Picked up the courage - DFD Sept 2025

SuperSavingD

After reading diaries for a year, I finally found the courage to start my own.

Other than the mortgage £211k 🤪, we have one loan of £14k (£15,405 with interest) to clear.  Don’t have lots of spare cash currently to overpay but going to build  up anyway I can, then send to loan when possible.  Current monthly payments are around £257.  Time to de clutter and build up some funds.  Also Sometimes do prolific surveys when I have time.

Were a family of 5, Dd, Ds1 & Ds2.  Having recently getting debt free I am so annoyed that I am back to square one.  The funds have been used to get a holiday caravan, so hoping we get some nice breaks away next year.

Have been budgeting now for the last 18months and keep watch on all direct debits/bills and shop around.

Please feel free to comment or just say hello 👋 Or I’ll just end up speaking to myself (nothing new as the kids never listen) 🤣🤣

Blackcats

Hello SupersavingD.  Welcome - well done for starting a diary - it will help keep you on track and you well get lots of support and encouragement.  I plucked up courage last year and I'm so happy that I did.  Lots of wise people on here (I've still got L plates for being responsible with money but I'm making progress).

SuperSavingD

Blackcats said:

Hello SupersavingD.  Welcome - well done for starting a diary - it will help keep you on track and you well get lots of support and encouragement.  I plucked up courage last year and I'm so happy that I did.  Lots of wise people on here (I've still got L plates for being responsible with money but I'm making progress).

Hi Blackcats
Thank you so much for popping in.  I was reading your diary last night trying to seek financial tips.  Promise I will make an effort to comment on people’s diaries going forwards, now that I’ve come out of the woodwork.  I end up rooting for people on here to do well.  I’m just jealous that I’ve gone backwards with progress but not anymore, sick of having no spare cash but likewise I don’t want to fritter when in debt.  Just need to conquer Xmas presents, then hoping I might have a little more spare cash.

Thank you for the encouragement 😊

SuperSavingD

Decided that every £257 I can club together will bring my DFD forward by one month.  Starting on my first pot tonight I have cashed out £14.80 Prolific, £5.41 from Save the pennies (done via bank) and a £9.64 cheque that I’ve had lying around.  Must take it to the bank tomorrow.  Pot started now with £29.85, once cheque clears.

Going to use the weekend to list items on The bay of E and also FB.  Will be perfect timing for clearing out before Xmas.

SuperSavingD

Made lots of sales this weekend just need to nip the bank tomorrow as pay in.  My total now stands at 14,695.57, happy to be below £15k mark.  Still got more items to list.

Think I need to up my food budget next month to allow for buying in extra Xmas bits.

Child benefit goes in tomorrow so can order the boys their Xmas presents in one hit as got some last month too.  Then come pay day I can order in my daughters. Will be glad once Xmas spending is complete as can then divert more to the loan.

Found out this week we owe £425 on gas and electric, so that’s something else I need to save for, to enable us to change providers in November.  It never stops - need a money tree if anyone has one.

Blackcats

well done for the sales and getting below £15,000 - that's really motivating.  Looking at your earlier post, every £8.56 you repay brings your debt free date forward by a day ..... might seem less daunting than the monthly total?  I've based my sums on a 30 day month.  

Despite being a fully grown adult 🙃 I am motivated by a 100 square grid that I colour in every time I save 1% of my target.  1% for you would be about £150.00 or you could set a target of any amount you want and set your 1% to fit e.g. £1000 is £10 per square.  I just love my colouring in.  I've also drawn a sweetie jar and filled it with 100 circles to colour in .....probably enough said about what strange things motivate me 🤣

Unfortunately I haven't got access to a money tree although I used to behave like I had a really big money tree in the garden. 

ryanm8655

Liking the thinking re: every £257 saved knocking off a month...

SuperSavingD

Blackcats said:

well done for the sales and getting below £15,000 - that's really motivating.  Looking at your earlier post, every £8.56 you repay brings your debt free date forward by a day ..... might seem less daunting than the monthly total?  I've based my sums on a 30 day month.  

Despite being a fully grown adult 🙃 I am motivated by a 100 square grid that I colour in every time I save 1% of my target.  1% for you would be about £150.00 or you could set a target of any amount you want and set your 1% to fit e.g. £1000 is £10 per square.  I just love my colouring in.  I've also drawn a sweetie jar and filled it with 100 circles to colour in .....probably enough said about what strange things motivate me 🤣

Unfortunately I haven't got access to a money tree although I used to behave like I had a really big money tree in the garden. 

I’m liking the 100 squares idea, I need little things to motivate me.  I won’t normally be this lucky in paying off so quickly, just lucky I have a few things to sell but that pile will disappear soon.  Loaded Shoppix and Receipt Hog today too. 

Used the debt calculator and hoping most months to squeeze a £150 overpayment in.  Fingers crossed.

SuperSavingD

ryanm8655 said:

Liking the thinking re: every £257 saved knocking off a month...

Thanks Ryan.  Have enjoyed reading your diary.  Wish I had your £8k rather than mine.  Your doing amazing clearing off large chunks.  Didn’t you clear off a card today - congratulations 🎉

SuperSavingD

90 minute hold time to make a overpayment on the loan, it’s a joke!! Needless to say the monies staying in the account until there’s a few grand built up now.  

Very MSE today as went to collect an Asda delivery and managed to get 1 loaf, 1 crumpets, 1 donougts (Oreo) ones, 4 large packets of potatoes and 2 sweetcorns all for £1.97.  Only went to see if anything for the kids then spotted all the bargain buys, so we’re eating potatoes for the next week 🤣🤣, roasted, chips, wedges, mash you name it.

Blackcats

Potatoes on toast ? Ha ha .  Good bargains.  All useful stuff.  I could eat an Oreo doughnut with my cuppa right now.  

You will soon make progress on the debt - keep chipping away at it (that wasn't actually meant to be a potato related pun but .....)