Debt and Budget (Reset) plan

sunshine_raincloud

I hope you feel better soon and that it isn't the dreaded virus!

EssexHebridean

Hopefully your tests will continue to be negative! 

Seems like you’re doing well and the calculations around differing amounts of extra thrown at things will definitely help to egg you on attacking it. I can’t see that you won’t easily beat your current DFD! 

shell16

@EssexHebridean feeling better and tests negative, thankyou for checking in with me.

Morning all and quick update from me.

Had a quiet weekend, DH and girls went off in Motorhome to family and I stayed as looking after my mum as my turn last weekend.  Unfortunately she has dementia so cant be left on her own, but as weather was beautiful we had afternoon tea in the back garden.  Was really nice spending some time with her.

Pretty quiet on the debt busting front, managed a PAD today from prolific cashout and save the change - £10.60 to my Lloyds CC, counter upper duties completed on the Payment a Day thread.

Half day working for me today and girls back at school so will be out and about this afternoon with Father in law to take food shopping.  In work tomorrow so will have train and car parking costs to pay, must remember to take my lunch too as canteen is still closed.  

Friday I'm going away after I finish work in the motorhome for the weekend which I'm looking forward to.  Birthday celebration weekend with family and off to an Indian restaurant all budgeted. 

Hoping for a lovely warm sunny day!
Shell x

shell16

Morning

Update from me.  Unfortunately not many PAD payments made this week, Prolific are being very slow at authorising payments, have around £3.20 cleared and over £5 pending, and also around £1.60 in the save the change account linked to my bank.  I have paid my loan this week and have just 7 more payments left.  Payments to Lloyds and Virgin will happen first week of May, those payments will not break me into next thousand barrier unless I can chuck more PADS from now to end of April budget towards debt.  Would love to finish Aprils budget with total debt sitting at a figure starting 7!  On the plus side Virgin will fall below £1K for this months budget, so little possible wins anyway which I will gladly take.

Although Im disappointed that I cant chuck PAD payments to debt everyday now in view of cost of living increases, im still immensely proud of my achievements so far.  With exceptions of DH overdraft I havent really added to debt at all and havent fallen off the wagon.  I do feel totally committed to this journey to debt freedom and the light at the end of the tunnel is getting a little bit bigger every month.

Credit utilisation is ever decreasing now at 15.5% this being from 33% back in August when I had my LBM. Virgin is at 29% but will be 24% following my next payment, Lloyds at 16%.  All my hard work is paying off.  Credit scores are stable and excellent.

When I started my journey I really had no idea how on earth I could clear this debt, I envied others who appeared to hit the ground running and had huge payments cleared (I now know those results were from pure hard work from the individuals which required focus and determination).  I really had no idea how I could raise extra cash when I was constantly living in overdrafts, adding to credit cards for silly things and just generally have no ownership for what decisions I was making every day.  Im 48, have 2 children and feel I have been totally irresponsible in my past with regards money.  What I have now learned (and I wish It would have been sooner than last August), is how to budget carefully and still have a happy life whilst paying debt down.  I have a fund now for Christmas, never in my life have I managed to save up before Christmas!  I also have the EF, again in my previous life, would just have added to debt without a 2nd thought.

I would say that this new way of living is now deeply ingrained, I check my accounts every day, I check my budget every day and I also attempt to make additional PAD's everyday.  I love the new me!

Shell x

sunshine_raincloud

You've made amazing progress and should be proud of yourself!

southern_chick

Such a positive post. You’re doing brilliantly well done xx

EssexHebridean

I’m SO impressed with how much progress you’ve made - you sound like a different person from the first few pages of this diary! It really is only time and experience that drives home the full DFW lessons I think - someone dipping in to this diary now might see you as the “sorted, hitting the ground running, making big impacts on debt” person - but you’re right - it’s hard work, grind, and learning to budget that makes the progress. Well done! 

shell16

Thankyou @sunshine_raincloud, @southern_chick and @EssexHebridean really appreciate your kind comments and following my journey.

I am absolutely thrilled with my debt journey so far.  I cant explain how much really that I am focussed and wanting this debt gone as soon as possible, but also mindful its a marathon.  

I actually dreamt last night that I was typing in an entry on the finally debt free thread, my emotions were one of elation and financial freedom.  I appreciate just a dream but has really just confirmed my determination to go on and get to the point where I am f(or real) typing in my debt free post!

Had a lovely weekend away, weather beautiful but extremely windy!  Had a great time on Saturday night too for a family birthday celebration at a restaurant near to where we were staying.  Family member actually paid for all meals, and I decided to buy breakfast for everyone yesterday as I had already budgeted for spending, and I still have over £20 left.

Counter upper duties completed for the full weekend on the Payment A Day Thread as I was away, I also managed a PAD payment to Lloyds CC yesterday totalling £10.18 which was a mixture of Prolific and save the change. 

Work today, busy as always on Mondays with Teams calls and a new call system to navigate at home too today.....im terrible with new technology.  Wish me luck!

Shell x

shell16

Evening. 

I've had a week I'd rather not have had at all. I received a call last Monday afternoon effectively saying I need to get to the hospital as my dad (been in hospital for 5 weeks) was really very poorly.  My dad is 89  has COPD and had given up, refusing to eat, drink, and medication. Hospital said he had days to live if that 😭

I stayed at the hospital overnight on Monday taking in turns 2 sleeping,  2 stopping by dad's side.  He woke up early hours of Tuesday morning and sort of came to a bit. 

Long story short he got transferred to a hospice on Tuesday afternoon and is still there. He has been eating, drinking,  taking medication but still refusing oxygen.  He is still poorly,  hospice saying he can transfer out but needs continuous care so now going full time into a nursing home. 

I have seen him today and its been a definite down day which is sad. He is hallucinating, seeing and talking to people not there, it's been pretty hard to watch.  Doctors are saying dad is in the throws of his last weeks/months and now just need to make sure his up days are the best they can be. 

Now need to sort all power of attorney,  me and my eldest sister. My mum has dementia so already sorted for her just to sort for dad. 

Budget wrecked,  but in all honesty I'm really not bothered about it, it is what it is. Will definitely be into Overdraft,  will just try to limit the best I can. 

Paid sainsbury's CC Of £51.75 & also prolific and save the change just over £10 to Lloyds CC. Signature updated.

Virgin and Lloyds usual payments due this week so debt figure will look better hoping to hit a debt figure starting with a 7.

Not the week I'd hoped, budget shot to pieces but some regular payments due this week. 

I will update further when I can.
Shell x

sunshine_raincloud

Shell I am so sorry to hear about your dad. He will be in my thoughts as well as you and your family. Make sure you are taking care of yourself and at the moment forget about the budget and prioritise family! It is the most important thing.