Adventures of the Boy & Me..

Chandelier. · 20 June 2017 at 9:17AM

Total Debt: 20th June 2017

MBNA: £2900.00
Halifax: £2900.00

Total: £5800.00

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I've moved some funds around to pay off more of the debt and bring it back to solid round figures of zero which makes me feel more at ease.

I transferred the interest earnt in my help to buy isa over towards the Halifax credit card and rounded it up using what's left in my current account to bring it down to the sum of £2900. I'm leaving this account well alone until pay day now.

I also moved around some other money within the budget to free up a £50 payment for the MBNA card to bring that to £2900. This is my main account to focus on as it's the first account where the 0% offer will be up.

All I need to do now is set up standing orders for the first of each month with a set amount and then I can choose from there onwards to make higher payments should I choose to. I can continue to do this manually as I tend to be on the ball as a whole but I wonder if it will make life that just bit easier.

Anyhow that's what's happened MSE wise so far today.

The appointment I was suppose to attend has been cancelled and it's looking like it's not going to be rescheduled until the end of July which is frustrating and has put me in a bad mood. Sometimes I'm not quite sure why I bother.

Anyhow, I'm currently waiting for my CPN to pop round and have a chat and I'm also waiting in for my mums sofa to be delivered. This afternoon I have work training for four hours and then I'm off round a friends house as the boy is going there for tea so I'll have a good catch up with them.

Hope everyone has a nice day.

Chandelier. · 21 June 2017 at 8:03AM

Morning.

Yesterday was a busy day.. I saw my cpn and then I went to work for training. What was suppose to be four hours turned into two but no one decided to tell me. I then went round to friends house who picked the boy up and had tea with them. After that the boys dad and girlfriend picked us up and we went for an ice cream and a little walk. All in all, an okay day. Total spends were just under £10.

Today I have training for another course and then I'm meeting up with an old friend for lunch. I thought about putting this off but we've been trying to arrange something for a long while and it will do me good to get out even if it does mean more spends. I have money in the budget for it.

If I'm totally honest I'm absolutely exhausted and have so much I need to do, I just don't know where to find the time.

My bedroom needs a massive declutter for one, I just have no energy to do it.

I'm also becoming far too obsessed with seeing the debt numbers come down. It's not that I'm living hand to mouth each month but every so often I get these massive urges to make massive overpayments. I don't know why as it's all on 0%. I think I just want it gone. It's funny how I never used to treat my car repayments as a debt but since transferring it all to a better deal I see it in a different light. I just don't feel satisfied even though I've made big overpayments this past month.

It's like I don't have a problem with spending on credit cards/getting into debt for buying things. It was a solid purchase to save money on something I'll keep until it's on its last legs.

I need to focus on saving for our holiday for next year but all I think about is getting rid of this debt as fast as possible which isn't healthy.

Once everything is paid off I'd have quite a healthy surplus each month.

I think I need to get back to a healthy balance of saving/paying off debt. Maybe a 50:50 approach.

And no more booking holidays on a mad one haha!

Chandelier. · 21 June 2017 at 8:28AM

I used to be obsessed about my savings building up.. now it's the other way. However along the way I've used savings to make big overpayments to the debt. I need some balance between it.

I check my banking daily. I'm obsessed with working out numbers and figures and pushing myself to pay it off quicker.

After the debt and holiday is paid off i'll then probably concentrate on saving for a deposit for a house amongst other things. I know the end is near for these things and I haven't a huge time frame for it all.

I guess I'm fortunate in many ways. I'm just impatient.

Chandelier. · 22 June 2017 at 8:08AM

Morning.

Yesterday was a busy day. I had work training in the morning and then met my friend for lunch which was lovely and relaxed. The total cost for lunch was £7.49 so not overly expensive. I then picked the boy up and we spent some time together and then later on I went to meet another friend for a drink and catch up. We grabbed a milkshake and sat by the beach watching the world go by.

My moods have been fluctuating horrendously lately and I can't seem to get them under control. I'm also struggling to take my medications as I've had to up the dosages each week which I've found confusing and often I've fallen asleep before I've remembered to take them. So not good news there. I'll eventually get there somehow it's just going to take time and patience.

This morning I've a support worker coming round to see me to go through a few things and see how I'm doing. I'll probably confide alot in her and my recent struggles. After this I've got work until 9pm and then I've a long day ahead of me tomorrow.

There's not much else going on regarding the debt front. I've become too obsessed and fixated on seeing the numbers go down that it's making me more anxious. I need to stop this cycle and thought process as it's not healthy.

I'm not quite sure what approach to use anymore. Whether I just make one payment at the beginning of each month and then maybe review this half way through the month/towards the end of the month rather then constantly looking/checking and making overpayments here and there. Or do I just allocate a lump sum payment to the cards at the beginning of each month and leave alone until the next month, rather then worrying about making any further overpayments.

I could always do the last option and start building up my savings again and then when I feel appropriate make lump sum payments.

Decisions decisions.

SpekySquarehead · 22 June 2017 at 8:36AM

I may have said before, but I'm a huge fan of YNAB but if you're not looking to use that, then I would suggest a lump sum at the start of the month and live on what you have left, regardless of what crops up.

Everyone is different and some other techniques may work better for you.

Have a look at YNAB.

Chandelier. · 22 June 2017 at 8:44AM

I could never get to grips with it Speky. Budget wise I'm fine and I know what goes out here there and everywhere.

If you add up all the savings I have, minus the debt totals, I have a positive balance. I just don't want to touch the savings in my HTB Isa and put in maximum amount each month. The other savings I see as an emergency fund/fund for annual expenses.

I never go into negative balances and I'm careful with what I spend each month. If I use more from one pot, I use funds from other pots.

It's just that urge to overpay constantly. I need to somehow get over this. I know I'm doing well and I know I can clear the balances eventually. It just seems I want to do it faster then planned so it's all over and done with.

Hiddenidenity · 22 June 2017 at 9:19AM

I'd say you know you can stick to your budget, you know you won't see any 'spare' money as free to go and waste it etc.

So I'd pay at the beginning of the month then leave alone until the day before your next money shuffle and pay what you want of the 'spare' money as over payment and savings.

Where as I'm not as good so try to pay it all on payday so I can't dip into anything 'extra'

Im sure you'll decide on what's best for you xx

JoJoC · 22 June 2017 at 9:28AM

I know what you mean about feeling obsessive about overpaying/ checking balances as I have a tendency to be like that too. I check my bank account a few times a day, even if there's nothing happening at all!

It sounds like, for you, doing your payments monthly after pay day then focusing on something else until the next payday comes round might work best. Can you perhaps concentrate on your diet, or sleeping habits, or work routines...something or multiple things to take your focus away from finances until you need to review again?

Just a suggestion!

Chandelier. · 22 June 2017 at 11:53AM

JoJo I'm glad I'm not the only one who becomes obsessed. Sometimes it makes me feel sad there is not more going on lol.

I seem to become obsessed with everything I do and focus on too many things at once where maybe I should focus on one thing at a time. It's breaking that habit.

Maybe I should allocate a time on a certain day to focus on different things in my life and make small changes along the way.

And maybe make plans that don't involve food all the time.

The support worker came to visit me this morning and we've had a good chance to talk through everything and what may be of a benefit to myself. She even stated she would go to the gym with me! That made me laugh.

It's got to be onwards and upwards from here. Time to break old habits and develop new ones.

Chandelier. · 22 June 2017 at 12:19PM

So I've just sat and had my lunch. I think I'll grab some fruit just to fill me up and give me energy for my shift ahead. I'm working 1pm-9pm and I'll be so glad when it hits finishing time. Tomorrow I'm working 7.30am-9pm so I need to prepare myself for the day ahead.

I don't feel like I've had a proper day off this week and everything does feel upside down. My next day off is Saturday but will be spent with the boy playing in a football tournament. I'm working Sunday too

I've a few things to do at work such as update my time sheets and send them off for the past two weeks.

I also need to get some forms filled in, signed and sent off.

I just need to find the motivation and get a kick up the bum!

Adventures of the Boy & Me..

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