2026: The Final Year

crunchy_time

Today's win: Vinted money has come through - £21 to the cards.

The amount on 0% is now under £2k, which is a nice milestone.

Crunch

crunchy_time

Today's win: £5 came in for the books so that has been slushed.

My husband and I also had a really good strategy chat about money going forward. We have paid the last bill for the garden room and don't have the £3k left from the pot that we thought we would have as of course everything is expensive even with budgeting.

So we talked about how we are going to move going forward, especially as his money seems to be fluctuating every month at the moment due to tax.

Crunch

crunchy_time

Today's little win:

The joint account bills were a little less than usual as my mobile bill has reduced so managed to slush another £20 towards the debt today.

We are very nearly at £700 in total just from round ups, items sold and Feb's council tax in 3 months so were are definately on the right track!!

Sometimes it feels like it is taking a while but I know I would rather do it slowly and get the systems right that supports this as opposed to rush and end up in lots of debt again.

Crunch

crunchy_time

Today's little win!

£229 that would have been spent on council tax whisked off the husband's credit card.

Pay day shuffle is complete. I just have to do the Amex card but I shall do that tomorrow.

Crunch

Dakota_Rose

It’s great that you’ve allocated the CT money off the CC. It makes a real difference to overpayments having those 2 free months doesn’t it.

theoldmansmrs

I have just been reading your diary and you are doing great.

One of the things I have found useful is to have a CC pot - as soon as I spend on the credit card, I put that amount in the pot so I don't have to find the money when the bill comes in. I appreciate it won't help everybody but thought I would share "just in case"

TOMM

crunchy_time

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81903181#Comment_81903181

it certainly does! Next year it will probably go on the mortgage again.

crunchy_time

We do that for the Amex as the balance is paid in full each month.

crunchy_time

Today’s little win: I grabbed all the interest from our various savings pots and chucked that at the credit cards - £40.

We are edging closer to that first £1k paid off!!

Thank you to those who have read my diary and also to those who have commented. I often don’t get time to read lots of diaries on here but I do like to post. It has helped me shift lots of debt in the past and it is helping now as well.

I appreciate this space to share.

Thank you

Crunchy xx

crunchy_time

It's not a win yet but I have sold 4 items on Vinted and should get about £8 once I have posted them. I have also found some more things to post on there.

Additionally, I get holiday pay in my pay tomorrow to the tune of £59 so an extra swish off the credit cards is to come and should take us into paying our first £1k off.

I've been reflecting recently that all of this debt we are now paying off is because of what we call the 'busy tax' in our house. When we were both working last year - husband 40 hours a week plus also international travel and commuting to London at least twice a week (1.5 hours from us) and me doing 30 hours minimum wage job that made me miserable and also handling all of the housework and emotional labour. We were just too tired and busy we didn't organise ourselves very well as nobody had the energy so got into debt.

This year husband is working the same as last year but I am doing 15 hours a week with (40 min commute each way, 3 hours per day) but earn £2k more a year and have waaaaay more time on my hands for organising our lives and the kids lives and we are soooooooo much happier! And able to rapidly pay down our debt.

I'm so grateful for this. Thank you to the universe!

Crunch x