Debt Busting Chick!

Debt Busting Chick!: 2013-11-17

20 Nov 2013

Steering clear of negativity whilst clearing debt...

Hi everyone! This weeks been a tough one as its almost been a month since I began my journey and payday is getting closer. This means its getting tougher for me to hold on to what's left in my account. My current balance is £230 as it stands, and this is set to go towards paying down my Dirty Debt! This week I was landed with paying for my Christmas do and I had to attend a friends birthday meal, and both activities cost me £20 in total so I'm down to £230.

Another reason why its been tough is because I've had some negative comments thrown my way. Things like 'you're crazy', 'you can't live on a budget the whole time', and the worst was 'you're being selfish!' That one hurt me the most because it came from someone very close to me. This person is very bad with their money and constantly asks me for money. So whilst I've been trying to clear debt this has been very draining emotionally. It makes me feel awful to say 'no' but my budget simply cannot afford it. Especially as this person has a track record for not paying back what they borrow.

I think it's important to tell people you come into regular contact with about the journey you're on and why. This is so that they can understand your new lifestyle and can support you, which will in turn make your journey easier.

On a good note!


This is the first time I've returned boots to pay off debt and got to the end of the month with money left over in my bank account. This is a huge milestone for me and one that requires a mini celebration. So here goes... 'Yipeeeeee!'

How do you deal with negativity? Do you know someone who is always borrowing money? Or maybe you have some tips that could help me...

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17 Nov 2013

I've cut my pet costs from £50 to £10 per month. How much is your pet costing you?

Meet my pooch Princess! She's a 2 year old Maltese that cost me 'an arm and a leg'. When I first decided I wanted a dog I googled 'cute dogs' and Maltese among a few others came up. As soon as I saw the Maltese dogs and read up on their temperament and fell in love with the breed.

I sought out sellers and what Maltese typically cost. This was £1,500 but also didn't phase me because I was in love, had blinkers on, and wasn't acknowledging my debt at the time. After a few days of researching and watching youtube clips of Maltese in action, I was sold. I managed to find a seller that had been breeding them for more than 15 years and was advertising them for only £1000.  So I went all the way up to Norfolk and bought my Princess.

The true cost of Princess


What I hadn't factored in before buying her, was the true cost of having a dog. My dog has a heart murmur which I was told she couldn't survive a year with. However, against all odds she is still here, and as she came with a months free insurance, all the vet costs to run tests were covered to the sum of £300.

As well as that, her hair began to grow. She doesn't have fur like many dogs, she has hair like humans, which needs a regular 'wash, cut and blow dry' LOL. Until recently, my local dog groomers have been doing this for me every month at a cost of £30. There's also the monthly flee treatment which costs £5 to protect her and my home from flee infestation, and her food has also been costing £15 per month from a local corner shop amongst the other expenses.

Lets tot up my monthly costs:


Groomers £30
Flea Treatment £5
Dog Food £15

Total: £50 per month

So how did I cut my cost from £50 to £10 per month?


Simple DIY (Do it yourself)! I have caught the self taught bug, which i have realised is key when trying to cut costs. Teaching yourself to do everything you usually would pay others to do can save you money. I've applied this similar idea to my nails.

I have done a lot of research on how to groom your own dog safely. There are several youtube videos that give you step by step instructions on how to do this successfully. Thus saving me £30 per month. 

I have also started buying a large bag of dog food for just under £7 which lasts the whole month from Pets at Home. It's very nutritious and comes highly recommended for my breed, and I've found another flea treatment brand that cost £3 instead of the £5 I was paying initially.

What pets do you have? Are they expensive? or have you found a way to keep costs down? Feel free to share in the comments section...

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