Evan's DFW & Wedding Diary

~evanesco~

mandragora wrote: »

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/other-institutions/29943-beware-vanquis-credit-card.html


Why would you ever, ever need anything this badly? Thanks for thanking me - but the real trick is to do it - chop it up!!

Honestly? It's really helped me rebuild my file as a 'sub-prime' borrower. I know I don't need it anymore. I can afford to buy my own things with getting credit. That's the thing my brain knows it, but my little worry person, who resides in the worrying part of my brain, insists I'll need it, and I'll need it as soon as it's been chopped. Even though I won't, because my sensible, non-worry brain says so. My worry person has a big influence over my sensible brain. Actually, I'm not buying this nonsense either, consider them chopped. *off to chop*

~evanesco~

Chopped!:T Right though the chip too.

hypno06

Woohoo :T

One step further in control

angela110660

~evanesco~ wrote: »

Chopped!:T Right though the chip too.

Just been reading the whole thread and want to say keep going - you are doing well. I remember using catalogues years ago and running up stupid little amounts - but they all added up and what a relief when I cleared and closed them. Unless you live in the back of beyond - is there a need for you to have one because they are so expensive to manage.
Well done on the card though - I love it when you cut one up - feel so in control then. I always remember the Alvin Hall prog years ago when he froze a woman's credit cards in a huge block of ice so she would stop spending. Her face was a picture.

mandragora_2

Really, really well done. I'm so impressed with your honesty, courage and determination I've been inspired to go and clean the oven. Right now. Watch out baked on grime. Here I come.

~evanesco~

Feel the pride! That was a big step for me, and until catching up now had totally forgotten about it! Who needs 'em? Not me! I'm feeling gooooooood. Now this joint account is nearly ready and all our bills will be in one place, my finances are really coming together. I took out a work loan (bless my boss) to see me through Xmas, and I'll be able to pay it back on Jan 1st in one lump sum (no interest, no bank letters, no moaning, just 'pay it back when you said'). I'm that organised. Won't be overspending this Xmas, it's nearly all done. If fact, with DS we're on a 'jees, what else can we get him' mode, since we've really shopped around for his things and got him absolute bargains. The other thing we've done is when buying gifts for people who have a set amount (say £10) and there are 2 people to buy for, we'll go somewhere that has 3 for 2, and instead of doing the MSE thing and getting someone's gift free, we've been chucking something extra in for the kids, free. So kinda still MSEish. We've Ebayed to high heaven this year, and to be honest, I doubt either kid will notice somethings haven't got boxes. I need to do some ringing around and check what's being paid, and from where over the next month, since I don't want to miss anything with the accounts changing over. I'm a bit scared about my Vanquis and should have rang them today really, I'll do it tomorrow, but then it's not due until the 8th, so not to panic yet. Only other thing is our renewed mobile contracts have swopped back to the Lloyds account, which is annoying, but managable, so long as I check when the bills come in where they're leaving from. I should proabably have waited until after the new year before setting up the joint account, don't really need the added confusion, but it's done, and as long as I keep my eye on the ball, all will be fine. We're going to clear the lloyds overdraft in one fell swoop in Feb (it's £500), that way, you know those 'emergancies' my worry person, worries about? Well, they'll be covered then. Apart from my USB card eating my spreadsheet (which, as you may guess, wasn't backed up) and me having to build a whole new one, then OH deleting the Xmas list (told her she's banned from touching my spreadsheet ever again) I'm set up. I feel a bit unsettled to be honest, too organised, like I've missed something. I know I need to pdate my snowball, but OH has the laptop right now, so I can't do that just yet. What have I missed?

~evanesco~

Current Debt = £5,346.10 :T

Hopefully another £100 to clear off that by the end of December.

Still need to finish Xmas shopping. It's these last ones that are hardest, never know what to get!

~evanesco~

New cards for joint account came today. Tried to sort out CB online, but think I doned it wrong! So I'll ring them tomorrow. In my super organised state, I disposed of the new internet banking details. Luckily, they've sorted it for me. OH doesn't need her online details, since I'll be managing it all, and just telling her what is available. Which in theory should be the same every week anyway. Need to sort out Tax Credits, but will wait until Friday for that. Have sorted out what amounts are going into which account for December, so I'm all set.

mandragora_2

Well done you - you really are doing this the right way, keeping on keeping on, if you see what I mean, like that saying the Chinese have: ' The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single footstep'.

With Christmas presents, I find the hardest bit to be disciplined with is the last bit - that cross between worry and temptation, when you think you've probably bought enough, but just get little more and then a little more - and before you know it, the budet's blown, and on the day itself, it doesn't actually make any tangible difference - they're always delighted with what they get anyway. I've beaten it in recent years by shopping reasonably early and then going and doing nice things on the weekends in December when the shops are frantic - the local pool is always lovely and empty, and there's great walks near to us, too. The word 'Smug' could be used to decsribe my expression at those times, not pretty from the outside, I'm afraid, but it feels good to be in control....

~evanesco~

Argh!! There's money everywhere. I've paid the rent, the council tax, the mobile broandband, the tv licence and the gas/electric. Now, problem.... 2 bills of a total of £257 are due on friday, but, because we're in the process of setting up the joint account I don't know where they're leaving from. I'm going to ring tax credits and set up the payments into the joint account tomorrow. But what do I do about these 2 direct debits. Should I cancel them and pay by debit card on friday, when I can get all the money in one bank, where it's supposed to be? What a pickle! I know in the long run it'll all be sorted and easier to manage, but right now it's a pain. I could just borrow it for 5 days, but I'm supposed to breaking this cycle, so I'm reluctant to. Flipping annoying, whose idea was this, eh? Shake me, and tell me it's gonna be fine, I'm getting well stressed!
Right, this is what I'm going to do, between all the accounts, I'm pretty certain I've got the £257 kicking about, so, I shall gather it all up tomorrow and put it in my Halifax, where I need it to be on friday, ignoring nay payments I'm expecting in there, since there is a possiblity they'll end up in the joint account (where, just for this week, I don't want them to be!) And then, all will be fine. I think.