The ultimate incentive to get debt free, can I do it by New Years?

Cinny91

I'm going to try and get all my work done super quick today then I can have half an hour looking at lots of CCs before the other office girl gets here. Sounds tempting with the cashback, but how on earth do I find me'sen one of those?

So you go tomorrow Lara?! Eee! Everyone's going on holiday, so unfair.

Did you make it okay last night Birdie? The Royal Hall sounds lovely, shame they don't do weddings. Would be so fun to get married on a stage!!

Just sent off my ISA bits (office post - shh) and I managed to get a photo of Darcy last night (whom is still known as Alan by OH) dragged him out into my front garden - tea was almost ready so I couldn't take him off down a county lane. Hope you like!


Have a nice day everyone!

ETA: Once my ISA is open I was thinking of splitting my £50 a week savings - £30 into my direct saver and £20 into the ISA? Not a chance of reaching £3,600 but that would still be £1,040.00 easy!

poddle911

Morning girls!

Look at Darcy! What a blissful image of traditional country life Can you put your puppy in the basket? It would be really cute! Would it be wrong?

You're in the right place for finding a cashback/reward cc Cinny! Although I just had a quick squiz and Martin's article seemed to be quite out of date - maybe there aren't any good deals at the mo?

Re your savings, it depends on the interest rate and access to your money. If the rate on your ISA is better and you can make withdrawals then I'd have thought you're better of sticking all the money in there. As you're not likely to max it this year, then even if you take some out you could always top it up. But depends on you and if you want to keep the money separate for any reason... That's all my wiseness for today - tis a little early after all!

I'm off to Asda for the weekly shop (yawn) and also to check out their clothing. It's interesting you mentioned looking in charity shops - I saw a gorgeous dress in a local one when I walked past one evening, when I went in the next morning at 11ish it was already gone! The man said two or three people had asked about it before me - I guess it's a sign of the times! But it probably wasn't that cheap anyway...

Cinny91

George at Asda have some really nice things in (G:21 Range!) Only about £20 for a dress, I think. Have fun - and don't forget the chocolate!

He is bootiful isn't he?! I was tempted to put my mums Yorkie in the basket, but I thought it might look too much like that scene in Wizard of Oz where the nasty woman takes Toto!

My savings account base interest is 1.8% I think, with a bonus 1% for the first 12 months, I don't know if that's been scrapped as I took money out though. The ISA is 2.5% (3% Once I get over 6k, they best watch out! :rolleyes: ) The ISA is (of course) for permanent savings, where as the instant savings will be dipped into for birthdays and christmas ect! Just to keep them seperate more than anything.

Tete_en_l'Air

Morning! Ooh, Darcy is lovely! And I much prefer the name Darcy; Alan is a name you should give to a tractor or something! I love the tree behind as well, it has a lot of character!

I think you might struggle to find a 0% CC at your age and with your lack of previous credit history Cinny, but even if you end up with a 30% one, if you pay it in full every month then you won't actually pay any interest on it. Once you've had it for a year or so then you'll be in a better position to apply for a lower interest rate. I have to admit, in a money-savvy moment I got a cashback CC, but I haven't used it in over a year. The cashback sems to come in redeemable points somehow and I couldn't be bothered to ever work out how it worked

And as for the savings/ISA, most ISAs will charge a penalty of, say, that month's interest if you draw money out, so if you'd be likely to want any of the money you'd have to weigh up whether the higher interest rate in the ISA would offset the money you'd lose on drawing it out. Might be an idea to do what I do- save the money in a normal savings account until you have a fair chunk, then transfer some over to the ISA and start building up the savings again?

Birdie, DOTD was beautiful!!! Really really liked it (thought I still love the one with the enormous netty skirt from a few weeks back), and I also love the idea of colourful shoes, this might replace my idea of just getting some pretty beaded flip flops from Accessorize! Glad the late shift went OK, are you back in your nice girly office today?

Good luck in the shops Poddle, hope you find something gorgeous but yet that says "I'm a serious, responsible, creative person and you really want to give me this job" Well done on the Spinning too, I keep meaning to have a go but it's always fully booked. I've brough my pilates gear and my swimming gear with me today, I need to stretch!!

Tete_en_l'Air

Cinny91 wrote: »

My savings account base interest is 1.8% I think, with a bonus 1% for the first 12 months, I don't know if that's been scrapped as I took money out though.

I *think* that's just ISAs Cinny

Cinny91

Ahh, I don't know! I might get a store credit card, topshop or something I'm highly unlikely to get said no too to (or is it to too?)get started, then try in a year or so for a big grown up credit card.

It's 1.1% for my saver not 1.8% looked at if I've got 500k+ getting a bit a head of myself there. It says 'no withdrawal restrictions' so I'm guessing I'm still at 2.1% for my esaver? Lord knows, bloody banks. Can't get my head around it!

I think it might be a good idea to move the money over to the ISA in chunks like you said, plus if I need the money it's there without breaking in to ISA (Or taking the clingfilm off the cake, going by Martins discription)

Check us out, Dinah goes away and instead of descending into madness we're sat politely talking about credit cards and ISAs (admittedly alittle of weddings and dresses and bikes, but still)

Tete_en_l'Air

Cinny91 wrote: »

It's 1.1% for my saver not 1.8% looked at if I've got 500k+ getting a bit a head of myself there.

I know, I noticed that when I was looking at ISAs yesterday, I'm sure I saw a 7% deal somewhere but you have to put in £30k or something - money just breeds money, it's so unfair! Interest rates are moving about a lot at the minute remember as well, as I found out - bloomin 5.3% down to 1.7% in a year

If you are thinking of getting a store card, wait until there's something big you want like a winter coat (wrong time of year I know) or some boots or a few bits of clothing because they always have some kind of '20% off today's shopping' deal if you open an account - no point getting like £3 off a top when you could be getting £20 off some boots

Cinny91

It's alright Tete, we'll be rich one day and have a choice of all the best savers and interest rates! But 5.3 down to 1.7% Is silly! Bloody [strike]W[/strike]Bankers. *ahem*

My problem is, I flit from shop to shop way too much for a store card I think, I'll have a phase of buying Topshop, then H&M, then right down to Primark, then float around Republic and Warehouse. Ho-hum.

Tete_en_l'Air

Cinny91 wrote: »

Bloody [strike]W[/strike]Bankers. *ahem*

CINNY! I'm shocked at such foul language from your tender young mouth!!

Hmm OK, more ISA talk. I'm looking at one at Lloyds which is 3% if you deposit more than £9k. I have £6600 before interest which I'm hoping will still come to about £200, will find out tomorrow. I have £2k ready in my A&L account and can get £200 or whatever extra I'll need to make £9k from my Barclays OD (shh, I'll pay it back!) so I'll have enough to qualify for the 3%.

BUT - can I put the £2200ish in my current ISA after April 5, then transfer the account and still be able to put in the £1400ish up to the annual limit in the new account?

Or would I be able to transfer the ISA money and pay in cheques separately, and still get the 3%???

Augh!!! :eek:

ETA - this is fixed rate for 12 months which is why I'm keen!

Cinny91

Tete_en_l'Air wrote: »

CINNY! I'm shocked at such foul language from your tender young mouth!!

*hangs head in shame* I'll fetch the soap.

I think we need Dinah back to help us!

If it's 3% on £9,000 then that's £270? So really you'll be making the £200 borrowed from the OD back within the year! But I don't know about the last bit, way over my head!