Is this what it would feel like to be Debt Free? My challenge!

redsquirrel80

Well well well... I've been neglecting my thread somewhat since I joined in with the £10 a day challenge, that is definitely inspiring me and helping me to keep on track. But as this is a semi-diary and I'm thoughtful mood...

£44 short of this month's target with a week to go till next payday, hmm not sure if I'm going to make that, but if I can make another £10 then it averages out OK over the last two months. Been doing a lot of thinking over the last few days about my priorities, and as I've just been rambling about on Pania's thread, I'm so desperate to travel and see more of the world. Obviously can't do that on credit like I would have done a few years back - wish I had rather than spending it on bits and pieces! If I'm going to do that I need to get a grip on my spending and start saving instead. I feel like I'm going against the DFW ethic here, but my heart is telling me that I need to go out and do things, live a bit, I've spent too much of my life not doing things because I'm nervous, or lazy, or there's nobody to do them with, and I'm sick of it. I think my DF date is about four years off at current rate, I'd really love to get it down to the end of 2009 so I can be DF before I'm 30 but I need to find some balance.. anyway either way there's some serious money-making needing done!!

Talking of debt payments, had to put the total in my sig back up as one of my cheques to credit card company disappeared in the post.. and naughty me hasn't replaced it yet They've been quite understanding though, and I think I'll just be making a double payment to them next week. Thanks to all my "extras" I've currently got about £40 in my bank account, another £10-ish to come from Paypal and about £25 left on my prepaid Maestro (plus about £20 which I've still to claim from Bingo winnings)... so I think if I can be careful next week, then come payday at least £50 will be heading to my savings account... we'll see! :rolleyes:

I'll shut up and go and do some work now...

Karmacat

Hi redsquirrel - back on here cos of all the travel talk! Its hard when you've got a bit of leeway, isn't it. But the *amounts* of extra money we can earn are really staggering - between amazon, mystery shopping, bingo and matched betting, thats about a thousand pounds now. Because I'm self employed, I'm used to having money around that I don't actually spend, but *this* money was earned with the specific target of becoming debt free. So I'm trying to overpay my Northern Rock loan (I want their sort code etc in writing before I do it, I'm not just sending off a thousand pounds into the ether).

I did do a lot of travelling - not always very far away, I had a flying phobia till 1997, but not bad. But I haven't had what I consider a proper holiday in years, and I'm desperate to go away (thats why I'm prattling on my diary about going to France and Germany, even tho they're so near its not really travelling in my definition... except they are, because I'm going where people *live*... I'll shut up!).

Anyway, interesting to see your thoughtfulness about what you spend rather than save, mixed in with the practicalities of how to earn the stuff in the first place. Keep going!

redsquirrel80

You're right Karma, it's realising that I can have some extra that's made me think I can actually do some of these things. If I was barely scraping by then I wouldn't even consider it, I'd just write it off until I was considerably better off.

Anyway, I'm taking refuge in my own thread because people are mentioning cheese elsewhere.... :rotfl:

redsquirrel80

Twas the day before payday and.... I haven't met my target. Short of mugging someone on the way home I'm £40 short this month (or £4 short of averaging out over the two months since I started - which sounds better!). The £50 I thought I would have left has ended up closer to £20 in actual cash, but there are a few bits still in transit from Paypal etc so am thinking that I can safely put £50 in savings to start the travel fund!

The bingo has all but dried up - think I've still got a few of the £1 sites that I haven't done but I've lost my list so it's going to be trial and error to see which ones I haven't registered at already! Expecting a fairly healthy payout from Quidco this month but will see when that actually arrives. As we're getting paid early it's going to be a long month - five weeks - and I've got a bank holiday trip plus two long weekends when I have visitors during that time. Some very careful spending and some new money making schemes are much needed!!

At least I think I've got the clothes buying out of my system... now I just need a new pair of trainers for my running/ walking and that really should be it!!!

redsquirrel80

Not posted on here for a while, been finding it much more motivating to join in with the £10 a day challenge (although this is the first month I've actually tried for the full £10 a day). Just popped on for a little celebratory dance as tonight I've passed the £500 mark in my overall challenge - woohoo! Not sure if there's a dancing smiley - this one'll do! :j

pania

OMG!!!! you are doing amazingly hon! welldone you!!!!

redsquirrel80

pania wrote: »

OMG!!!! you are doing amazingly hon! welldone you!!!!

Thanks P - I feel strangely lucky this month, just as I think I've run out of ways to make extra, something else comes along!

I came up with a plan last night (at about 1am while lying awake! :rolleyes: ) for the next installment of money making, it does require a little bit of spending first (hopefully less than a tenner) and it's not gonna make me millions but it might just add a little bit to the pot....

pania

oooh tell all....

have you had a voucher from bingoliner? got one today for a tenner.

redsquirrel80

pania wrote: »

oooh tell all....

have you had a voucher from bingoliner? got one today for a tenner.

Bingoliner, hmm no don't recognise that one! You mean there's a bingo site I haven't done?? :eek:

My plan is to expand on the few things that I put on a couple of those 'design your own T shirt' sites a while back, remembered about some pretty good (I think) photos I took a while back which I think might sell as designs - one of them in particular I think can target at a particular 'market' where I think it would sell.. lots of 'thinks' in there, have to give it a go and see if there's any interest. It's not a massive money maker as you only get a few quid profit per item, but if it went well I might think about doing it more 'professionally' as a bit of a sideline... the outlay is that the photos are on a zip disk and I don't have a zip drive anymore - need to get hold of one I can attach to laptop to get at them! Seems to be plenty drives on eBay though.