2026 - The year I sort my finances and declutter my life!

bigbeff

Thank you for all the support. 

I had a horrible sore throat yesterday and have woken up croaky and feeling a bit sorry for myself, but it is payday and £500 has been sent to my CC2. Should have put it on 1 but standing order was set up before I had made my plan! I will update overdraft balances once my other payments have gone out. 

Today my plans are: 1. Cancel gym membership (I can use gym free at work and with new role, my hours are more suitable for that) so that will be £49 saved a month. 

2. Plan my temperature quilt - my project for the year I think! 

3. Try and make 3 more maths videos if my voice allows
4. Clear 2x kitchen cupboards
5. Walk to town and buy steak for dinner as special treat for new year - may pop to pub for a couple but will see how I am holding up!

 

I hope you all have a great day and a happy new year!

bigbeff

Happy New Year everybody. Yesterday was a no spend day, we went out and did a 14mile run/walk which ended up being more of a walk due to my cold and cough, but it was beautiful and took us away from shops and screens!

All my direct debits have come out so I can see where I am for the month. I have my spends for the month separated from my other accounts, so hopefully I can start working out where I am at. I just feel like the internet is trying to constantly sell me things - it is so easy to see how we all get suckered into to buying stuff when we are not paying attention. So I was thinking about a challenge…. I am going to try and make myself wait a week before purchasing anything. If I really need or want it, I will still be thinking about it a week later! If not, I won’t have wasted my money.

so today, 1) put Christmas decs down
2) make 2 x videos
3) Sort at least 1 box of paperwork!
4) Take 2 bags to charity shop

Have a good day!

in_need_of_direction

I’ve started to unsubscribe from mailing lists to reduce impulse buys.  If I actually need something, I can search for vouchers, etc

lastbigspender

bigbeff said:

lastbigspender said:

Great minds and all that.

2026 will be the year I will take more control over my finances.

I have no loans or CC debt (as I cleared this last year via 0% BT)

I have a OD of £2,5k which I want to tackle this year but unsure how to go about this.

I have joined the 365 day & £5 Friday challenges which I want to gather for Christmas 2026.

I have am also going to start & invest £20 each month into a stocks ISA (Vanguard FTSE) for the future. 

I would (and I am no expert) open another current account and treat the one with overdraft like a credit card paying a regular payment. I think that is my plan for mine. 

I was just looking at challenges, I can’t decide which to do!

Thanks for advice.

My bank is offering Money Transfer 0% for 20 months with 3% fee so I am clearing the OD with that as I am paying approx £50 each month on interest and an extra £100 so pay £150 each month will clear the MT within 16 months 😀😀

lastbigspender

Happy New Year all

@bigbeff just reading over posts, great job and have bookmarked this blog as want to follow us all clearing debt.

Over the last couple of years I have lost nearly 5 stone in a great place with health & fitness so 2026 will be the year I take control of debt.

2027 I am the big 50 and want to have no debt by then so going to work hard this year so this blog will help.

bigbeff

lastbigspender said:

Happy New Year all

@bigbeff just reading over posts, great job and have bookmarked this blog as want to follow us all clearing debt.

Over the last couple of years I have lost nearly 5 stone in a great place with health & fitness so 2026 will be the year I take control of debt.

2027 I am the big 50 and want to have no debt by then so going to work hard this year so this blog will help.

Wow that is awesome work losing 5 stone. How did you do it? I am quite active, so it must be down to my food (although i don't think I am that bad with what I eat!) My wright has stayed consistent for about the last 6 months 😂 

Good luck with getting rid of debt by 2027... I am striggling to believe it is 2026 already 😂🫢

lastbigspender

bigbeff said:

lastbigspender said:

Happy New Year all

@bigbeff just reading over posts, great job and have bookmarked this blog as want to follow us all clearing debt.

Over the last couple of years I have lost nearly 5 stone in a great place with health & fitness so 2026 will be the year I take control of debt.

2027 I am the big 50 and want to have no debt by then so going to work hard this year so this blog will help.

Wow that is awesome work losing 5 stone. How did you do it? I am quite active, so it must be down to my food (although i don't think I am that bad with what I eat!) My wright has stayed consistent for about the last 6 months 😂 

Good luck with getting rid of debt by 2027... I am striggling to believe it is 2026 already 😂🫢

I started by working out my maintenance calories then deducting 500 calories per day as 500x7=3,500 which is 1lb of fat.

I tracked my calories using My Fitness Pal got into a routine of easting same foods most days.

I also hit 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day as well as the gym 3/4 times per week.

It's a lot but I did this over time starting with calories and steps first.

I just increased my steps initially then build on it.

Happy to help you in any way, if you need help 😀😀

bigbeff

Thank you @lastbigspender. I could do with losing a couple of stone just to make my running easier. I think i need to keep track of what i eat too, so i am aware of it. How do you work out maintenance calories? 

Another no spend day for me. The joys of being ill meant i haven't gone far. Everyday I manage a no spend day, i am going to add a payment of £5 on my card I think!

lastbigspender

bigbeff said:

Thank you @lastbigspender. I could do with losing a couple of stone just to make my running easier. I think i need to keep track of what i eat too, so i am aware of it. How do you work out maintenance calories? 

Another no spend day for me. The joys of being ill meant i haven't gone far. Everyday I manage a no spend day, i am going to add a payment of £5 on my card I think!

Input your details into the below link hit calculate bingo your approx maintenance calories is displayed.

TDEE Calculator: Learn Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure https://share.google/zyq7SVudsNFIx6Fca

Or you could ask ChatGPT

Let me know how you get on

bigbeff

Still feeling sorry for myself, but am pottering and sorting. Other half has taken his daughter to cinema, using an odeon voucher i found when cleaning the other day (given it about 18months ago i think!) so I am home alone. I have just sorted top of fridge and then had to stop for a cuppa 😂 now for the bathroom cupboard and clean up there. Short jobs in between sit downs... need to get healthy for work on Monday!

Place is looking less cluttered now Christmas decs are gone and we are back to normal. Interest paid on my regular saver yesterday, but unfortunately that was already earmarked as part of tax bill.