Debt and Budget (Reset) plan

shell16

Morning All and thanks @Squirrelz92 @enthusiasticsaver and @Keedie

Things have a habit of changing very quickly when you pay down debt doesn't it?  Literally a few weeks ago, I was worried like millions of us about the energy crisis and having to reduce payments to minimum and now that is no longer an issue and for that I'm truly grateful!  I know I'm in a fortunate position but I cant let my focus slip or I could end up sliding back down the snowy hill and starting all over again!  

My extra payments help massively, I'm so thankful I came across Prolific at the start of my debt free journey having now cleared nearly £530 that's around 1.5 months of usual Credit card payments so I could say my debt free date has reduced by that and its so easy to do, even the small surveys paying less than £1 all mount up.  Using some budgeted cash when its not been spent, for instance train and parking, I'm not in today due to train strike so I have sent that to debt.  Its changing your mindset which makes a huge difference.

So as it stands on my weekly cash envelope budget, I'm doing really well.  My usual budget for Grocery is £100 a week, I have £57 left plus a bit of change although I need to do a small top up shop so I will be very happy if I can stuff at least £30 into my EF this week.  We are meal planning and using what we have already in cupboards and freezer. So I may need to buy a garlic bread with a spag bol meal where we have the mince in the freezer and a jar of pasta sauce in the cupboard, some wraps, and a bit of salad where we already have the chicken in the freezer etc.  I'm finding this is cutting my food bill massively, but I will need to replenish those at some point and may end up going over Grocery budget like I did last week.  My new cash mini weekly budget starts again on Friday so what ever is left tomorrow will be thrown to Penny Challenge and my EF.

No extra PADs made today as yet, waiting patiently for Prolific to clear funds, currently £4.87 cleared and £5.15 pending!

That's about all for now
Shell x
 

EssexHebridean

Hope poor DD's hand is now on the mend - and I completely agree about hospital parking. We basically refuse to use their car parks now - when Dad was in I was cycling back and forth, and we know a couple of places on side streets nearby that work  of the bike's not practical. It just feels incredibly exploitative!

shell16

Morning All

So I have been shopping this morning and spent a little more than I hoped but I still have £20 put towards EF which is now at £420 and £2.68 in change to the Penny Challenge which Im happy with, at least I have got cash left!  By having cash left out of my mini weekly budget I have managed to stuff £60 extra so far to EF this paycheck month and still have another week and a bit to payday.

Prolific unchanged with £4.87 cleared and £6.65 pending, would like to make another payment to debt this week. 

@EssexHebridean, DD hand is ok, just little finger strapped to next finger for a week and a bit, shes ok.  At least school have provided a laptop for her.

Thats about all for now.
Shellx

shell16

Back again, managed an £8 Prolific cashout and paid towards Sainsburys CC. I have also completed a few more surveys this morning and have £7.33 pending.

Thanks
Shell x

LittleMissDetermined

Well done on Prolific, I am finding the approvals are taking longer to come through. I'm currently at £4.10, with almost £5 still pending.  It's all thanks to you that I went back to Prolific and I will be forever grateful, I'm at almost £300 earned in 4 months... Amazing!
LMD x

shell16

Thats great to hear @LittleMissDeterminedthat I have helped you in some way.  It really does help with those extra payments, without Prolific I would not be able to make so many extra payments to debt myself.

Shell x

shell16

Morning All

Thanks goodness its Friday and I have a cheeky afternoon off work too.....just feel I need some me time at the minute to just chill out whilst Hubby at work and my Girls are at school.  Think I'm going to set myself up in the Living room and binge watch some Youchoob vids for budgeting!   How sad am I

I have had my energy bill and for the last 6 months its come to £703.25 which from this time last year is £92.05 less!!! Plus, I have a credit buffer going into Winter of £613 which doesn't include the help we are getting form the government so feel alot happier about this.

No PADS today as yet, £2.48 cleared on Prolific and £8.33 Pending.   May see if I can tidy up my balances on some accounts and send at least £1. 

I also like to complete my next month's paycheck budget early (I get paid again on 18th October) so will likely do that this afternoon too.  We do have the added benefit this next paycheck month of Hubbys 4% pay rise which we think is around £80 a month better off, so if we can manage, I may use that to clear debt even quicker.  

Went to my youngest Daughters Parents evening last night as she has just started High School.  Im super proud of how she has settled in, recent CATS test shows she is well into where they would expect for her age and is balanced on a number of cognitive abilities, and her reading age is 15 (she only 11!!). They say she should be in top sets when they are placed after half term.

I have to confess I did treat both my girls as my eldest in year 9 has had lots of positives since the beginning of term in September on classcharts as has my youngest so spent around £10 on some bits for them both which were unplanned.  2 very happy girls!

Thats about all for now.
Shell x

SusieT

Your girls deserve the treats, they worked hard so they get the reward  
Very well done on the energy saving, when the price rise hits (if you are not still in a lower fix) you will be in a very good position and may come out of winter with enough of a refund available to clear down more debt. You are doing really well getting the numbers down 

LittleMissDetermined

Enjoy your afternoon off! How lovely to have some time all to yourself  

shell16

SusieT said:

Your girls deserve the treats, they worked hard so they get the reward  
Very well done on the energy saving, when the price rise hits (if you are not still in a lower fix) you will be in a very good position and may come out of winter with enough of a refund available to clear down more debt. You are doing really well getting the numbers down 

Thanks @SusieT, im not on a fixed tariff so im really happy that with the 2 price increases we are still using less than last year.  Im happy with the credit buffer and with my regular DD's to BG should be able to use energy when most needed which is whats important, although Im still being really careful!

Yes they have worked so very hard, im really very proud of them both.

Shell x