Need to stop spending and chasing dopamine!

Sarahwithlove

Mcdonalds is ok if you get their meal deal or saver menu but more often than not kids don't want to eat from either of those options ha! 

Pink_Butterfly

Hello! I hope everyone had a good Christmas? Mine was lovely but I always find the day overwhelming and exhausting so I crashed out on my sofa at around 9:30pm 😆

I received some lovely presents, and the girls were so so spoilt… although their gifts are smaller now they’re a bit older, so we could still see the living room floor 😂

I have paid off the Next account so we’re now at £592.33/£600.00 - only £7.67 to go now, which I might just fling at the Barclaycard today. Can’t believe I’ve paid all of that during one of the most expensive months of the year.

I sold a pair of DD2’s shoes for £5.00 - considering I spent £7.19 on them almost a year ago I’m quite chuffed with that! I’ll get them sent today or tomorrow and will use the money to buy DD1 some new tights for school as all of hers have holes in them 🙄

Today we need to go to a supermarket and stock up as the fridge and cupboards are almost bare. Need to do a list first and decide on what we want for dinner today and tomorrow. I also want to wash my bedding and find homes for all of our gifts.

Hope you all have a great Boxing Day! 🥂

Pink_Butterfly

Well I’ve officially hit my £600.00 target as I’ve sent £7.67 to the Barclaycard 😀 This means I’m walking into 2025 with £7,699.30 worth of debt. I can’t wait to get rid of it!

We’ve had a lovely, chilled Boxing Day. The supermarket was really quiet so shopping was pleasant. We had a nice dinner that DD1 chose (spag bol with garlic bread) and I have fresh bed sheets tonight. Bliss! My washing machine is currently on for the 2nd time today so I’ll hang those clean clothes out on the airer soon and then I think I’m going to get an early night 😴

Pink_Butterfly

It’s getting to that time when I don’t know what day it is 😂😂

The girls and I are having a very lazy morning, which I’m enjoying but I feel guilty for not doing much! They’re going to their dad’s after dinner.

I’ve paid £38.49 to Very for the clothes I ordered for DD1 a couple of weeks ago so the balance on there is officially zero. I’ve also loaded all of the Amazon gift cards that we received for Christmas on the app. I’ve got £40 and the girls have £35 each.

I’m going to set a very ambitious target of £700.00 for January, as I want to see the debt going into the £6Ks 😬 It’s going to be a challenge but I want to aim high!

Pink_Butterfly

Mr New Man took me to the Cotswolds today. It was lovely, but absolutely freezing! 🥶 Spends were £7.90 on hot chocolates for us both to warm up. He paid for lunch 🥰

I’ve ordered a few bits from Amazon but they’re sooooo so boring 🤣 A carbon monoxide alarm (as I had 2 gas leaks last month!), 2 light bulbs, 2 potato peelers, a knife sharpener and a replacement plug for my bathroom sink. How dull?! I’m glad I could use my voucher for them as I would’ve hated using my actual money 😆 I had a £3 off discount if I had them delivered to a collection point, so I’ll pick them up from my local Morrisons in a couple of days. Zero dopamine received from this order 🤣

I’ve also ordered DD1’s school tights from Next, as they do longer length which is what she needs, and a swimming costume for DD2 from their sale as she’s starting swimming lessons with the school soon. She used to have swimming lessons regularly but we stopped once she reached stage 4 as she hated it. Hopefully she won’t hate it this time as she will be with her friends.

I owe my parents some money towards the Christmas dinner as we went out for it and they settled the bill, but they won’t give me their bank details, so I’m going to withdraw the cash tomorrow and then drop it round 😂 They’re saying they don’t want the money for it but it was expensive and it wouldn’t be fair on them to pay for the whole thing, especially when one of the meals was for my ex. So he’s going to transfer his share to me and then I’ll give it to my parents.

One more day and then I’m back at work… that went far too quickly! 😭

Pink_Butterfly

Well I took the cash to my parents’ house but my mum has just called me saying she’s going to transfer it back 😂 She’s insisting on paying for the whole meal. I personally think it’s far too much but I’ve given up arguing with her lol. Will throw it towards the debt when it lands as it’s money I won’t miss.

I met one of my close friends for a coffee this morning which was nice. On my way there I bumped into an old friend and his little boy. It was the first time I’d seen my friend in 9 years! We message a few times a year but never meet up due to life being so busy so it was lovely seeing him.

I’m now scrubbing my bathroom and giving the whole flat a good clean as it’s very much needed. I also have DD2’s bedding in the washing machine 😊😊 I’m so not ready to go back to work tomorrow but needs must!

Pink_Butterfly

I survived the first day back at work. It was a struggle getting out of bed though 😂

I received my childminder’s bill for December so I paid her the money and then uploaded the bill to my UC account. Tomorrow is pay day 😊 and the last day of the year! Can’t believe 2024 is almost over, it’s gone so quickly.

The 0% on my Barclaycard ends on 21/07/2025, whereas the NatWest CC is 07/02/2026, so I think I’m going to spend on my NatWest card but transfer whatever I’ve spent to my Barclaycard. So it’s like a balance transfer, sort of 😆 Obviously I’ll be throwing money at the Barclaycard too.

overhauler

Hi @Pink_Butterfly

i’ve just read your diary and will subscribe to follow along. You have done amazingly well so far to clear so much in such a short time, especially through the Christmas season! You should be really proud of yourself 

your mum sounds like mine, always refusing to accept money back 😂 we are going for our panto trip at the weekend and out for a meal afterwards and she is already laying claim on the bill 

it was my first day back at work today after a week off and my goodness the get up was difficult, I went to the office but no one else bothered so I came home and worked from the comfort of the sofa from lunch time, I’m glad it’s a 4 day week with a break in the middle to make the first week back slightly easier 

I will keep checking in and cheer you along 🙂

Pink_Butterfly

Thank you @overhauler ☺️ You’re brave for going into the office this week, I can’t do it 😆 The only way I’m working this week is on the sofa with a blanket over me and the radio or TV in the background! I need to get myself back into the zone slowly 😉

Happy new year to you all! I’ve spent the first day of the year stripping wallpaper in my living room. The girls have been helping and both of them are loving it! Whenever DD2 or I were stripping the wallpaper, DD1 was making key-rings out of clay. She made me one in the shape of an elephant (my favourite animal) with “mum” on it 🥰 bless her.

I sent the money my mum transferred back to me to the holiday, so we are currently at £130.00/£700.00. I paid for my food shopping with my NatWest CC so I have transferred the amount (£45.43) to my Barclaycard. I’ll have £83.95 credit available on my NatWest CC from tomorrow as the minimum payment DD will go out, so I’ll use most of it and transfer whatever I spend to the Barclaycard.

I stupidly lost my driving license so had to pay £14.00 for a new one. You watch it turn up now 😂

I decided to end things with the guy I was dating. He’s lovely but he said a few things that made me think his heart isn’t into it, and I thought it’s better to end things now than later down the line when feelings are involved. We have said we’ll still be friends.

I need to start cooking dinner now before the kids tell me they’re starving 😂

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi and Happy New Year! 

Back in with renewed determination.  We have a 3 year plan to clear our debts, which is tight but possible, assuming that DHs health doesn't throw a spanner in the works.  Either way we need to get the card balances down.

December spends included car MOT/service, a new fridge, heating oil, coal, a car battery and a fairly expensive trip away to see family as well as Christmas.  Just one expense of £135 put on credit so I am pleased with that.  This does mean that January is going to need to be very frugal though!

This afternoon I did a list of everything we have in the freezer so that we can use some of it up.  We need to just shop for what we absolutely need this month.