My Debt-Free Plan...HOOS and the Case of the Incredible Exploding Oven!! :-o

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Another NSD today - that's 3 so far for Feb

Paid £110 from ebay and mystery shopping off the RBS overdraft today, hurrah!!! Also received the first of 2 £75 cheques from Phones4U, will pop that into the bank on Sat & pay that off RBS too. Yay!! It's so nice to see that debt go down!:j

And something new...I have braces!!! Not something to generally get excited about in your mid-twenties, but I will have nice straight teeth in about 8 months, hurrah!! Also quite good because they are the kind you have to take out to eat, and putting them back in is a big palaver because you have to brush, floss & mouthwash every time before you put them back in. I'm guessing this will mean I should lose some weight, because I can't really snack while wearing them! (Well, I could, but I'm *quite* lazy and I think that brushing, flossing and rinsing 4 times a day is already more than enough work.) So hopefully, straight teeth and bye-bye to those unwanted extra wobbly bits that I've gained in the last 6 months!:D

Am trying to stay as chilled out as possible over the housemate situation, although it's definitely a challenge...I decided I would jog the lightfingered amaretto drinker's memory by leaving the almost empty bottle on the worksurface with a big "?" written on it - my ever-optimistic thinking being that they had perhaps intended to replace it and simply forgotten (ho, ho). So imagine my disappointment when I come home today to find that the naughty boy has NOT been wracked with guilt, he in fact just shoved the bottle back into the cupboard!!! The cheek! And it's not like he did it to be tidy, cause he'd left the rest of the kitchen in a state. Obviously just hoping I would forget about it!

So I've resorted to note writing again (I don't think I can stay calm if addressing this one in person cause it's got me so mad). I've basically said "I had over 2 bottles of this stuff, I now do not, I'm not going to embarrass whoever took it by asking you to your face if you're stealing my stuff, but I would politely request that you replace what you have stolen and remind you that I find it very upsetting when people steal my things. Just because it's not locked away does not mean that you can take the p*ss and help yourself." I'm hoping that it will shame him into at least replacing what he's taken, but he seems to be that hardfaced he'll probably ignore it. Grr.

BUT I've made the decision that once I'm signed back into work & feeling a bit better he's getting his notice and I'm looking for another lodger. On top of the stealing, he's an absolute liability. He's left the oven on twice this week and left the house unlocked. The guy is trying to get me killed. Or burgled. Or make my head explode. Either way, I don't need it!!! :mad:

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Just been doing some calculations, and I will (presuming there are no disasters or anything unexpected!) be able to pay a total of 450 off the overdraft this month, in line with the plan, and also save half of the £700 I need to find before August for dental treatment. Hurrah!

It's so nice to be seeing the debts steadily coming down - I can't believe I'm being able to do this, and how much I'm enjoying it!! I've just paid another £75 off my RBS Visa with the cheque from Phones4U (not banked it yet but there's enough in there to cover it...I figured that if I commit that money before it clears I can't be tempted to spend it on pretty things!!)

And another NSD yay!!!

Wishing everyone a lovely weekend :beer:

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Update...there is one new bottle of Amaretto in the cupboard...I'm assuming it's for me...well, I'm still one bottle down, but the efforts at replacing are much appreciated!

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Ahh another week down! Still on course for paying £450 off the debt mountain this month so all is good. Done three mystery shops so far this month and got another one booked for Monday. Yay. Really want my statement to arrive to show how much it's all come down by!! :j


Have managed to avoid too much time spent with the annoying lodger, he's finally back at work after nearly 3 weeks leave...I think that was making things worse, as I just felt like he was constantly under my feet. Although he has been insisting on having moany conversations about being back at work every time I see him (he gets paid hansomly for what he does, plus has done a few hours overtime this week at what I can only imagine is a ridiculous rate, and has been back in work for THREE DAYS so excuse me for not having a lot of sympathy!!!) I just don't have the patience for him any more. No doubt actually being back in work will be his carte blanche to moan about not having time to do his bit of the cleaning rota...never mind the fact he didn't do a tap in all the time he was mooching about the house in his bathrobe!!! Grrr.

I've decided as long as nothing else major happens I'm going to try to put up with him - I need to get this debt paid off and if I kick him out I risk not being able to get any rent from that room for a few months. I am considering raising his rent though - my other lodger pays more than him (due to him moving out & me planning to increase the rent for whoever moved in, then him needing the room back - I put off prospective lodgers on the agreement he'd pay the increased rate) but annoying lodger has been here for a year next month and I think I may have charged him too little in the first place. He does use a lot of energy (leaves lights on, leaves everything on standby, leaves heating on all day if no one else is in to turn it off etc etc) and steals my stuff, so I think an increase is in order if only for that!!

He has mentioned that he would be able to cope with a rent increase (when I asked him to stop wasting elecy, but as my cries have fallen on deaf ears...) so I'm considering raising it by £50 a month for this year. This would off-set the increase in energy use and would also help me to pay the debts off quicker - it's an extra £600 for the year which would bring my DFD forward by a month or so.

What do people think? Is this reasonable? It would bring him in line with the other (non-annoying) lodger and he has indicated he would be ok to pay it; on a cynical level I know he is unlikely to move out until I forcibly remove him because he is so disorganised and laid back I doubt he'd ever get his act together to look for somewhere else.

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I have stayed up about two hours past my bedtime plotting...I've decided I'm going to bite the bullet and get my bank charges reclaim in!!

I've been meaning to do it for ages but was too scared, but I accrued a lot of charges in 2003-5 whilst being a skint student, and 2006-7 while being paid a laughable wage in my post-uni "I need a job, any job" situation, and they'll start falling off the radar soon. I've added them up and they come to about £1020 :eek: how shameful. All though poor financial management. So half of my 2k Natwest OD is accounted for by charges! Very ashamed of myself going through all those statements but glad I've done it. I used the interest calculator and the interest comes to about £300. Ouch.

SO tomorrow I am writing my letter & will send in RD on Monday. I know most are being ignored at the moment but at least it's on record then and I don't lose the opportunity to claim. I've been reading the "success stories" post on reclaiming board and it seems that some people are getting lucky and getting payouts even without claiming hardship (I can't claim that, although having to live with naughty boys could be seen as a hardship I think he he!! I don't think "crap with money" is technically hardship...)

I'm going to send the first letter in and wait for them to ignore/fob that off, then send in one saying I intend to take to court but if they pay within x days then I will accept the amount less the interest. Worth a shot

Would be a good chunk off the debts...I'm doing it for Snufters!!! Wish me luck!!! :rolleyes:

duchy

I'd put the rent up-he'll either pay up or leave-either way you're in a better place.
I had lodgers for a bit-the first was lovely, the next grew pot in his bedroom (bye bye) the next was the dopiest most self centred neurotic mess -an estate agent too. Lovely girl but nightmare to live with. Her finest hour was putting Yaz's "The Only Way is Up" on at full blast on repeat whilst getting ready to go out for NYE (I was away) and going out leaving it on *all* night. I was blissfully oblivious until sweet old lady next door thanked me for my apology note!!! Went to see neighbour on the other side (not sweet at all) whose bedroom backed onto hers. He'd spent half the night hammering on my front door as he was going fishing at 6 am.
I feel your pain !!

essexgal

Hi HOOS

Just posted to say how well you're doing....:D

Good luck with the bank charges, and I'd definitely put the rent up - after all the other lodger is happy with paying that amount so even if thoughtless lodger goes you should be able to find someone else. I take it their rooms are roughly the same size though?

essexgal

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Duchy - Wow, I've had some bad'uns, but never anyone starting up a weed farm!! How naughty!! I had a similar one with the music though, my first lodger (bit of a weirdo but generally just mildly annoying & lazy) was usually pretty quiet, but one week night, I'd been out at the theatre with the (now ex-) boyfriend. We arrived back about 11.30 and as we were walking down my road I heard some really loud music and commented "bloody students, don't they know there are people in this road who actually work?". However, as I got closer to my house, I realised that the racket was in fact coming from behind my door!!

When I got into the house, MY stereo was playing full blast in the hallway (and my stereo is LOUD - I actually never have it more than a third of the way up as it's a proper "ghettoblaster" type one and makes the room shake. It was pointing at the bathroom door so I turned it down and knocked on the door. It swung open to a very drunk lady attempting to put make-up on in the mirror who greeted me with "HELLOOOOOOOO I'M GOING OUT CLUBBING!!" always a wise choice for a teacher on a week night!!! So I just humoured her (no point arguing with drunk people...) and said "I've just turned your music down as it's kinda loud".

Off she went, and went into work the next morning bright and breezy. I was a bit concerned about how long the music had been on like that, as it was quite late and she was quite hammered when we got in. I popped to see nice neighbours next door that evening just to apologise if there'd been any nuisance, and they were fine about it, just joked and asked if she could improve the playlist for next time! Very nice people.

When she got home, I jokingly said "Ooh, how was your head this morning?" and she was like "It was fine, I wasn't that bad last night!" (she sooo was, he he) and I said "listen hun, I've just been next door and apologised for the noise as the stereo was on really loud when we got in last night" She looked at me in horror and said "Why did you do that? It wasn't that bad at all!!" And then she didn't speak to me for a week!! I honestly don't think I could have dealt with it any more nicely!! Crazy girl.

Essexgal - Thank you!! I think I will put the rent up. I haven't increased it since he moved in last March so I think now's the time. His room is actually slightly bigger than other lodger, and it's a nicer room really. So yes, show me the money, please!!

jamtart6

good luck HOOS £1020 is a lot for bank charges, but if you get it all back how happy will you be! ill keep my fingers crossed

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Thanks - I know, it's kinda shocking isn't it? I thought "Hmm, there may be a couple of hundred there" but I guess I was having a worse time than I though a few years ago Well, the old, financially irresponsible me is no more, so onwards and upwards!

And yes, it would be rather nice to have that back! Natwest were happy to sting me repeatedly when I was a student and in financial trouble, so I will be more than happy to take it back off their hands. It must be troubling their collective conscience so, after all...:rolleyes: