Debt free by 50 (Dec 2023), 1 day at a time

Mliz

Thanks LMD - I’m going to have a nosy at your diary to keep me motivated.

run done this morning and then made dinner for relatives .. now I’m catching up on diaryland. 

I overpaid £182 to my credit card today and I hope that this month I can make 1 extra payment to my car loan..I have £173 saved up and the payment a month is £208 - so I need to save an extra £35. I’ve been thinking of my dfd and realistically it’s probably going to be closer to 2024 than Dec 2023 but will keep plodding on 😊

Next weekend is going to be spendy because I’m going to the beauticians and going out for a birthday party and I will need a gift. I’m also making plans to go on holiday with my best friend and her family in Dec (I have the money saved up but it would also really make a dent in my debt if I didn’t go on holiday). It’s a long winter so holiday it is 😊

bigbeff

A holiday sounds lovely - I have learnt that this doesn’t work if you put every single penny to debt. You need to treat yourself sometimes otherwise you just get down about it all. I’ve just done a weekend with the bestie, such fun and lovely to treat myself. 

LittleMissDetermined

Winter holidays are THE BEST! We go again in January and I find it curbs the Post Christmas blues 
LMD x

abaka

I would highly recommend the holiday over debt repayments if you can afford it!

I recently went on holiday with my wife and daughter and if anything it has motivated me to stay on the debt free path to ensure I can afford holidays and things moving forward 

LittleMissDetermined

abaka said:

I would highly recommend the holiday over debt repayments if you can afford it!

I recently went on holiday with my wife and daughter and if anything it has motivated me to stay on the debt free path to ensure I can afford holidays and things moving forward 

Exactly this! Could not agree more

Mliz

Thank you all - I will start to look forward to a bit of sunshine then 😊.

This weekend was super busy but fun. I looked after my niece all Friday and then went out for a friend’s birthday lunch on Saturday and then Sunday I had lunch with family and then tidied the house and did the ironing so that I didn’t have anything ‘hanging over me’ this week. Spending wise Saturday wasn’t as bad as I had thought as we caught the bus and lunch was £21 and I gave my friend £20 as a gift for her birthday ( she much preferred cash).

All my friends had amazing outfits on and I was so tempted to buy something new but I didn’t but then yesterday after the day out I had super tempted to shop (keeping up with the Jones) but instead I created a note on my phone and listed what I wanted (a coat and boots) and I will start setting aside money for them but even this morning the spending notion has gone and I know if I had given into the impulse I would have regretted it.

I also didn’t want to have to fess up to diaryland my made up justification of why I ‘needed’ this coat that would sit along with all the other coats I have ☺️.

LittleMissDetermined

Well done for not spending when you clearly want to! I have a debt-free wish list, so when I decide I want something I add it to the list. Over time, this has been whittled down either through finding an item second hand or realising I don’t actually want it anyway. Think it’s about 5 items long now.  

cinnamon123

Another well done from me! Keeping a list handy is a great idea especially for items you really want but don't need right now. You can always buy it in the future when you have the funds.

It's not always easy but you did good! And every single time you manage to avoid impulse shopping, you help to make it easier in the future to resist.

Mliz

Thanks LMD and Cinnamon - I think my wish list could run to pages 😊.

I’m terrible at regular updates but during the week not a lot happens for me and then the weekend is when I see friends and have fun. So today I’m taking niece to play ball thing for toddlers and that’s about £5 and I’ll stop in M&S (must not go mad and buy all round me). Sat is breakfast with a friend (think it’s my turn to pay) and Sun is running in the morning with friends (free) dinner out for my nephew’s big birthday (£40?) (already gave him money as his gift).  

Money - I have about £30 left of my £60 budget this week and it’s the last day of the budget week, but I think with toddler and m&s it will all go today. I have a 2 dinners with friends left this month and £60 in social budget so that should cover it …fingers crossed.

Shopping  - I started watching style instagrammers again and had a few ‘add to cart moments’ so I’ve unfollowed them.  At least I’m recognising some shopping triggers. Oh I started looking at Xmas stuff - so much lovely tempting stuff I don’t need but so lovely.

Healthy wise - this week I stopped eating sugary stuff - I’m one of them people who can’t have 1 chocolate I have to have the bag/box/bars. I hate dieting because that just makes me overeat, so I’m trying to reduce overall sugar and see if that helps get rid of 2.5 stone that has crept on over the years (and the peri-menopause is not helping).

Niece is due soon so I better get fully caffeinated for her arrival. Hope all in diaryland have a lovely day.

LittleMissDetermined

Getting to Friday with half your budget left is a great achievement. Enjoy your day with your niece and I hope you can resist M&S temptation  
LMD x