Impatient Londongirl's diary - need to clear my debts!!

londongirl1984

Hi All

I thought it would be better to post here rather than anywhere else. Had a read through some of the diaries on here and they're so motivational, i hope it has an effect on me!

Basically, I've had several light bulb moments, but my proper one came last weekend when i was helping my boyfriend decorate his best friend's new flat. It was then that I really realised that we need to move out together (we've been together almost 8 years!!). So - here's the goal. I need to have my spending under control in order for me to save some money towards a deposit for moving out. Trying not to be unrealistic, but we both want to be living together by Christmas 2010, and he's not interested in buying.

I'm 25 and my credit rating is in tatters, so dont know how likely that is, but i'm hoping that the exercise will install some 'saving for a rainy day' mentality in me!

I'm not going to post a full SOA at the moment because I'm waiting to clarify exactly how much I owe out and APR rates etc, which I've requested (I'm on a DMP at the moment). I've put the ones I do know in my signature though. I believe it's around £12k (gulp) in total, not including my mobile phone and car. I should have around £600 after bills each month, but in April I (somewhat stupidly) booked a holiday to Tokyo in Japan and am currently paying for that. After the holiday, my main focus is saving and paying off my debts. I should be getting a payrise too for promotion which should help, although i've yet to find out how much i'll be getting.

I regularly have no spend days so I will keep a tally of those. today was not one of them though

Anywho, enough rambling from me, i'll be back soon (even if it's just to talk to myself) with further details.

xxx

[Deleted User]

Hello,

Just wanted to welcome you to the boards, they are a friendly lot over here.

Tea
x

claire0788

At least you dealing with your debts, thats a great step

londongirl1984

Hi

Thanks My main problem is that when I get a bee in my bonnet, I want things done straight away, and it's so frustrating not knowing what my exact amounts to pay are. What's annoying me even more is that I physically cant start saving/knocking off the debt until the end of August, which OK, it isnt that far away, but I have this damned holiday to pay for.

I get paid in 2 weeks, and I'm skint already! I have tried the daily click thing, but I will admit I didnt have the heart to continue, I found that my initial motivation waned. I have done a couple of mystery shops, and I sold some stuff on ebay earlier in the year, but I have nothing else to sell so...

Anyway, just wanted a bit of a whinge. I'm reading other people's diaries and it just feels like i'm making no progress whatsoever...

xx

[Deleted User]

Hiya,

I too gave up with the daily clicks thing, it can get a bit tedious to say the least.

Do you save any change that you get? There is a challenge on here called the Sealed Pot Challenge and you basically save any change you have until the 1st December and then count up what you've saved and put it towards Christmas or your debt.

Have a look through old cd's and dvd's and see what you no longer watch or listen too perhaps get rid of them. Music Magpie is a great site to trade them on and get some money through.

Books are something else you could try and sell on Amazon?

Tea
x

LeeSouthEast

Welcome aboard! When you find out your exact outgoings, be sure to post up an SOA. You'll shave so much off your outgoings you won't believe it.

londongirl1984

Purpletea65 wrote: »

Hiya,


Do you save any change that you get? There is a challenge on here called the Sealed Pot Challenge and you basically save any change you have until the 1st December and then count up what you've saved and put it towards Christmas or your debt.

Have a look through old cd's and dvd's and see what you no longer watch or listen too perhaps get rid of them. Music Magpie is a great site to trade them on and get some money through.

Books are something else you could try and sell on Amazon?

Tea
x

Hi,

I tend to put away silver and coppers, i cant seem to put away pounds! But I know this is something I need to do. I have an opaque pot and I forget it's even there so I should start using it more really.

I've put cds and books online to sell but nobody's biting!

londongirl1984

Oh God.....

Me being Miss Impatient as always, phoned around and got my total o/s balances (now updated in the signature). A grand total of £12,778.88 in debt!!!!! I know I guesstimated £12k anyway, but to have it confirmed is a total shock.

I'm only 25!!! And I have nothing to show for these debts either, just a bad case of me living outside of my means!

Terrified now!

So! Most important thing is to pay off my currently overdrawn account in August. Luckily this is on a basic account and not my current account so I need to pay it off. I keep going overdrawn because of Natwest's stupid Advantage Blue thing, which I need to cancel!

Then, I will start with the smallest debts first (Capital 1 etc). If I do it this way, by paying them in bulk and in one go, I can concentrate on the big debts because I'll need to save into a heap and then pay them off (or so I've been told by Churchwood).

My god...i'm a bit speechless now. Roll on August!

LeeSouthEast

Mine isn't much better and I'm only a year older than you But... you've made your decision to beat it, and beat it you will! My wild-card on my New Year's Day goal is how much my solicitor is going to fleece me for my divorce *grin*.

londongirl1984

Thanks...it's just a shock! I just told my boyfriend, and I'm so ashamed. We want to move out together (I'm still waiting for marriage after years and years!), but I wouldnt blame him for being wary now...feeling on a bit of a downer because there doesnt seem to be anything I can do about it until end of August!!

Why New Years Day??

LeeSouthEast

There's lots you can do. Planning, tweaking your SOA, start comping, and getting lots of help advice and support from the lots of lovely people on the MSE forums. Don't lose momentum! It's obvious your boyfriend not blowing a major gasket shows how much you two have. It'll take him a while to recover from it but give him time.

Why New Years Day? It was achievable (just about....), and it was a "feel good" target: New year, new life. Debt free and single!