Now or never

Its_time

There comes a time when you need to change.  For me that time is now.  For years i've read this forum, left for a few months and then begun reading again, repeat, repeat, this time I have to stay.  I have given myself a 2 year timescale to pay off the debt and save £10,000 so we have some back up for once.
Debt currently approx £18500.00 made up of credit cards and a loan.
We have good incomes but they are from self employed businesses, 3 in all, so the amount we have each month fluctuates.  We would like to give up one of our business or at least have some control over the work we take on, hence the 2 year plan, at the moment money is dictating what work we take on which probably makes us feel like we want to give it up more, if we could be more choosy that might help and we might not give it up.  Time will tell.
The plan: 
1.  Stop spending on things we don't really want.  Very rarely do we have anything that we truly want, just impulsive buys, for years I have wanted a pair of burgundy jeans but I have bought countless pairs of blue denin jeans because they were cheaper and I bought them in a rush without thinking about what I actually wanted.  I need to sit and think sensibly about what I actually want.  
2.  Meal plan, create shopping plan accordingly and stick to the budget.  Weekly food budget set at £75 to include all toiletries and food for 2 adults and 1 child.  This might be easier now, since March I have shopped at Tesco and any other online store I could get a delivery from, this week Aldi has started to do a click and collect service and although I need to travel, when I compared the baskets it is cheaper by far which will allow me to hopefully, stick to the budget.
3.  Batch cook from scratch, make cakes, stretch food, waste nothing.
4.  Report on here daily, just reading this site again the last few days and meal planning has saved me £20 in my online shopping basket.
5.  Walk daily if possible for fresh air and exercise which will help me feel better and keep me focused.
6.  Pay off debt as much as humanly possible - no excuses.
 Christmas is sorted, all food bought, presents bought and money gifts accounted for.
 Car insurance and house insurance due beginning of January - no budget as usual, will go on a credit card as usual
 Car needs servicing in the New Year but DH pays for that so it wont come out of household money.
 No birthdays to worry about until mine around Easter, happy to have a family meal with everyone at home - in fact that would be perfect.
Fed up of all this is an understatement - if I don't change it, it will stay the same and I don't want that.
It's time.

WinterWarrior

Good luck! You have a plan and have made the first step, an excellent start. 

Honeysucklelou2

Well done on formulating your plan. I agree that a daily walk is good for you physically and uplifting for the soul.

DayDreamerandGeneralWaster

Good luck!

alt80

Good luck. Plan sounds solid, sure you'll smash it.

Also in business and a significant amount of personal debt as well as property debt with personal guarantees though no plans to slow down, only to build up. However, 100 get the pressures etc.

Its_time

Thank you everyone very nice of you to take the time.
Busy day today, started first thing with the internet changing over to the new provider, BT were charging us £48.99 and Talktalk are going to do it for £22 same deal more or less - at least I think it is - seems fine so far and the change over was really easy to set up. 
Managed a walk today which took about an hour, I can't remember the last time I went and didn't I know it!  My legs were killing by the time I got back, couldn't wait for my coffee and biscuit.  Felt much better after going though even though I had to drag myself out to do it.  
Click and collect today at Aldi, that went very well, the picker had chosen really well and I am pleased with what they gave me, I only like meat without any fat I am so fussy and that's exactly what I got, long dates as well.  I've added up my Tesco shop this week and the one I had booked for after Christmas and even with buying some extras for Christmas the overall shops done in Aldi will be £15 cheaper.  I have to say though I could easily drop the bill down on the shop after Christmas as I am being a bit excessive, i've ordered enough for about 10 people for 2 or 3 weeks and it's only meant to be a weekly shop!! Ah well old habits are hard to break. I think I need to do a proper list of what is in the freezers and use it all first, although according to my Mum we will be struggling for food when Brexit happens.  Here we go again, what to do??
Made enchiladas for tea, used old mushrooms from the fridge and half a bag of frozen chicken pieces instead of a full one, made no difference to the overall amount or taste, everyone's happy.
I didn't make cakes today as planned, I really need to do that tomorrow as the eggs are going out of date on the 18th.
I put all the washing away, bleached the inside of the machine and put it on a 90 to wash it out properly, made a loaf of bread, and bleached the sink.  
Christmas presents all need wrapping but I don't feel like it yet.
On a good note I have been sleeping so much better lately, less subconscious worrying I should think, plan to keep it that way.
The payments I made to the credit card of £375 and £500 finally have stopped pending and have dropped the balance, these payments were made before I started writing on here so they are already accounted for in the total debt figure, but at least they have been taken off for real now.  Feels good.  I've had a look at when the next over payment will go and that is 8th January, and then monthly, I can't stand it the wait is too long so I have changed it to weekly but for a lesser amount, the first over payment goes on 1st Jan, I can not wait!!
I've checked the electricity provider and can save about £20 a month on that, the best thing is that the account is in credit for £510, yes five hundred and ten pounds, how did that ever happen??!!  I don't know whether to laugh or cry!  Either way its going to be a lovely chunk to throw at the debt when I get it mid January after the switch is complete.
Sister in law rung me and asked if we could stop buying Christmas and birthday presents for our respective children and posting them, hallelujeh, it's not that I am a scrooge but they are in their 30's, more than time to stop, I am so glad she suggested it, i've been thinking it for years.
It's time

foxgloves

Well It'sTime, you have a plan & just as importantly, you have decided not to live in this way any longer. These are two of the firm planks of debt-busting, along with developing an appropriate budgeting system & sticking to it.
I actually popped on to comment on your story about wanting burgundy jeans & buying lots of blue ones instead. I recognised this from my own past buying behaviour & have covered it in my own diary on more than one occasion. During the Spendy Years, I didn't buy expensive designer gear. My problem was buying too many clothes on impulse, so I would end up with a packed clothes rail of stuff that was only 'ok', which would inevitably be sent off to the charity shop in time, not remotely having earned their keep. Now I buy far fewer clothes but choose things I love & that I feel good wearing. Sale rails were one of the worst offenders..... but as a reformed character on financial matters, I am now able to see that a garment I don't love isn't really a bargain at all!
Sounds like your head is in a good place for some changes. Good luck!
F

Its_time

You are absolutely right Foxgloves!  It has taken me a long time to see what I do, I wanted those burgundy jeans about 25/30 years ago, that's about the same time I have had credit cards.  I tend to do everything in a hurry, flat out, mind racing, I speak before I think, hardly put any thought into what I do, easily influenced by others and want to keep everyone happy without a care for myself.  Something has changed over the last few months and especially the last few weeks, I am recognising my own behaviours, I can see where I go wrong (not all the time but at least sometimes), I can see I need to slow down, can see that it is not a bad person who says no, be more mindful and consider what I want, one thing I can see myself telling myself is to sleep on it and to try and take the emotion out of any situation, thinking only of the facts.  Underneath I am a biker chick, I want black leather jeans and painted nails and I want to ride a harley down route 66 lol, but I have old faded jeans and baggy jumpers and an outing is a trip to the hairdressers about once a year if that.   The outside person is not me on the inside.  It really is time.  I will have those burgundy jeans    Anyway.....
Tomorrows jobs:
Online meeting in the morning.
9 eggs left so make x2 fruit slab cakes for the freezer, one can be cooking while I am in the meeting, will cut them in half so that will be 4 cakes that's 4 eggs used, 5 left for a sponge cake wont put any filling in it will just put the two halves in the freezer.
Have got two enchiladas left so DH can have them for his tea with some chips.  Dinner will be ham rolls.  I had thought DH could have the enchiladas on their own for dinner and then I would make toad in the hole for tea...stop!!!....no think frugal there is no need, cheese toasties are more than adequate for dinner and then we get a free tea of sorts.  At least I think that is stretching it all out a bit.  
If it is dry then I am going to wash the dog beds but they take ages to dry so the weather needs to be half decent, the machine can do its' work while I get on with paperwork.
I need to clean the bathroom - without fail!
I need to make a loaf of bread for the freezer as well.  (I don't really just keep on filling the freezers).  I am sure I will be pleased at some point when I don't feel like doing much and i've got one ready made.  Maybe it will be nice to have Boxing day, cold meat sandwiches.
It's time

Its_time

Been a funny old day today.  Meeting only lasted half hour so that was good, but still left me feeling out of sorts felt better after dinner and something to eat.
Made bread today, one slab of cake (will do another one tomorrow and the sponge cakes).  
Ruined quite a lot of work this afternoon simply because I felt it was the only time I had, so rather than think to myself that I wasn't feeling calm enough to do it, I ploughed on and now I am further behind again.  I am going to have to resign myself to the fact that some jobs just wont get finished before Christmas.
The news about the Christmas rules has really upset me today, I know in the grand scheme of things it is relatively small and there is a much bigger picture but it's the first year I wont have my daughter here for Christmas, ever, we are always together.  It made me cry.  
Tesco delivery tomorrow, I am hoping it will be the last time I need to use Tesco, Aldi click and collect from now on for me!
It's been colder here today and I have felt chilly all day.  No walk either as it has been raining hard.  
Dinner was cheese toasties and tea was enchiladas and chips.  Tomorrow will be ham rolls for dinner and toad in the hole and mash potato and gravy for tea, I am hoping to use 4 sausages and spread them out in the batter by cutting them into chunks.  I need to do some housework tomorrow I didn't do any today other than a quick tidy up and a quick kitchen clean, I did however clean the bathroom.
It's time

Its_time

I am finding it so frustrating waiting for the next date I can pay off some debt.  I want to get going.  
I made some biscuits today but my head was elsewhere and I muddled the mixture, they turned out fine but very sweet so no one complained.  A quick tea of chicken tikka slices and chips, easy and on the plate within minutes, not what I had in mind but the plans went out the window.
I actually can not believe this, my DH ordered me a Christmas present online but it was delivered to the wrong house, my son went to collect it and they had opened it!! Not just the outer cardboard box but the actual item (I don't know what it is still) honestly the nerve of some people, we are so annoyed.  I would have died of shame if I had done that.
For some reason I did not make cakes again, no excuse, I am useless honestly, I have no choice now, I have to make the cakes tomorrow, I will get up and put one on to cook before I start.  I only have 4 eggs left because 1 went in the biscuits.  So it's either going to be an 8oz sponge or two fruit slab cakes.  I think it will be slab cakes. 
I can't wait for the weekend and a bit of a lie in, half hour extra will do.
Can't do toad in the hole tomorrow because I wont have any eggs left.  I usually just buy a pancake batter mix and add an egg and water, I wonder if milk will do instead of the egg? Hmmm.....I wonder.....
One thing with the Aldi click and collect you can't alter your order once you have processed it, so I have a tab open on the laptop and will have to complete the order when I am sure everything is on it, I think they allow you to book a week in advance.
Tomorrows dinner is going to be bacon rolls, both rolls and bacon medalions from Aldi, total cost £2.10, plus some butter.  This will serve 3 men so not too bad.  I might make a small cornbeef pie for tea with some chips and freeze the rest of it for another day.  I have lean cornbeef, onions and the rest of the potatoes in the sack, I will make the pastry so that wont cost too much at all, especially if I can freeze the rest.  I should have 8 portions which will leave 5 for the freezer.
It's been constant rain again today just a few breaks in the cloud, dog bed has not been washed yet, perhaps that's a job for tomorrow as well. 
Sunday is my cleaning day, beds change, usually cake make and full clean and hoover through, Wednesday is top up day which ticks it over.  Last week I didn't do the Sunday clean or cake make and I am noticing it  
I've set a target to pay £750 a month off the overall debt figure.  I might be able to clear it by Christmas next year which would be fab and such a weight off my mind, I am going to try so hard.  I've been through my Aldi list ready for the next click and collect and have taken off quite a bit, I am going to take the plunge and eat out of the freezers, lots of the food has been in the freezers since the summer so high time it was used.  I've put a note in my diary to do a full inventory of the storage freezer after Christmas and before I do the next shop.  There is bread, milk, butter, chips, mash, veg, mince, chicken, chops, gateaux, ice-cream, cheese cakes, onion rings, onions, bacon, garlic bread, garlic, peppers...I don't know in all....loads of it.  
It's time

ThatKiss

Its_time said:

I am finding it so frustrating waiting for the next date I can pay off some debt.  I want to get going.  

Hi Its_Time, just wanted to say good luck on your DF journey.

Waiting for the next opportunity to pay off some of the debt is, for me, the hardest part, as you want to get some momentum going but have to hold off. If you can find anything extra in the middle of the month, even if just £5 or £10, it helps to keep the motivation up.