Keeping on the Straight and Narrow...

DancingInTheRain · 4 June 2019 at 1:33PM

Yesterday was also a NSD so that's 3 in a row, unheard of for me! Holding myself accountable on here is definitely making me consider my spending choices

My oldest boy is trying a full day at nursery today so taken advantage of only having one child with me to pop to the shops for cards & gifts for this month as June is a busy month for us with 6 birthdays. All came in at £36.00 which I'll transfer back from the annual bills pot.

Just need to pick up a small Father's Day gift for hubby from the boys and that's this month's gift spends completed.

Hoped to do a grocery shop too but the baby has a cold & is exhausted so is having a nap, so may leave this until tomorrow.

Small surveys completed on Onepoll & Prolific for pennies so they're slowly building up.

redofromstart · 4 June 2019 at 1:34PM

Happy new diary, and good luck with your journey!

nomorecredit · 4 June 2019 at 4:53PM

Hi

Happy new diary and good luck on your DF journey. You sound so motivated and determined.

Can completely empathise with the maternity, I had 2 bouts of maternity leave in 2 years it certainly was a shock to the system and bank account!! It was all worth it, its such a lovely time.

Well done on the NSD's that's fab.

Enjoy your evening
Best wishes
NMC x

DancingInTheRain · 4 June 2019 at 5:14PM

Hi both thanks so much for your lovely comments, it's great here isn't it?

It's definitely been worth it, time with the boys has been so precious and testing at times

& why I'm trying to get this debt gone as soon as possible ready to make future memories.

Managed to get the grocery shopping done, come in at £88.87. Grocery spends for me include toiletries, none prescription medicines, cleaning and baby products.

Hubby's car needed fuel so £56.44 spend there. As with grocery costs, I really need to track fuel spends as these mount up as we live in a semi rural area with chronic public transport so both of us have a car although I try to keep my usage down to a minimum.

Total grocery spends for June now at £101.51
Total fuel spends £56.44

DancingInTheRain · 5 June 2019 at 7:54AM

Managed to resolve my phone camera issues so updated RH & Shoppix. £2.20 sent across to CC1 from rounding up current account after yesterday's spends and a DD going out today.

Current totals on Surveys:
YouGov 955
OnePoll £2.95
Prolific Academic £4.95 (£2.70 pending)
Receipt Hog 1210
Shoppix 450

Not many plans today, need to get on top of the laundry mountain so that should keep me occupied for a while

DancingInTheRain · 5 June 2019 at 11:11AM

Got my 3 year anniversary badge today (told you I'd been a long term lurker

) which prompted me to look back on an old budget spreadsheet from that date. CC debt at that point was £4,000.

This was accumulated as part of the first bit of renovation work we completed in readiness for the arrival of DS1 who was 2 months old this time 3 years ago.

Scary to think the debt is now a 5 figure sum!!! I suppose the positive I can take is that I know exactly where the money has been spent and our house has definitely increased in value as a result, but it still makes me wince to see what we owe.

As much as I need to focus on all the small methods of chipping away at this debt at the moment, I've decided to give myself a bit of a stretch target of bringing the debt down to a 4 figure sum.

So my goal is to start 2020 with an outstanding debt balance of £9,999. Can it be done???

another_casualty · 5 June 2019 at 11:35AM

Congratulations on the anniversary

I wish I found m s e a lot sooner than I had . It's an eye opener as to where time has gone . I was a complete wreck on my first diary .
Tbh , It wasn't a diary to start off with . More of an adventure :rotfl:
Then I find with all the support and camaraderie , You settle into a more disciplined approach to life in general .
You're still on course . Kids cost money though imho , so don't be too hard on yourself . Keep it up ..

DancingInTheRain · 5 June 2019 at 2:24PM

Thanks another casualty

£5.58 cashed out from Prolific & sent to CC1. :T

There’s definitely a great sense of support & camaraderie here, it’s so helpful.

Now that I can feel the baby brain fog clearing & I’m not just ‘mum’ I’m definitely motivated to aim to be debt free hence the £9,999 goal.

Even if I don’t achieve it, I will definitely pay off more towards the debt than I would have otherwise so I need to keep that in mind.

DancingInTheRain · 6 June 2019 at 6:39PM

Hi, how is it Thursday already?

Today and yesterday were both NSDs so that's 5/30 for June so far.

Set up SO's for both credit cards and cancelled the DD's for these so that I have more control over future payments when I'll be using child benefit and my wage.

£60.00 to CC1 went out today & £68 due to go to CC2 tomorrow so will hit a tiny milestone as the debt total will be below £13,500!

Had £2.08 showing as payable in TCB today so claimed that and sent it across to CC1 too.

Hoping a couple of surveys become available on PA tonight. Current balance £1.69 with £3.69 pending. I'm happy to take the hit on fees by cashing out at £5 as I like the feeling of a quick win on these

nomorecredit · 7 June 2019 at 10:36AM

Hi

Well done on the NSD's.

You are doing great each payment is making a difference. I am sure you can get to £9,999 for 2020 its all going in the right direction.

Kids are very expensive, my oldest won't stop growing I can't keep up everytime she gets dressed something else is too small :-)

I admire you all who have the patience to do the surveys keep thinking I want to start them do YouGov but that takes a lifetime to cash out! Perhaps its a tad bit of laziness too.

Have a lovely Friday
Best wishes
NMC xx

Keeping on the Straight and Narrow...

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