Jo_R's debt-free diary, slow and steady progress!

Jo_R_2

Good thoughts MM.

Okay... You may have a point about the 'not having time' aspect. I thought even if I didn't have time in the week that I would at the weekend - and that's not working either.

OH's goal of being a firefighter is achieveable IMO. It's his ultimate ambition and I feel he could achieve it. He's actively sought out info, keeps checking the recruitment pages locally for vacancies and it's been something he's wanted to do for a long time.

I am quite up and down at the mo as well - a good friend passed away a few weeks ago and it has thrown me quite a bit more than I initially realised... I know this is mainly why I am questioning just about everything:rolleyes: I won't be making any hasty decisions but I have been thinking of putting it off a year possibly. I am going to mull it over for the rest of the week and make a decision then I think.

Thanks.

Jo_R_2

Well, a couple of things to report.

First thing is I have decided to postpone my OU course. Hard decision but in the end the best one, and I feel a lot better for releasing that pressure from my shoulders. Just need to do the formalities now which will look into tomorrow.

Realised leaving it a year would potentially work out well, DD2 will start school next September so will only have baby (who won't be "baby" anymore then!:D) at home with me. Hopefully won't be so tired of an evening, and with my parents coming over a day a week I should be able to get more done.

Eases things financially with a view towards having more "spare" cash to overpaying on CCs/loan.

Second is I got a letter finally from my loan company with regard to reclaiming the PPI. They have worked out what I am entitled to and...:eek::eek::eek: OMG it is nearly 4k!

I can't explain how I felt when I read that letter... I was so happy and it made me realise just how much being in debt weighs on me on a day-to-day basis.

I am currently considering what to use the money towards. I am fairly certain I will be using some of it to pay off my overdraft and Virgin CC (balance as per sig.) I have decided to leave my interest-free debts alone for now (Tax Credits and Housing Benefit) which leaves my Tesco CC (balance circa 2k, need to check after minimum payment just came out) and loan, the balance of which I will need to check after the PPI is repaid.

I am also fairly certain we shall be treating ourselves to something, nothing crazy but probably a few bits and bobs I have been after for the house.

Most excellent news!

bevan840

:T:T:T For the PPI Thats amazing!

Beginning to wish I'd been 'miss-sold' it if I'd get that sort of amount back lol

Glad your feeling a little better, in getting the letter and deciding on the OU course Lets just hope they don't mess you about as much next year

xx

Jo_R_2

Thanks Sal. I did have a chuckle yesterday, I was watching tv and saw an ad for some solicitors I think it was, about contacting them if you want to reclaim PPI... Had to laugh as I thought how ridiculously easy it was to do - I mean, it literally took one letter sent recorded delivery. That was it - no need to ask anyone else to do anything about it! :D

Keep pondering on how to best use the money. What I really need to do is to print out my November's SOA (no, still not done it yet, fallen a bit behind this month:o) and use the outstanding balances on my debts as a starting point. My interest-paying debts are my Virgin CC, Tesco CC and loan, as well as my overdraft, but as I mentioned I need to establish the outstanding total on my loan after they've taken the PPI off, and work from there.

What I also want to do alongside that is a provisional revised SOA covering all the basics just to see what I will be dealing with. I already know as things stand, my loan repayment will go down from 154.22 to 98.02. I hope to pay off my Virgin CC as it has the highest interest rate of my debts, the most recent payment for that was 25.00. Already that's 81ish to use for overpaying, plus if I pay off the overdraft, I'll be avoiding the £1 a day charges from the Halifax:eek:

Anyways got half an hour of quiet time as DD1 at school, DD2 at nursery and baby out for a walk (not on his own mind:D) so going to rush round doing housework:rolleyes:

Keeping_Positive

Really happy for you for the PPI. I think postponing the course for a year is wise. It is so easy to overstretch yourself.

beanielou

Fab faB NEWS ON PPI
Would you be able to pay off both redit cards & overdraft leaving you with just the loan?
Wise decision on OU too

Jo_R_2

Helloooooooo:D

Forgive me Father for I have sinned... I STILL haven't printed off November's SOA, transferred any money to other accounts for Christmas, car tax etc or totted up my receipts from the end of last month or the start of this month:o

Somehow with lots of other things on my mind I just haven't gotten round to it. And boy does it make it hard when it comes to spends as I have no idea what my running totals are so I suspect I may have to do some juggling with the pennies:eek:

I reeeeally need to get up to speed with this month's finances, especially with Christmas coming up. So here is my To Do list for today and tomorrow...

• [STRIKE]check online banking and CC[/STRIKE]
• fine-tune and print out November's SOA (I really will do it this evening, honest) and tot up receipts for spends and adjust running totals
• [STRIKE]phone up OU Learning Support about postponing course[/STRIKE] - sorted
• [STRIKE]clear table and wash up breakfast pots[/STRIKE]
• file bills and money-related letters - prob do tonight
• do one load of washing [STRIKE]today[/STRIKE] and tomorrow and succumb to tumble drying as weather is horrible out (at least today anyway)
• help DD2 do a Christmas list for Santa (DD1 done one and my god it is HUGE:eek:)

I'll keep it at that for now and add anything else I think of later!

Jo_R_2

Revised list for today:

• fine-tune and print out November's SOA (I really will do it this evening, honest) and tot up receipts for spends and adjust running totals - SOA finalised, needs printing out and receipts sorting through
• file bills and money-related letters - tonight, didn't get round to it last night:o
• do one load of washing and tumble dry as weather is STILL horrible out
• [STRIKE]check online banking[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]sort through baby's clothes, ones too small sort through and make a pile for ebaying, others to bag up for charity shop[/STRIKE] - sorted through, charity shop clothes bagged up and others boxed up for ebaying

Got to dash and pick up DD2 from nursery in a min. Still not seen the elusive £10 for BT from ex:mad: Was v. good last night and used up leftovers to make another lentil shepherd's pie to freeze, got lots of veg to use so hoping to throw together some soup, enough for a few lunches' worth if DD2 and baby let me have 10 mins in the kitchen!

bevan840

Hope you manage to get your money from X eventually, good luck in getting a few mins in the kitchen, something I try not to do is use TV, but maybe for 10 minutes it would help? (If weathers nice I try and get DH to go out with the boys, or just encourage them to go out in the garden)
Still doing really well though

Jo_R_2

Baby asleep in the pushchair, so having 5 mins but wondering whether to risk moving him to his cot as he'll sleep for longer - if he doesn't wake up!

STILL not worked through my receipts - having said that my SOA is done (albeit nearly halfway through the month!:o) and my bills all filed. If baby stays asleep I'll get that done now, if not I hereby swear tonight I shall do it:rolleyes::D

A tiny bit of good news (my exciting life at the mo!) Bought a new Freeview box yesterday from Asda as OH dropped the remote for the old one in a pint of water, we bought a replacement all-in-one remote which wouldn't work with our old Freeview box, so I bought a new box.

OH then took it upon himself to take the old box and remote back to Asda where we originally bought it and explain the remote didn't work. They wouldn't replace or refund it (fair enough) but helpfully they found an ex-display remote and let us have it so I can take the new Freeview box back and save us £22. Result!

Feeling knackered, baby slept sporadically - he woke up four times between 9.30pm when I first put him to bed til 11.30pm when I went to bed. Ended up falling asleep with him on me so he slept with us all night:A Kept waking up though so v. tired!

So list for today:

• [STRIKE]check online banking[/STRIKE]
• tot up receipts and adjust running totals
• [STRIKE]do one load of laundry[/STRIKE] and hang out on line if weather stays bright (if a little cold!)
• [STRIKE]clear table and wash up breakfast pots[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]phone parents to check if/when visiting this week so can sort out dinner for that day[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]check cinema listings for Saturday - fancy taking DDs to see the 'A Christmas Carol' film but want to check times and prices[/STRIKE] - £23.40 or thereabouts!!!:eek:
• withdraw money for DD2's nursery snacks and breakfast/lunches on Fridays

Off to phone parents whilst baby is quiet!