Debt Update: October 2009

It's payday today and I've quickly sent a £1,000 snowball; November budget to follow, but my debt now stands at £3,377, 92.4% of the way there. So close I can actually believe it's going to happen!

Get updates by email or RSS feed here.

A Fairly Cheap Treat

I've practically stopped spending on most things, however a new little routine has crept into my month; just after payday, I take myself off to the local Borders, browse the books, buy a magazine and then sit reading the magazine and drinking a double cappuccino.

All in all this costs less than £7 a month and makes me far happier than £300 handbags used to!

Get updates by email or RSS feed here.

Extra Money Earned: £350 Challenge

In 2009 I've made about £1,200 in extra income from a variety of sources, but my focus on earning snowflakes has relaxed a little. Not now, it's back. I've already updated my Amazon listings and prepared some items to list on eBay over the weekend.

I need to generate at least £350 {£5 a day} in extra income, in the 70 days between now and December 31st.

What are you currently doing to earn snowflakes?

Get updates by email or RSS feed here.

What are your Spending Triggers?

What triggers you to spend money needlessly? Are there several things or just the one?

I know the one single thing that causes me to spend money, tiredness. Being tired and run down can cause me to take a trip to the coffee shop, buy a ready meal for dinner, or stop me making my packed lunch in the morning; it can also make me run wild on Amazon!

The cure to stop me buying stuff has nothing to do with how many credit cards I have, even though I'm credit card free now, its whether I've had a good nights sleep or not.

What about you? What can cause you to spend money?

Get updates by email or RSS feed here. You can also subscribe to my other blog here

Debt, emotions, and why I quit my job

Reading back over my blog it's easy to see the emotional up and downs you have when paying down a large debt; I've changed my plans nearly every month!

Anyone with debt will tell you that having it hanging over your head all the time is awful, it never goes away. Every decision you make is based on money, and being in debt is just about all you think about. It became my priority above everything else at times, and that was not always ok.

Now that I've learned my lessons, and its nearly all gone, I can finally move forward; that's why I'm leaving my current job and trying new things.

Get updates by email or RSS feed here

Christmas Habits

Its that time of year again when our thoughts turn to Christmas shopping. Last year I attempted a back to basics approach, which, to a certain extent worked, but it didn't go far enough. This year I'm trying again.

I want to break the habit of just putting a voucher/cash in an envelope and sending it to four family members. This is not a loving Christmas gift, it is a habit. They, in return send us a money/voucher or a small gift. What is the point?

I really don't want this to come across as ungrateful, because it's not, it just seems a pointless exercise we are all doing for the wrong reasons. The question is am I brave enough to ring these people and stop the cycle? If I am, how do I do it?

Get updates by email or RSS feed here

Can I be debt free in 2009?

There are now approximately 12 weeks until the end of the year and I'm re affirming my original 2009 goal; to get debt free. I leave my current job position in 11 weeks and with owed holiday pay etc I should, bar about £350, be able to pay off the rest of my debt.

EBay here I come, again!

Get updates by email or RSS feed here

October Mini Goal(s)

I'll start off with how I did in September:

• Post on this blog at least 15 times- Managed 8 posts!
• Reduce my debt by £500 - yes
• Earn £100 in extra income - yes over £200
• Record my daily spends - 3 weeks out of 4
• Make better food choices and lose 8lbs - 1lb loss (less said the better)

Um, not too bad! This month it's more about tasks than goals:

• Move ING direct debit from personal to joint account
• Cancel visa credit card
• Get a haircut
• Back up and clear my pc

I still have a visa credit card that I haven't used for ages, and I'm cancelling it. I don't need (or want) it; this will make me credit card free.

A couple of years ago this would of felt really scary, not now. It feels amazing. The aim of this blog was always to help me get debt free and I'm not quite there yet. However to a certain extent I feel like I've accomplished what I really needed to; to stop using credit cards as a support to living my life. I'm not saying that credit cards are bad, my husband has an American Express card that he uses to full cash back advantage, but for me they are no the way. I want to live a simple 'use cash only' life.

Get updates by email or RSS feed here