My Intentional Journey to Debt Freedom

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

Thanks for popping in both. 

I’ve never tried coffee bags @Brie.  That’s definitely worth a try.  Having said that, I don’t mind instant and have some decent stuff in my cubby at work.  I was given x 2 insulated cups for Christmas (neither one from my husband as a hint 🤣🤣) @EssexHebridean so my intention is to utilise those and swerve the drive thru to avoid the chance that a panini falls into my car at the same time.  I know it sounds incredible that someone could eat a panini at 6am but I am usually ravenous if it’s dark and I’ve been up since 4am😱.  If I have a coffee and a panini it is more than £10!!!!!   I need to stick notes in the car to remind me of that because that is a LOT of money.  I also don’t want to give that to S*bucks as we have a lovely local independent coffee shop that we can take the dog to and they are half the price and twice as good.  It would also be a social trip.  So I have a peanut butter sandwich in my plan as well for the morning trips.   This week a little different as I will be in London but I do drive to where I am staying and the daily commute (three days) might be a temptation.  The cups are coming with me and I should be okay on the journey home - the morning journey is definitely the issue.  

So I have some strategies thought out. Just need to translate into action (I’m good at the talking, writing and planning part, not so much at the action- as per my user name).  

Time to be intentional now - as per the thread name.  

I’m off in the morning so will report back.  

L x 

Brie

Not a fan of peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast but have often had PB and banana.  It seems more breakfasty somehow.  

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

It’s a funny thing @Brie. I have tried various options and PB is the most successful (sometimes with marmite- I am sure some people are thinking 🤢 and others thinking yum).  I like a banana but separately.  Funny how we all like different combinations of things.   The PB fills me up and keeps me going until lunchtime and being veggie I have fewer options (don’t mention eggs - can’t stand them in sandwiches although I would eat them poached- not great in the car 🤣🤣). 

As long as it’s not a S*bucks tomato and mozzarella panini costing nearly £5.  

L x 

Blackcats

The Taylor's coffee bags are excellent - my OH is a coffee officianado (snob) and he really rates them.  We take them on trips with us to use in our hotel room instead of going down to the bar for a pricey cup of coffee.  I don't drink coffee but I take a sachet of hot chocolate with me.
hello!  I've benefitted so much from reading diaries and keeping my own diary.  I've learned so much and even managed to apply lots of the shared wisdom in real life.  I was able to go part time last year and have now fully retired 8 years before my official state pension age.  For me it really is about the accumulation of marginal gains (sounds so fancy doesn't it) but not spending on a whim, not thinking "it's just a few £'s what harm can it do?" budgeting and sticking to it, taking control of what we can control e.g, grocery shopping and doing our best when things are less in our control like energy prices - we can't cut prices but we can cut usage.  Saving, even small amounts of money does add up to having savings.

Interestingly although my focus was on giving up work what I'm achieving is helping me be more intentional and live a more sustainable lifestyle.

EssexHebridean

Oh my goodness - yes to peanut butter and marmite sandwiches! You can always add a few slices of well flavoured cheddar in the middle too - there may not be a better sandwich! (And it has to be said it actually sounds like a far more interesting sandwich than a cheese & tomato panini, to me!) 

I'm also with you on quite happily being able to eat something at 6am if I have had an early start - I occasionally have to do a drive which means me leaving at somewhere around 0530 and always have to take food otherwise I can guarantee I will end up stopping on the way! Oddly enough I frequently plan for a stop on the way back and then can't be doing with faffing around when it comes to it - I just drive straight back. 

Brie

Less_Talk_and_More_Action said:

It’s a funny thing @Brie. I have tried various options and PB is the most successful (sometimes with marmite- I am sure some people are thinking 🤢 and others thinking yum).  I like a banana but separately.  Funny how we all like different combinations of things.   The PB fills me up and keeps me going until lunchtime and being veggie I have fewer options (don’t mention eggs - can’t stand them in sandwiches although I would eat them poached- not great in the car 🤣🤣). 

As long as it’s not a S*bucks tomato and mozzarella panini costing nearly £5.  

L x 

Marmite is a def 🤢for me!!  My dad loved his peanut butter and would have it with a variety of things in a sandwich, jam (standard combo), raisins (sweet and didn't drip like jam), lettuce (he liked the wet crunch) or with honey (sometimes with added walnuts) which I will succumb to occasionally.  Or he'd just have a spoonful of PB straight from the jar.  

Would you do small pots of cottage cheese maybe with oatcakes? Or even if you buy those snack cheeses or humous pots from Tascos or wherever to pack to take with you.  Cheaper to buy them and take rather than buy in the services. 

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

Thank you @EssexHebridean.  I told a friend once that I had eaten said panini at 6am and she looked at me as if I was a complete freak.  It is soooo different when you get up so early (4am this morning).  

Having said that I made it through this morning’s journey with no purchases either in the car or on the train after I dumped the car at my cousin.  Nor on the way home 👏👏👏.  

Good suggestions @Brie.  Thanks so much. I like cottage cheese so that would be a good one (PB and cottage cheese sandwich- has anyone tried that 🤣).  

@Blackcats. Thanks so much for your inspiring post  I think marginal gains are the holy grail for me.  I have a mindset (definitely working on changing it) that  says to me that it’s not with doing something because it won’t have an impact on the bigger picture.  Or alternatively, doing something (spending) doesn’t matter because the amount owed is so much that a small bit more won’t hurt.  I have quite a lot of weight to lose as well and the same mindset applies- that bar of chocolate won’t hurt because the total is so much.  And of course whether in finance, weightloss or whatever, this is nonsense.  

So just taking each day at a time (or each meal at a time) and make small, positive and intentional choices that will benefit me in the long term.  And we definitely want to build the habits that will sustain our lives in retirement. 

L x 

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

Hello everyone 
Quiet day and short post.  Still in London and looking forward to going home tomorrow.   

No money spent that isn’t covered by work expenses.  No coffee shop coffees at all 😁.  

No doubt I will return to my normal wordy ways in the next few days.  

Hope everyone is doing okay in the cold weather.  

L x 

jwil

Well done on no non-work spends and avoiding the coffees!

FacelessNumber

I find it interesting to read diaries like this that are focused on small wins, because that's what I also need to focus on at the moment, and reading other people's ideas/small wins definitely inspires me to do the same!

Good luck!