Dear Diary - help me be Debt Free

Lucifa73

Been a bit slack on here recently although my MSE ways have mostly stayed in place (okay I bought a pair of shoes today but they are silver and soooo pretty). I managed to have £100 leftover in my personal account at the end of July (got paid on Friday) so I swept that into the OD. The benefit won't be seen until I add up my o/s debt at the end of August when all my regular payments are done with.:A

Not sure I'll have much excess this month coming as its a hair month but the continued home made lunches, lack of magazines, abstinence from hot chocolate more than once a week (a girl needs a treat right? ) and home-made muffins is definitely adding up. What's more, by sticking to the grocery challenge, the food bill has stayed down despite buying things for lunches so the joint account is winning too:j

All in all I'm feeling quite positive. Looking forward to '12 week' scan next week even though it'll be week 13 by then:p . Got a BBQ tonight so need to keep the lid on it - at least I won't be drinking and therefore in control (as much as I ever am anyway) of what comes out of my mouth. As for the tiredness - no longer sure that's the Bean's fault. I've been working pretty long hours and I think I would be shattered with or without my new passenger. Shall find out next weekend when I finally get a day off (first in 12 days).

My August resolution is to keep this diary up to date, keep at the grocery challenge and stay off the small 'treats' that add up to big bucks.

Keeping_Positive

Hello :wave:

Tirednes is a pain in the first weeks not helped by extra work and heat. Hopefully should wear off soon. Enjoy the scan can we have a peak of the pics?

Well done on the money saving front sounds like your are doing Ace and yes got to have the odd treat.

Lucifa73

Thanks KP. if I can get the technology to work I'll share the pics!!!

Lucifa73

Hello all,

Things are a bit more relaxed at work today thankfully. The numbers all add up for the presentation tomorrow so its now just about putting the words in around it and upgrading the slides to a full written report. I know its kind of the calm before the storm but its nice not to have that terrible 'I'm going to explode' feeling for a few hours;)

Hubbles had the day off yesterday (migrating his old work laptop to new work laptop takes all day apparently...) and told me he was going to lounge by the pool. When I got home, however, the absolute honey had cleared the bombsite that was the lounge including getting rid of the carp that was on the table (and I don't mean transferring it elsewhere - actually sorted, binned and put away), put up 2 new shelves, put up some pics we had got from the Folks at Xmas AND made a lovely tea too. I reckon I married a goodun!;)

Being stuck at the clients also means I've saved £40 on commuting costs (does that mean my new shoes effectively cost £5?:p ) and have been remote enough from the shops to not be even tempted to go out to the shops so the budget is looking good for the month:A

In other news I 'came out' today as my 12 weeks are up and one of the girls had kind of guessed and asked. I don't do lies so as it was a direct question I gave a direct answer and as the 12 weeks are by, albeit my scan is next week, I didn't swear her to secrecy so its out there. Knowing these girls as I do, the whole of Glasgow will know by lunchtime!:p :rotfl:

Hope all who pass through are well

Luc xxx

Lucifa73

All is good with the world. Now the job from hell is done with I'm back to the more normal more time than work scenario. We've also had our dating scan and the Bean was somersaulting like an Olympian - could there be a gold medallist in our future??:p

Hubbles is, as we speak, buying a nice sensible family saloon (BMW 316i) which will cost us half per month of what the current 206 is costing:j .

Need to wait until the end of the month when all our payments have been made but debts are declining quite nicely which is great.

I have managed not to buy a magazine, limited myself to a maximum of 1 Starbucks a week MAX (sometimes not even that:A ) and generally stopped buying the tat I used to which is giving a surprisingly big reduction in my monthly outgoings. I'm also managing to do quite well on the grocery challenge although the freezer is now pretty much empty of protein products so August could see a bit of a spend to restock ...

Anyway, all on track, feeling positive and looking forward to being MAHOOOSIVE!!!!!:rotfl:

Lucifa73

My poor diary has been a bit neglected recently.

To be honest, although progress is beng made it is slow going at the moment.

I have managed to make lunch for myself both days this week so far AND they've been super healthy with lots of fruit and veg. I haven't bought any coffees, muffins or magazines for about 2 weeks now and I've even resisted buying any maternity/baby stuff at lunchtimes (although that's partly because I don't know where to start...)

The monthly cost of the car will half as of October when the Peugot goes and the BMW arrives so that's a plus too.

My overdarft with HBoS is going in the right direction although my Egg card seems to have taken a pounding recently. Overall though my personal debt is heading in the right direction and the egg card is at lower interest than the OD so whilst not good, neither is is disastrous.

I need to get back on the GC wagon. After a flying start I have lost all control in August. With Hubbles staying away a few nigts for work this week I'm using up any oddments that wouldn't stretch to a meal for 2 and I'll do a meal plan for next week and get tesco to deliver on Monday. I intend to batch buy mince next time its on special and get some savoury mince and bolognese made up for the freezer to turn into shepherd's pie/lasagne/mince& tatties/canneloni etc as necessary. Hubbles is getting the slow cooker back out of the loft at the weekend (it was banished to clear surfaces while we were trying to sell the flat) and I have some braising steak in the freezer ready to go and make a couple meals worth of stews for the freezer.

Tonights tea is a pork chop from the back of a freezer drawer, left over asparagus from Sunday, rice and a soy based gravy which will make today the 2nd NSD of the week:A

I don't have the time/inclination for Ebay but I am doing daily clicks and surveys to try and bring in some extra money. Gong to save up pigsback points for Boots vouchers to get Bean's bits and bobs (cotton wool etc) closer to the time. Mostly though, I'm just trying to save and reduce my persona debt as once that is gone we can chuck more at a deposit for a nice little house with room for a veg patch and somewhere for the Bean to play.

Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading through if yougot to the end:rotfl:

Luc xxx

Lucifa73

Just had a look at my monthly budget spreadsheet. Apparently I should have around 300 quid at the end of each month after 'planned' spending. Something is obviously still going horribly wrong as the most I've ever managed is 100... Need to crack open that spending diary and see where it all goes...

Lucifa73

Feeling pretty !!!!py today. tried to do some test questions for my studying last night and ended up in a puddle of tears and snot because I couldn't answer most of them despite studying. Its like everything I've read over the last month has just gone in through the eyes and out through my ears. I got no sleep last night for worrying about it and want to defer but am worried it will make my boss think I'm not as commited to my job...

Sigh. I feel utterly drained and pathetic

Keeping_Positive

If youre feeling rough then take some time to rest. Forget about studying until you feel bettr. Im sure it will all come back to you. How many weeks are you now? Early pregnacy can be a tiring time.

Lucifa73

Keeping_Positive wrote: »

If youre feeling rough then take some time to rest. Forget about studying until you feel bettr. Im sure it will all come back to you. How many weeks are you now? Early pregnacy can be a tiring time.

thanks KP. Into week 15 now and feeling much stronger. Having calmed down through the day and weighed up the pros and cons I reckon if I study tactically I can get enough done to get through at least 2 of the three papers and there's no financial benefit in deferring as it'll cost the same as any resit so I've decided to give it a go.