My Journey to Eliminate Debt

Drawing up the battle plans

28. April 2012 · 8 comments · Categories: Budget, debt, Frugal, work

Yesterday I spent a fair bit of time going over our finances in more detail and drawing up our ‘battle plan’. I’m over feeling upset this morning and now I just feel really bloody determined!. I will not go back to being in debt and living on the edge again!! I had a good talk to DH as well, he really just doesn’t stress about finances like I do. Well I guess thats why opposites attract! As Vicky kindly reminded me, I need to concentrate on the things I CAN control, not those that I can’t. So I’ve done some brainstorming in the same format I use with some of the kids I work with.

1. Whats good about this?

I have already been preparing a plan to return to my own business in case I do get laid off
We have consolidated the loans to reduce the monthly debt payment
We are 2 years ahead on our home loan
We’ve survived it before, we can do it again – getting smarter each time!
I have 5 weeks leave (and possibly 2 months long service leave) to be paid out when I leave

2. What not so good about this?

Not knowing what is happening and when
Lies and harrassment by management of our team
Possible loss of very good job conditions and income
Taking it personally – it’s not personal it’s just about budget cuts

What can I control?

My reaction – I can choose to take this personally and be stressed out or I can focus on solutions
My behaviour – I can make changes to our spending, our savings and take steps to prepare
My thoughts – I can choose to be negative or positive each day
My relationships – with colleagues and family – now is not the time to isolate myself

Goals

To have enough money available to complete the work around the house and garden so house can be sold
To reduce our expenses to below DH’s wage
To maintain my health

Plan of Action

Pay all bills that will be due in coming month – DONE
Pay large bills (rates. insurance, electricity, gas) 12 months ahead
Submit documents to pay office to find out long service leave entitlement
Review all bills for areas where we can make savings
Shop the specials each week – even if it means visiting several different grocery stores
Build up a stockpile of groceries – DOING
Save 10% of income into emergency fund
Pay minimum on mortgage
Renew business name registration – DONE
Track spending each day in a diary for more immediate feedback
Renew efforts to complete more expensive works: kitchen, heater, pavers, front verandah, fencing ASAP

What is comes down is that I need to be organised, determined and healthy. I have just visited the websites of the four grocery shops in town and made a list of the specials for the week so I’ll shop over the next few days and post it here.

“Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pound ought and six, result misery.” – Charles Dickens

Just a lot of stress at the moment.

27. April 2012 · 16 comments · Categories: work

I’ve been laid up in bed with a few health problems for the last week and not able to get about much. It’s very frustrating when you can’t do things for yourself and have to depend on others.I have been given a two month reprieve from my dr on taking some medication with some quite serious side effects, so I have follow up tests scheduled for then.

Yesterday we were told by the union that there is talk of closing our department. Thats the first time they’ve come straight out and said it. A few weeks ago management told us that they were going to outsource one of the services we provide.They are not fully replacing people when they are on leave. It’s stressful to the max right now and probably only going to get worse. There is a meeting next week with the union to discuss things in more detail.

Even though we expected this to happen it still feels like a kick in the guts. I am just so tired of the stress and surely we’ve had our fair share of job losses and lay offs! I feel frustrated always being the one to have to worry about the finances. We had to get new tyres for the car-$1000; our heater is not working and it’s quite cold here at the moment – waiting on a quote; we asked a builder to quote the front verandah two weeks ago – still hasn’t showed up; DS is not well and having some health problems;. … and I’m supposed to be avoiding stress LOL!

Anyway, I guess I need to sit down this weekend and have ‘the talk’ about our spending ;pay TV, buying lunches, overspending on groceries. In the meatime I think that we will stash cash, instead of extra on the mortgage so that we have money to finish the house if I get laid off. It;s the not knowing thats hard.

Budget Beater Meals: Crockpot Vegetable Soup

20. April 2012 · 6 comments · Categories: Budget Beater Meals, frugal food

I love making soup! And now the weather is getting colder I’m going to be making a different soup each week, stocking up my freezer and posting my recipe costs here. Last Monday morning I cut up the veggies for this soup in the morning and put them in the crockpot. The smell when I opened the door after work was divine! You can use up old veggies for your soups and freeze the leftovers. This recipe was made up from what I had in the fridge and it made 8 hearty serves. You can just use whatever veggies you have on hand.

Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a large frypan. Cut up 2 large red onions, 1 capsicum ( pepper) – large pieces are OK as the soup will be blended. Let this cook and stir a few times while you cut up the other veggies, then add it to the crockpot.

Cut up any root veggies you have. I used: 1 large sweet potato; 1turnip, 2 white potatos; a quarter of a small pumpkin, 3 carrots. Toss these in the oil and cover. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes. Then add any ‘lighter’ vegetables. I added: 2 zucchini; 2 stick of celery including the leaves. Cover and cook another 5 mins on low. Then add to the crockpot.

Mix up 4 cups of stock with hot water and pour over veggies. Add a few shakes of black pepper and 1 teaspoon curry powder. I had a couple of slightly soft tomatoes in the fridge so I added them as well. Then cover and turn crockpot high, switching to low after about an hour. I always start it on high, then switch it low just before I leave for work.

So about 9 hours later the kitchen smells wonderful and the soup looks like this:

I roughly mash it with a potato masher. Put it into another bowl and place in the fridge. It needs to be cooled before it’s blended or the steam will pop the lid off your blender. Once cooled blend it, heat, serve and freeze the leftovers.

Costs:

2 red onions $1
capsicum $1.
olive oil .40
pumpkin .30
zucchini .40
celery .20
sweet potato $1.
white potato .50
turnip .70
3 small tomatos .75
carrots .50
stock .20
curry powder .10

Total: $5.05 = 63 cents per serve.

As it turns out, it came in handy as I have been off work sick all week! But the main point is that soup is nutritious, quick, easy, cheap and can be a good way to use up bits and pieces in the fridge. Enjoy!

“Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.”
Louis P. De Gouy, ‘The Soup Book’ (1949)

Wonderful weekend!

16. April 2012 · 4 comments · Categories: Australia

Meditation by the river was just so peaceful – just the sounds of the birds and the water…

We did morning yoga outside in the sunshine…

Yesterday I went for a long walk on my own, I left early in the dark, just the sounds of the river and the birds starting to wake up and walked up to the top of the hill to watch the sunrise. Walking in the dark, in the bush you just become so aware of each sound and the smells of the earth around you. Wonderful way to start the day!

“Climb up on some hill at sunrise. Everybody needs perspective once in a while, and you’ll find it there.” ~Robb Sagendorph

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