My Intentional Journey to Debt Freedom

RosaBernicia

I make up my own moisturiser and the base comes in 500g tubs, so I've no idea how long one small version lasts - I should probably track that!  Though one you might like to look at is the Neal's Yard frankincense moisturiser.  My skin is also dry and the NYR was a favourite as it was also very rich and smells wonderful. 

EssexHebridean

PennysIntoPounds said:

Happy 200+ posts! You're doing fantastically; it's self awareness and a willingness to learn and try that makes the difference to genuine quality of life. No-one is ever going to be 'perfect' and without any wants or vices or indulgences, and thank goodness because the point of being mse (imo) is to be able to enjoy things without financial fear, not to become an automaton whose life has got smaller rather than richer in enjoyment and contentment x

P.s. three cheers for Mr L, a good partner who's an actual partner is a thing of joy (and safety). Those of us with good 'uns are lucky indeed 

This is so wise - and so right! when we were paying off first debt, then the mortgage first time round, I had an absolute refusal to use the phrase "I can't afford" - because I didn't feel that in our case it was truthful. Sure, sometimes it might be true - but in a lot of cases it was (in our case) choosing not to afford things, rather than being unable to.  Throughout, we budgeted for fun stuff and holidays, indeed, back then when we first started out, people over on the MFW board could be a bit sneery at times if you weren't ploughing every single last penny into the mortgage - it's the reason why I reverted back to the DFW board for a long while. I'm delighted to say that MFW has changed massively since those days as well! 

LadyWithAPlan

Just caught up with this - you are doing great ! Well done on the balance transfer  - think it was @EssexHebridean brilliant suggestion?

EssexHebridean said:

PennysIntoPounds said:

Happy 200+ posts! You're doing fantastically; it's self awareness and a willingness to learn and try that makes the difference to genuine quality of life. No-one is ever going to be 'perfect' and without any wants or vices or indulgences, and thank goodness because the point of being mse (imo) is to be able to enjoy things without financial fear, not to become an automaton whose life has got smaller rather than richer in enjoyment and contentment x

This is so wise - and so right! when we were paying off first debt, then the mortgage first time round, I had an absolute refusal to use the phrase "I can't afford" - because I didn't feel that in our case it was truthful. Sure, sometimes it might be true - but in a lot of cases it was (in our case) choosing not to afford things, rather than being unable to.  Throughout, we budgeted for fun stuff and holidays, indeed, back then when we first started out, people over on the MFW board could be a bit sneery at times if you weren't ploughing every single last penny into the mortgage - it's the reason why I reverted back to the DFW board for a long while. I'm delighted to say that MFW has changed massively since those days as well! 

I definitely am not a severly frugal person on the MFW board  as anyone who has ever read my MFW diary knows


I am with @RosaBernicia I am a recent  head over heels obsessed YNAB convert - despite me being an avid  budgeter/virtual bank pots/s/sheet person for well over a decade - YNAB has for me personally been  next level brilliant - largely as it tracks everything so you can see where the money is all going as you spend, you cant hide  any overspend and you only assign cash you actually have in - , plus the strictness of its dashboard  and if you overspend on a budgeted category its painful to have to move the cash from a pot.   - its unbelievable how much it has changed my spending in 3 months  ... I cannot recommend it highly enough  - even though I have spent years on here saying I dont need software to help me..  So many people on the YNAB reddit have said how its transform ed their money and realised how they were not doing as well as they thought, got them off the cc float etc..  

I did track via my blog my voluntary spending Oct-Dec 23 and that freaked me out ... so its a v good thing to do.

I also like expensive products which last - I do have some of those cleansing hot cloths as I use them in the morning always so saves on using the cleansing oil twice daily, I love the Mac Cleansing Oil for makeup removal which last for 6 months easily and is great on the skin..  ( I hugely prefer this to all other cleansing oils and things such as Eve Lom and the Liz Earle etc   ) 
I get some products to try for free so if I keep buying things its cos I know how great they are for my skin...rather than getting stuck in one brand
The Origins MEGA-mushroom tonic is also amazing - your skin feels beautifully hydrated after .. I also use boots no 7 future renew which I love as well.  I have a LED facemask with NIR which has also taken my skin next level - I wear it to wash up in and you add the serums after and they go in better..
If you dont  use it already  already the Boots recycle app is great -  you can take in 5 empty products and spend £10 and get £5 worth of points ....

RosaBernicia

ooh didn't know about the Boots thing @LadyWithAPlan , thank you - I use their lucky number serum and eye cream, will keep the empties now!

LadyWithAPlan

You can recycle any brand - not just boots - but clarins, mascaras, hair gel to empty shampoo bottles  -  everything and every brand  even when they dont stock it.

Top tips as its a weird process 
1) You need to register an account  with the boots recycle app first (different registration from the Boots advantage card.   web address https://boots.scan2recycle.com/
2)  at home  via the recycle page scan your  recyclables - it takes you through step by step ..
3) Then go to a store that accepts them - scan the code and drop your 5 empties in (if you have more keep for another day as 5 empties gets you 500 points)  - The box to drop the recylables in is just a 3-4foot white box with a scan code  - not all stores do them and you will need to ask where the box is . often by the front door
4) You will then get emailed a voucher to use within 2 days
5) You must spend £10  within 2 days - ideally when you are in the store - and when you spend the £10 scan your boots adv card and then get them to scan the voucher - you get an extra 500 points so £5 - to use at your leisure.
6) repeat - each time wait til you have 5 items...

RosaBernicia

LadyWithAPlan said:

You can recycle any brand - not just boots - but clarins, mascaras, hair gel to empty shampoo bottles  -  everything and every brand  even when they dont stock it.

Top tips as its a weird process 
1) You need to register an account  with the boots recycle app first (different registration from the Boots advantage card.   web address https://boots.scan2recycle.com/
2)  at home  via the recycle page scan your  recyclables - it takes you through step by step ..
3) Then go to a store that accepts them - scan the code and drop your 5 empties in (uf you have more keep for another day)
4) You will then get emailed a voucher to use within 2 days
5) You must spend £10  within 2 days - ideally when you are in the store - and when you spend the £10 sacn your boots adv card and then get them to scan the voucher - you get an extra 500 points so £5 - to use at your leisure.
6) repeat - each time wait til you have 5 items...

good to know, thank you!

EssexHebridean

That's a brilliant step-by-step LaPlan - thank you! 

LadyWithAPlan

EssexHebridean said:

That's a brilliant step-by-step LaPlan - thank you! 

It took me ages to work it out.. As I kept thinking I had registered as I had a boots card - but nope its a separate website and reg form  - then the boots staff also were confused.
The box to drop the recylables in is just a 3-4foot white box with a scan code  - not all stores do then and you will need to ask where the box is 

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

Thank you @LadyWithAPlan that’s incredibly helpful. I’m going to look into this.  

Hello everyone.  Really busy at work and long days so going to catch up with everything on Saturday.  

My mind is whirring with different options for things.  We’ve had a very high car insurance renewal quote so need to give some thought to that.  3 weeks until we renew so time to consider.  

Just one quick question on that - have any of you gone for quotes from companies that you havnt heard of (eg through one of the comparison websites).  We have a good quote but I’ve not heard of the company.  They are regulated and everything  - bit outside my comfort zone.  Any experience from any of you would be good.  

L x 

foxgloves

I have done in the past, but I think once one starts shopping around, one becomes aware of more companies. I think where insurance companies are concerned, we don't really know how good they are until it comes to us needing them to pay out on a claim.
Sorry - not very helpful, I know.
F