The debt hater's diary

Slow progress

2012-01-30T20:34:00.000Z

This has been an interesting - but largely successful - week in the frugal life.

Payday finally arrived and as usual, the first shop of the month sent my stress levels soaring. My wife has taken to doing our shopping online with one of the large supermarkets, and it can lead to some really good savings, but anything over £60 for a weeks shopping makes me sweat!!

That is until I watched a programme where the featured family were tasked to reduce their shopping from a whopping £200 per week!!! I suddenly realised that our bill is pretty damn reasonable, even too good.

Prices are rising quickly everywhere you look, and savings have to be made. I suddenly realise that is must be easier than it looks as we are doing really well.

Aside from that, it has been another week with no borrowing, and another week where the debt has been shrinking (albeit still slowly)!!!

No new debt since December 2009 - long may it continue!!!!!

A certain start

2012-01-21T13:30:00.000Z

This last week or so has been a success in my fight to cut down on spending. Despite the financial hangover which inevitably follows Christmas, I have managed to dramatically cut my expenditure.

And the most surprising thing for me has been the array of basic changes which can make a big difference.

For example, I have learnt that one of the most effective ways to save is to get out of bed half an hour earlier in the morning. That time can be used to make a proper lunch using what I have, and also results in using less fuel as I don't have to put the foot down to arrive at work on time. Half an hour which is worth it's weight (or time) in Gold!!!!

Now I know that for more experienced "Frugalists" out there, this is bread and butter stuff. But for those of us who are making the effort for the first time they can be real eye-openers.

So, for the rest of this month until pay day, we will still be all hands to the scrimping pump. Hopefully next month might even end with an excess!!!

The beginning of the end (for my debt)

2012-01-14T22:29:00.001Z

Welcome to my new blog!

By way of an introduction, I am pushing 30 and the proud owner of far too much debt for my liking. It has been getting a lot better over the last year or so, but this is just the start.

When I was in my late teens/early twenties, I was seduced by loans, credit cards, and their "free money". I am still paying for the privilege.

Now my outlook has changed beyond recognition. I no longer spend without good reason, and make every effort to make even the smallest savings.

Combine this with the mess the country is in with the financial "crisis", and my reluctance to pay for the mistakes of others, and you get the idea of how I intend this blog to develop. I have my own problems to sort out.

So please read and enjoy at your leisure, and leave comments if you see fit.