The 46 weeks debt free challenge

Philliggi

Ive got a review with the adhd clinic this afternoon. Its definitely something im going to mention. If its a known link with energy drinks and adhd she may well be my bedt hope. 

Also going to ask her about looking into assessing me for autism. She mentioned at my diagnosis assessment i show massive autistic traits but she herself vouldnt diagnose, and weirdly they seem to completely contradict my adhd. Its all very confusing.

Im a rule bender but not a law breaker
I cut corners but follow procedures 
I use tick lists but am chaotic 

Philliggi

So shes medicated me on a much stronger dosage than previous. Previous attempts had no real positive effect but i mentioned the energy drink saga and she says the stronger dosage should counteract the cravings.

Noticed recently my lack of focus is massive. Im permanently checking my phone for no apparent reason other than boredom. 

Anyway im turning this into an adhd diary. 

GOOD NEWS!!!

 Nationwide have emailed saying im due 100 pound as part of a profit share so thats another £100 off the debt in june. 

Happy bank holiday everyone. Its the big 40 next week. More excited about my sunday debt repayment 'weigh-in'

enthusiasticsaver

I think if you are ADHD you are probably seeking the sugar or caffeine high of the energy drinks. My son in law is ADHD and both granddaughters autistic and all of them struggle to focus. Well done on the £100 from Nationwide. I have a regular saver and flex current but don’t qualify probably because I don’t put in £500 per month. 

Philliggi

I think more than anything the drinks have become a habit. The medication is in the post so think ill use my 40th as a milestone for kicking the habit. Feels good to have a plan on this front. 

Philliggi

Up bright and early on a sunday morning and the debt weigh in is in. Its been an excellent week this week debt wise. 

Repaid my parents £200, which i forgot to include in my total debt.
£110 octopus refund
£45 weekly repayment target
£15 approx pay to play games
And managed to top it up with some spare cash too.

So £231 comes off the running total but in reality thats actually £431 including my parents. I know im not going to hit these sorts of figures every week. The Octopus money has definately helped but what a moral boost so early, and so close to pay day as well when money is generally tight. 

Aimingforthegoodlife

Love the plan and you have made good inroads already! I find joining in the challenges keeps me going, as I have come and go from this forum many times over the years, but have been consistently here for over 6months this time! 

I had a quick google, some things pop up about energy drink addiction, so may be worth a look to see if any support is out there specifically. I love a monster, I try and limit myself to specific times, I can have one monster if I am tired and stuck at my desk on duty- once a week, I can have a monster if I have been up early and have a long day, but not more than one a week in general! I used to do nights, and they were my lifeline! It may help to find which ones have less caffeine and maybe use them as you try to cut down? 

Have a lovely birthday!

Philliggi

Thank you for the birthday wishes.

Yeah i can see why limit goals on energy drinks could work for some but i find with me its more a habit. I get up for work daily at 3.30am and before the car engine is running ive popped the ring pull on my first drink of the day. Im always tired so i think i would struggle with those kind of goals. 

My new adhd medication advises against caffeine and is apparently a massive dopamine hit, so im going to try to ssubstitute across to flavoured water alongside these new tablets. 

Philliggi

Is it strange to be obsessed with the repayment of debt?  Both work colleges and the wife have said it is. The wife doesnt want me to be disappointed if i fail with the march goal, while those at work think there are better things to spend the money on. 

All i can do is focus on the £298 that will be extra in my bank account if im successful

Philliggi

Been toying with the idea of making another push with my book but really dont think i can face the rejection. 

You see it was one of my bucket list items to publish a book, and i achieved this in 2019 when i self published on amazon, with grand ideas of it becoming a best seller and loved by all. I know its a good story, one that people cannot put down once they start but due to my impulsive nature i rushed through the editing and publishing process, and let the story down with grammatical errors. Its definitely held it back over the years. The 4.3 rating on amazon would be  much closer to 5* had i edited it properly. In hindsight its probably just another nod to my fragile mental state thats let me down once again. 

Anyway, ive been toying with stripping it back, editing properly and remarketing it, potentially writing a screen play for it, but having put my heart and soul into it the first time round, to sell a meagre 532 copies is crippling mentally. I don't know if i would have it in me. Ive come to realise it is a financial burden rather than a gold mine.

enthusiasticsaver

The obsession with repaying debt is something I have read on here before particularly if you are ND. The work colleagues are not making sense when they say there are better things to spend money on as you have already spent it. That is why it is debt. Be wary of those who normalise high amounts of unsecured debt. I have noticed some do people that and deter others from paying down debt to make themselves feel better about not dealing with their debt. I don’t  really get your wife not wanting you to be disappointed if you don’t reach the goal. Make the goal realistic and you should meet it. If not you learn from mistakes and move on but not even trying is a cop out.