Becoming debt free within 18 months

CMD79

Getridofdebt66 said:

Had a very productive day, i did everything on my list, spent £2.50 to make up my blind and £8 on an event ticket for dd that shes going tomorrow with her friend, got a voucher for food for the day out i will send with dd friends mum so no more spends for that, cleaned all my windows so in front with my list, also £15 joining fee for the gym.

Tomorrow's list:
General housework
Do 1 load of washing amd dry it outside
All food from stores
Take dd to her friends with gift voucher for food (its a £25 voucher so will cover dd and her friend)
Take dd to the dentist in the morning
Go to the gym tomorrow i am aiming for twice a week but anymore is a bonus


I keep looking at last minute holidays, we couldn't afford one but it is keeping me going to think one day we can book a holiday and not be in debt. Me and oh spoke yesterday about our future plans, we would like to retire to a home abroad so as motivation i started looking i found a beautiful villa and it was just us, that is my motivation to stop spending and start saving once we are debt free. It may sound silly but if i have a plan even if its for in 30 years time or 80 years time its a long term goal that would be amazing for me and oh to aim for.

My positivity is growing and I am feeling more in control of having a future without debt than ever before and i feel amazing for it! I am hoping it continues! 

Right off to bed now ready for a busy day tomorrow!

You'll not be the only one here looking at those last minute holidays! I keep doing it as well. 

It's great you are feeling positive - how much debt have you got to pay off still?  xx

joedenise

It's much easier to save @Getridofdebt66 if you have a plan for that money so well done on deciding what you are going to be saving for.

The one area I find particularly hard to save is my Emergency Fund as I know I can't touch it unless it's an emergency and I'm hoping I don't have one to need it!

Getridofdebt66

Hello,
Lovely to come and see messages today @CMD79 i still have £13,336 to pay off, i spend my evenings working out how long it will take to pay off, it really helps. Last night i remembered i am paying off a Christmas present for dd and in October that will be the last payment so I will have another £45 a month to throw at my debts, its amazing the little things i am paying i forget about, its so bad as it shows how terrible my finances were! But I am trying my best and it was something i pay along with my phone bill. So that made my night as it brought my end date closer. I will also finish paying my car off next year which will give me an extra £160 a month to throw at my debt. I am hoping i could be debt free by Christmas 2023 at this rate which would be amazing!

I keep looking at holidays and think one day i can have some holidays savings and we just book up. If i was feeling like this last year or in previous years it would be me and oh jiggling our bills and whatever we had available on credit and book something, as our motto was we only live once when in reality we're existing and constantly paying off debt but spending what we paid back and never getting out of the hole! But its nice to look!

@joedenise thank you, it definitely is nice to have a goal, we may not make it but we may do and if we stay on the path we have more of a choice and a chance to get there. I am trying to work towards an emergency fund i am hoping to do a budget and send a set amount each month to get it up.

Todays plans have been good
I popped to my surplus store, spent £31 so some bargains and top up bits for the holidays i had 4 big bags full of food. I now have £221 spent, but i need to minus £18.50 from a refund and a voucher i have from my big shop, so currently on £202.50 for the month. I will need to do a top up shop i will use the voucher for fresh bits i should have enough until Monday though. Again feeling good with the food budget atm much better than other months! Got meat out for tea going to start shortly as going out tonight to the gym. Dd went out she went with £10 for anything extra  but under instructions to use the voucher first.

Today i have done
2 loads of washing dried outside
Cleaned bathroom and tidied upstairs 
Took dd to the dentist 
Did a top up shop
Took dd to her friends

Squirrelz92

Awwwww yay so pleased to hear that your mindset and positivity has changed @Getridofdebt66! That long term goal of moving abroad to live sounds amazing! What I’d give to have sunshine and the beach all year round!

You are tackling your debt brilliantly! Don’t feel guilty for the cost of the gym membership as it’s your treat! We can’t be too hard on ourselves all the time and need to do things that make us feel happy! X

Getridofdebt66

Hello @Squirrelz92
Thank you, my mentality is defo changing. Like today when dd was out i would have popped to grab something, anything i came home had a cup of tea and watched some tv whilst pottering about, sorted tea out etc.
 I am slowly changing my way of thinking, i know it wont be overnight but i think it is getting there. 
We have so many flies atm we have a zapper thing that doesnt seem to zap them but must scare them away and they disappear. Oh was talking of getting a new one as we wasnt sure where it was, i had looked online (now previously (i did write normally but i want to stop thinking it is normal and my current thinking) i would have ordered another one to collect without thinking. Instead i went on the hunt and within 10 minutes found it in the bottom of a cupboard. Saved myself £10 ans buying something i already have and those flies has disappeared almost instantly.
Been to the gym had a great time, really felt nice coming out thinking if i would have stayed at home i would have sat on the sofa doing nothing.
Planned to go again tomorrow as dd is at a sleepover, so no mum guilt there! Just having a bath and going to do a sandwich as i dont fancy tea this late and didnt want any before i went i think it was due to the heat 

Tomorrow's plans:
Put away clean washing from today
Clean bin
All food from stores
Hospital appointment so will need to pay parking
Gym on the evening
Take dd to sleepover
General housework
Quick was on gym clothes and dry outside
Ask oh to put up new blinds
Take dd to the park in the morning
Look at space in the freezer for some fridge bits that wont get eaten or last much longer
Make some plans for next week.

Right off for a quick bath then relaxing all evening 

Getridofdebt66

Today has been successful so far

Put away clean washing from today - done
Clean bin -done
All food from stores - done
Hospital appointment so will need to pay parking -£3.40 & another £30 petrol
Gym on the evening
Take dd to sleepover - done
General housework -done
Quick wash on gym clothes and dry outside - done
Ask oh to put up new blinds
Take dd to the park in the morning - done
Look at space in the freezer for some fridge bits that wont get eaten or last much longer - done
Make some plans for next week.

Still need to ask ph to put some blinds up but hes busy working ans make some plans for next week although looking at my diary it is filling up anyway! 

Hospital went well, been referred for some tests, nothing serious so feeling more optimistic the dr was lovely which is a nice change from my experience there.

Going to get ready now for an hour at the gym then a bath and chill with oh. Not done tea just but it will be a quick one when I get home! 

Getridofdebt66

Happy bright and sunny Friday morning!

Woke up in the middle of the night by the dog as a fox was in the garden so oh had to chase it off (due to out rabbits being out there) so I had broken sleep.
Had a bit of a lie in this morning (i am still in bed now) but need to get moving as today is a busy one! 

Todays plans:
General housework, mainly the kitchen to tackle today
Take dd out for the afternoon using gift voucher she wonr £76 worth of activities for a bit of petrol
Oh has an eye test later so trip to local shopping centre
Need to go to the bank to put some money in to order some tickets (no cost to me i am doing dds club a favor)
Order the the tickets
All food from stores
Lsd i need to order dds blazer for her uniform its never ending atm.

Right time to get moving and work my way through my list 

Squirrelz92

Glad your hospital appointment went well! How did the gym go again yesterday evening?
School uniform is a nightmare isnt it? Cost me £60 in Asda for 2 pairs of shoes, two sets of pumps and a set of socks each! I dread to think what it will be like once they hit High School as the uniform list looks insane!!!

Getridofdebt66

Hello @Squirrelz92 the gym went really well yesterday did a bit more than the day before and been really active today. Dd is starting high school it is eye watering! Upto £160 without shoes, a coat, tights, a bag and stationery. Oh will get most of the rest hopefully!

Today i have done most of what i wanted to do, spent £2.20 on parking only to find out it had free parking there but i had no clue. Oh took us out for dinner and he paid which was a nice treat that we didnt expect, did the daily offers and came to £38 for 4 with drinks we were all so full! 
Just finished tidying up the kitchen its finally looking tidy and clean! 
I need to tally up whay is owed for the tickets as there was a discrepancy and i havent managed to get to the bank to pay in the money  so that will have to wait until Monday now ☹️

My bank isnt looking as healthy as i would like it to have, need to really not spent anything now until payday in 22 day other than top up shops for food and probably some petrol.

Tomorrow's plans:
All food from stores, eat todays planned dinner tomorrow as we ate out and i had the chicken out of the freezer.
Take dd to her club, will take drinks and snacks
General cleaning
Washing and dry outside 
Lsd - we will need milk and cereal 
Oh is at work so film night with dd
Tidy up the garden 
Wash all fruit in the fridge and encourage it to be eaten (i am not a big fan of fruit but will eat the bananas)
Look for some birthday presents ideas for some coming up in 2 weeks
Make oh a card for his birthday with dd
Do some baking with dd

Thats all for me now going to get in my pjs and have a nice evening!

Getridofdebt66

Today has been lovely and warm....perfect for drying washing outside! 2 loads done and changed my beds so bedding is outside now! Msd spent £18 of food budget, also used somw clubcard points (£3.50 worth) £11 was for ice lollies for the upcoming hotter weather next week....about the same amount for 3/4 from the ice cream man!
Oh didn't want much tea so im doing it now for me and dd, slight change of plan but from stores and not from a different meal so i wont need to replace or juggle later in the month! Currently have £86 food budget left but doing quite well i had aimed a shop Monday but may be able to stretch it another day or too for fresh supplies. Nearly succumbed to buying more crisps and chocolates earlier but resisted we have biscuits and some crisps just not our favourite flavours.

Did all my list except for the card and baking purely because we have been in the garden most of the afternoon.

Will get started on a plan for tomorrow and come on to post to give me some motivation!

Also got rid of some dead heads on my plants i think i did it correctly but time will tell the garden is looking better already tho!

Right off to dish up tea!