My Intentional Journey to Debt Freedom

PennysIntoPounds

Sorry for your loss x

Cocoa butter is good for dry skin and not as pricy as beauty range products, could be worth keeping an eye out for one with SPF

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

Thank you for your kind words @RosaBernicia and @PennysIntoPounds.  The loss never changes but it kind of finds a place.
MSE update as we approach the middle of March (how quick did Jan/Feb go!!!!!):

- I have been on leave for the last 10 days.  We set a budget for the time I was off (first time ever) and it has gone quite well.  Still have a bit left and enabled some good times without any guilt.
- All usual bills paid and things proceeding as expected.
- Finally sorted out the refund with Octopu*.  Having decided to take advice on here and request it earlier than originally planned the site kept saying that we couldn't request it due to needing to bring our account up to date.  Considering we had credit of £700 this was a bit odd.  Anyhow, emailed them and it is all sorted and refund winging its way to us and that will be sent straight to my credit card.  That should accelerate things there.  I have quite a lot of mileage due at work which will be end of March or poss end of April.  That will also go to that card and hopefully the final payment will be in May and that will be done.
- No spending on any credit cards which is obviously the starting point for paying them off.  Very pleased with that.
- Car passed its MOT with no problems.  Service to be booked for middle of next month - it's the cheaper of the two (they alternate) and money is put aside already.
- Emergency fund is now £1850 and will stop when it gets to £2000 next month.
- Remaining pot for Silver wedding/Christmas is on track.
Shopping not so organised this month - holiday has obviously disrupted it a little so need to get that back on track.
- Drive thru coffees - minimal.  

So not too bad overall, with still 2.5 weeks until Easter.  I feel like I have taken my eye off it a bit but some of the habits appear to be embedding themselves which is good.  I am going to do a complete review of absolutely everything at Easter which will be three months in and a good time to consider if we want to change anything, look at targets and set new ones if necessary.
I still recall the bit about the best money saving being the money you don't spend and I remind myself of that a lot - obvious but makes a lot of sense.  
Beauty products quest still ongoing.  In good news I discovered that I have three tinted moisturisers (SPF40) in my surplus drawer (best not to ask why I have that many - no point dwelling on the excesses of the past).  They will be very useful going forward.  I am going to add a bit to normal moisturiser to give me a tiny hint of colour (trust me - I am so pale that less is definitely more) and see how that goes.
Back to work on Wednesday but mainly at home this week so time to get back into it and get organised before I have to steel myself to drive past more drive thru coffee places (soon I shall be sailing past in a state of indifference!).

I hope you all have a good week.

L x 

PennysIntoPounds

Well done on all the things but especially getting the octo money, what a nice whack to the credit card debt!
Have you thought about every time you resist buying a coffee, you add that amount to a pot then you can transfer it to the savings or debt of your choosing? Maybe mid month or whenever it most feels like nothing much is happening financially, as a mse 'reward' to yourself?

Florafauna

Tinted moisturiser is really good 

beanielou

Tinted moistuiser or BB cream.

jwil

You've made great progress, and hope you had a nice time off.

I think @PennysIntoPounds idea of making an equivalent payment to debt or savings every time you avoid a coffee is a great one.  You could then see how much difference you are making.

scandimore

It's a moisturiser only LT, rather than BB / SPF, but I use la roche posay lipikar balm. It gets rid of that dry tight feeling very well and lasts for ages. I occasionally use an oil cleanser called beauty balm from lyonsleaf which is all natural. Don't wear makeup unless out out.
Apart from that I'm in the flannel and water club, I probably need to start with an anti-ageing cream as I'm hitting the age range. Fellow pale, dry and sensitive skinned person here!

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

That’s a good idea @PennysIntoPounds   Maybe every journey for work that I don’t buy a coffee I could pay an extra fiver off one of the cards.  

As you say - becomes a small win at several points in the month. 

Thanks for your comments @scandimore - off to have a look. If I don’t use moisturiser my skin feels about 5 sizes too small 😱. I have some cleansing balm and do like those.  Will ponder that when current supplies run out.  

I find it really interesting to hear what you all do re skincare.  

Thank you @beanielou, @Florafauna and @jwil for your comments.  My SIL uses BB cream so will ask about that and see if I can steal some as she is also pale. 

L x 

Sun_Addict

I don’t use foundation but use a cc cream instead. The L’Oreal green tinted one is amazing. It looks horrendous when it comes out as it’s green but it magically adapts to your skin tone and hides a multitude of sins. It’s great for me as I can wear it all year round and even with a tan it still blends in. 

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

Thanks for that info @Sun_Addict. That’s really interesting as I hadn’t considered anything like that as always think it can’t possibly blend.  I will look into it.  

L x