I will be debt free, POSITIVE!

claire0788

Working out some sums to see how long it would take to save 3000 + to pay off the windows. The payments are 65 a month, i am allowed to pay double this a month (no lump sum payments allowed apparently). I can get it down to roughly 2500 by July next year and If I save this up plus the added on fee for paying it off early I can get rid of the whole thing.

Would mean by July next year Id only have my loan and mortgage left

claire0788

It is official. I do not understand anything to do with gas and electric companies or their prices or how anything makes sense to them !

I submitted my meter readings (gas hasnt changed since may as i havent been using it) and it wouldnt let me put the same reading in so put it up by one. Electric is roughly a similar figure than the last quarterly amounts, a little higher but not by much.

Once these bills are paid I think im going to have to figure out how to leave and how to understand the comparisons on webistes. Apparently (with my guess work) I could save up to 180 a year by switching.

Consumption is just over 500 (from meter reading to meter reading i have no idea what its measured in or what this means do not laugh at me =P) and gas only about 60 (again whatever this is measured in it changes on my meter box by 60 ok :rotfl:)

Fire Fox I think said that it takes a little while to switch companies so ill look at quidco aswell to see if I can get a good cashback offer aswell.

Eon would apparently save me money, does anybody have experience with them, good bad indifferent ?

Fire_Fox

Gas is in either cubic feet (ft3) on an old meter or cubic metres (m3) if new style - it should be printed somewhere on the meter itself. You can get overcharged when energy suppliers don't have the right units on a bill. Electricity is measured in in kilowatt hours (KWH): a 60watt lightbulb would use 60watts every hour or 60/1000kilowatts per hour = 0.06KWH of energy if left on for a whole hour. It's not the most interesting subject, but it is very MSE!! :rolleyes:

I think all energy companies are as good/ useless as each other. There are 'Eon company representatives' who post regularly on the 'Gas and Electricity' message boards and do seem to be quite helpful, tho it's obviously a public relations exercise. Loads of people complain about Scottish Power who I am with, but I haven't had a problem.

If you post a thread on the 'Gas and Electricity' board explaining your confusion with the comparison sites someone will advise you on which is the best tariff. Ideally you will do a price comparison with a full year of energy as this covers all seasons, and from actual rather than estimated readings. If you can look at online bills you might be able to copy and paste all the info into a thread. I have seen my colleagues British Gas bill and found it very confusing!!

claire0788

I have actual readings for Nov, Feb, May and Now so im guessin I roughly work what I use a year from that. I hate british gas. Really really.

Ill work out something, probably get my mum in to help me...

Longest 4 days ever, so many hours worked that I want to crawl into a ball and have somebody feed me and put me to bed.

Paid in a few days, cant wait to update my figures again.

I dont like the week and a half before payday, im always itching to pay things off by then.

claire0788

Had a handy man over this morning who is a friend of a friend and he did odd things around my home for me (for free!)

Also had a quote for my new kitchen floor (it desperately needs done) and it isnt too bad so its getting done next week (its been in a terrible state for about 2 years). Then when I am off work soon im going to paint my kitchen and give it a serious clear out.

Overdraft will be at 975 next week. Credit Card will be at 180. Loan will be at 2250(im guessing). Double glazing will be at 2990 (guess aswell). Total of 6395 to go.

Will be out of arrears with gas and electric.

Money is looking good for next month, will hopefully have my overdraft down to 500 by the start of oct. Although It might only get to 650 as I have alot of birthday presents to try and buy and I want to get my mum a special birthday present since shes been such a help to me.

[Deleted User]

Hi Claire,

Well done on the free fixing...very MSE

Your predicted figures are looking very healthy indeed, not long and you'll be able to see the end of the tunnel.

Take care. xx
p.s I've hidden the letter <<mischievous laughter>>

claire0788

Thanx purpletea, im trying to remember to be MSE when im off the internet

Im hoping to be at 5000 mark by Jan 10.

claire0788

oooo thought i should start up my playing on the free nightly bingo on a site i used to go on. put in a wee £5 to have a play and one £22 on my first game. Played another couple but didnt win anything so put in another £5 to take a withdrawl of £30 out, £20 profit next week when the money goes in :beer:

Fire_Fox

claire0788 wrote: »

Overdraft will be at 975 next week. Credit Card will be at 180. Loan will be at 2250(im guessing). Double glazing will be at 2990 (guess aswell). Total of 6395 to go.

Will be out of arrears with gas and electric.

Money is looking good for next month, will hopefully have my overdraft down to 500 by the start of oct. Although It might only get to 650 as I have alot of birthday presents to try and buy and I want to get my mum a special birthday present since shes been such a help to me.

You have come so far in such a short time!! :beer: If you could shave a little off a few other outgoings next month - join a couple of challenges? - you'd hardly notice the presents I am sure. I bet the thing your mum would like most is a whole day with her daughter being pampered: favourite food cooked/ bath run/ cups of tea or wine/ fave DVD and choccies etc. Most mums love to boast to their friends about how great their kids are!!

claire0788

Only thing I can cut back that I HAVE to pay every month for DD is my scottish gas insurance for boiler/central heating and something else (i dont even know what im paying for so clearly this could be cut back to a cheaper package). I cant cancel it completely though because my heating system is so old that they are out all the time in the winter (when i actually use the heating) that it would cost me a fortune to fix it by other means.

My travel expenses change weekly as it depends when im working if i get a weekly ticket or not now because the way my shifts work. I have started walking half the way to save on some of the travel cost but I wont walk the whole way as part of the journey is in a dodgy area and id be a walking target.

Still shopping as cheaply as i can food wise, although this take away binge i have had during august has been awful financially. I know I shouldnt had them but i have been lazy and a little bit down so mostly comfort eating. I know this is my downfall in my budgeting so to combat this I have set a side 1 night a week that i have a take away. This will hopefully mean im not tempted any other times during the week since i have something to look forward to.

Signed up for virgin and littlewoods bingo so i can do the daily scratch cards, got 25p and 10p so far only 4.75 and 9.90 to go before I can withdraw

I dont do mystery shopping, thats too much temptation for me to go into shops even if i would get a little bit back of my spending or however it works. I just know id go way overboard.