moneymabels debt free by 2009 diary

moneymabel

Hi ,
I am challenging myself to pay off my debt by the end of this year and thought if i posted it on here then i couldn't chicken out! I have been in debt for as long as i can remember but with the help of this site (and a kind relative who lent me the money to pay off my loan) i have managed to get my debt down from £8738 to £3550 in a year, now i want to pay him back the rest by the end of this year.
Currently i am paying back £300 pounds a month which would make me debt free in approx april 2009, so i need to find an extra approx £100 pounds per month to achieve my target. I have money in quidco but am not counting that until it is in my account. So basically i need to cut out all unnecessary spending and earn any extra pennies available (genius me!)
All my outgoings are the cheapest possible (switched all i can and gone through quidco, got my car insurance for £30!!!) so i won't post an s.o.a as it is just the day to day little things (mags,takeways etc that need to go).

Well.......here i go.......er.............any ideas?!!

moneymabel

good start, got my £50 cashback from post office car insurance and a £167 tax refund paid into bank this morning, unfortunately my wages which should have gone in today haven't so need other cash to cover direct debits. Still, without these payments I would have been a bit in the poo so won't complain! And I can look forward to a big chunk payment off the debt hopefully tomorrow.

**Amy**

Hi

Fingers crossed for you to pay off your debt by the end of this year, its kind of what i want to do as well!

:T

moneymabel

Thanks Amy,
Hope you manage to clear it by the end of the year, just think how great 2009 will be!! I feel a bit weird posting coz my debt is low compared to a lot of people and i think they are thinking, yeah great, do it in a year, wish i could. But i am 35 and have been in debt since i was 18 so i have been a long hauler just didn't discover the site early enough to officially be one! At last the end is in sight and i wish i'd started this years ago.

Nessa56

moneymabel wrote: »

Hi ,
I am challenging myself to pay off my debt by the end of this year and thought if i posted it on here then i couldn't chicken out! I have been in debt for as long as i can remember but with the help of this site (and a kind relative who lent me the money to pay off my loan) i have managed to get my debt down from £8738 to £3550 in a year, now i want to pay him back the rest by the end of this year.
Currently i am paying back £300 pounds a month which would make me debt free in approx april 2009, so i need to find an extra approx £100 pounds per month to achieve my target. I have money in quidco but am not counting that until it is in my account. So basically i need to cut out all unnecessary spending and earn any extra pennies available (genius me!)
All my outgoings are the cheapest possible (switched all i can and gone through quidco, got my car insurance for £30!!!) so i won't post an s.o.a as it is just the day to day little things (mags,takeways etc that need to go).

Well.......here i go.......er.............any ideas?!!

Well done in reducing your debt so far luv

Try cutting out the takeaways or at least reducing them, if you add them up over the year it can run into thousands,

Try batch cooking at home, whenever you cook, make sure you cook a bit too much and freeze that, you will find then those days you don't fancy cooking and want a takeaway, you can just go to the freezer and voila one easy meal, just needs heating up.

v
x

moneymabel

thanks Nessa, thats areally good idea i will try that, we have a microwave at work so no excuses really for buying chips at lunchtime, just laziness. Should help my fat bum as well! Congrats on your weightloss that is a real acheivement-you must have more will power than me!

moneymabel

just noticed £23 of my quidco earnings have changed from recieved to paid- when it gets to my account I will scrape another £3 quid from somewhere to get under the 3 grand debt mark- ok so its 2999 but it looks better with a 2 at the front!

Nessa56

moneymabel wrote: »

thanks Nessa, thats areally good idea i will try that, we have a microwave at work so no excuses really for buying chips at lunchtime, just laziness. Should help my fat bum as well! Congrats on your weightloss that is a real acheivement-you must have more will power than me!

Oh if you have a microwave the world is your oyster so they say. You can bring ready home made meals in to heat up, will save you a fortune I promise, tried and tested this myself.

You could also try Jacket Potato with Cottage Cheese if you like it, or with beans or tuna and sweetcorn.

Possibilities are endless and cheap too luv

v
x

If I think of anything else I will come back and let you know

Nessa56

moneymabel wrote: »

just noticed £23 of my quidco earnings have changed from recieved to paid- when it gets to my account I will scrape another £3 quid from somewhere to get under the 3 grand debt mark- ok so its 2999 but it looks better with a 2 at the front!

By the way, well done, I know exactly what you mean, it is all phsycological isn't it.

v
x

Nessa56

Oooo

Just came across this idea, brilliant (not mine unfortunately, but brilliant just the same)

we freeze any leftover mash - use an ice cream scoop or similar to dollop the mash onto a tray, chuck in the freezer til frozen, then remove from tray & put into container or plastic bag or whatever you use. when you need a bit of mash in a hurry, pop into a dish, cover with a bit of foil and heat in your over with whatever else you're cooking. or just let it defrost and use to top a small shephers pie or whatever. my aunty does this, and the first time she served us mash in dollops i thought she had bought auny bessies frozen mash - it looks good! xx

v
x

moneymabel

thanks nessa , wish I had leftover mash- I love it so much there's never any left ! Jacket potato good idea for work, have been good today and made sandwiches but they do get boring.