money savers i need your advice

Tondella

I am currently in the process of repaying credit card debts. as you can see from the signature we're at the start of three years of repayments. I contribute £350 per month, my partner £390, although this is due to go up once he sells his motorbike.

My best friend in the world is currently living in Indonesia and she and her husband are expecting their first baby in January. BF's mum was going to go out to be with her for the labour but BF's brother has just been diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma and his treatment will run over Christmas, so BF's mum will probably not be able to make it over to be with her daughter before she returns from Indo in May. BF has asked me to come out to visit her soon after the little one is born. We discussed this months ago, before she got pregnant, then I realised the state of our debts and let the matter drop. however on seeing her for her last visit to the UK last week she asked me again when i was going to come and I said i would keep my original promise and get out there for her.

Flights are £450, accom and food free because she has a place there. I have paid off £800 of my student overdraft (currently interest free for another year) and was going to put this money onto one of the credit card debts. However, now with a flight to pay for I wondered whether i should keep it to pay for the flights.

Here's the dilemma: is it better to put the money on the credit card debts now and pay for the flight later on a credit card, or should i keep the money for the flight?

black-saturn

Tondella wrote:

Here's the dilemma: is it better to put the money on the credit card debts now and pay for the flight later on a credit card, or should i keep the money for the flight?

If it was me I would pay the credit card debts off now and then save up for flights. Once you've paid your card off you won't want to add to your debt. Money will soon mount up when your debts are paid off.

brokenwings

tondella

one quick suggestion though not an answer to your question - have you checked if any of the airlines need 'couriers' to your destination?

you get to fly for a greatly reduced fair , seat guaranteed, in return for transporting a documents package for the airline in question - all very secure, legal and above board .

might be worth asking them.

skintchick

If you can get a new 0% card, or your Egg anniversary is coming up at the right time, then pay off debt now and put the trip on 0% later.

If you can't do that, then I'd say pay off your debt.

But then, I'd also say don't go at all! It might sound harsh, but she's only having a baby - she can cope. Explain your circumstances to her...no BF worth their salt would want you struggling to afford to eat.

Tondella

black-saturn wrote:

If it was me I would pay the credit card debts off now and then save up for flights. Once you've paid your card off you won't want to add to your debt. Money will soon mount up when your debts are paid off.

Thanks for your response Black Saturn

There's no way I'll be able to pay off the credit card debts by next February, we're £24k in debt .

black-saturn

Pay off as much as you can by february then and then buy the tickets on your card.

Tondella

Hi Broken wings

Do you go to the airlines themselves or the courier companies to find this sort of info out? I guess i'd need quite a specific seat to fit in around my work commitments

brokenwings

theres some info here
it might not be for you but is worth looking into imho
good luck