Trying to reboot my journey without burning out

horseeatsallmymoney

Amazing on your side income! You've paid off so much of your debt and are doing so well keeping going!

I also like Pr*lific surveys, much more interesting than other sites

SunshineDaisy

Hi everybody,

Its been a bit sluggish this month so far - a bit like the weather. Online sales have jumped off a cliff which is disappointing. I've been researching using social media to promote my listings - no change as yet but will see. I have 2 accounts, so I'm promoting one with P1nterest and the other with Istgrm so will see which one is more effective. 
Does anybody have any experience of doing this? does it make a difference?

With very little normal work this month, I have cranked up the surveys as well. Had to reset loads of passwords of sites I haven't used for some time. In the last week, I've cashed in about £50 with prolif1c  and almost at the cashout level with Viewsb**k. I think Maxim1le5 is going to be a long slog to get to £25 payout but I'm 20% of the way there.

Today the forecast was good for a few hours, so I piled slow moving stock into the car and went off to a bootsale. Amazing day - took £250, which is a record for me. Plus got rid of loads of old stock which has been  sitting around. So I came back and paid off CC1 to celebrate.

Finally I found out that I'm being paid a retainer for one of my term time roles, to help bridge the holiday gap. Lovely surprise and I have used the extra to pop a few extra  small payments on the cards and take the pressure off this month.

All payments have gone out - so this is the position for August.

0% Deals expiring 2023 :
Sep cc1 - £250 NOW 0, PAID OFF

Oct cc2 - £945  £800 (Aim is to pay off £400  each mth in Sept and Oct).

0% Deals expiring 2024 :
Feb - cc3  PAID OFF
Feb - cc4 £1085 - £1055

Mar - cc5 £1200
Mar - cc6 £1493 £1315
Apr - cc7 £1470
May - cc8 £1100 £963

Nov - cc9 £1200 
 
0% Deals expiring 2025

March cc10 £1700
June cc11 - £2022 

Goals for the rest of the month - extra earnings to hit £1500.  I want to put enough aside to pay off the day to day credit card next month and put some extra money aside to make sure I get cc2 paid off in time.

I'm at £600 at day 6, but its going to be challenging as I'm taking a break towards the end of the month. 

Hope the weather is better where you are

Sunshine D

bigbeff

Keep going, progress is being made, however small you feel it. Every penny counts!

SunshineDaisy

Sorry I've been away for a while - summer holidays then trying to build work up again has kept me away.

Anyway, an update.

0% Deals expiring 2023 :
Sep cc1 - £250 NOW 0, PAID OFF

Oct cc2 - £945  NOW 0, PAID OFF

0% Deals expiring 2024 :
Feb - cc3  PAID OFF
Feb - cc4 £1085 - £799 – current target of £200 a month extra

Mar - cc5 £1200
Mar - cc6 £1493 £989
Apr - cc7 £1416
May - cc8 £1100 £607

Nov - cc9 £1200 
 
0% Deals expiring 2025

March cc10 £1700
June cc11 - £1345

Extra income::

Sept £1000 – most of it from my ebay side-hustle. I think there was only £15 from surveys and no extra paid work.

Extra income for October so far:

Ebay £1200

Care work £804

It’s been a very good month so far. All my jobs are at full rate, with potential for a bit of overtime, so back to full pay again. I’ve been researching ways in which I can increase traffic to my ebay store and to increase motivation. I love buying, researching and packing but hate photographing and listing. I am the procrastinating queen.

Anyway, I have been changing things up a bit, trying things out, setting timers and following other sellers on social media. I’ve been running my shop since early 2000s, and thought of myself a fairly experienced seller. However, it has made a huge difference listening to others and trying new strategies. It has given me new hope that perhaps I might even be able to reduce my work hours and return to full time selling.  I’m going to give it until Christmas and see whether I can build up the turnover to a sufficient level, and then reduce my work hours gradually over the next year. I really want to stop full time work in the next 18 months and then run my business with perhaps just taking on the odd  part time or temporary paid gig every now and again.

Realistically, I’ll be happier after I’ve cleared credit cards 5 and 7. Cards 4, 6, and 8 I’m not worried about as their monthly payments will ensure that they are paid off before their deals expire.

Goal for the rest of the month:

I have a few days off next week, so I’m concentrating on listing as much as I can. My  aim is to  generate another £500 by the end of the month. It is doable as I've been lucky at the auctions this month and managed to acquire some quality items which  should generate higher prices 

Anyway, best get back to  my ebay listing.

Hope everybody is well and making good progress.

Sunshine D

SunshineDaisy

Hi everybody,

I've had a successful month with side hustles so I decided to pay off a couple of lump sums. I know logically, I should have popped it in savings account and kept until when the 0%s end in the spring. However, I feel so much better being able to say I’ve paid off a couple more deals.  In December, I’m determined to pay off CC6 and then I aim to pay off an extra £400 a mth into cc5, to get that paid off by end of Feb.

I still need to come up with a plan for cc7 but I have a rather large credit in my fuel account so I think I might cash that in, which might cover the bulk of it. I'm usually only home for a couple of hours a day so I use my electric blanket and electric throw, rather than turning the heating on. If I am in for a full evening,  I do turn it on, but I ration myself only to an hour. 

Cc9 will pay itself off with its direct debit payment, so by April 24, I will only have cc10 and upward. These are separate deals on the same credit card, so I will only have 1 card with a balance. The deals are all fairly well spaced out, so they will pay themselves off via the direct debit.

 I can’t believe that the end is  in sight. The weight on my shoulders that I've had for years feels like its slowly lifting. 

0% Deals expiring 2023 :
Sep cc1 - £250 NOW 0, PAID OFF

Oct cc2 - £945  NOW 0, PAID OFF

0% Deals expiring 2024 :
Feb - cc3  PAID OFF
Feb - cc4 £1085 - £799 NOW 0, PAID OFF

Mar - cc5 £1200 – ** Goal £400 a mth (Dec, Jan, Feb)
Mar - cc6 £1493 £800 - ** Next target card ***. aim to pay off in Dec 23
Apr - cc7 £1400 -  possibly cash in fuel credit.
May - cc8 £1100  NOW 0, PAID OFF

Nov - cc9 £1200 - direct debit will pay off by April 24
 
0% Deals expiring 2025

March cc10 £1700- direct debit will pay off by August 24
June cc11 - £1345 - direct debit will pay off by October 24

Hope you all have a good month. I know December is a tough month, where it usually about spending, rather than saving or paying off. However, I'm determined not to splurge this year. The best present to myself will be a reduction in this debt. 

Sunny D

SunshineDaisy

End of March update:

0% Deals expiring 2023 :

Sep cc1 - £250 NOW 0, PAID OFF

Oct cc2 - £945  NOW 0, PAID OFF

0% Deals expiring 2024 :
Feb - cc3  PAID OFF
Feb - cc4 £1085 - £799 NOW 0, PAID OFF

Mar - cc5 £1200 – PAID OFF
Mar - cc6 £1493 £800 – PAID OFF
Apr - cc7 £1400 PAID OFF
May - cc8 £1100  NOW 0, PAID OFF

Nov - cc9 £1200  £477 Left
 
0% Deals expiring 2025

March cc10 £1700
June cc11 - £1345

Sorry I’ve been AWOL for a few months but it’s been nose to the grindstone.

I’ve now paid off cc5,  cc6 and cc7. Its been via overtime, ramping up my side hustle and a little windfall lump sum.

I’m so proud of myself for this last push. I’m now down to just one credit card (with multiple deals), which is amazing.

It has come at a price though, and I am absolutely exhausted. I’ve been thinking about cutting my hours for some time now. I kept promising myself that I would do it when all my debt were cleared  but  had to admit that I don’t think I  have the energy to maintain this level for another year. The windfall was a little gift from the universe,  so I’ve been crunching some numbers on a variety of scenarios.

CC9 will be cleared by the end of May and then the remaining deals aren’t due until 2025. These will largely pay themselves off using the automatic direct debit, so the pressure  is off for a bit.  Therefore, I decided to  give up one of my main jobs and ramp up my business to see if I can develop it into my main source of income. I am also grabbing any short term work if and when I see it.

I’ve already signed up for 2 days work in April, 2 days in early May and have a 6 week temp job at the end of May/ early June.

I live in a tourist area where there is plenty of seasonal work during the spring/summer months. Therefore, if it doesn’t work out or I need extra funds, I should be able to find plenty of opportunities during the summer.

Being on a tight budget for years, really has been getting me down but I feel excited about this re-jig of my plans.

Anyway, better go and pack some sales. 

Sunny D

Lonelygambler

Nice work on the debt! What do you sell on ebay?