Some things are going well with the financial fast, somethings need work as I expected they would.
I have bought one magazine in the last 2 weeks and it was a running magazine not a trash one. Although I wish I hadn't bought it because it didn't have much content that I wanted to read. Very disappointing stuff.
I only bought it because my library doesn't seem to have any running magazines on its shelves and I don't know anyone here who would buy it that I could borrow off.
I've also been going to the supermarket every other day, which is better than every day but not as good as just twice a week.
I need to work on my organisational skills so I don't forget things that I needed to buy. It is difficult with two whingy tired children in tow though.
This is my 3rd week of working after having nearly 5 years of stay at home mumming and not only am I enjoying work but I also haven't bought any lunches, morning tea's or done any shopping in my breaks.
I bought a cup of tea on Saturday morning when I was working, but that was because I got to work too early and was still really tired.
I think this months running balance will be a positive one.
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Saturday, 16 February 2013
Running Totals
Now that I am working part time, I will be getting paid weekly. I thought for the sake for continuity I will stick to doing a monthly running total for our debts working on DH's 15th of the month pay day.
So we started this financial fast about half way through the last pay month (so around the start of the actual month...confused yet?).
Our debt amounts were:
Personal loan: $36,927.63
Credit card: $3,659.84
My main expenses since starting have been mostly work related, new pants and tops and shoes. I also had to go to the dentist.
Expenses:
Dentist: $102.00
Work shoes: $168.00 (on sale from $220.00)
Work pants: $39.00
Work tops: $19.88
Mine tour for family: $12.00
Morning tea: $11.00
Taking kids to the pool: $6.60
Total: $358.48
Because Ive never really kept track of my expenses before I am not sure how much less I am spending, but Im guessing this is quite an improvement. I am going to the shops a whole lot less and I am not spending money on my kids like I did before this fast started.
Im going to try to list our my expenses each pay month so I can see how I am going.
Our new debt amounts are:
Personal loan: $36,496.53 (-$431.00)
Credit Card: $3,602.42 (-$57.42)
I had to use the credit card this month when we ran out of money. Next months total should reflect the extra money I will be earning.
I have also had a bonus payment of $800 from the government which will be kept aside for the root canal I need to get done.
I was quoted about $900 for the root canal and I think my private health cover should cover nearly half of that. So whatever is left after Ive had the procedure will go straight onto the credit card.
It kind of feels like we just keep sinking deeper financially because of things like the root canal and our car being crashed into and us having to cover the insurance excess, but I am feeling hopeful that we will start to make headway very soon.
Being debt free is going to feel so amazing. Finally being in a position to buy our own house is worth a few deprivations this year.
So we started this financial fast about half way through the last pay month (so around the start of the actual month...confused yet?).
Our debt amounts were:
Personal loan: $36,927.63
Credit card: $3,659.84
My main expenses since starting have been mostly work related, new pants and tops and shoes. I also had to go to the dentist.
Expenses:
Dentist: $102.00
Work shoes: $168.00 (on sale from $220.00)
Work pants: $39.00
Work tops: $19.88
Mine tour for family: $12.00
Morning tea: $11.00
Taking kids to the pool: $6.60
Total: $358.48
Because Ive never really kept track of my expenses before I am not sure how much less I am spending, but Im guessing this is quite an improvement. I am going to the shops a whole lot less and I am not spending money on my kids like I did before this fast started.
Im going to try to list our my expenses each pay month so I can see how I am going.
Our new debt amounts are:
Personal loan: $36,496.53 (-$431.00)
Credit Card: $3,602.42 (-$57.42)
I had to use the credit card this month when we ran out of money. Next months total should reflect the extra money I will be earning.
I have also had a bonus payment of $800 from the government which will be kept aside for the root canal I need to get done.
I was quoted about $900 for the root canal and I think my private health cover should cover nearly half of that. So whatever is left after Ive had the procedure will go straight onto the credit card.
It kind of feels like we just keep sinking deeper financially because of things like the root canal and our car being crashed into and us having to cover the insurance excess, but I am feeling hopeful that we will start to make headway very soon.
Being debt free is going to feel so amazing. Finally being in a position to buy our own house is worth a few deprivations this year.
Thursday, 14 February 2013
Kick a person when they are down why dont you?!
FAR OUT!!!!!!!!
Every single month since we moved here in March last year, and come to think of it a few months before we moved also, we have had MASSIVE expenses to pay for.
Winter heating bills - ouch. Car rego - ouch. 2 kids starting school - really big ouch x 2.
I thought this month might be a bit different and we might get away with just a few smaller bills to pay so we could get started paying off our credit card.
So far there is $560.00 to pay for health insurance, $900.00 odd dollars for the root canal I need, and tonight when I finished work I found a huge scratch on my car and of course no one has fessed up to it. So that will be $550 for the excess thank you very much.
Oh and I need to get work shoes.
The saving grace here is that I started work this week.
Im sure there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but tonight it feels veeeeeeeeeeery far away.
Every single month since we moved here in March last year, and come to think of it a few months before we moved also, we have had MASSIVE expenses to pay for.
Winter heating bills - ouch. Car rego - ouch. 2 kids starting school - really big ouch x 2.
I thought this month might be a bit different and we might get away with just a few smaller bills to pay so we could get started paying off our credit card.
So far there is $560.00 to pay for health insurance, $900.00 odd dollars for the root canal I need, and tonight when I finished work I found a huge scratch on my car and of course no one has fessed up to it. So that will be $550 for the excess thank you very much.
Oh and I need to get work shoes.
The saving grace here is that I started work this week.
Im sure there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but tonight it feels veeeeeeeeeeery far away.
Friday, 8 February 2013
Not going as well as hoped...
Today is day 8 of the spending fast and I cant say that it is going brilliantly.
I have been buying some junk food and today I bought a magazine.
No take away food though and no other frivolous spending over the last few days.
This is a big learning curve and I do expect to fall off the wagon. I also expect to get straight back on after a fall.
I think I need to remind myself more often why we decided to do this in the first place - so we can become debt free and buy a house next year.
I need to keep my eye on the prize.
Next week I start work. Im guessing that working 4 days a week will keep my spending in check. I will be taking food to work with me and from payday (next Friday) I will only be going to the supermarket twice a week.
The worst bit about being at the end of a monthly pay is that everything is running out and we end up going to the supermarket every day which means extra stuff that we might not otherwise get ends up in the shopping bags.
This is especially true if I have been for a run or swim.
Perhaps I need to pack a post work out snack so I dont go nuts in the supermarket? Hmmmm something to consider.
I have been buying some junk food and today I bought a magazine.
No take away food though and no other frivolous spending over the last few days.
This is a big learning curve and I do expect to fall off the wagon. I also expect to get straight back on after a fall.
I think I need to remind myself more often why we decided to do this in the first place - so we can become debt free and buy a house next year.
I need to keep my eye on the prize.
Next week I start work. Im guessing that working 4 days a week will keep my spending in check. I will be taking food to work with me and from payday (next Friday) I will only be going to the supermarket twice a week.
The worst bit about being at the end of a monthly pay is that everything is running out and we end up going to the supermarket every day which means extra stuff that we might not otherwise get ends up in the shopping bags.
This is especially true if I have been for a run or swim.
Perhaps I need to pack a post work out snack so I dont go nuts in the supermarket? Hmmmm something to consider.
Monday, 4 February 2013
February 1st 2013
While I was looking at stuff on the net last week I came across this ladies blog : http://andthenwesaved.com/
It really resonated with me.
I am not planning on replicating what she has already done, I will just document how our 12 months of fasting goes. I am sure there will be up's and downs, and glitches in the plan. But our intentions are good and our plan is well thought out so that is half the work right?
Dan and I sat down and nutted out our "necessities" and "non-essentials". We debated hairdressers and coffee shops the most lol.
This is what our plan looks like:
It really resonated with me.
I am not planning on replicating what she has already done, I will just document how our 12 months of fasting goes. I am sure there will be up's and downs, and glitches in the plan. But our intentions are good and our plan is well thought out so that is half the work right?
Dan and I sat down and nutted out our "necessities" and "non-essentials". We debated hairdressers and coffee shops the most lol.
This is what our plan looks like:
Period of financial
fasting – 6mths then reassess.
Start date 1st Feb 2013
Debts –
PL -
$36,927.63
CC -
$3,659.84
Needs (essentials)
Utilities
Rent
Car payments
Mobiles
Gym
Dr/dentist/medicine
Health
insurance
Car
payments/petrol (will try to use the car less frequently)
Train
tickets
Haircuts
(Dan & boys)
Hairdresser
(roots and touch up only Sam) every 2mths
Only
essential clothing
MDC &
City to Surf only
Buy alcohol
for events only – buy cheap
Non Essentials:
Take away
food
Magazine/books
Gifts
(excluding $50 each Christmas & birthday) – make gifts instead
Movies
Non-essential
clothes/shoes
Non-essential
hair/make up
Supermarket
only twice a week. 1 for a shop and for a top up.
No new
furniture until the credit card is paid off and we have saved for the furniture.
No coffee
shops
No bought
lunches
I am planning on updating our personal loan and credit card balances on the 15th of each month so I can keep track of our progress. I am hoping that we will be able to be debt free this time next year.
My biggest financial issues are magazines, my sweet tooth, and too many trips to the supermarket.
To combat these I will only be reading magazines handed down to me or at the library. I will not buy any new magazines over the next 12 months.
My sweet tooth will be combated with 4 packs of life savers per week, that is reducing my significant spending on chocolate and lollies to just $2 per week. I know for my health/weight/finances I should just go cold turkey, but right now I dont want to. I have already cut out coffee completely, I dont want to give up lollies just yet as well.
The supermarket is a more difficult one, one that requires me to be super organised. One big shop and one top up shop per week. This one I expect I will fail with from time to time.
I already feel sad about not going our for meals and the very rare trip to the movies. We may have to make the occasional exception to the rule with meals but Im hoping that it wont happen that often...not that we go out for meals very often anyway.
My mum has already asked us to go out for lunch or dinner in March for my brother's 40th, so that will be an exception.
So, so far so good. It is only day 2 but I am feeling very positive about this already.
Day 5 - fell down a bit
Hmmmmm this financial fasting is going to be harder than I first thought it would be.
Not the no spending part of it, more the working around other people part of it.
This morning I had organised with a friend to catch up, it was a lovely day so I suggested we go for a walk around the lake. My friend was keen but on the condition we get a cuppa afterwards.
My free friend activity ended up costing me $11 for a cuppa and some sour dough toast.
I am going to have to practice my replies I think. Maybe set the scene first with an explanation of what we are doing?
Maybe I need to practice saying no even when I really want to say yes.
On the upside, I haven't bought a magazine all week.
I start my new job next week which will really kick start our repayments. I think once I can see that we are actually making progress then it will be easier to say no to things.
I really really really want to buy a house and this is the way we are going to do it. Pay off the debt first. To pay off the debt I need to say no more.
I promised another friend over the christmas holidays that when our kids start school this year that we would go and get a pedi together to celebrate. This promise was made pre-fast decision. So does it count? Can I reconcile spending $35 on my feet when I should just explain to her what we are doing and organise to do something else together?
I know what I should do. But the little devil in my head keeps saying that I should do something nice for myself with my first pay packet in nearly 5 years.
The dilemmas.
Not the no spending part of it, more the working around other people part of it.
This morning I had organised with a friend to catch up, it was a lovely day so I suggested we go for a walk around the lake. My friend was keen but on the condition we get a cuppa afterwards.
My free friend activity ended up costing me $11 for a cuppa and some sour dough toast.
I am going to have to practice my replies I think. Maybe set the scene first with an explanation of what we are doing?
Maybe I need to practice saying no even when I really want to say yes.
On the upside, I haven't bought a magazine all week.
I start my new job next week which will really kick start our repayments. I think once I can see that we are actually making progress then it will be easier to say no to things.
I really really really want to buy a house and this is the way we are going to do it. Pay off the debt first. To pay off the debt I need to say no more.
I promised another friend over the christmas holidays that when our kids start school this year that we would go and get a pedi together to celebrate. This promise was made pre-fast decision. So does it count? Can I reconcile spending $35 on my feet when I should just explain to her what we are doing and organise to do something else together?
I know what I should do. But the little devil in my head keeps saying that I should do something nice for myself with my first pay packet in nearly 5 years.
The dilemmas.
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