Making 2026 a debt busting year

YORKSHIRELASS

Thanks @amber03 I know, rubbish isn't it? However there was a time when we would have just borrowed the money and not given it a second thought, so at least we are getting some practice with proper financial planning!

It turns out that our lovely NDN knows someone who will do the job at good price if we both get the work done at the same time. It should also be possible to use some of the existing pipe work to reduce the cost. We are also going to go ahead with our plan to get a survey and quote done to replace our inefficient open fire with a log burner. Again it's about getting accurate information and costs so we can decide what to do.

Otherwise it's been a very low spend weekend. We went to Li@l yesterday but only spent £48. DH and I will do a meal plan in a minute.

Blackcats

I hope the tank costs can be reduced by combining with your neighbour.
well done on your low spend in Lidls. I'm going tomorrow with the aim of spending less than £50. I'll need to keep DH out of the middle aisles 🙄

YORKSHIRELASS

Just checking in. Work has been manic, I have done the first two of the workshops I mentioned, so much concentration and focus which was exhausting!

I feel like I have done really well with the spending, bought a couple of work things on Vinted for less than a tenner but I am OK with that and it keeps me away from the online stores. I haven't bought any work lunches either although I did go out for lunch with a colleague last week as a one off.

I will do a proper mid month update soon.

RedLipstick

Well done on the workshops!! xx

YORKSHIRELASS

Thanks @RedLipstick I actually enjoyed it, I just have to stop myself going back over every moment picking apart what I did and said!

I have been out for a walk on my own today, nice bit of down time, and I treated myself to coffee and a scone in a cafe - £6.75 spent.

It's DHs birthday soon. We don't celebrate valentines day and don't bother much with birthdays but there is a play on at our local theatre that DH would love so I have booked tickets as a surprise, This cost £52 for both of us. It will come out of my miscellaneous spends. I am now wrestling with the thought that it's too much and I have been too extravagant. All of this is so difficult.

On a completely separate note I have worked out that if we change to Lidl coffee pods we would save £92 a year. They are not quite as nice but that's quite a saving!

I need to update my spreadsheet.

YORKSHIRELASS

Well, it's been a busy week, which included my birthday. The money saving continues as does the decluttering, which in my mind go hand it hand somehow. I suppose it's making me think about the things that I own and how much their financial worth really matters as well as clearing space without wanting to buy stuff to fill it again. It also feels like a reset.

We have a small home office which over the years has become a bit of a dumping ground. I am getting rid of all the furniture except my desk, it's all cheap stuff that doesn't work well in the space. For ages I have wanted to buy a nice bookcase and chair to make a reading corner. I have £100 from my birthday so I will use that towards this project rather than buying clothes.

Generally I am doing really well at not spending. I went to meet my brother on Friday and called at Super drug because I needed a new mascara and some other toiletries. I ended up spending £22 which felt like an awful lot even though I had only bought things that I needed. That is niggling at me now.

YORKSHIRELASS

Well I have not posted on here for a while and I can feel things starting to slide. The pull of old habits is so strong. The good news is that I haven't actually fallen off the wagon, I have just started looking at online shops and mentally started to stick my head in the sand a bit.

We managed to pay an extra £350 off the debts last month and put £350 in the house renovation fund, not too bad, could be better. I started some savings pots in January and I think I have just confused myself with it, so I need to look at all that over the weekend. I also need to remind myself where we are with cards and 0% deals.

Tomorrow we are going to the big out of town shopping centre to look at paint. Note to self; warmer weather and sunshine does not justify buying new clothes. The clothes that I wore last Spring are in the piles somewhere and are good enough. I will report back on how it goes.

Spendless

Hi

I have a monzo savings account and you can label your pots (upto 20). I find this a really easy way to know what pot is meant for.

Earlier this week, I took all my clothes out of my wardrobe and went thru it and only put back the items I will continue to wear. This identified that I lacked smart casual wear (I could do formal, beach and work easily!). Yesterday I bought a still with tags dress for 50p! This is the time of year people do sort out their clothes, so if you resist the shopping centre and go thru what you already have consider plugging any gaps in your wardrobe with pre loved.

YORKSHIRELASS

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81912854#Comment_81912854

Thanks, I am going to look at the savings pots next. I bought two tops for work reduced to £6 each at the shopping centre so I feel like I have treated myself without going mad. Pleased with that.

A wardrobe declutter is overdue. I definitely have things that I have forgotten about!

YORKSHIRELASS

Well, time for an update. I have spent £168 on clothes this month so I guess I haven't fallen off the wagon completely but there has definitely been a slide in focus and attitude. Bit disappointed in myself but it's not disastrous and some of this will be covered by cash Mum gave me for my birthday. No purchases have been bought on credit and I did send one online purchase back that I more or less immediately regretted buying.

I always knew this wasn't going to be easy.

I will do another update about the joint finances and credit card debt, but I know this is much more positive. We are steadily saving for house improvements and paying extra off the debts.