Becoming debt free within 18 months

Getridofdebt66

Today has been a relaxing day, i did my big shop, £72 spent. I did my usual price comparison if i had brought the items from the proper shop and not the surplus shop, £196 saved off the usual shop, got some lovely food items including 2 turkeys from M+S should have been £115 for the 2, cost me £29. So new years day is sorted plus a treat for in January when feeling poor and need a pick me up! Unfortunately i havent done a meal plan yet, i have £150 left in my budget for the month (as i am including the Christmas shop) but i will increase to £200 due to Christmas and take it out of the Christmas present, my freezers and my fridge is bulging, i also sorted my freezer out i threw away some very weird looking foods, i also found 8 portions of chicken, a bag of meatball, 2 portions of mince and a big bag of fish between that and what i have got today i should be fine for January and beyond...need to start doing a freezer audit. I also have 2 packets of sausage rolls, i am going to use those when me and dd are back to work and school as a pack of 4 will do for 2 lunches each as a bit of a change. This week i am hoping to do a small shop with fresh bits but also need dog food so that will knock it up a bit i also need toilet roll and toiletries for the month too, so i am hoping to do £80 this week, then i will have £120 for the rest of the month. 

I have found 2 sim only deals for around £3 a month, i can change ohs but i ideally need to stay with current provider so i will see what they can do but it is extortionate so maybe will need to take the leap. 

Oh did some washing and cleaning earlier, i have been pottering about i also did some baking with dd, there is so much cake in this house atm i am not sure what to do with it all. I am going to a friends tomorrow i may take half a cake with me along with a box of chocolates. We have some visiting to do to bils to take presents.

I am feeling a bit sad now, as half my holiday is over. I know i should be happy to have so long but the final week was awful i am just not sure if mentally i am prepared to go back. 

I have been looking at meditation tonight, and i think it could be helpful and nice to let me relax a bit. A place near me is having an open day the end of January i may pop in to have a look. I can always look online too but its having peace and some time to myself at home, it never seems to happen. Thats me i am going to stop being a misery. I have been thinking if i do like it i am going to look into a retreat, not for anytime soon but maybe in 2024, a night or 2 away, i have never gone anywhere but think it could be good, i dont know maybe we shall see. I would like to be more mindful and in tune with myself.

Tomorrow's plans:

General housework

Visit friend - take cake and chocolates with me.

Visit BIL and his family.

All food from stores - no idea yet there is so much choose from.

Remember to take the bins out...they are over flowing.

Look at meal plan

Online click and collect for Monday if possible.

Start looking for goals for 2023.

Work out current debts and 1% of this and start tracking.

Keep energy low, under £8 today considering everyone is in i think thats a win, although it isnt freezing but stil getting down from 2 weeks ago.

Getridofdebt66

Today has been somewhat successful, i got a voucher come through and brought some decorating supplies for the house. I will collect tomorrow, had to put £17 towards it but more than enough to decorate the hallway and the kitchen. I may make a start the weekend or oh can do it next week, we shall see. I also had the landlord replace my bathroom light today, it was hanging off the wall so a nice new led light and it is so bright. I have visited my friend, was lovely me and dd had a lovely few hours. OH did not fancy going to his brothers so we had tea and tided up. I am about to jump in the shower and then will look at a meal plan and do an online shop for next week. I also want to work out 1% debt amounts and post here.

Tomorrow dd is having a friend stay over, i will get some cheese and bits and they can make pizzas for tea.

Washing all done, just needs putting away but i will do that tomorrow.

I will update tomorrow's plans later.

Getridofdebt66

I didnt check back in yesterday as i was really tired. I did my meal plan and online food shops today, one click and collect for tomorrow and one for Monday, tomorrows is dog food and toiletries things i will run out of and will cost a fortune locally to buy, Mondays is next weeks shop, total £90 spent so i have £110 for the rest of the money. 

I downloaded a mindful app yesterday and although i didnt sleep great yesterday i did feel much more relaxed going to sleep, will try it again shortly, i also need to get back into my sleep routine of trying to go to sleep by 10.30pm.

My bills all came out today, it wasnt great and my bank is looking rather bad, i am feeling a bit like it is neverending but I know it wont be.

Dd has a friend staying over today, we had some tea and they watched a film and played some games, they seem to have enjoyed themselves.

Tomorrow's plans;

Take dd to club, £3 to spend.

All food from stores

Dd is going out with oh tomorrow evening so i will have a relaxing bath and chill

Use mindful app.

Collect click and collect food order

Collect paint from click and collect order

Put clean washing away

Work current debts out and 1% and start charting when i have paid 1% off.in my phone

Take up a free trial of a system for work and make a start on some documents then cancel once completed so i won't be charged. I am not technical but this will help.

Getridofdebt66

I have been busy for the past couple of days, i am still working on Thursdays list though, hoping to finish it off today.

Yesterday we visited in laws, which was nice, i had a birthday cheque through the post along with a penalty notice for £60 so cancelled each other out. I forgot to pay a clean air zone payment in the timeframe, really depressing and a lesson to be learnt. But at least my birthday money paid for it as not sure where i would have got the money from  

This month is going to be a tight one but i am hoping we will get through it. Just need to be careful. 

We took our decorations down yesterday and the house is looking less cluttered, today i need to get it looking right again. Lots of housework. I have had a relaxing morning and watched a film in bed, was lovely.

Todays plans:

Send a parcel

Collect a click and collect from Wednesday.

Put clean washing away.

All food from stores.

Get dinner for tomorrow out the freezer.

Clean bathroom - a big blitz needed

Clean kitchen - another big clean needed

Washing and drying

Nsd

Take a present to a friends.

Put water in car

General empty of rubbish from my car.

Games evening with dd and oh.

I have been thinking of new years resolutions. I have a few that i want to start looking at but may add to my list:

Eating more healthier and try and lose some weight.

Pay off 5 debts this year - any 5 will do but my car is due to be finished this year and that is a big chunk.

Redecorate 3 rooms in the house using only vouchers from surveys - it will be mainly paint needed anyway.

Do surveys to put towards Christmas - need to set a goal for this.

Save nectar points for Christmas meal next year.

Continue to keep myself in check with money but better in 23.

Getridofdebt66

I have done lots of list today, sent a parcel, collected my order, cleaned the house. Realised it was too late to take a turkey out of the freezer but I have beef in the fridge, i will cut that up tomorrow, will hopefully get 3 joints and have that tomorrow. 

I was feeling really down earlier about my debts so i have taken stock. My starting debt was £17765 which includes my car finance and dds present from last year that i had forgotten about. My total debt stands at £13693 which is a reduction of £4072 since March. Whilst most debts are coming down slowly they are coming down especially with the financial constraints we have had personally this year along with how much everything is increasing. Whilst i dont think i will have everything paid by 2024 i am going to try my best to at least pay off £5000 in 2023 towards my debt. It took me many years of constantly over spending to get here it is not going to be easy to get rid of it but it is going down and I need to keep hold of that. Also my 1% is £136.93, i will round up to £137 for my 1% the countdown starts tomorrow. 

Currently making dd a snack despite tea will be in about 2 hours but shes hungry, all food from stores today were having toasted sandwiches for our snack which are delicious but we havent had one for ages. 

I also am going to quickly sort my mug cupboard out whilst waiting for it to cook, i have no room but there are loads i will never use again, will take to work for spares.

Getridofdebt66

Happy new year! 

Yesterday was a busy and reflective day, today i want to be more proactive. We stayed up together to bring the new year in then off to bed, dd is still in bed. 

Today i have cut a joint of beef into 3 smaller joints, i could have done 2 big but its not moneysaving enough, todays joint is already in the SC. Just about to have some caffeine before starting the day.

I lay in bed last night thinking of anything i have to sell, most of my clothes are worn until they fall apart but i did remember some nice bits i have that i will never wear again, will look to sell online later.

Todays plans:

Washing and drying

All food from stores

Lsd need milk

Remove an item from click and collect for tomorrow as i have found some hiding in a cupboard.

General housework

Make some cookies with dd for after dinner

Ironing work and school clothes

Change beds

Early night tonight and alarm set for a bit earlier tomorrow to help ready for Tuesday.
Put 3 items on Vin☆ed

I am just going to enjoy the peace before dd wakes up, no tv or radio on yet just me and my thoughts.

Getridofdebt66

Up earlier today than i have been most of the holiday, thankfully i set my alarm i will appreciate this tonight when i will be tired at a normal time and hopefully make it easier to get up in the morning.

Most of my list completed yesterday, i will rollover the listing items to be sold. I also made £24 yesterday for the make £2023 in 2023 challenge, i will put anything i make into a savings far on my bank.

Today i dont really have many plans yet as i have been very productive the past few days and my house is looking much better for it. 

Today i will:

Do some washing and drying

All food from stores

Collect food shop

General housework

Visit my mum for an hour this afternoon.

Bath later

Get work things ready

Do tomorrow's lunches

List 3 things on V!nted

Thats about it for today, not a big list as i said i have been very productive and it has paid off for a semi relaxing day.

Getridofdebt66

Back to work today and wow i came back with a bang! Been busy all day.

I also made lunch yesterday and did some stock thing for the make £2023 in 2023 challenge. All food from stores today, had some money i wasnt expecting given to me so an extra £40 but were going out in a couple of weeks and the tickets are £50 for the 3 of is so really only £10. 

Got an extra portion out of tea so that will be my lunch tomorrow, energy has been lower the past 2 days, around £6.50 each day its still a lot but better than the £12-14 a day before Christmas when the weather had changed. Had a relaxing night, oh took dd to her club and i have had some peace for an hour.

Tomorrow's plans

Nsd

All food from stores

General cleaning

Put something in v!nted

Washing and drying

And thats about it cant get much done when i am at work and trying to ease myself in gently 

Getridofdebt66

I have been here in the background, i have been unwell since 4th January with an infection, had a day off work due to this so money lost but been really unwell.

Yesterday i needed to buy somethings for dd club, £36 spent. I need to look at putting £5 a month away for extras for dd that crop up. This will be looked at at the end of the month. Food shop came today, £48 spent but got some extras that were on offer and will last 2 weeks so hopefully will save a bit next week i also needed it delivered due to illness and min spend was £40. 

Other than that and the cost of a prescription i haven't spent anything else.

Tomorrow hopefully i will be back at work as i am feeling much better (around half way there) but enough to go in but i will see how i wake up tomorrow. If i do go in my plans will be:

Nsd

Take lunch with me.

Work.

Oh to take dd to club and i will stay in.

All food from stores

Sort dds things out for the week

Lots of fluids and rest

That will be all I am not doing too much as I just can't manage it.

I did today manage to post a survey on the school run this afternoon(i stayed in the car and dd walked out to me) that will be another £20 voucher which we have ear marked towards decorating supplies we need gloss and bathroom wall paper will see which has the better offer on, if i can get 3 for 2 on wallpaper i should be able to get all the bathroom paper then next month get gloss and wallpaper paste then in 3 months we will have got the decorating supplies we need to make a start on 3 rooms.

Moneywise isnt looking great oh is sending me some on Friday when he is paid so that should cover us for the month. I also got my pac code for my contract and ordered a 95p a month sim for me and oh, one each obvs. That should help save a whopping £65 a month once they come, they have been shipped so hopefully should get them within the next day or 2. We wont see the saving until February but at least its coming thats the main thing. Its £780 a year alone, which will help massively. 

This year I am trying to be resourceful and not spending the extra...the second is the main one its not extra cash to spend its extra to pay off stuff! 

Getridofdebt66

I have been really unwell over the past 2 weeks so I have been a bit awol, i have still been trying to be a bit more accountable and the only takeaways (thats my downfall) were budgeted due to something going on in the RW. I spent the min on both and the past 2 days i have had parties, £5 entry for one but me and dd ate like kings, spent £5 on snacks and £4.80 on 2 drinks for us both but had a nice time, tonight i have spent £2 on drinks for a family party, my mum brought us the rest of the drinks, shes so lovely in that way but we only had another 2. So a weekend of celebrations and bare minimum spent. Less than a week until payday, i have spent £36 on shopping to collect tomorrow no idea with the budget this month, so on Thursday i have another account the food, petrol and my £40 spends i am giving myself is going on there and i will leave all my others at home and only use that card.

I plan on going through bills that need to come out tomorrow so i know where I am. I will need another £15 petrol before the end of the month to see me through. Next month i plan on being better this month has got a bit to the bone but it had taught me to not get this close again and get back to being more savvy. I have got a £20 voucher for a survey I am saving for payday to get the last decorating supplies for the hallway, just some gloss and ceiling paint, should need to put £7 to it but it will have cost around £13 in money to decorate 2 rooms. I also need to pay for a course in Feb...i maybe able to hold out until the Summer but it needs to get done asap so i will see after my budget if i can wait until my cars gone then that will be much better.

I have a nice turkey from my big cheap shop for tomorrow, it will also do sandwiches for Monday for us all, I am really looking forward to it, tomorrow i also want to raid the freezer and make my big meal plan again and do my big shop for payday and start to feel more in control of my finances.