Third time's a charm!

twiggy86

OH got paid for last job yesterday! Finally! However, not celebrating too much given the fact that this week it doesn't look like he will be earning again. So at the moment I have cleared the CC which we used last month and tucked the rest of the money away - I can decide later in the month where it is best used (debt re-payment, save etc). 

I am failing at meal planning as I just don't seem to have the mental capacity to think that far ahead at the moment. I think it is the stress of the money situation and also work has been exceptionally busy recently! However, I will keep trying with this goal rather than simply accept it! 

In crochet news (lol!) I have a jumper that I want to make but it is a new technique which I haven't tried before. However, before Christmas I won a competition and the prize included a book on this technique and lots of cotton yarn. So I decided that the sensible route was to trial a project using free yarn before attempting the jumper - as not only would this use more expensive yarn, it would also be frustrating if I couldn't do it!!! I have two birthdays in the next week who will be gifted the projects I made last month - a fire engine a wolpertinger (think a rabbit with antlers and wings!) 

bigbeff

Yay for getting paid! 

With regards to meal planning, I am planning for 4 days in advance - means I have cut my shopping trips in half. I too can't cope with weekly planning, especially with OH doing shift work. I figure some planning is better than no planning. 

Nice on the crochet front, it's my newish hobby, I am getting so much better, and I am sure you'll be able to work out the new stitch!

twiggy86

Thanks @bigbeff - I think I'm going to try for 4 days now you've said it. So far I haven't done the meal plan as a week seems too much so I've done nothing instead!!! 

OH didn't work this week but looks like he will be next week - fingers crossed!!! So I think I will mark £200 for the TV as "paid" although actually it will just sit in a particular account until I've saved the full amount - so I can re-assign if needed, but will make me feel more productive! 

I am having to fight the urge to buy something that I want - very clearly a want, not a need! The devil on my shoulder is telling me I deserve a treat after firefighting this money situation for the past few months and also it is on sale and is a bargain for what it is! It hasn't won yet though! Must keep fighting it!

twiggy86

I just realised if I do "make the TV payment" (at least on my spreadsheet) this it takes my total debt figure into the 16's rather than the 17's!!! That's exciting for a Friday!!!!

twiggy86

So OH went off to work this morning! Woohooo!!! Hopefully we're back to normality now!

Which is good as that thing I said I was fighting to not buy.... well I bought it!! Oops! But in my defence it went down to 50% and is my advent calendar for this year, so when it arrives it will be put aside for December. I haven't had an advent for years and I said I really wanted one next year - and this is something I will use and know I like (as I've already seen what it contains as it was last year's hence the 50% off!) 

Other than that splurge, the weekend was nice and frugal! I popped to see various friends which was nice and spent zero pennies - although it is an hour drive to my best friends so obviously used fuel. It was her youngest's birthday so I'd made him a crochet fire engine as that's his current thing! I have to pop a present round another friend's house on my way home from work today as it's her daughter's birthday tomorrow. 

In CC news, I've got just over £450 which will drop off 0% on Sunday so I am planning on moving that to my Hfax card which has a fee-free offer. I will then prioritise clearing that once the n*xt has gone - as moving it there means I add to the total number of debts (i.e. number of CCs). Obviously I did say at one point it was a goal to try and clear it before the end of this month but I didn't expect the money issues to continue for quite so long! That reminds me, I must go back and check what I'd said and see how I'm doing against them! 

twiggy86

I've just looked up the short-term goals I set to try to achieve by the end of March and I'm way off on all of them... but there's still time and the start to this year has been financially pretty dire! 

• Clear Barclays CC - achieved! 
• Pay £178.82 off Next - currently stands at £100  
• Pay £531.44 off MBNA - currently stands at £461.44 which I am about to balance transfer to avoid interest  
• Save £400 towards the TV - currently stands at £239.11 

I may not achieve them, but I'm doing better than I was when I was ignoring the situation and just plodding along paying the minimums!!! 

bigbeff

You are making progress on all of them, and that is what matters  

Keep up the hard work! 

twiggy86

Thanks @bigbeff

Amber1980

@twiggy86
that looks pretty good to me,all progress is good,be proud of yourself!
 I have found I spent a lot the first couple of months of the year,can’t believe it’s already March,back to focusing on lowering debt for 2022!

Good luck with yours!😊

twiggy86

Thanks @Amber1980