Attention Deficit Debt Free Wannabe

DaedricPrince

I've decided to start a diary after reading through other peoples and being inspired and receiving some great advice 😀

I won't rehash what's already been posted. My original SOA and questions:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6657842/advice-and-help-with-28k-debts

Today is mothers day, so plan today is visit mother with DS and drop off cards and present, a box of Ferrero Rocher, paid for out of the brand new presents fund 😃

I also need to get some steps in, or possibly run 2 of couch25k. I've been an avid strength trainer for nearly 20 years, mainly the big lifts rather bodybuilding type stuff, and rugby player for 24. At 40, the body can't handle the knocks and strains anymore. After "retiring" at the end of last season, I lost all motivation to train or run and have put on 8kg and generally feel sluggish and unhealthy 😩 However the weather is awful after a lovely day yesterday and my brain is saying stay in and watch youtube. We'll see what the afternoon brings. No rush now that it's daylight until nearly 6.30.

I've had a Sunday breakfast of a bacon butty, made with some olive bread I found in the yellow sticker section (80p) and bacon from Farmfoods (6 packs for £10!) and tea will be sausage and mash with veg for me and DS. Lunch will probably be soup with the last of the olive bread or some of the noodle soup we love from B and M (£1 for a big bowl and utterly delicious). Lots of good food for not many pennies there 😃

Yesterday was spent at the football with DS (season ticket and lower leagues, so no outlay on the day and works out at £14 per home game for both of us). We did visit KFC pre match (a rare treat as there isn't anything like that in our village), but this was paid for out of the entertainment budget, which is exactly the kind of thing it's for. Other than that, just the diesel to get to the big town. Unfortunately in the relegation zone, but an entertaining 0-0 nonetheless.

Finances wise, I've earned my first 1p of interest! Seems like nothing to some, but this is the first time I've earned interest, instead of paying it on my everyday bank accounts for years 🥳 Quite a few clubcard points racked up with T credit card already, with fuel, groceries and the money has been put across to cover the balance already from pots.

It's also now 11 days since my last puff of a vape! Although not as bad a smoking, I can definitely feel my lungs and airways being clearer and smells and taste seem more intense. Nearly £20 (ish) saved not buying liquid and new pods 😃

All in all a good weekend with plenty of quality time with DS and a good start to sorting out the financial situation. Hope everyone has a good weekend.

ArtyJ931

I’m doing the same soon! Starting a diary I mean. All sounds good. Do you have some nice headphones to listen to a podcast or anything on a run? That helps me massively.

also I got a second hand Panasonic bread maker years ago and use it every week to make my own delicious bread really cheaply. Would hugely recommend :)

for me once anything becomes part of my routine I’ll continue with it (autism) but takes ages to become part of my routine because I inevitably constantly forget whilst trying to embed the routine (ADHD)

it’s all fun isn’t it haha

ArtyJ931

well done on the interest -1p better in your pocket than anyone elses

DaedricPrince

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81923482#Comment_81923482

Yes! I listen to the ADHD Adults or Joe Marlers podcast usually. Sometimes something nature or science related. Music gets me too "amped up" and weirdly, I get bored of the walk or run.

I'd love homemade bread! You can't beat freshly made bread.

Relate so hard to this! I need routine, but also get extremely bored of routine. Autistic traits came up on the initial screening questionnaires, but if i'm honest, I don't want anymore diagnoses and the hassle of getting through to that point is a nightmare anyway. It took 6 years to get the ADHD diagnosed and medication prescribed from start to finish. So definitely all fun and games yes.

One thing I've noticed from my original SOA is how many mistakes I made on amounts and payments. This is so typical, and shows how things can get out of hand with money.

in_need_of_direction

just curious to know where the vape savings are going. You don’t want them to evaporate. Maybe put half towards saving for the next season tickets

Faith76

Will have to find that noodle soup next time I am in there sounds good. Great bargain on the bacon too.

DaedricPrince

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81923593#Comment_81923593

Shin is the brand. Big red bowl of ramen in a broth. Spicy and kimchi are the usual 2 flavours available. Sometimes have spicy chicken in our branch. For £1 they're ideal for work or adding some veg/boiled egg/chicken etc. to make a meal and feel a bit posh 😂

DaedricPrince

To be honest, I haven't really allocated it to one place. More that the overall saving has been "absorbed" by the savings going into other yearly budgets, mainly the emergency fund. If that makes sense. It does in my head anyway 😂

foxgloves

Well done on giving up the vaping. That's a very worthwhile saving & you are bound to feel healthier for it.

I also came to the concept of budgeting & living within my means later in life....in fact, I think you said you were 40, so you have 'seen the light' earlier than I did. I was about 43 when I started debt-busting & was 46 when we paid off our final chunk. We kept 1 credit card each which are used for planned spending to build up points for vouchers. I can honestly say that 15 years later, we have not incurred a single penny of interest on them. Seeing how much you can save so as to be able to throw more money at debt repayment becomes very motivating. I can tell you honestly that there is no bag of impulse-bought tat I could come home with now which makes me feel as good as being debt-free does. Stick with it & I'm sure you can make good progress.

F

DaedricPrince

Thank you @foxgloves debt free seems a long way off yet, but it will be so nice to never have to watch money disappear to pay for things that have years since gone!

Up early for the daily grind (I don't mind my job and the pay is good, but I hate the early starts and the 25 mile commute). Leftover chilli for lunch today. Also taking the free bus, so 50 miles worth of diesel saved. A good chunk of money saved , but I detest the bus. Too many people, no personal space, too noisy, too hot and generally just overstimulating and overwhelming. Even headphones only help a touch and I arrive at work just generally on edge. But needs must.

In other news, 7p of interest has been built up on my pots! Wealthy times my friends. Wealthy times indeed 😁

foxgloves

You make a really key point there with your definition of debt as 'still paying for things now which have long gone'. My Mum was really averse to debt - a generational thing, as I came of age in the 1980s just in time for easier borrowing's bloom into the dastardly credit boom. Mum called it the 'never-never' as in borrowing to buy something which then felt like it was never paid off, & had probably worn out by the final instalment. Going back another generation, my Nana used to be horrified at the rate at which I could burn through money. She had lived through hard times including both world wars & she used to say 'Spend half & save half', because that would ensure there'd be something saved for times when there wasn't any to spend. Ridiculous really that it took me until my 40s to realise the simple wisdom in this.

Well done for braving the free bus, esp as it isn't your thing. Money saved.

F