Flying solo

twiggy86

I'm an "all sorts of colour" person @sarah_diamond and I also love stripes, so may have to add that one to the list!!! 

twiggy86

Drum roll please.... 

I HAVE PAID OFF 50% OF MY STARTING DEBT!!!! WOOHOOOO!!!!!

This morning I've made a CC payment of £35 which means I've paid off over (just) 50% of my starting debt! It also means that my MBNA card now starts with a 1 (balance now at £1,995) and cleared just over £1k this year. Obviously I had hoped to get to these milestones sooner, but then the boiler very inconveniently decided to breakdown and need replacing! However, we've got there and the emergency fund has been built back up! I do have some more money set aside for further debt payments but like to hang on it to it and slowly chip away during the month (to help me feel like I'm making progress and if anything crops up during the month). 

I managed to measure and block my gauge swatch for my new knitting project before acro last night - stitch count is fine but row gauge is off so will need to watch that! Then went off to acro for probably the trickiest and most tiring session yet - so it was great fun but I'm aching today! And I have netball tonight!!! 

Today I have/will:

• Make lunch to take to work 
• Snap a couple of receipts that were in the bottom of my bag! 
• Make CC payment!
• Update spreadsheet 
• Attempt to start new knitting project 
• Dinner from stores 
• Park for free at netball 

the_end_of_the_rainbow

Congratulations - the next 50% will go in no time at all!

sarah_diamond

Well done, that's amazing! You'll be debt free before you know it 

I've got the pattern for the step by step from Ravelry now, adding to my long list of future projects

twiggy86

This journey is a funny thing... started yesterday so happy that I'd paid off half my debt and then got disheartened that I've still got half to go. Feel like this is the past (i.e. past relationship) hanging over me whilst this debt is around. Need to remind myself (and writing this is my reminder) that although I still have the debt, my life is VERY different from where it was when I started on this journey. No longer incurring more debt, whilst being financially taken advantage of, my house feels more homely, have a loving relationship which feels like a real partnership. Overall in a very much better place in so many ways! 

Anyway, enough spending time in the past and on to today! I'm working from home today but have set myself up upstairs as bf is here with his daughter - although think they're popping out later. I actually don't have much work to do, so may sneak in some knitting time! I have made a conscious effort to keep picking up my crochet blanket as don't want that lingering... although starting a new knitting project probably wasn't advisable! But in my defence, the yarn was in stash from a project that didn't work out! 

Today's list includes...

• Update spreadsheet 
• Meals from stores 
• Hang washing on airer

Hmmm, that is an incredibly short list! Must be some other MSE things I can do today! 

BrimfulofSascha

twiggy86 said:

This journey is a funny thing... started yesterday so happy that I'd paid off half my debt and then got disheartened that I've still got half to go. Feel like this is the past (i.e. past relationship) hanging over me whilst this debt is around. Need to remind myself (and writing this is my reminder) that although I still have the debt, my life is VERY different from where it was when I started on this journey. No longer incurring more debt, whilst being financially taken advantage of, my house feels more homely, have a loving relationship which feels like a real partnership. Overall in a very much better place in so many ways! 

Anyway, enough spending time in the past and on to today! I'm working from home today but have set myself up upstairs as bf is here with his daughter - although think they're popping out later. I actually don't have much work to do, so may sneak in some knitting time! I have made a conscious effort to keep picking up my crochet blanket as don't want that lingering... although starting a new knitting project probably wasn't advisable! But in my defence, the yarn was in stash from a project that didn't work out! 

Today's list includes...

• Update spreadsheet 
• Meals from stores 
• Hang washing on airer

Hmmm, that is an incredibly short list! Must be some other MSE things I can do today! 

Half way is such a funny mid trick isn't it.
I was lucky enough to run London Marathon last year. Everyone told me that  Tower Bridge is  the half way  point so once you get there it's a celebration because you are halfway done. I got there and cried, partly because it was such a magical atmosphere, but  mostly because it was hot and I was tired and half a marathon felt like a loooonnnngggg way to still have to run on tired legs. But I got it done. The second half was slower, harder. But, I kept going and I got that medal. Looking back it didn't seem that hard at all. I guess that's a good metaphor for debt paying too.

Chin up! You'll get to that finish line, you'll get that medal, and no one will ever be able to take that experience away from you.

Baileys_Babe

Can you only access your budgeting/spending records when in the office? How is this going to work when you change jobs? 

No doubt I have misinterpreted something and you have everything in hand.

in_need_of_direction

i always find the middle third of any process to be the hardest.  once you get that next 17% done, you are heading towards the finish.  stick at it

twiggy86

Thanks for the cheerleading! It felt like it would feel like a bigger milestone but should still be celebrated! 

@BrimfulofSascha - well done for running the marathon!!! I was meant to do it in 2020 - however because the world turned upside I got part way through the training programme 3 times only for it to be moved each time. Then when it actually came around, it had completely destroyed my love of running so I didn't do it! 

@Baileys_Babe - my spreadsheet is within my work system - although I can access it from my work laptop that I have at home, it's just that I always use my phone for internet searches etc when I'm at home. I will have some sort of computer set up at home when I start my new job, but will need to remember to email myself the file before I leave my current job. 

Baileys_Babe

I meant to say congratulations on the huge achievement of paying off half your original debt 🎉