The Final Bite of the Cherry- Journey to Clear £66k

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Wow it's going to be hard getting back to normality on Tuesday. For the last few days I haven't even opened my eyes until 8:30am and I still feel tired.

I can't believe it's the last day of 2023 already, it hasn't been a bad year at all. I have no plans for this evening, I'm not really a new years sort of person. We did have a table booked at Miller and Carter. It was a set menu but when we booked the menu wasn't available. We checked it out yesterday and it was £52.00 each and I didn't like any of the desserts and DH none of the starters and our sensible head told us that it was not worth £150 by the time we added a couple of drinks onto that. We've bought a couple of steaks and are going to do it DIY style.

Looking at the debt, I feel like I have a new found wave of motivation. Not sure if its because of New Year and I can see a lot of new diaries coming through on here. If you do happen to be reading this and have just started on your debt free journey, good luck and update on here as regularly as you can. It really was what helped me. This year is the first year that I haven't had to make the New Years Resolution to get my debt in order.

My plan of attack to reduce debt this year is:

• Reduce grocery spend
• Try and complete £5 of surveys a day
• £20 of MS a week

I really don't think there is a lot else I can do. We massively cut back on takeaways and eating out last year and if theres money to be saved, I will find it.

I hope you all have a lovely new year and see you in 2024!!!

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Happy New Year Everyone!!
Mine was a bit of a non starter. My Nan ended up back in hospital and still 24 hours later waiting for news on how she is. I didn't even see in the new year, was in bed by 10pm.

This morning we took the dog for a long walk, the weathers been rubbish all week so saw a break it it and gave her a run to let off some energy. She needed it, my living room looked like a bomb had gone off this morning, toys everywhere, blankets everywhere from where she was swinging them around.

I'm now lounging about on the settee, can't be bothered to do much else. Got my YNAB up to date, nothing much to report there just £5.40 interest to my Kroo account. This is going towards paying the laptop off. I'm having a go at clearing some of the smaller ones. I need another £100 and that will be gone.

Suitcase is packed and its back to the grind tomorrow. Doesn't feel like I've had any time off!!

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First day at work done!! It's been a long one too, 13 hours later and I'm tucked up in bed in the Premier Inn that I now call my second home.

Today some DD have cleared my accounts and £251.88 has gone towards the debt in 2024. Although I aid I wouldn't join any challenges this year, I did join a 100 step challenge, it seems to have the motivation I need and breaking it down into chunks makes it seem so much more manageable.

Theres not really anything else to report as my day has been consumed with work but today was also  NSD number 2 of the year so, so far so good!!!

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Another day done and dusted and its Thursday already tomorrow!!
Another no spend day done and dusted today. I do find this really motivating, as it makes me more aware of spending money unneccesarily.

There was a problem with my work expenses this month and they ended up not being submitted on time which means that the £810 I was expecting to land in my account today, didn't. Luckily I had already budgeted the money I spent and therefore my credit card is paid but things will get tight without these by the end of the month. I'm looking at it as in work are making me save!!
I've also been checking my bank all day waiting for my second income to hit, after a bit of complaining I realised it was 2025's pay date I was looking at.

I think thats it from me. Hope everyones having a great start to 2024

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Today has been a very busy day, I've found 10 minutes to myself so ideal time to catch up on my diary.

I have just cashed out £30.45 from Prolific and thats going straight to paying off my laptop. I'm saving all the money until I have enough to settle it in full as its on 0%. I have £90 to go and that will be paid off completely.

I've done the first grocery shop of the year today. I spent £13!! Very pleased with that, we did get a Gousto box that was delivered on Thursday. I had the first one last night and have to say I was very impressed. We only paid £12.40 for that as I had 60% off the first box. I won't be paying full price for them though as they work out pretty expensive without the code. My grocery budget is £320 for the month, I'm hoping to come at least £150 under that though by planning better, using discount codes for things like Gousto and Hello Fresh. Anything saved will go straight off the debt.

I have also just paid £16.56 from ZipZero straight to Eon so that will onto my account in the next couple of days. oh and I also completed a mystery shop for £12 this morning. Will pay that off the laptop as soon as I get paid.

Right time to go and visit my nephew who spent Christmas in Florida

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I had a nice relaxed start to the day today, my only job was to get myself to Manchester ready for my meeting tomorrow. I have everything crossed that this is not a redundancy meeting but I have this horrible feeling in my tummy that I can't shift. If it is that then this diary will really start to look a lot different. I'm trying not to think about that at the moment and trying to remain positive. At least this time tomorrow I will know one way or another.

Perks to being around in the day, I managed to pick up a £5.85 survey this morning that paid straight away. Other than that there is absolutely nothing to report money wise, although I am on NSD number 7 now.

Well I'm going downstairs to get my dinner and hopefully get an early night in before my meeting tomorrow.
Have a lovely evening!!

jokono

🤞🤞🤞
Crossing my fingers really hard, I hope it turns out to be good news!

AuntieL

I hope it’s good news tomorrow 

dawnybabes

Fingers crossed.    

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Thank you everyone. I've been quiet the past few days, I needed time to process everything because it was exactly what I thought it might be. I have been made redundant. We all knew as soon as we walked in the room and saw a lady from HR sitting there. While I've been expecting it for some time, nothing prepares you for the shock of when you actually hear that news. It doesn't seem very well thought through, at the moment we have just been told that we are redundant, we haven't been given a leave date and just yesterday got told that they want us to finish the big project we are currently working on. Initially they told us they were aiming for the end of January. They are going to pay us our notice period rather than expecting us to work it. I have only been with the company for 18 months so I was not expecting a lot but I had an email yesterday with my figures and its close to £13,000.
My main aim now is to find ANY job, I really don't care what it is for the meantime so that I can try and save as much of that money as possible and not have to live off it. I am very lucky that I have my second income and I am signed up to lots of mystery shopping sites etc but I need a guaranteed income as well. So obviously, my debt free journey has now changed considerably.
We are lucky that a massive chunk of our debt is owed to family and they have been incredibly understanding and said if we need to put repayments on hold then we can do that, even offered us more money for a deposit for a car. My car is a company car so I'll be waving goodbye to that. Borrowing more is an absolute last resort for me right now though.

I have had this week off work, they told me that I could go home after my meeting rather than work away all week. I have spent the week updating my CV and applying for jobs. I've picked up Mystery Shops where I can just to grab any extra money I can. I have another 2 this morning and then a teams call with my line manager and HR this afternoon.

Surely things can only go up from here!!!!