Don't hit me with those negative waves Moriarity

warby68

You've hit the nail on the head there with recognising that the first step in getting debt free is to stop debt going  up. It often gets missed as a specific stage to talk about and also how tough it is to then make reductions on top. Personally I think its why quite a lot of debt free journeys fail at the first attempt because too much is expected too soon. I'm very much in favour of seeing it as the big first step - proof you CAN control your spending. Then away you go with step two.

Good luck with decluttering for cash. Even if you don't make much cash, that tidy, organised house feeling is a great mood lifter when you want to be tidy and organised with other things such as finances.

Debtfree2026

100% agree re the not adding to debt - I was initially getting so fixated on the fact that our bank account appeared to be running so low at the beginning of the month, I got that heavy feeling in my stomach - then it dawned on me that that final figure was the amount after ALL the direct debits that are coming out this month, all monthly debt repayments have been made and I've actually got money in sinking funds!  Plus I still have money in the grocery account for the month and in my personal spends account.  And this is just month two!

All the best with the declutter - I am doing the same!

LzzyIsGod

Thanks so much for your comments.

If DF entries had song titles for headings today's would be Baby it's cold outside.

Jeepers creepers, brass monkeys and all that.

 Overtime at work for me today which is great although the heating in my car is definitely NOT working and I wore 5 layers to keep warm (I need my car for work). Fortunately my mate is a mechanic and has offered to fix it for cost of parts and some beers which, whilst will cost money (of which I am loathed to part with), today has sealed the fact that this is infact an essential if I want to stay well and can't be avoided. I did also have to spend the Princely sum of £2.39 to grab a coffee to warm myself up - must dig out the bigger thermos flask. 

The non takeaway birthday tea went down well for family member, likely helped by the left over Christmas booze which they were merrily offered  😉 so hopefully everyone was a winner!

Today's other bonus was I won £20 in the weekly pub lotto club 😁 which i will allocate towards the car heating "save my frozen feet" fund. In the past I'd have panicked or whacked this on a CC but I don't need to do that - not yet atleast. And im still out of the OD and not used a CC to buy/pay something which is a fantastic feeling. Small wins with big feelings attached.

Stay warm out there!!

LzzyIsGod

Today's song title The snows they melt the soonest . Had to dig deep into my memory bank for that one.

The snow was a bit of a letdown here, barely even a smattering before the rain came. The child in me was disappointed tbh. But another day overtime done at work so roll on pay day 🤣 Never been so excited for it.

Not much to report, haven't actively spent anything although I think I do actually need a new mouse pad as my one has seen better days and is becoming frustrating to use.  The new DD went out on time for the newest CC (0% balance transfer) which is good as I always worry it might not get set up in time but no worries there and the balance has started on it's downwards trajectory.

Daily checking (often many more times than this) of all the bank accounts/card balances continues, it's a bit obsessive at the moment but I would expect this to settle down as time goes on and I hopefully get more used to being in control of my money. 

Still haven't quite figured out how people structure their signatures as a running total of debt reduction but might have a look at that in a bit.

LzzyIsGod

Four seasons in One Day

We had snow, rain, more rain and then some more rain and finally the sun came out.

 Due to the weather I aborted my plans for a run and did a home workout instead. I am indeed a Fairweather Runner. Plus i actively dislike the idea of running and was quite easily persuaded to pull out the weights instead 😂😂

Sadly the gym is currently one of the sacrifices made, although if I feel more confident that I'm on the right track and there's sensible room in the budget Im hoping i can reinstate it. I keep reminding myself I survived with home gym during lockdown and I will do again if it's not feasible and it won't necessarily be forever.

Had a mini moment of panic when I checked my balances this morning as I clocked the new credit card balance had changed and thought it had gone up - note to self make sure I'm properly awake when I do this as it had actually (correctly!) gone down 🤣

Little mini beginning of the week tot up of money shows new overall debt balance of £37238  so £1893 down from £39161 where I started back in oct/Nov 24. Not bad going given the money shuffling done (and charges incurred) over the last few months. Aiming for 36 something by the end of Jan 💪. Don't want to be overly ambitious and disappoint myself as this will lead to endless mental berating which isn't helpful or constructive.

Onwards and Downwards!

LzzyIsGod

little by little


Today, whilst I was moving the log delivery to the wood shed (a much needed purchase from joint funds so in a separate budget to mine) it occurred to me that tackling debt was much like moving the pile of logs - looked like an never ending task at first with minimal impact initially and then suddenly I was halfway and down it went really quickly with a slight impatience to finish towards the end. 

Another CC payment went out today so another little step (or log!) towards freedom (imagines Mel Gibson on his horse shouting FREEEEEEDOM ala Braveheart). 

Currently I'm standing at:
CC1    BIG FAT ZERO 
CC2    7055
CC3    9465
CC4    4232.03 
Loan  16416

CC3 is where I think I am planning my 1st line of snowball attack once this month has gone (still want to see how a new normal month will be). This is partly as this 0% balance runs out first and it's minimum payment is the lowest of all of them at 1%.

Realistically I will need to look for a BT to one of my other cards later in the year (all 2.5% min payment) and in order to make sure I can easily meet the min payment on months without overtime, I want this balance to be as low as possible. (I mean a zero balance would be ideal 😂😂 but whilst I am ever the Optimistist, a Pessimist is never disappointed. Plan for the worst but hope for the best)

I've a few weeks to mull things over and chew the cud, and I'll probably change my mind a million times before the end of the month but I suspect this is the right way to go. Happy to hear opinions though

Ps  can't wait to type BIG FAT ZERO against Every Single One of those balances 

Sarahwithlove

What kind of utilisation do you have on both cards? Are you likely to get offers from your one with zero balance in future? If I remember correctly you have a pretty good credit score. So I'd probably go for whichever 0% ends first. 

LzzyIsGod

Sarahwithlove said:

What kind of utilisation do you have on both cards? Are you likely to get offers from your one with zero balance in future? If I remember correctly you have a pretty good credit score. So I'd probably go for whichever 0% ends first. 

Thanks for replying!

Currently I have:
11500 (current balance 7055)
10300  (current balance 9465)
4500  (current balance 4232)
9100 (current balance zero)

Poor old credit score has taken a battering recently as I opened cc4 for the long 0% balance transfer and a current account (no overdraft facility as I don't want one) to "pot" my monthly petrol money - petrol has historically been my biggest downfall in needing to use the CCs . 

 I've no intentions of needing to.open anything else (at the moment at least) and aim to get my debt down so hopefully it should recover in the next 4 months or so. 3 of my cards currently are offering 0% transfer offers on them even now despite the existing balances so hopefully that's a positive sign.

LzzyIsGod

The heat is ON

Great and joyous news of rapture - the heat is most definitely on as my car is now has heating once more!!! Especially welcomed during this particularly chilly snap, if you've ever had the misfortune to drive long distances without heating you will know how deeply and utterly miserable and unpleasant it is. I will never again take it for granted. I'm also deeply indebted to my mate who did it for mates rates and saved me a considerable amount of money. 

Speaking of money obviously this is a DF diary and today has been a spendy day.  I have though absolutely no regrets about fixing the heating as I really couldn't continue without it.To off set this I need to tell you a true story. I am known for the occasional embellishment but this I promise is utterly true.

In the summer I went to the races, not somewhere I'm usually found as im not particularly a betting person but it was a bit of an occasion do. I had wagered some small bets throughout the day but was given a tip for the last race, shoved 10 quid on it and low and behold the blooming thing won 🤣 Not wanting to carry a load of cash in my purse I put it in a "safe place" in a hurry one day soon after and completely forgot exactly where this safe place was. 

I have been searching high and low for it ever since and it had become a bit of a joke in the pub (Lzzy and the lost cash) Tbh I was starting thinking maybe i had spent it after all all and i was imagining things. Today , of all the days,  I was looking for something else and the cash turned up!!!! Honestly I could not believe it and I might admit there may have been a slight pricking of the eyes due to relief as this then went towards the car repairs (was just over half of what my mate charged) and the EF has only taken a slight battering compared to what I was expecting.

Today i am very grateful for good friends, St Anthony (patron saint of lost things) and Past Lzzy who hid the cash not knowing it would be gratefully found many months down the line.

in_need_of_direction

have you made a donation to a st Anthony charity box?