Chubby Keto lady working towards Debt Free and Healthy Frugal Life!

juicyjackieb

It's not been an amazing week financially but it could be worse, I could be back to where I was 3, 6, 9 months ago so trying to keep positive. 

So gifts have been bought and I am pleased I stuck to a budget this year! All major things have been got, £21 left in the budget for stocking stuffers and that's it. But because of that, I did not put anything aside in my 2 saving funds BUT I did make payments on my 0% card. This does reiterate that I need to start a sinking fund, even if its purely for gifts

Looking forwards though, I can see that I will soon reap the benefits of scalping my bills and outgoings with canceling things; the amount I am scheduled to payout is a lot lower and will continue to be over the coming weeks, although there won't be much left at the end of this week at least I know I will be able to put some money in for the final week of the month and beyond. Assuming the pubs and things reopen we will likely go out a few times in December but thats it that I can see to the end of the year.

My side hustles are starting to build slowly, surveys, scanning receipts, cashback on q*co, credit from rewards etc. I will cash that all out at the end of the year and should have around £40 which is better than a jab in the eye. Perhaps that can be put aside to start my sinking fund.

My channel should also become monetized by the end of next week too yayyyyyyyy! It won't be a lot, maybe £5-£10 a month and I think its 90 days behind so I won't see anything till spring by the time it reaches threshold but it's nice to know its something small building up. I have also been brave and approached some companies for affiliate and sponsored stuff and so far its all gone very well and will hopefully earn a few pennies and credit towards things I would usually buy.

Thats it for now, someone else commented that the is a slow slog, I am a little demotivated at my lack of savings but the future is looking brighter, I want to keep my eye on the prize! Thank you for reading, hope all is well with everyone :-)

juicyjackieb

Well I needed a time out from MSE as work was crazy busy and I felt frustrated and overwhelmed with my finances at the slow slog but I’ve had some progress and some wins.

First, I did stick to budget for Christmas, warned the OH I was keeping things tight and that I wouldn’t be buying lots or organising the gifts for my SS either, left that to the OH and I think it surprised him as usually those gifts just seem to magically happen, but didn’t this year. 

I have also been very good at making sure I pay my fair share of the groceries instead of 75% of them like I have done for years, yes OH, you can pay this weeks thank you, it’s unlike me to push for 50/50 but now I’m actually doing it ☺️  January is a voluntary low spending month though, working through my fridge, freezer and pantry and keeping the groceries at £50-£60 a week.

I have been flip flopping about what direction I should throw my money into and have decided to chip away at the things that are costing me cash. I have squeezed and shaken My budget with cancelling and I am now £60 a week better off. I know it doesn’t sound like a lot but I’m so happy, not just the money but the concern about the money not being there was causing me worry. 

And now a Drumroll..... I have £600 aside in my savings, come Friday I will have enough to clear my 20 year £1000 overdraft! I’m so pleased I can bin it off and feel like a grown up adult age 42. I’ll also be better off £22 a month in interest. 

I was intending to work on an EF next but I’ve decided I want to get rid of another small debt first. I know many MSE folks would disagree but I want to pay off my iPhone handset contract. The balance is £385 and is £22 a month. I actually contacted O2 to downgrade my tariff as now I am working from home I don’t need the 30gb of data so I think I could drop my £17 O2 to the Plusnet one for £8. I couldn’t actually get to speak to a person on the phone to negotiate  but went on chat and the dude basically said I could drop my gb down but my bill would go up? Then I asked about price matching which they don’t do and then said I would need to pay my iPhone off to get a better tariff. So yes, o2 you can poke ya tariff! I think looking at the numbers I should be able to clear that in 5 weeks so I’ll give notice once I’m half way saved up, pay it off and jump elsewhere which will drop my monthly outgoings by maybe another £28 all in. So between the bank fees and that it’s another £50 a month better.

Also my channel is now officially monetised! Earning about £30 a month isn’t the best side hustle but I’ve also picked up some nice affiliate extras that save me £30 a month too.

After that I’m not entirely sure. I partly want to get a savings buffer but also thinking about my credit card. It’s interest free and I should at my rate of £35 a week be clear in 15 months right on schedule. Maybe double down on it and get it cleared this year? I think I’ll give that some more thought, see how the budget looks once that phone bill is paid off. 

This is why I should post more often.... some much waffling! Thank you for reading, I’ll catch up when I’m burning my overdraft down 😀

caeler

Well done on the overdraft! I bet that feels good. 

Looks like you’ve achieved loads recently! Well done! @juicyjackieb

juicyjackieb

I DID IT! I cleared my 20 year old £1000 overdraft! 🎉 🎈 This weeks gonna be a little tight but I don’t plan to buy anything other than groceries so should be ok 😀

NEXT: Paying off my iPhone handset, £385, aiming to get this wiped by the end of February if I can. After that I’m a bit split between paying off my interest free credit card or get some money in an emergency fund. I know most Dave Ramsey’s love the fund but It’s possible I could clear my 2.3k credit card off by year end if I go hardcore and that’s so tempting for a year end goal. More thought for this one I think. 

caeler

That's incredible! Well done! @juicyjackieb Woop woop!!

rugbymadfamily

Great work on the OD, I too love a Carlton dance!!!!

Sarahwithlove

I'd do EF first and if at end of year you want to put it towards card debt then that's up to you but at least it something goes wrong in this year you have a back up fund. I look at it as being debt neutral by end of year. Especially if its 0% interest seems silly to pay it off, then something go wrong and have no funds to cover it or have to get into debt which will charge you interest. 

juicyjackieb

Thank you everyone! 

Had a good productive weekend. I decluttered my beauty and makeup and threw away a full bag of gross expired or Narly stuff and put aside a load unused to list on eBay which I’ll make a start on tomorrow .... I really hate eBaying 😭 

I have around £40 to last me till Friday, I need to grab some washing liquid and dessert for the OH lol hes a man who wants dessert every day and simple pleasures I guess. 

I’m all keto meal  prepped for the week ahead; roast chicken, celeriac and Brussel sprouts in a cheesy herb sauce with a stack of sweet chaffles for jammie toast with a protein shake for lunch; I have so many shakes I want to bash through them! 

I have been thinking about my debt; I think if I double down on my credit card payments from £35 to £70 a week I will still have surplus each week to start my savings fund. I don’t want it to be a sinking with a further emergency fund, I just want a pot of money.... who doesn’t lol. Looking at the numbers I should clear my credit card balance by September and have around £1500 by year end. 

I have fallen into the rabbit hole of watching holiday programmes on YouTube, still hoping we can get married in November in Mauritius but then thinking about next year. I’ve never had a holiday every year, I’ve never been that person but after both of us clearing debts, being frugal it looks like we might be able to have one actual holiday a year which sounds amazing. The OH gets quite bad SAD so somewhere lovely in Winter 2022 is on my mind... these fantasies are getting my through it. 

Other than that plans for the week are trying to get outside for a run, maybe potter in the garden and start clearing it a little as I really want to get it stunning this year. Small pleasures with our world being so small right now. 

Time to update the signature I think!

Sarahwithlove

It's always nice to have something to aim for

juicyjackieb

Well I got paid a night early which was weird but Ok. I ended up the week with £43 to spare abs did not dip into the overdraft 😊 - I have made me weekly credit card payment and put £50 aside in my savings toward paying my handset. 

I don’t have any major outgoings this week, it’s helps I’ve been chipping away at them. It’s the OH’s turn to buy groceries yay but I do want to do a bulk catfood order to be delivered. Also realised that our cupboards have way less than I thought in them so OH wants us to stock up a bit. I need to drop my work mail at the post office and we have a village butcher so I will stock up on meat then. 

Despite the pet food order and butcher trip I am aiming to finish the week with £150 if possible in my account which will bring me half way to paying the handset off! 

I have been given a link for a good weekly budget download which I can adapt I think to show my debt snowballing down too. 

Lots of small good stuff, but I will take every small win where I can 😊