The Beginning of the End

River.Bee · 2 April 2017 at 1:09PM

New diary, new beginnings.
I wanted to make a fresh diary to coincide with my newly refreshed debt-busting attitude. For years this debt has been hanging over my head and I am sick to death of it now; I refuse to allow it a permanent place in my life any longer.
It began in 2013 when I got my first credit card, working full time jobs so not being too bothered about it, and has since accumulated into £3462 :eek:

Lloyd's CC: £680 0%
Tesco CC: £54
Barclaycard CC: £2665 0%
Very: £63 0%

From reading other DFWB's diaries on here (thank you all btw for your strength, determination and advice) I've started using YNAB and even just after a week it's opened my eyes tremendously to how easy budgeting can be. So I check it every day and update it as soon as a transaction comes in or goes out. Plus, as a student, I can get a free years subscription to it after the initial 34-day free trial. So I'm definitely going to be taking advantage of that! :j

After months of part-time job hunting, I've finally secured myself some employment, starting this Wednesday :j:j so this will really help me kick off my debt busting journey.

At the moment I'm struggling with anxiety and depression which I am seeing help for, so slowly but steadily, hopefully I'll be on the mental mend soon enough.

(Achievable) Things that will make me happy:

Changing university degree
Being totally debt free
Moving into my new student house on July1st
A considerable saving towards a mortgage deposit with my boyfriend

I will keep referring back to this list to keep my motivation going when times (inevitably) get tough.

Right I think that's it for my first post, going to nose around on the Debt Free Roll of Honour thread for inspiration.

:beer:

River.Bee · 2 April 2017 at 4:42PM

Ugh I hate this feeling :mad:
Because I've been budgeting around student loan instalments (get paid 3 times a year), I usually add up all my monthly bills for this period, get that lump sum straight out of the instalment and put it in my dedicated bill paying current account. But I forgot to budget for my road tax that I pay every 6 months usually :eek: I don't know why or how, it just totally, totally slipped my mind

Thankfully DVLA email you a few weeks before the DD is supposed to come out so I had time to calm down and form a plan of action. I cancelled the 6 month DD (£70+) and have now just set up a monthly DD - £13.12 a month- still too much for me to afford. This has left me with £38.76 to last until April 24th when the next student loan comes in.

Ugh I'm kicking myself, I wish I got rid of my car last year when I said I would. Now I've gotten myself more in debt because of the insurance, new tyres, new brake pads, MOT test, petrol, breakdown cover, tax

:mad:

I'm not kidding myself anymore, I REALLY can't afford to keep it. I've decided I'm getting rid of it one way or another this June after mine and OH's holiday (need the car to get there.)

Updating YNAB with this news makes me sad

another_casualty · 2 April 2017 at 7:58PM

Wishing you well in your search .
You have your head screwed on , and eventually you'll get there
Good luck

[Deleted User] · 2 April 2017 at 8:09PM

Here's what Winston Churchill said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdRH5wzCQQw

zippygeorgeandben · 2 April 2017 at 8:15PM

Good luck.

River.Bee · 3 April 2017 at 9:46AM

Thanks everyone, really appreciate it!

Today's to do list:

Go to doctors appointment
Go to chemist to get prescriptions (free! )
Update YNAB
Catch up with reading course books

Doctors appointment was supposed to be at 9.10 this morning at the practice on campus, but I got a phone call this morning saying it's been moved to 11.20 at a practice over a mile away :mad:

I don't mind the last minute change because I understand stuff happens, but I'm incredibly tired from having about 4 hours sleep. I just wanted to get the appointment over and done with so I can come home and catch some more z's. Not looking forward to the trek either, although the excercise will do me good. I just don't feel safe at all in the area where I live right now

Such a dreary post, sorry

River.Bee · 4 April 2017 at 11:05AM

I start my new job tomorrow, getting quite anxious

but I can't wait to start earning again.
Paid £25.87 off my Tesco CC so now I only have £29 left on there. I want to cancel that card tbh, but I get scared about not having a safety net if things go wrong because I havent got an emergency fund yet. But on the otherhand, having that card as it's the only one I actually make purchases on and keep in my purse is what has got me into further debt last year:

' Oh I need new clothes, I'll just whack it on the credit card for now and pay it off in chunks.' 'Oh my car needs repairs / insurance/ petrol, I'll put it on the card and make sure I pay it later.'

Yeah right, this is why I'm in debt in the first place. Living out of my means and funding a lifestyle that I just wasnt earning enough (at all) to be realistic. such an idiot.

But on the brightside, I've realised this now when my debt is relatively low ( I guess), before it spiralls out of complete control.

No more credit card spends from here out
Build up emergency fund

River.Bee · 5 April 2017 at 9:08AM

Nerves are setting in. Although I think all I'll be doing today is watching training videos and filling out paperwork. Can't wait to start earning those ££'s
Just found out I'm going to be an aunty again and that my cat has finally returned home after being 8 days AWOL, silly thing

so it's been a great day so far and it's only 9am

LISA launches tomorrow, but I really wished there was a cash LISA on lauch date. Not too sure how I feel about the stocks and shares version - I'm a complete and utter noob when it comes to investing. But I know I'll be buying a house within the next 5 years for definite. Just need this debt to go and then I can start agressively saving for the deposit!

2 weeks and 5 days until next student loan instalment

2 months, 24 days, 14 hours and 55 mins until I can move out of this hell hole of a student house and into the next one (with my OH and our mutual mature friend) - people in this house are children, really. Don't have the faintest clue how to look after themseleves or have respect for other housemates. I'm only 23 but I've had my own house before I came to uni and I'm just amazed and how different my mindset is compared to theirs. It's absolute hell. :mad::(:(

Cherryfudge · 5 April 2017 at 9:48AM

Hi! How are you finding the new job? And I saw you are thinking of changing your degree course too... my son did that and it was a great move for him.
Just wanted to send you some support and say it's great news about being an auntie and your cat coming home.

Maybe that's the start of a more positive era?
Re: CC debt, with the mindset you have I'm sure that will be temporary. However I've seen a few people whose debt had to go up a little before it came down - just necessary stuff, not being stupid. So I wanted to say don't be disheartened if that happens, it's the long term graph that counts, not the short term blips.

Cherryfudge · 5 April 2017 at 9:50AM

P.S. I'll subscribe and cheer you on

River.Bee · 5 April 2017 at 3:26PM

Cherryfudge wrote: »

Hi! How are you finding the new job? And I saw you are thinking of changing your degree course too... my son did that and it was a great move for him.
Just wanted to send you some support and say it's great news about being an auntie and your cat coming home. Maybe that's the start of a more positive era?
Re: CC debt, with the mindset you have I'm sure that will be temporary. However I've seen a few people whose debt had to go up a little before it came down - just necessary stuff, not being stupid. So I wanted to say don't be disheartened if that happens, it's the long term graph that counts, not the short term blips.

Thank you Cherry Fudge. I've swapped courses once already so it's a pickle trying to let student finance grant me an extra extra year to restart again for the third time

Not exactly what I expected when I first started back in 2015, I've just made such a mess of these past 2 years and really want to start over fresh on a course that I will actually enjoy and not one that kills me inside everyday because I absoloutely can't stand it anymore

So yeah I hope this is the start of a new, positive era for me, I could really use some positivty in my life right now

Regarding the debt going up before it goes down, I have a feeling that probably will happen, re: my car is a rust bucket haha :rotfl: but fingers crossed it can hold out until I sell it in June!

The Beginning of the End

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