misstara's debt diary 2024

misstara

£16.65 spent in A!di, stocking up on coffee for work, fruit and more salad stuff.

Have lost 5 pounds since I started healthy eating so determined to stick to it.

Boodedoo

Good about the weight loss, slow but sure usually means it stays off. Hope it goes well on Saturday with the 5k -  and get those mileage claims in!

My eye has now cleared so my horror film career prospects will take a dive :-)

misstara

Glad to hear your eye has cleared up Boodedoo but shame about your film career

misstara

Review of 2024 goals

Pay off credit card
Done

Maximise LISA
Completed for last financial year.  So far, I have put in £450 in this financial year so need to put in £3550 to maximise it.  I can usually afford to put in between £200 and £250 a month so that would be £2200-£2750.  Hmm need to have a think about how to make up the difference.

Increase emergency fund
£1500 target has been met so now aiming for my next target of £2000.  Now sitting at £1533.14, an increase of £162.47 since last month.

Celebrate
Had the wedding in April which was lovely.  This month, it's my birthday so we've got a wee day out planned for that and a few days away in Edinburgh later on in the month.  I've also got a weekend away with friends in June.

Stick to the menu plan and minimise food waste
This went much better last month.  There was still some food wastage but much improved.

Gym membership 
I have been a few times although could definitely be more motivated with it.  And I completed the 5k in April too.

Flat stuff
Again no progress made here - maybe next month!

misstara

Haven't posted in a few weeks due to usual work stresses and still feeling slightly under the weather from the lurgy.

Off for a long weekend which is nice.  Yesterday was a lovely day so I met a friend for a walk, £5.50 spent on coffee and cake at the end.

Today does not look so nice so plan is to go to the supermarket for a few bits and do a tidy up of the flat.

misstara

Wow I have neglected my diary for a really long time.  I've been meaning to start posting again for the last month or so but never quite got round to doing so.  I had lost focus after having several conversations with OH about deposit saving and buying somewhere and we couldn't agree on which areas we would want to look at and actually whether to bother at all as we are fairly happy where we are.  However, after a day trip to a nearby village, we both agreed that moving out of the city is something we would like to do so feeling much more motivated to keep saving.

I continue to be debt free but have been much more lax with my budgets so there's definitely room for saving more towards a deposit.

Best head off to bed as on an early shift tomorrow but hopefully will get back into posting more regularly.

debtfreewannabe321

I've just read through your diary misstara 😊 lovely to see you DF! It can be so easy to lose focus when you achieve the bigger goals (like becoming DF) good luck with saving for the move 🍀🙏

misstara

Thanks dfw321

So Friday early shift followed by a run round the local park.  Also popped to the supermarket and spent £11.96 on food.

Yesterday we went out of the city to a national trust place we had never been to before.  Didn't actually go into the place as it was quite expensive but went a lovely long walk around the grounds, £4 spent on parking.  Decided to a local pub for tea so £31.25 spent there.

Today has been a NSD went for a run round the park this morning, did some cleaning and laundry and have done a few hours for my assessor role this afternoon.

Boodedoo

Well hello there !
Really, really pleased to see that you are still debt free, way to go you!
 Deciding about whether or not to continue to aim to save a deposit to buy a property is something you can only decide between you,  but continuing to keep an eye on expenditure and saving in some form will assist in the debt free status continuing.

misstara

Review of 2024 goals

Maximise LISA
I have now saved £1625 so £2375 to go to maximise it.  Will put in £1225 from the direct debit already set up so £1150 to find.  I have been adding survey money, cashback from ch@se account, etc to the emergency fund but will start adding it to the LISA instead. 

Increase emergency fund
£2000 target achieved so next target is £2500

Celebrate
Not much planned for this month as yet other than a meal out with friends.

Stick to the meal plan and minimise food waste
This one is going pretty good especially since we decided to be more focussed on saving again.

Gym membership
This is also going pretty well.  I've gotten back into running and am running 3 times a week regularly, outside preferably but in the gym if the weather isn't great.

Flat stuff
We were incredibly lucky to get some free furniture - sofa and 2 chairs plus a wardrobe, 2 chest of drawers and 2 bedside tables, all in great condition