My Intentional Journey to Debt Freedom

enthusiasticsaver

Just popped on to your diary to say your plan seems great and great savings with the avoiding coffee shops and cancelling gym membership and the 0% deal. I am early retired, no state pension yet and walk loads on my own and with groups and mostly take my travel insulated thermos. Even on the odd occasion I do go into a coffee shop at the end of a walk to be sociable with the group it is cheaper to get it filled up and more environmentally friendly. 

Savings pots and personal spends are also a great idea. We have used them for years and they really help with budgeting. One budget day at the beginning of the month then we don’t have to think too much over the rest of the month. If the money isn’t in the pot to buy something it doesn’t get bought. 

Good luck on getting rid of the cards and mortgage and saving for retirement. 

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

Thanks so much @enthusiasticsaver. These are still new habits for me but I can’t leap in one go to the end without embedding the small changes now.  My brain seems finally to be getting on board as well.  

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

You are welcome to rant anytime @PennysIntoPounds, especially as you make so much sense.   I am trying to think of all the reasons I am doing this on a frequent basis as that is what gives me a pause when I am tempted to spend.   You are completely right that there is no point looking back - can’t change any of those decisions.  So I am looking forward intentionally and we’re already half way through month one. 

L x 

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

Thanks @jwil. Absolutely- I had very good intentions with the gym (as I always do 🤣) but actually I hate the whole bit about getting ready, driving there, showering and driving back.  In the time it takes to do that (not including the actual exercise) I could do 20 mins on the ex bike at home and take the dog out for 20 mins.  What was I thinking?????  4 month’s membership at £160 a visit (😱😱😱😱😱😱😱) 

Oh well, onwards we go.  

L x 

jwil

Less_Talk_and_More_Action said:

Thanks @jwil. Absolutely- I had very good intentions with the gym (as I always do 🤣) but actually I hate the whole bit about getting ready, driving there, showering and driving back.  In the time it takes to do that (not including the actual exercise) I could do 20 mins on the ex bike at home and take the dog out for 20 mins.  What was I thinking?????  4 month’s membership at £160 a visit (😱😱😱😱😱😱😱) 

Oh well, onwards we go.  

L x 

That's the bit that I find difficult as well, it's not the time exercising, it's the additional time to get ready, travel etc.  Much easier to do something from home when time is stretched.

EssexHebridean

Until quite recently my signature on here told a tale of intending to go to the gym but not quite managing it...I'm not renewing it this year, and will rejoin if I start to feel the itch to go again return. Right now though, it would just be money down the drain. It's all the time taken around going rather than the actual exercise itself isn't it - I completely get where you're at on that! (And all the way through last winter I did get the advantage of using their shower whenever I went rather than the ruinously expensive electric one we had at the flat, so that was an added bonus!) 

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

Completely agree @EssexHebridean. Some of the reason for our debt is my ability to live in hope - gym memberships that I don’t use; clothes that don’t fit me etc etc.  But that is the old me and I am pleased to have cancelled - we have loads of equipment I can use so that is what I intend to do.  We will see how that goes. 

L x 

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

Thanks for popping by @jwil.  Glad to have made the decision and saved the money 😁. 

L x 

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

Other things I’ve done this month (so far) that are  building good habits:
- I moved spare money as soon as it hit the bank account.  Previously I waited to see what was “left” at the end of the month. You can see where this going….of course there was never any left!  Leading me to conclude that there was nine left over.  

- As per the actions of @foxgloves I have started cutting tubes of skincare when they get to the end.  I’m not sure why this very obvious thing has eluded me but I was honestly astonished at how much was left.   

So some good progress.  

L x 

PennysIntoPounds

Those are excellent habits to have adopted, well done. You can use a kitchen clip or bulldog clip (I think is the right term!) to get the last dregs out of tubes too. Mr PIP generously bought me a set of little L'occitane hand creams as part of my Christmas gift and I will be cutting ends off, squeezing with clips, then cutting the whole thing apart to make sure there's no drop wasted 😂