Hello all, and for some of you (at the time of writing) Happy New Year!
I’m not sure where the last 365 days went but it’s been one heck of a year. So much has happened and most of it was good; especially starting this blog.
I’m still not sure what it is meant to be but I’m throwing down some more coherent content here so I’m happy. It will get more focused the more I learn what I’m doing.
Down to business
Those of you that read part 1 of this thread will know that I am planning to eradicate my credit card debt over the next year, hopefully less. It’s not a massive amount but I would say it’s more of a psychological burden than a physical one.
I also stated in part 1 that the debt would initially increase as I planned to do some of my Christmas spending on it. I did, but I didn’t go crazy, thanks to self-discipline.
Success
As stated in part one, the main strategy is to reduce the largest debt (and highest interest rate) card first by overpaying on the previous over payments. Done
Reduce any spending on them to the absolute minimum and emergencies only. I’ll have to report back in pt.3
Move regular payments to the cards where possible, then pay more of my salary into clearing those balances. On-going. The jury is still out on whether this method will work..
These are my robust rules of credit card spending. Discipline is the absolute key here.
I also discussed earning more. This is a work in progress to which I will report back periodically.
Fail
Whilst on the topic of earning more, one of my strategies was to accept all available overtime that work offered me. Unfortunately, I dropped the ball a little on this one and have missed out on the initial offerings, due to not checking my work emails whilst off for the holidays. I suspect this may turn out to be a blessing.
Opportunities still exist, but I shall have to be more eagle-eyed.
Lessons from the best
I research everything, and I do mean everything. For the last 18 months or so I have been looking into ways at generating more income.
As I said in part 1, I’m a believer in sensible spending, rather than going without. I will explain more in a separate piece about extra income as one size doesn’t fit all and there are a lot of traps and get rich quick schemes out there.
Now, reading the section head and the paragraph below you may be mistaken into thinking that I think of myself as the best. I don’t. Not by a long shot.
I have committed many crimes to personal wealth and prosperity and am now in the process of cleaning it all up. I have great faith in myself but as with learning any skill, it’s harder if you try to do it alone.
Here is what I’ve been reading to help me with this:
- Forbes guide to budgeting – home of the 50,30,20 rule. They also have some nifty budgeting freebies and how to earn extra income.
- Ramit Sethi’s I will teach you to be rich programme. Lots of great advice from a self-made success story. Automating Your Personal Finance is one of his teams free titles and is full of great advice.
As always, if you’re in serious debt, as in the kind that keeps you awake at night or worse, please, please seek help. Suffering in silence is never the answer.
If like me you have stubborn debt, then give these two links a look and let me know what you think.
So that’s it for part 2 and indeed 2017!
I’m about to settle in for the evening to enjoy what television has to offer and go smiling into 2018. There’s so much to look forwards to because that’s the way I’ve planned it!
Thank you for your support and have a Happy New Year!
BSD
December 2017
Card 1 = 94.97% utilisation
Card 2 = 99.78% utilisation
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