Baby steps all the way to Financial Freedom

Gettingmyshiztogether

LookingForPeace said:

I love your thought processes here @Gettingmyshiztogether ! I would backup what @13thlegion said too, better to get used to borrowing from ourselves and take credit off the table.. I think we need to feel the difference in the two choices to understand?

Agree Matt. Sometimes it just takes someone else I shine a light on it doesn't it. That's why I love this forum so much! 

Update 1,1,234,567... I ve been ppaaaiiiiddddd... It's only taken 7 phone calls and 3 messages today 🤢 I feel sick. Such negative energy around it all, but its done with now. Thankfully. I can move on and live my life 😅

Sarahwithlove

I agree it is what emergency fund is for essentially. But I'd focus on getting to £1k in the fund then start focusing on debt and top up emergency fund as you spend it. That's what I found worked for me. 

Gettingmyshiztogether

Baby Step #1 Emergency Fund £447.74

Gettingmyshiztogether

I am just sat here reflecting on my journey so far, and thought it might help someone if I shared... or not... 🤣 it maybe interesting to me if/ when I read this diary back. 

1) Bit of a back story here; I am self employed. My income therefore isn't exactly the same each month. When the pandemic hit, my income was hit dramatically. I had to borrow just to pay for our essentials... (no fancy holidays or designer shoes here 😏) 

Lightbulb moment 💡 Just because you don't have a set income each month, doesn't mean that you can't budget! 🤯 pretty basic to some, incredible to me! 

2) Tracking where your money goes is shocking

3) You can get your food shopping £ down by being open to using 2good 2go boxes, £1.50 L!dl boxes, YS and being a part of the grocery challenge. Cooking from scratch and planning your meals around what you have in already is a game changer. I meal planned and thought I was MSE 🤭 Now I list what we already have in and make as many meals as possible from that. I also do not throw food away, everything gets used and frozen if needs be.

4) An emergency fund is pretty important. Even just £500, it can get you out of a sticky situation which previously you would have gone into debt for.

5) If you have children a Christmas sinking fund is crucial.

Just my musings for this evening 😊

Gettingmyshiztogether

My car tyre refund went in today so PayPal is now down to £286.14. My plan is to just clear that this month along with topping up my emergency fund. Even though my emergency fund isn't £1k yet, I start paying interest on PayPal this month I believe so it really needs to go ASAP! 

I get paid on Monday and can't wait to send that money off, like mini soldiers going to war!

LookingForPeace

Gettingmyshiztogether said:

I am just sat here reflecting on my journey so far, and thought it might help someone if I shared... or not... 🤣 it maybe interesting to me if/ when I read this diary back. 

1) Bit of a back story here; I am self employed. My income therefore isn't exactly the same each month. When the pandemic hit, my income was hit dramatically. I had to borrow just to pay for our essentials... (no fancy holidays or designer shoes here 😏) 

Lightbulb moment 💡 Just because you don't have a set income each month, doesn't mean that you can't budget! 🤯 pretty basic to some, incredible to me! 

2) Tracking where your money goes is shocking

3) You can get your food shopping £ down by being open to using 2good 2go boxes, £1.50 L!dl boxes, YS and being a part of the grocery challenge. Cooking from scratch and planning your meals around what you have in already is a game changer. I meal planned and thought I was MSE 🤭 Now I list what we already have in and make as many meals as possible from that. I also do not throw food away, everything gets used and frozen if needs be.

4) An emergency fund is pretty important. Even just £500, it can get you out of a sticky situation which previously you would have gone into debt for.

5) If you have children a Christmas sinking fund is crucial.

Just my musings for this evening 😊

LOVE all this! So glad to follow you on your journey here... this post was a great reminder of important things 🙏 

Gettingmyshiztogether

LookingForPeace said:

Gettingmyshiztogether said:

I am just sat here reflecting on my journey so far, and thought it might help someone if I shared... or not... 🤣 it maybe interesting to me if/ when I read this diary back. 

1) Bit of a back story here; I am self employed. My income therefore isn't exactly the same each month. When the pandemic hit, my income was hit dramatically. I had to borrow just to pay for our essentials... (no fancy holidays or designer shoes here 😏) 

Lightbulb moment 💡 Just because you don't have a set income each month, doesn't mean that you can't budget! 🤯 pretty basic to some, incredible to me! 

2) Tracking where your money goes is shocking

3) You can get your food shopping £ down by being open to using 2good 2go boxes, £1.50 L!dl boxes, YS and being a part of the grocery challenge. Cooking from scratch and planning your meals around what you have in already is a game changer. I meal planned and thought I was MSE 🤭 Now I list what we already have in and make as many meals as possible from that. I also do not throw food away, everything gets used and frozen if needs be.

4) An emergency fund is pretty important. Even just £500, it can get you out of a sticky situation which previously you would have gone into debt for.

5) If you have children a Christmas sinking fund is crucial.

Just my musings for this evening 😊

LOVE all this! So glad to follow you on your journey here... this post was a great reminder of important things 🙏 

Thank you! Any thing else that comes to mind I'll share on here 😊

Gettingmyshiztogether

Pay day today! Or one of them! 

Paypal now paid off in full! 🥳🥳🥳🥳 a step closer to the life I am creating.

Money put towards Christmas, uniform and car Sinking funds. Waiting on my next pay day to contribute to my emergency fund too...watch this space! 

Humdinger1

Wonderful! You are doing brilliantly!! Onwards and upwards love Humdinger xx 

Gettingmyshiztogether

Good morning!

I ve been listening to the Budget Mom a lot recently and am loving the sound of her budget by paycheck method. Today, whilst driving on my early morning job, I realised I don't track my spends and that it's probably a very good idea to do that! I have huge money goals and very little patience 🤭 so if this helps me to achieve them a couple of months earlier its definitely worth it. I bought some ink for my printer last week and so can take a look at the budget mom's free resources and the pdf of her budget by paycheck workbook also. Just my musings for today 😊