Debt Free by 40 - let the countdown begin!!!!

seahorsey · 12 September 2018 at 6:54AM

Morning! It's wet and drizzly here - think it's safe to say summer is over.........

eBay sales are ticking over nicely (£102 / £200) pleased with that - not so pleased with the fact I'm going to have to plug hole. Our old energy supplier have decided that we had an outstanding balance so have took the money out several months later - grrrr!

So need to start upping the selling game to bring in more income. The car boot didn't happen as the weather was pants, so need to make good use of fb and eBay.

Spending diary going well - enforced no spend day yesterday as left my purse at home. Today will be spendy tho as have farrier, hairdresser and petrol. All budgeted for though so no nasty surprises!

seahorsey · 19 September 2018 at 7:07AM

One week to go to payday and watching the pennies as usual! Time to focus on and appreciate the small victories again as hopefully they'll be the things that are habit forming.

So here we go.....
1. The spending diary - yes we've over spent but with the help of the diary I've been able to identify where.
2. It's soup season! Homemade soup made from left over veg and store cupboard staples = very cheap lunches for the week
3. Freezers full of yellow stickered bread - enough to see us through next month

seahorsey · 21 September 2018 at 6:11AM

Morning!
Haven't really got much to report- the countdown to payday penny pinching is once again a very real struggle this month. Will sit down over the weekend and go over the spending diary with a fine toothed comb!

I think part of the issue is our budgeting is pants. I have a spreadsheet that lists all outgoings but isn't realistic in terms of non essential but regular spends e.g. DS weekly activities, birthdays, haircuts etc...... I seem to focus on the debt repayment first and then try and mould all other monthly spends around it and in reality it's not working, as come the final week of the month no matter how well the month appears to have gone up until that point, I'm robbing peter to pay Paul and 9 times out of 10 the OD or savings pot will take a hit. Time for a rethink and a fresh approach.......

So, to carry on my theme of small victories....
1. Small eBay sale yesterday (£5)
2. Managed to exchange a kettle is I'd had for 9 months as it had started leaking (saving £30 ish.....)
3. Just checked my boots card and have £27 on it, so enough to get some Christmas pressies on 3 for 2.
4. Quidco payout of £10 and TCB payout of £3.17

6 days and counting to payday.......

savetosave · 21 September 2018 at 10:44PM

Hi
Just wanted to say, Boots are having a deal from 28/9, you get 21 points per pound (think you have to spend £50), works out better than the extra points they give on Xmas shopping events if you have quite a bit to buy.

System · 22 September 2018 at 4:05AM

Seahorsey, I like he idea of paying for the snacks you use!

LoLo · 22 September 2018 at 8:16AM

Seahorsey I’m following your thread with interest. I will be 37 this year and have also set myself a target of being debt free by 40. My debt is higher than yours but I have a good plan in place if I actually stick to it.

Seeing your posts about your eBay sales has spurred me on to sort out some of my own things and get selling themes you seem to be doing well.

seahorsey · 25 September 2018 at 6:00AM

Thank you for your replies lovely people!

Payday is nearly here :j been sat doing my figures and October is going to be tight. Long month and lots happening - not a fantastic combination but we'll get through it! Biggest expense will be my car MOT and service. I'm hoping that given the work it had earlier in the year it should be ok but I'm not counting on it and have budgeted £300 just in case......

So time to celebrate the small victories (ok I admit the first one is pretty big :T)

1. OH has had a cheque for mis-sold ppi. £3.5k. As much as I'd love to chuck this at the debt, it is going to be used to replace OH car as it's old, struggling and basically on borrowed time! His MOT is due next month too and we'd said before the PPI pay out that we need to look at replacing it as it doesn't look financially viable to keep it running. With this lovely buffer it'll mean we can do so without adding to the debt :T
2. Boots points used to buy Christmas pressies = free pressies :j
3. Left over Bol to take for lunch at work
4. £5 fb sale

Have a good day x

seahorsey · 29 October 2018 at 7:24AM

Ok, I'm crawling back in :cool: It's been an absolute age since I last posted. And what a manic month its been.....

So, it's payday tomorrow and wow am I glad to see the back of October!!!! October has been a mega spendy month I'm ashamed to say.

Key big spends.....
£700 to repair the boiler
DS birthday, party and days out
Family birthdays
Christmas prep
£500 cash transfer on cc (0%) to help fund OH new car

One plus from October is that I have recorded where every penny has gone. There has been a lot spent on days out (£120) and on DS (clothes as he's outgrown a lot of his, swimming lesson payment for term etc (£99.10)) and £48 at the dentist, so these hopefully won't be repeated in the next couple of months. The biggest eye opener however has been food shopping. I've always known we spend way too much but having added it up this month I'm well and truly shocked! £396.70 on planned weekly shops plus £157.87 on top ups :eek: This doesn't include pet food or the £83.70 we've spent on miscellaneous house spends in home bargains and b&m!!
Plenty to work on me thinks

So plan of action
1. Meal plan (done)
2. Weekly shop at Aldi and top up at Mr. M for bits we can't get at Aldi
3. Try and stay out of the shops (B&M and Home Bargains especially!)
4. eBay eBay eBay
5. 12 NSD for the month

Realistically debt repayments will now be at a minimum until after Christmas but, there is no way I'm going to be adding to it.

I've also resurrected my take on the bullet journal as I've found it really helps me to keep on top of things.

Here's to a organised November :money::D:beer:

seahorsey · 30 October 2018 at 5:55AM

Morning! Payday at long long last! Today definately won't be one of my 12 NSD as I'm in desperate need of fuel - I've been running on fumes for the last couple of days.

I've just sat and made the budgeted repayments to all the debts, so I know that they're all taken care of for the month. Anything else I can chuck their way will be a bonus .

So as this is (another) fresh start, I think it's a good idea to quickly summarise where we're at (prior to today's payments).

Quick summary of what I'm dealing with from the financial point of view.....
Credit card 1 = £6750.21
Credit card 2 = £836.60
OD =£949.03
Next = £0
Very = £460.92
Family = £0

Total = £8996.76 :eek:

Fortunately all of the above (except the OD) is on 0%. Unfortunately the OD seems to be the hardest to pay off and the easiest to run up again! Any tips and advice very much welcome!!!

My plan is to pay the minimum off until Christmas is out of the way, then the primary focus is Very. The 0% period ends in may and then the interest is something ridiculous like 49% Apr! So it definitely needs to go before then. After that the OD will be tackled.

Right better sign off and get on with starting the day! Here's to a productive one :beer:

seahorsey · 1 November 2018 at 7:52AM

Morning!
Another spendy day yesterday. Did a big Aldi shop - combined monthly stock up plus weekly fresh bits. £79 spent. Did pick up their mascara to try as I've run out and this was £2.99 as opposed to my usual £8.99. We'll see what it's like - most their cosmetics seem to get a good write up.

Had an offer through for an extra £5 when you top up £40 on an Amazon giftcard, so I've took them up on it. Was in the process of ordering mum a DVD for Christmas when I saw it and will no doubt be ordering a lot of DS pressies from there, so will have no trouble at all spending it :rotfl: That reminds me - Amazon prime needs to go, will cancel just before the next payments due.

Hoping tomorrow will be the first of my 12 nsd- no chance today as need to pay for DS group this morning. Hoping that after group he will have a good couple of hours nap so I can crack on with some housework. The house is a complete state again and is in desperate need of tlc.

DS also needs new shoes which is never a cheap affair! Fortunately over the last couple of weeks he's come out of nappies so this will hopefully offset some of the cost!

I've took the decision to quit slimming world for the time being. I did quit and then restart about a month ago, but I'm struggling with the motivation. I was paying £5 a week and getting nowhere. Still want to loose weight (approx 2 stone) but going to try and do it by myself for now. Really need to get running again as haven't run a stride since my last half marathon a month ago. Done my fitness and weight no good at all........ I'll add my weight loss goals to this diary, at least that way I'm accountable to somebody while I'm not attending SW.

Really need to get organised for Christmas. Most the shopping is done, just parents, my sister and a few bits for DS. DS is fully aware of Christmas now, so all wrapping etc will need to get done whilst he's in bed. I must admit I've been a bit ruthless this year and culled a few from my gift list. This year's been an eye opener in that respect. After 10+ years of buying gifts for friends kids each birthday and Christmas , both mine and DSs birthday have gone completely unacknowledged by a few this year. And whilst I appreciate that you don't give to receive, I cannot afford to splash out on gifts for the sake of it. Contact with said friends over the past year has been very one sided with me making the effort so I think it's time move on. I had heard that you find out who your true friends are when you have kids and it's been sadly true in my case. Don't get me wrong, I still have a handful of close friends and to be honest this has made me appreciate those all the more. Anyways rant over!!!!

As much as I love Christmas, I cannot wait until the new year to get truly focussed on the debt busting.

So pre Christmas goals......
1. Lose 10lbs
2. Reduce OD to £800
3. Complete all shopping by 9th Dec

Debt Free by 40 - let the countdown begin!!!!

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