misstara's debt diary 2014

misstara · 20 January 2014 at 2:14PM

Thanks DC and shinner! DC, reading about stories like yours on here gives me the motivation to finally become debt free.

Well, lie-in this morning didn't happen as realised I had to take timesheets up to 2nd job so I get paid on Friday. However, since I was up early I have had a productive day so far - been to the gym, supermarket and done some cleaning/washing. Now just getting ready for work.

Spends today: £1.99 on some thank you cards, £10.38 in supermarket and will spend £3.70 on bus fare later. Hopefully that will be it for the day!

DennyChomp · 21 January 2014 at 11:40AM

You become even more motivated once you start to see the debt decrease

Just a quick thought - do you use the bus enough to warrant a weekly/monthly saver bus pass? If so, you might be able to save a little bit there

misstara · 21 January 2014 at 6:44PM

Can't wait to see the debt decreasing! I tend to walk as much as I can and only get the bus if I finish late at night or if the weather is really bad so a bus pass wouldn't really save me any money unfortunately.

Another NSD today so far so pleased with that. A night out planned with the girls tonight - was going to cancel but realise if I become a hermit to save money, it will just lead to a massive blow-out! So the plan is to go out and just have a couple of soft drinks so at least I'm being social. As an added bonus I won't spend my day off tomorrow hungover!

In the last couple of days, I have had to throw out a pair of leggings, a pair of jeans and a pair of boots, all of which were just too tatty to wear anymore. Usually this would mean I would go and buy replacements even if it meant putting it on the credit card. However, I have more jeans, more boots and more leggings so its not the end of the world if I don't replace them straight away. I want to replace them but I don't need to! I just need to keep reminding myself of this and stay away from the credit card.

StressedSteph · 21 January 2014 at 6:49PM

misstara wrote: »

Can't wait to see the debt decreasing! I tend to walk as much as I can and only get the bus if I finish late at night or if the weather is really bad so a bus pass wouldn't really save me any money unfortunately.

Another NSD today so far so pleased with that. A night out planned with the girls tonight - was going to cancel but realise if I become a hermit to save money, it will just lead to a massive blow-out! So the plan is to go out and just have a couple of soft drinks so at least I'm being social. As an added bonus I won't spend my day off tomorrow hungover!

In the last couple of days, I have had to throw out a pair of leggings, a pair of jeans and a pair of boots, all of which were just too tatty to wear anymore. Usually this would mean I would go and buy replacements even if it meant putting it on the credit card. However, I have more jeans, more boots and more leggings so its not the end of the world if I don't replace them straight away. I want to replace them but I don't need to! I just need to keep reminding myself of this and stay away from the credit card.

I too can't wait to see the debt start to decrease, That should happen in February hopefully.

Well done resisting the urge to buy more clothes. All of mine are starting to look tatty as well. In the Spring when hopefully we are budgeting abit better, I will start adding £5 per week towards a clothing budget for myself and hubby so we can occasional replace things, but will having savings in place for it.

Is it worth cutting up the card so you can't use it anymore??. Just a thought xx

FinanciallyUnsavvy · 21 January 2014 at 7:14PM

Hi Tara,

Well done on taking the first steps on your debt free journey! That's the hard bit done... it sounds silly but I'm actually enjoying NOT spending money! I'm enjoying tracking what I spend and I get a buzz from seeing the money I have leftover (perhaps I'm just a saddo- LOL!)

Sounds like you're certainly going in the right direction. Can I ask if you have an order of priorities that you're going to tackle the debts in?

Good luck on the journey - I'm going to subscribe to your thread so I can keep up

x

misstara · 22 January 2014 at 12:23PM

StressedSteph wrote: »

Is it worth cutting up the card so you can't use it anymore??. Just a thought xx

I always have this irrational fear that if I cut up my credit cards, some disaster will happen and I won't have any money for it as I have no savings. Had a discussion with OH who basically said we live in a rented flat so any household disasters our landlord would pay for and we don't have a car so get over the fear and just cut them up. So I did - thanks Steph for making me think about it.

misstara · 22 January 2014 at 12:34PM

FinanciallyUnsavvy wrote: »

Sounds like you're certainly going in the right direction. Can I ask if you have an order of priorities that you're going to tackle the debts in? x

Can't work out how to quote two people in same reply.

Am tackling cc1 first as cc2 is 0% for the next 20 months. The loan has less than 3 years to pay so am just plodding away at that.

Pleased to report that even with going out with the girls last night, I still had a NSD as I just drank water. Had a lovely time and was glad I decided to go out.

misstara · 22 January 2014 at 11:35PM

Had a lovely lunch with my friend today, cost 12 pounds (no idea why but pound sign does not seem to be working on my computer) so a little over budget but worth it. Had a bit of a chocolate craving today so 1 pound on chocolate and then 5.51 payment to cc1.

Looking forward to getting my monthly wage on Friday so I can make a bigger payments off the debt.

Kei · 22 January 2014 at 11:53PM

Hi Mistara,

Me too, my payday is on Monday, first one of the year!

Well done so far and good luck x

misstara · 24 January 2014 at 12:09AM

Just a very quick post tonight as been on a double shift today and ready to go straight to bed. Spends today: 60p on a stamp and £2.10 on bus fare after work. Found 50p in my drawer at work so that was a wee bonus.

misstara's debt diary 2014

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