lot better today, just feel really tired and washed out. As a result I did not weed the garden today...I'll put it off until tomorrow. I do need to do it though, as my spring bulbs are struggling to emerge around all the dandelions and other miscellaneous weeds that are clogging up the flower bed :rotfl:

Purplemumof2

Sounds like ht elurgy has been doing the rounds, glad you're feeling much better today xx

Eyebright

SuperFrank88 wrote: »

Hi Eyebright,

I’ll be listening to how you find using YNBA. I’ve had a quick look at it but didn’t go too in-depth. What’s a budget journal?

Hiya Frank. A BuJo is short for a bullet journal. It's kind of like a diary, but you make it from a blank note book, so you can put whatever you want in it, laid out however you want. So I have calendars in it, and a week view etc, for remembering appointments and special dates etc, but have other pages in it, like a list of my bills due each month, habit trackers to keep me accountable, running to-do lists, and debt/saving trackers, that I can colour in for every £10 I pay off the debts or save. Helps to keep me motivated and is a visual reminder of what I'm trying to achieve when I want to waste my money on things I don't actually need.
Some people get really creative with their journals, but mine is very simple, I just have some crayola supertips that I use to add a bit of colour. If you look on Pinterest and Youtube there's tons of content you can check out.

I'll keep you posted on how I get on with YNAB. I really want to get the hang ouf it, as I've read of so many success stories from people who use it. I'm hoping it will be the key to helping me keep to my budgets so that I have surplus every month I can put towards debts and my sinking funds.

twiggy86 wrote: »

Just popping up to say I've read your diary and think you're doing brilliantly! I've been debating getting a bullet journal but not sure if I'm just looking for an excuse to buy something!!!

Thanks Twiggy I'm off to a good start, with some big wins, but the important bit begins now, when I just have to keep plodding and making small consistent over payments. The little changes in habits are what's really important and will get me over the finish line. That said, I still have plenty of bits and bobs around the house I can ebay to help give me a kick start. If only I could summon the enthusiasm to list it all!!!:rotfl::rotfl:

I asked for a new notebook for Christmas, but you can use any old notebook you have lying around. But I know what you mean about wanting to buy something. I've had itchy fingers all day, knowing I have money in my account I can spend, but I'm holding off for a little bit, whilst I make sure I'm happy with my budget, and to give me time to decide what it really is I most want off my little (read ginormous), "wishlist" in my head.

Over the weekend I'll post my budget hopefully and see if get any feedback