22 Mar 2015

A question about : This will be the year.....

Hi I'm starting a diary to help keep me on track. I always do well to begin with, then a few months down the line I seem to forget all the hard work and start blowing my money.

I'm determined that this year will be the year I pay off my debts and start saving for my long term goals.

I am 31 with two beautiful girls and a stepdaughter who is currently living with us for a while. I have two debts, a loan of about Ј2k and credit card Ј2k also. I am also paying for a holiday in August and have Ј1.4k to go.

Goals for the up coming year are;

Too pay off debts
Start saving for house deposit (no rush as in free accommodation but want to own house evenly)
Start a pot for Disney land for when the girls are older
Pay off holiday and save deposit too book for next year

I have very little outgoings at the moment so it's very doable, as long as I don't waste my money.

So I'm off too start my budget and put some things on eBay x

Best answers:

  • Good luck with your goals xx
  • Good luck!
  • Tonight I have listed 7 items on eBay, hopefully some more tomorrow, giving myself a first goal of Ј50 to pay off the loan. It's so much easier using my pad to do it best Christmas present ever. Been very lucky this year, lots of nice new stuff so shouldn't need to buy anything for a while. I've asked for kitchen items for my birthday in jan, so hopefully want need to replace too many things.
    Downloaded some finance apps, just need to see what best for me, will have to play with them tomorrow.
    Finished knitting a scarf for next Christmas lol starting already. Wrote my present list out etc, going to make a lot of scars and hats this year! Also got points on cards etc to use up so will be getting presents with them.
    Just had my weekly mat pay and still got Ј20 left from last week so that's gone in pot for loan.
    Not a bad start but still lots more too be done!
  • Good luck jojo...like the idea of making hats and scarves for people for next Christmas, such a good idea to start now and get organised or before you know it Christmas is here again and you don't have time to make handmade stuff and end up buying...will be joining you on the handmade items, starting soon too
  • So now spending again today yet!
    Have too go food shopping and get some bits, so I've done my meal planner for week (will stick with it) also arranged for my sister to look after the kids and my brother in law taking me, no wasting money on taxis or giving in to the girls, and hopefully no forgetting anything as baby crying and have too stop what I'm doing.
    .10p found in bathroom and put in pennies jar, going for the every little counts as I want to bust my loan ASAP. It works out every Ј70 I may back sooner is a additional Ј30 min saved. know about snowballing for a while but always paid back the easiest to pay first, but I need to stop being lazy and pick up the phone to do it!
    Napped some animal slip mats off my friend and put in bath, saves me buying a bath mat as little one needs one now.
    Need a lot of housy things at the moment, must write a list and source as cheap as possibly or for free
    Another two listings on eBay today and two boxes off baby clothes in size order ready to list once I've organised them.
    Bagged up Ј22 from change jar to pay in bank tomorrow and found another Ј20 stashed in my drawer, if i do okay on food shopping tomorrow I may be able to pay off my first Ј100 off loan.
    Going to go over my lists for tomorrow, lay out clothes for everyone and make sure I'm set for day ahead. I truly believe if I'm more organized I'll save a lot more money xx
  • Managed to sort, iron and put on eBay three bundles off baby clothes. Been putting it off all day, and finally managed to get myself in gear at 10 o clock. it's funny how I seam to want to do things when I should be thinking about bed!
    Been quite a successful day, paid Ј50 off holiday, Ј55 bill money paid in for the week and all shopping done via planner, got a few extra bits like jam etc for snacks etc but nothing major and something I needed but didn't know what to get til looked. Hopefully planning snacks and that will become easier as I do it more often.
    House had a good clean, recycled all cardboard from Xmas, child Ben gone in so that will go towards loan. Going to make first payment tomorrow. Keep all my receipts today so will go through tomorrow, update totals etc and figure which one off the apps will be best for me. Prepped tea for tomorrow. Manage to get new baby clothes for bargin prices today, o/h gave me cash for this and only had to add a extra Ј3 to it. Feeling good like I've achieved a lot today. Loads of little bits n bots I've done today on top off what I've mentioned. Should sleep well tonight :-)
  • Sounds like you have done brilliantly and some good aims there xx
  • Made my first loan payment of Ј220 yey that's Ј100 of interest charges saved in the long run. Gone through all my figures and going into the new year my totals will be,
    Loan Ј1601.04
    Holiday Ј1191.50
    Credit card Ј1904.5
    Loan first to be attacked, every time I reach Ј100 going knock it off. Aiming to do in 3 months. Will be tight but will be free from it
    Holiday I'm paying Ј50 a week off it which leaves a additional Ј241.50 to find before due date. Will pay loan first, then clear the Ј241.50
    Credit card last to pay as at 0 percent. Direct debit set up for min payment so no missed payments there :-) it should take 3 - 4 months to clear, hopefully 3 as no loan dds will be going out for loan so more spare cash.
    Right looking at the figures I'm going to set June 31st as my target date, going be hard but can be done if I stay focussed xx
  • Feeling a bit demotivated today, I think it's because I haven't been counting the pennies and watching my jar of money to pay off debt grow. In saying that I haven't spent a single penny this year :-) I think having the visual amount there motivates me more.
    Learning to be thrifty a little more each day, reading suggestions and ideas. Doing a lot more myself as everything costs so much less when I do it :-)
    Won't be getting the things I want for my birthday, apparently I'm having a I phone. I don't need want I would much rather have the kitchen stuff, sad I know but I'd be much happier with have pans to cook food in (mine have all vanished) oh we'll I'll make do the loan has been paid.
    Pretty proud I've avoided the newlook sale, I like buying Xmas presents for my step daughter and putting away and saw some really nice stuff online, managed to fight the temptation.
    I also managed to stick with my meal plan, well done me. Began writing one for next week too. Been looking through the boards for inspiration, need more low cost but filling meals. May start making some sort of meal spreadsheet to help when planning.
    House is more tidier and I'm a lot more organised, not bad for starts.
    Right I'm going to count some pennies out my jar, that will cheer me up :-)
    Oh I need to find more free things to do with my daughter, we do parks, walks and library, might try seeing if there's any groups anywhere locally. Wouldn't mind paying a little for a club if easy to get their. For example my friends meet up every week at play gym but for me to take Keira it costs about Ј35 not worth it. Most it taxis fares as I don't drive and no one got room us anymore, too far too walk. But I would like to get her involved more with other children
  • Well done on your debt busting so far
    Have subscribed to your diary so I can keep up with your progress
  • Have failed misery with the weekly shop! O/h took me and my list had varnished (properly the 4 year old) note to self but hide lists in future. Ended up spending Ј93 on shop, so doesn't really leave much too pay off loan. Did have some monthly bits on there but didn't want to spend that much. So must try and make it stretch for 2 weeks (some top ups will be needed) but need to balance it out to reach my target. I'm going to go through receipt tomorrow and see what I didn't really need, learn from mistakes.
    Had a couple of sales on eBay. So tomorrow going to pool that money, count pennies jar, Ј20 left from last weeks money, maybe get another Ј20 off o/h and try to pool together a Ј100 to pay off loan. It will just feel like I'm making progress if I can do a payment a week. I can pull back money next week, but that will be a bonus.
    On a positive note, talked o/h out off getting me a phone and into getting a dryer (no outside hanging space and fed up off clothes hanging everywhere in the house) he has also brought a new washer and new pans for me. Over the moon, really good quality ones. Been using two pans, one being a milk pan. Washer only boils washes now has well. So really made up.
    Other than food shopping not spent any money so still looking good.
    Being a lot more organised now. Need to do a quick clean up, iron little ones uniform, lay out clothes for morning and all set for school in the morning. At the moment her school (nursery) is a hours walk away so need to be ready. Takes a long time with baby, 4 year old and teenager.
    Got a billion things to do, house to organise, list to do etc etc getting there step by step x
  • Sometimes it's really hard living with my o/h, he's still stuck in the mindset that he's 21 can go work, drink 8 pints eat tea then fall asleep til the morning. He needs to realise he's In fact 34 with 3 children (2 being very young)
  • Well despite a set back at the beginning of the week, I've managed to scrap a Ј100 to pay off my loan. Ј41 from my pennies jar, Ј10 birthday money, Ј20 cash left unspent from previous week and Ј29 from eBay sales. So that's my first payment made this year :-)
    I've gutted my kitchen, living room and under the stairs this week so feeling good.
    Aiming for another Ј100 payment next week but not quite sure how I'm going to pull it off. Shopping needs to at low as possible, hopefully I can get couple off days from stock and budget some low cost meals. Will need to get some more things on eBay, free listing this weekend so will give that a go. Best start budgeting x
  • Here's one thing that might really help you, I know it works for me at those times when temptation calls.
    Start by having a goal, something you really, truly and genuinely want. Picture that goal very clearly, make it as three dimensional as possible. What does it look like? What does it smell like?
    Once you have that picture, when temptation calls - you want to buy a little something or go on eBay or whatever, rather than try to fight the urge, call to mind what it is you really want. Fighting the urge never works long term. However, by picturing what you want, you take away that fight and tension. You're no longer fighting between what you 'should' do and what you want to do, because suddenly those two things become the same.
    Hope that helps .
  • I started a diary this year too = good luck and keep reading the posts for lots of tips!
  • We'll I thought I was having a terrible week with money but now I've looked it's not too bad. Managed to scrim Ј70 together this week to pay off loan, now I just need to make Ј30 on eBay to hit my target. It would be less if I can just find the receipt for ink cartridges I bought for work (Ј28)
    I was naughty and treated me and my daughter (age 3) to a posh cake and coffee lunch (charity one) I was baby free for day so thought I'd do something nice for older one as she's not getting as much attendion as she use too. Ј10.10!!! Very expensive, properly should off took her swimming or on a bike ride, but exhaustion won over head this time.
    I have just set up 3 envelopes up for my weekly cash so when I get paid the amount for each categoriy goes in there, so if I don't make it too bank for a few days I can't accidentally spend it. I will have Ј40 in my purse for shopping and other bits and that's it!
    Did much better on food shopping this week Ј21.10, there were some additional things I didn't really need but got for stock (want a few extra things in incase I fall short, don't want to pay local shop prices or takeaway)
    Ј100 paid off holiday today! Yey! My direct debit for my loan comes out in next couple of days so that will be reduced by another Ј30ish depending on interest.
    I've managed to continue being more organised and sorting things night before, keeping on top off cleaning. Things are much better now, it so nice to relax in a nice clean organised house. Still more to do, all in good time though x
Категория: