New Year, New me

Sarahwithlove

All caught up. Well done on your credit cards being gone. Should be a relief when the loan is gone as well. 

bigbeff

Feeling a bit more positive today. Rebooked flights to France for May, cost an extra £115 but it’s not the end of the world. OH has now tested positive so I don’t think we’d have enjoyed it and it wouldn’t be right. 

Have also made extra £350 payment to loan today and am working out how I can stick to plans for debt free life ☺️

LittleMissDetermined

Missed this as we have been away for the weekend. I hope you are feeling better? 

Well done on the extra payment, that's a big chunk!  In terms of plans for a debt-free life, I have extended my trusty spreadsheet so that it goes into the future and instead of payments to my debt, those payments go to savings pots.  EF, car fund, holidays and a sabbatical fund.  I will also be overpaying the mortgage.  That's my plan anyway. I will also still do surveys and receipt snapping but pop it into the sealed pot and maybe do another few savings challenges on here. 

I want to keep on with a diary too as it really helps me focus
LMD x

bigbeff

@LittleMissDetermined I'm feeling much better thank you, still coughing a bit, but hopefully on the mend for good! 

All is good at my end. Just pottering on. Cashed out 4.53 from CC and 6.07 from prolific so put that towards loan. Trying to clock a bit more up. 

My MacBook is on the way out - battery doesn't last now. It is 8 years old I think so has done well, but I don't want to fork out for a new one yet - I think I need to start a laptop fund and just keep mine plugged in now 😂 it is a work expense for my tutoring so at least it'll be tax deductible when I do eventually have to invest, and considering how long this one lasted, I'm thinking I may go apple again because it just works! But I need to start saving for that. 

LittleMissDetermined

Must be something in the air as my Macbook (from 2012!!) is also on its way out. I am willing it to last until I can clear the debt and can replace it!  Fingers crossed we can keep them going   To be honest I am impressed at how long they last compared to the windows version so I will definitely be investing again.
LMD x

joedenise

Mine seems to be OK at the moment, fingers crossed it lasts, it's a 2013 MacBook Air.  I bought it secondhand from an the IT Store in Canterbury (they also have online sales so might be worth a look when you're ready).  

I have already set up a category in YNAB for PC replacement plus ink for printer, although that doesn't get a lot of use now I don't work!

bigbeff

Hi all, I’ve set up a fund for laptop… let’s hope it’ll keep going for a few months yet! 

Another £17 cashed out of prolific this week which went off loan. I need to try and reduce it by another £106.20 by the end of the month to hit my target. Hopefully doable come payday. I can’t believe I have kept this up for a year nearly and knocked down my debt by so much and built my savings. I might even pay my tax bill early so it’s done and out the way (can’t believe I have enough to pay it a month early with no last minute panic!) 

Rain today - we are heading to local garden centre that do awesome Christmas display. Best not take my purse 😂

Sarahwithlove

I imagine it will be a nice feeling paying the tax bill off early and making a start on the next one!

LittleMissDetermined

Amazing that you could pay your tax bill early, that’s really having control over your finances 😊

I’m almost 2 years into my diary now but I still remember that dread like it was yesterday, owing so much money!  Never again as long as I can help it, fingers crossed! 

LMD x

PS well done on starting the laptop fund x

bigbeff

I'm having to have a rethink about my debt free aim and if it is doable - it was ambitious to start with, but now it is looking like I might need to get a new boiler for rental property - it's been costing me every couple of months for a while. So I'm having a fiddle with numbers - think I need to put a bit aside for that and hope the plumber can keep it going for a bit longer so I can save (and if it turns out to be ok, I can then add to my loan). So unless I can pick up extra work etc, I think realistically it'll be end of August for debt free. We'll see how we go. I'm going to keep on prolific and budgeting but I think this boiler may set me back a bit. But hey, it'll still be gone this year!