My new and MORE DETERMINED diary

saver03

Well I have my interview at the Odeon today at 1.30pm so I am starting to feel a little nervous. Also I started to get a spot yesterday :mad: and me being the picker that I am decided to squeeze it and now I have a huge red lump that looks like I have another chin growing :rotfl: I am not sure even make up will cover it as it's practically glowing. Why couldn't I just leave it alone I will never learn.

Unfortunately, we did not win the lottery and the OH won't be pleased if he ever crawls out of his pit. He is not lazy he is just getting old :rotfl: The company he works for has been moving premises and he has had to do some manual labour and has been working 6 days a week and at his age, 37, it's all been a bit too much for him! On the plus side he has lost some weight but I am sure he will put it on when he gets back behind his desk. On the bad side he works for a roofing company and some of the stuff he has been moving has left his clothes in rather messy conditions and it doesn't want to wash out :mad: but thankfully he does not have expensive tastes so replacing a few tshirts and jeans should hopefully not prove to be too expensive.

I have been thinking about taking the money out of my isa :think: Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking about going on a major spending spree! I was going to use some of it to pay for my college fees then give the rest to my mum to take off my debt. I was thinking if I can get it below £10000 soon it will feel SO much better, pschologically. I have also been thinking how much interest my mum has been losing since she lent me so much money.

Any ideas greatly received as all this thinking is hurting my head :rotfl:

I must also make sure I am staying focused with my ebaying as I love to see my paypal balance going up and my mountain of boxes going down. Also, I have set myself a pretty high ebay target this week and I must make sure to do a bit each day to achieve it. When I decided on 35 items I had 7 days so making it just listing 5 a day but I have not really been doing much :mad:

MINI GOALS:

• College course fee - £450/£1056
• Get my debt under £10000 by 31/12/08 - £500/£3501
• List on ebay by 21/08/08 - 4/35

saver03

I am feeling so good today I could just :j

I got the job at the Odeon but on the down side they don't give you set hours just what they have available that week and the lady said in the very worse case scenario it could be 4 hours a week in quiet periods. Plus it is only minimum wage but that is only a drop of 14p an hour so that is not too bad. So I was thinking of working out an soa just on OH's wages and then mine would just be a bonus. But I just feel a huge sense of relief that I don't have to stay in my awful job anymore. Plus I can work out my notice on the sick so I never have to work there again. :j

I have transfered the majority of the money out of my isa and I have paid my mum £2000 and I will use the rest to pay my college fees, but I am still hoping I won't have to pay then I can give my mum another £1000. I just felt bad having money in my isa gaining interest when my mum must be losing interest by lending me so much money. Plus it is psychologically better to see my debt going down and I will be under £10000 before I know it. On a GREAT note since my :idea: I have paid off £10947.17 :j that is nearly 50% of my debt and I can't believe how much I have actually paid back.

On a bad money saving note but it is great for me!! I have bought Madonna tickets off ebay. I know I shouldn't have but I :heartsmil Madonna and I REALLY want to go. No excuse I know for spending £191.50 :eek: but it could be her last concert. I know, I know I am just making excuses so I am not going to. I want to go so I am!!! :rotfl: I think I will call them my early birthday present to myself and also a well done gift for saving so much.

Things are going so well at the moment, fingers crossed that it lasts.

1. I am starting college
2. I have got a new job
3. My debt is going in the right direction
4. I am seeing Madonna in concert
5. I actually feel happy :rotfl:

Well I better go and ebay now as I need to keep that up and reach my weekly target.

MINI GOALS:

• Get my debt under £10000 by 31/12/08 - £2500/£3501
• List on ebay by 21/08/08 - 4/35

redsquirrel80

Well done, that's great news about the job, I really hope it goes well and you enjoy it. Good decision re taking the money out of savings too I think - you've made great progress in what you've paid back.

Lovely to hear you sounding so positive!

saver03

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 0
Partners monthly income after tax....... 1450
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 1450

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured loan repayments................. 0
Rent.................................... 425
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 91
Electricity............................. 30
Gas..................................... 30
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 16.98
Telephone (land line)................... 10
Mobile phone............................ 30
TV Licence.............................. 11.63
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 10
Internet Services....................... 10
Groceries etc. ......................... 120
Clothing................................ 0
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 30
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 21.86
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 20
Haircuts................................ 20
Entertainment........................... 0
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 100
OHs football ........................... 20
Lottery ................................ 15.2
Total monthly expenses.................. 1011.67

Assets
Cash.................................... 25.91
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 0
Other assets............................ 5000
Total Assets............................ 5025.91

No Secured Debt

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mum Loan.......................11000.....350.......0
Total unsecured debts..........11000.....350.......-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,450
Expenses (including secured debts)....... 1,011.67
Available for debt repayments........... 438.33
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 350
Surplus(deficit if negative)............ 88.33

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 5,025.91
Total Secured debt...................... -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -11,000
Net Assets.............................. -5,974.09

Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission.

======== Enter any other useful information below ========

• I have left my income blank as I am starting a new job and won't have a set amount each month. I figured anything I earn is a bonus and can just go straight off my debt.
• There are 2 adults and 1 cat
• OH has a van from work so don't pay any vehicle related costs
• My mobile is on a cashback offer
• I am on Virgin's £30 for phone, internet and TV
• Lottery is £3.50 per week and OH wants to keep it as it's his hope!!
• Assets is my jewellery eg. engagement ring so not stuff I can really sell
• I left entertainment blank as I will be at college and working so probably won't really go out and if we do can always use the household emergency fund
• I also ebay and make anywhere between £80 and £500 a month

Please feel free to rip it apart and give me ANY advice as I know at this rate I will not be able to achieve my goal of being debt free by 30 :mad: To be debt free by 30 I should be paying £846.15 per month :eek: so I have a short fall of £496.15 :eek: So I better make sure I ebay like a mad woman and pray I get some good hours at work.

saver03

Today I have:

• Listed 10 things on ebay
• Daily clicks
• Surveys
• Washed on 30
• Dried on clothes horse

I am glad I actually made progress with my ebaying but not sure if I will reach the target I have set myself. I wish I could have more days like today.

Ebay target by 21/08/08 - 19/35 :mad:

The Odeon were meant to be ringing today to let me know when my training days would be and he told me on Sunday that it would be before 5pm. I hope they haven't decided against giving me a job as I have already given my notice in :rotfl:

Now on a bad money saving note we have decided to go out for a Chinese tonight to celebrate me going to college and also getting a new job so in theory I should be having 2 meals but we're saving money by just going out once :rotfl: We also need some envelopes and brown wrapping paper for my ebaying so more money spent there :mad: but at least we can get the money back when I sell my treasures on ebay.

I WILL STAY POSITIVE AND FOCUSED

saver03

Even though it was so much fun at the concert it was a very high spending day :mad: I got a programme and it was £25 :eek: but then I go carried away and got a tshirt and some sweatbands and I ended up spending £75 on memorabillia :mad: Then there was drinks and we couldn't smuggle any in as they check bags and take them of you. Then £10 for park and ride and OH needed a red bull on the drive back to make sure he didn't fall asleep so then I got a drink and services prices are extortionate :mad:

Also, on Friday I did a bit of shopping for college as we need to wear black clothes we can move well in so I went to sports world and got some tracksuit pants. But it is very cheap in there so that was not too bad. However, I got a bag as well. On a good note I didn't get the G Star Raw bag that I "loved" for £61 but I did get a Ted Baker one for £35 :mad:

So now I must be really disciplined and get back to my good MiSEr ways :rotfl:

On a bad note I do have to pay for my college fees as I am over 24 :mad: but after clearing out my isa I do have the money but I would rather have paid the £1056 off my debts.

I still don't know when my training day is at the Odeon but I did speak to them yesterday and they will get back to me soon. But this is not good if it won't be for a while as tomorrow is my last day of employment with Morrisons. But when I get my last pay from Morrisons I will get 2 weeks ssp but not sure if I will get company sick for those 2 weeks but I do hope so, and also 21 days holiday so it should be a good wage. But I could really do with starting at the Odeon asap as I want to keep the money coming.

On that note I must go now as I have ebaying to do to make some money and get under £10000 sooner rather than later.

saver03

I am not very happy as at my interview the tutor told me that the course would cost £1056 but I have been and enrolled today and it is £1524 :mad: Unfortunately, I only had the £1056 but they would not take that so I have paid 50% now and then it is 25% next month and then 25% the month after. So I have paid £762 today and I will give £300 to my mum as I know that if I leave it in my account there is a danger I will just squander it. I know that my mum would let me borrow back £500 to pay off fees but I would rather work that little bit harder and not add to my debt, as I felt :j when I paid off £2000 recently. So I will set myself a mini goal and keep myself focused and on target so I don't end up borrowing it back of my mum.

Mini Goals:

• College fee installment 31/10/08- £300/£381
• College fee installment 30/11/08- £0/£381
• Get debt under £10000 31/12/08 - £2500/£3501
• List on ebay by 4/09/08 - 0/40

My OH gets paid on Friday and I will budget for the month and then hopefully will be able to add to my fees as the sooner I get those paid the sooner I can concentrate on getting my debt down.

I must make sure I keep motivated with my ebaying especially as I don't start college until 8th September and I haven't got my training day for the cinema, so I will have plenty of spare time and I must make the most of if.

saver03

I thought I would write myself a little to do list then mark off as I go and hopefully that will keep me motivated.

Today I will:

1. Take ebay pictures - DONE
2. Do ebay scanning - DONE
3. Upload pictures onto compuer - DONE
4. Upload pictures onto auctiva - DONE
   
5. Check online banking - DONE
6. Do daily clicks - DONE
7. Do surveys - DONE
8. Wash on 30 - DONE
9. Dry on clothes horse - DONE (well in process of drying)
10. Do some ebay listing - DONE

Hopefully I will get my list done as I won't be doing anything else but [strike]procrastination [/strike] faffing about is my biggest downfall :mad:

My OH has been paid so I will work out a budget for the month and I will still be giving my mum £500 this month instead of the £350 it will drop to when I start college and then I need to add to my college fees as I want to get them paid asap.

Well I must go and get busy as I have a lot to accomplish :money:

saver03

I am so pleased with myself as I completed my little to do list. Maybe I should write my to do list on here everyday if it is going to spur me on.

I am just taking a little break from ebay listing but will be going back to it for an hour or so. Does that make me sad on a Friday night? :rotfl:

Now I am going shopping tomorrow as I need some black trainers for college and to get some passport pictures, but I hope to only spend a little. I must just try to show a little self control and stay away from other shops.

Mini Goals:

• College fee installment 31/10/08- £300/£381
• College fee installment 30/11/08- £0/£381
• Get debt under £10000 31/12/08 - £2500/£3501
• List on ebay by 4/09/08 - 6/40

saver03

It is 5p listing day on ebay on Thursday so I am going to work hard and make sure I meet the target that I have set myself. I have nothing else really to do today so there should be no excuse for not making a big dent into my goal. I WILL stay focused and get to at least 15 today.

I went to my training yesterday at the Odeon but it was just filling out paperwork and doing a walk round and it was so boring. But at least I was being paid for it so I earned a grand total of £19.32 :rotfl: I need to ring up for my hours on Wednesday and hopeully I will get quite a few. I am only actually contracted for 4 hours per week :mad: but they said I should get more in the busy periods, ie. school holidays. So I will add my basic to my soa but it won't make a huge difference. I will just have to hope I get extra hours each week and make sure I ebay to top my pay up.

I have everything I need for college now, I hope! But I may need to buy books over the year so I hope I can find them cheaply. Also, I think I will take a packed lunch to college and work so I am not tempted to spend any money and it will also be healthier. So I will be saying £s and losing lbs :rotfl: well fingers crossed. I will be doing more walking so that should keep me trim, and maybe my appetite will reduce and we can save even more money :rotfl:Ooh on that note I will be out of the house more so will be saving on electricity and food as I won't be able to just get a bar of chocolate. I am starting to think college and my new job will be very good for my health and my pocket

On a money spending note I have all the money for my college fees now :jso I need to work hard now to pay off my debt before I am 30 :eek:

Mini Goals:

• College fee installment 31/10/08- £381/£381
• College fee installment 30/11/08- £381/£381
• Get debt under £10000 31/12/08 - £2500/£3501
• List on ebay by 4/09/08 - 6/40