24 months to debt freedom

CL21

Back from the work trip - total work expenses to be claimed now at £250 🙄 Should definitely ask for a work credit card!  Will make a nice chunk to pay off CC1 when payday comes but I’m feeling a bit poor in the meantime. 

I filled in the application for her secondary school choices which in NI works completely differently depending on whether you’ve sat the AQE (sort of like the 11+) DD didn’t sit it so her choices are fairly limited and although the secondary I’ve picked for her first choice is excellent, there’s no guarantee. Won’t hear until May. 

CL21

Not much to report, just plodding along until payday! Sold another book on fleBay so that will be another £9 to the cc and got 80p on topcashback for buying a new microwave from arg*s - had completely forgotten about using that 🤦🏼‍♀️ Will hopefully be able to get my car insurance through that too in a couple of months. That purchase will also add money to my Airtime Rewards account and get me another tenner off my phone bill in a couple of months. 

Small wins but they add up! 

Blackcats

Well done on plodding away til next payday.
little and often does add up.  My £co earnings are £1200 albeit over quite a few years but still its "free" money.  I've just cashed out £7.43 and sent to accumulation of marginal gains pot - aka me v the council tax bill pot.

[Deleted User]

Blackcats. Read this thread that is much less  intimidating when thinking about retirement on a more average income.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6228191/how-much-to-live-on/p1

CL21

Murphy has arrived (Dave Ramsey readers will know all about him 😬) - seal on the washing machine has gone. It’s over twelve years old and was left in the house by the previous owners so it’s done well. I’ve called the local washing machine repair man to get a new seal fitted which will hopefully be next week some time. 

Old me would defo have just bought a new one. New me can use the ‘house’ fund to fix it and, worst case scenario, can use the EF if a new one is strictly necessary

CL21

Blackcats said:

Well done on plodding away til next payday.
little and often does add up.  My £co earnings are £1200 albeit over quite a few years but still its "free" money.  I've just cashed out £7.43 and sent to accumulation of marginal gains pot - aka me v the council tax bill pot.

Thanks - being debt free seems to involve a lot of plodding! 

EssexHebridean

Debtbusting does indeed involve lots of plodding. The good news is though that all those baby steps, if persisted with, do add up in "getting us there!" 

Fingers crossed the WM is an easy fix and you can coax a little longer out of it. I absolutely love the fact that there is money ion standby to make repairs like that possible without causing major stress - I think it's probably the biggest positive change I've found since discovering this place many moons ago! 

CL21

Thanks @EssexHebridean - the first month must be the worst I think! I know that Februarys payday will add to the pots and that momentum will keep me going! 

Well, the repair guy came to look at the washing machine. Took one look, told me he needed to order a part, threw in a mention about how with this model they need to take the whole front of the machine to refit the seal - which I took to mean will cost more - and left, assuring me he’ll be in touch when he’s got a part. Fingers crossed won’t be too long. In the meantime, my friends are away on a half term break and have kindly said that I can use their machine. 

Randomly I saw that washing machines have been installed at our local petrol station - is this a Northern Ireland thing?!

joedenise

CL21 said:

Thanks @EssexHebridean - the first month must be the worst I think! I know that Februarys payday will add to the pots and that momentum will keep me going! 

Well, the repair guy came to look at the washing machine. Took one look, told me he needed to order a part, threw in a mention about how with this model they need to take the whole front of the machine to refit the seal - which I took to mean will cost more - and left, assuring me he’ll be in touch when he’s got a part. Fingers crossed won’t be too long. In the meantime, my friends are away on a half term break and have kindly said that I can use their machine. 

Randomly I saw that washing machines have been installed at our local petrol station - is this a Northern Ireland thing?!

Not seen any in petrol stations but we've had washing machines in the supermarket car park for several years now.  We first came across this about 7 or 8 years ago when we were motorhoming in France which we thought was a bit weird but I think it's becoming more common now.

CL21

Haven’t seen any in supermarkets yet but good to know it’s not just here - was just a bit of a surprise seeing one at a petrol station 🤣 

Thinking about it though, our only town laundrette closed in the pandemic so would be tricky if you relied on one. Good to have them around if you need one