saving my future self from debt

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  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 89,805
    Academoney Grad I'm a Volunteer Ambassador Mortgage-free Glee! Name Dropper
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    Not allowed to hang washing out~~:eek:
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.

    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.
    ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
  • beanielou wrote: »
    Not allowed to hang washing out~~:eek:

    I have a feeling that in certain states of the US it's not allowed either :eek:
    Goal:to save £16,000 by 30/09/2019 claw back rental costs
    May18 -£2,954.33/£16,000
  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 89,805
    Academoney Grad I'm a Volunteer Ambassador Mortgage-free Glee! Name Dropper
    Ambassador
    Mind you today mine has been in & out today twice & then I just gave up!
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.

    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.
    ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,077
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    My friend can't hang washing out either at her rather nice flat !
  • It's bloomin' cold here - hot water bottle is tucked into jeans does wonders for my figure :o

    On my MS list of positives:
    • Chick peas in soak till tomorrow
    • List of 26 ingredients to use up now on kitchen cupboard
    • Spreadsheets all set up and running more smoothly
    • Cooked up jam tarts to use up very old half slab of pastry I found in the freezer (renamed jam puffs when I discovered it was puff pastry)
    • Swung by the Tesco taster table for a little free pot of blueberries meringue and cream - result. Added bonus of prawn toast by the deli - may have to go back!
    • Picked up half price cereal reduced because the box was torn
    • Electricity usage was actually £2.07 not £2.20 :)
    • DD had school lunch so the bill will go to her dad and she can have what I made for her lunch for dinner

    Didn't get a chance to buy batch cooking ingredients (too busy scoffing the freebies), write my shopping list or trim the fat from my budgets.
    • £12.09 - food shop including some special offers for next month
    • £0.58 - stamp
    • OP £1.33
    • Daily Available Spend £55

    Yay the weekend is here

    PFTP x
    Goal:to save £16,000 by 30/09/2019 claw back rental costs
    May18 -£2,954.33/£16,000
  • Can't beat chickpea based dishes! Nutritious and so so cheap. Well done on your money saving bits today.
    Trying to figure out a whole new life. Trying to figure out a whole new budget.
    Divorcing, unclear on final debt total right now, but focusing on building a financial buffer zone.
  • pennyforthepot
    pennyforthepot Posts: 652 Forumite
    edited 28 April 2018 at 5:44AM
    Four years ago my life was tripping along nicely, I even had a diary over on MFW - saving up to buy a flat in London. With the flick of a switch my world was turned upside down. Within a month of each other my husband was diagnosed with leukaemia, my 13 year daughter depression and anorexia and my step father septicemia following a routine operation which resulted in 4 agonising months in intensive care and the decision to turn off his life support, he was a year away from retirement. To add insult to injury our dog was knocked over and killed not long after.

    This is not a post to evoke sympathy but to recognise whilst we are all paying off debt or overpaying mortgages you never know what is around the corner and should add into the equation some form of emergency savings.On a practical basis there are two things that made a MASSIVE difference during that period: the first was having enough of a savings buffer to help me through a torrid period which lasted nearly 3 years and the other was being a minimalist which meant there was no clutter to deal with on a daily basis and everything I needed was where it should be. Our family expenses increased horrendously in almost every area, whilst income dropped as DD was unable to bring in an income and I had to give up work for 6 months when my DD was too ill to go to school. Every pot was drained of any savings and I will never forget how often I was grateful that we didn't have money issues to add to the stresses of our lives.

    Things have moved on since then and our lives have improved dramatically. I will always value the importance of a savings fund but also recognise that I need to maintain the balance between living for today and saving for the future

    PFTP X
    Goal:to save £16,000 by 30/09/2019 claw back rental costs
    May18 -£2,954.33/£16,000
  • Can't beat chickpea based dishes! Nutritious and so so cheap. Well done on your money saving bits today.

    I lurve pulses TOPM - they're a staple part of my daily diet. Not sure the rest of the family enjoy the after effects though :rotfl:
    Goal:to save £16,000 by 30/09/2019 claw back rental costs
    May18 -£2,954.33/£16,000
  • pennyforthepot
    pennyforthepot Posts: 652 Forumite
    edited 28 April 2018 at 8:13AM
    Ive been playing around with my food cost spread sheet ( i know I have better things to do).Although I've only recorded it since the 13th of the month and I have also bulk purchased on special offers (notably in the dairy vegan category - almond milk on offer and the snack section GF vegan snacks for DD) it gives a real understanding of how i am spending on food, well it will do over the next few months.

    amount percent category
    £0.89 1% base (tinned toms)
    £3.65 3% cereal
    £10.75 9% non dairy vegan
    £1.45 1% dip
    £2.00 2% drinks
    £2.50 2% flowers
    £25.67 21% fruit
    £2.89 2% herbs &spices
    £5.00 4% non meatvegan
    £5.49 5% nuts seeds+ dried fruit
    £8.15 7% pulses
    £3.50 3% sauces
    £20.31 17% snack
    £2.50 2% spreads
    £1.00 1% convenience
    £2.00 2% toiletries
    £24.18 20% veg + salad

    £121.93 total
    Goal:to save £16,000 by 30/09/2019 claw back rental costs
    May18 -£2,954.33/£16,000
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,109
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    Loving your diary and especially your background behind it all.

    Vegan and GF, that must be fun. I've got a Vegetarian DD who likes only minimal vegetables. That makes life interesting too.

    Understand kids costs even when older. Neither my 15yo or 18yo have p-time jobs. Younger one is limited unless she did a paper-round where we'd have safety concerns. Older one could look for something but has varying reasons/excuses as to why, some of which I agree with such as his college being very disorganised and giving assignments at the last minute with very short dead-lines. I'd heard negative things about his college before he applied there, from previous students and staff and didn't want him to go, but got over-ruled by DH and DS due to it's locality. Some of his other reasons I don't agree with though.

    Looking forward to reading your journey
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