09 Mar 2015

A question about : The 'I'm less money-idiot more money-savvy' Diary

Well Hello everyone - Imagine meeting you here!

After a few months (4 to be exact!) of posting on the following thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....php?t=5047454

I thought is was appropriate to start a diary as my old thread appears to have morphed into one anyway!

I was told I needed to stop calling myself an idiot too hence the new title!

Anyway welcome to my bright new shiny diary - perfect for a new year and renewed determination to get debt free by the end of 2015!

So if you are interested in my story so far I will give you a quick whistle stop tour of my debt free journey thus far to save you wading through my old thread! Although if you are and insomniac - the old thread might be just perfect to help you nod off!

Best answers:

  • So I joined this site a long time ago (feels like a different lifetime!) when I was still married and had a bit of an attempt to pay off our debt however I split from my ex husband and I ended up in more debt when I had to re mortgage my house to buy my ex out. I them met my ex partner who was extremely good with money (his money!) but we never really got to point where we shared finances at all and in fact he took advantage and lived in my house but didn't pay into it for a couple of years!
    We split 2 years ago but then spent a year trying to work out our issues until he hurt my DS and that was the end of that!!! This time last year I was an absolute mess in many ways - I had another failed relationship, a job that I was not enjoying but needed to stay in as it had a good salary and an 11 year old son with worsening behavioural problems that I was struggling to get help with! so paying debt really wasn't top priority and I was spending money trying to prove that I could give my kids everything and be independent! I took the kids away on holiday just to prove I could and to make up for the fact that I hadn't been the best mum - but it was on a CC!
    It was while I was on a residential course as part of my masters that I had a revelation! I wasn't enjoying my work and I wanted to be able to be in a position where I could go back to being a 'real nurse' and make a difference to people rather than the corporate manager that I was being forced into becoming! But my debt was holding me back as it meant even if I wanted to I would struggle on a lower pay - this was coupled with being turned down for a re mortgage to consolidate my debt! (stupid I know but I just felt like I needed to do something to dig myself out of the hole I was in!). Being turned down for the re mortgage I guess was my LBM - I needed to sort this mess out and stop burying my head in the sand!
    So my goal is to get debt free, start overpaying my mortgage and enjoy some fun and adventure with my family whist giving myself options in relation to work so I could change my career path if I felt the need. (oh and retire to France at some point before I am too old to enjoy it!) However the work issue is not such a big deal at the moment as I have moved jobs and now work at a hospice which is the most amazing and humbling place to work and although I am still a manager I am also using my skills in a way that has real benefit to patients and their families and I love it!
    So since September 2014 I have paid around 4.5k and aim to pay the remaining 14.5k in 2015 - It is a real challenge but I know I can do it! I am also trying to develop a lifestyle whereby my children appreciate life and simple pleasures not just things that cost lots of money so I want to do lots of free and cheap things and get them involved in making gifts and having fun in the process. I also am going to complete a masters this year just to add in a little more excitement!!!
  • Hi Judi, I read your old thread & am looking forward to your shiny new diary. Here's to a debt busting & fun 2015. Cheers Bl1
  • Hi Judi, just read your diary and wanted to say hi! We have a similar amount of debt and a similar target, so I will subscribe to your diary and hopefully we can encourage each other to get our debt paid off!
    Looking forward to debt freedom in 2015 - it just has to be done!
    Mrs S
  • Welcome Baglady and MrsSmith - nice to have some company already!
    I have spent this evening reconciling my YNAB and bank accounts (have overspent a bit but no where near what I would have done in the past!) so I'm all ready to attack this debt once and for all!
    I have 2 CC's Nationwide with Ј4320 balance at 11% LOB and the Barclaycard with Ј5200 of which 1k is at 5.9% LOB and the rest at 0% until May - so ideally I need to pay the Nationwide off by May then attack the Barclaycard (or ideally get a balance transfer offer on my empty Tesco card) I can't get another CC as it appears my credit rating is dire - I had a couple of missed payments on a Simplybe card early last year when my head was firmly in the sand! and also a few searches when I was trying to re mortgage so I guess that's why!
    But I need to be paying just over Ј1000 to the Nationwide plus the Ј120 minimum on the Barclaycard plus Ј246 a month to the Tesco loan - so things are going to be very tight for a few months!
    Basically I have worked out that I need to live on my Rent from DD2, Child benefit, DLA for son and my CSA and use the whole of my salary to pay the standing order bills and the debt payments!
    I don't particularly want to live on the CSA or my sons DLA but it is only short term and the kids won't go without! I have built some child related spends into my budget - but I also want to do lots of things that don't cost anything. After January (my cousins wedding) I will put the DLA away as an emergency fund I think as at the moment my only emergency fund is my Nationwide OD which I know is not ideal!
    I can't help thinking that this time next year I will be debt free - I just need to keep that thought in my head when the going get tough!
  • Some one needs to send me some motivation!!!! I need to get moving but just enjoying chilling with a coffee!
    Maybe a list will help:
    1.Sort out clean washing that's lying around and get it in everyone's rooms (what they do with it after that is anyone guess!)
    2. Get last bits of Christmas bits all tidied away
    3. Take down Christmas tree and decorations
    4. Hang out next load of washing (one done already - its blowing a gale and dry so hopefully get it all dried!)
    5. Get DD3 to clean out bunnies
    6. Vacuum and clean kitchen, lounge and bathroom
    7. nip to shop to get pastry for turkey and ham pie requested by DD1 (only need that and bread I think - house is still full of Christmas food!) oh also need bunny food!
    8. Do a meal plan to use up the above!
    9. Have a family dinner once DD1 and 2 are back from their travels (they went to Scotland for New Year)
    That's will be enough to keep me out of trouble today!!!!
    Just need to get a move on!!!!
  • Love reading your posts Judi. Glad you've found a job that lets you do what you enjoy about your work too.
    Good luck with the debt-busting into 2015! You will do it!
  • Great to see your shiny new diary with a positive name - I really enjoyed your previous thread and think you have done brilliantly well
    I am trying to get back on the straight and narrow myself after an indulgent Christmas and New Year.
    We had turkey and ham pie yesterday to use up leftovers and it was yummy - I have still got Turkey stock left in the freezer and think I will make turkey and sweetcorn chowder with that. I am just doing my meal plan and shopping list for next week - it is hard though because I never know who is going to be in for tea grrrr
  • Thanks Ratison - I am determined to crack this debt once and for all! and yes I love my job - it is the most amazing place for reminding me of what is important in life. It feels like it is the job I have trained and worked for my whole career - and it won't take me to the top of the career ladder but to be honest I am not sure that that is important anymore - It pays the bills and once I debt free will provide me with a pretty healthy income with which to have some fun and adventures with my family and also pay down my mortgage so I can retire with a nice little nest egg!
    Busy-me - a positive name was definitely needed for the New Year! I made a turkey and ham pie the day after boxing day and DD1 has requested it again before she goes back tomorrow. I still have more turkey and ham in the freezer too!
    So, so far I have done 3 loads of washing, tidied kitchen and got dishwasher on, sorted out all the clean washing and its already to go upstairs, taken down the Christmas decs and put them back in the attic, made lunch for DD3, DS and 2 of his mates! put away all the last bits of Christmas presents, cleared out the fridge and emptied the bins!!! Just having a quick cuppa before cleaning and cooking!!!
    So in the fridge I have a slab of pate, a tub of pate and a jar of home made pate! (do you think we like pate?), lots of cheese of many varies (brie, red Leicester, 2 types cheddar, mozzarella, white stilton, fresh parmesan, feta, gorgonzola and a tub of soft cheese!!!), mushrooms, cream that went out of date yesterday but smells fine, some onions, carrots, shallots, garlic, red cabbage, past their best leeks, 2 melons, some strawberries and a bag of parsnips!
    Today's challenge is to work out how to use up all the above before it goes off!!!
    I will use some of the cream in the pie along with some garlic and shallots (DD2 doesn't like veg of any kind so I cant put leek or mushrooms in the pie!!!) We will have it with some red cabbage and mash. I will have the home made pate for lunch tomorrow when kids are at their Dad's if I can persuade them to go!!( they are not keen!). I am not a big parsnip fan (except roasted to within an inch of their life and covered in maple syrup!) but I am going to investigate curried parsnip soup recipes as that might be ok and I'm determined to use them up!
    Haven't even begun to do a freezer inventory!!!
    Right back to it!
  • well made the pie and red cabbage and apple (Delia recipe) but I think I have overdone the cloves and it tastes a bit dentisty! Ah well I will eat it even if no one else does!
    Also made some curried parsnip soup but added a bit of paprika to give it a little more kick - it tastes really good considering I am not a parsnip fan - so it will be portioned up and put in the freezer for work lunches!
    House clean ish - didn't quite get round to doing the bathroom though so that's still a job to be done tomorrow! DS and DD3 also didn't go to their Dad's as planned so my plan for a long hike with the dog might have to be postponed as kids will not be keen to do much more than a quick walk round the woods if I can get them out of the door tomorrow morning!
    Spent Ј5 at the local shop on pastry, apples, bread and eggs and shouldn't need anything else this week - but do still need to do a menu plan!
    My aim is to spend less than Ј200 on everything until my next payday as I need to try to keep some money back for the wedding - I get paid on the wedding day but I need to have the money upfront as my plan is only to use my wages for standing order bills and debt - so the challenge is to spend as little as possible on food!
  • Happy shiny new diary
    You can do this
  • Enjoyed reading your thread - happy new diary!
  • Thanks Beanielou and Cwtchie - I do feel like I can do this! I don't think I have ever been so focused!
    I guess I do like short term projects so a year for me is a good goal! I guess I could take it more slowly but I really just want it gone! It is also about making the most of what I have - like many others on here it is no longer about just paying debt - its about creating a life that does not revolve around money and what we haven't got but more about what we do have and how much fun and experience we can get out of life along the way!
    I will spend money on treats but they will be budgeted for and will involve family and friends and not 'things' - I might even plan a few trips away - but I have a tent and camping gear and I am no longer afraid that I can't do these things on my own!
    Last year taught be a lot about what I can do! I still have to master DIY though but one step at a time with my friend Y0utube for company!!!
    2015 is going to be a great year!!!!
  • Hi Judi,
    Nice to see a fellow debt busting nurse
    Pleased you're enjoying the hospice, they are amazing places and I have huge respect for anyone working in that environment.
    Keep going with the debt busting, you're doing fabulously!
  • Hi Judi
    I've followed you from the old diary. I don't post much but always read with enjoyment at just how well you are doing.
    Keep it up
    Ailz
  • Nice title Judi!
    Keep up the good work. X
  • Thanks Pidge-jen, ailz95 and kantankerus Mare (so love that name!!!) I am determined to make this year one to remember in many ways - not only getting debt free!
    Today DS and DD3 are off to their Dads for the night - but before they go I need to take them to get new school shoes - both have the soles coming of their old ones! I really am not looking forward to it -I hate shoe shopping with kids (can I have heels mum, I don't like anything mum, nothing feels comfy mum, moan, moan, moan!!! ahhh!) but I guess it has to be done!
    I have also signed up to a free fitness class on Monday- I'm a bit nervous but got nothing to loose (except weight I hope!) I just need to get on with it!
    The Reverend mother (my mum is a vicar!) has just turned up with a bag of bits left over from the donations box at Church- I know I moan about money a lot (well I don't moan as such - I just say I can't afford it lots!) so I think she thinks I am really struggling - so I now have 6 tubs of spam!!!! plus a few other tins of things I would never have bought! (ever heard of burgers in a can??). DD3 is over the moon about the spam - she loves it!!!
    Still haven't done a meal plan - I guess in now has to contain at least one spam based meal per week!!!
  • Well shopping trip was relatively successful! There was closing down sale at the shoe store and managed to get DS and DD3 shoes at half price - so Ј24 for both - they might only last to Easter but the will do I guess! I couldn't face the Cl**ks outlet today!
    I also went to T*sco home store and got school trousers and shirts for DS (he just getting bigger by the day!) and got a bargain ski jacket for DD3 half price at Ј16 (not that we are planning on going skiing anytime soon - but its a good warm jacket perfect for school and walking the doodle!) - Ј70 spent in total but it was budgeted for (except the jacket)
    Off to do a list of jobs that need doing in the house and work out a plan of attack! I want to try to get on top of things that didn't get done last year (without spending too much of course!)
  • I started back at the gym yesterday.
    Only did half an hours cardio between the bike and treadmill but included a bit of running, (and I mean a bit) which I never do at all.
    Going to do a step class tomorrow morning which I havent done in a year so that should be interesting.
    Do let us know how you get on at your class.
    No pain, no gain as they say.
  • Hi Judi,
    I've been reading through your old thread the past couple of days – you're doing amazingly, well done! Decided to stop lurking and join to say hello
    There's an article on Buzzfeed (not allowed to link as I'm a newbie but it's called "21 sexy ways to eat spam", should come up if you search) with some actually-delicious-looking spam recipes. The spam carbonara and tacos look good in particular!
    Hope you're having a lovely Sunday!
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