Taxis back to basics...debt and mortgage free before 50(feb 2014)

InaPickle

taxi73 wrote: »

I've looked at all my DDs to see if anything else is unavoidable and the only other two that can possibly go is our mobile phone contracts ..one is £20 per month and one £25 per month ..one ends dec one ends june...so can go PAYG then and that's all that can be trimmed.

To be honest, depending on how much you spend on your mobile, you might find that PAYG turns out to be more expensive. I've gone for the inbetween option - a pay monthly sim - which means that I get lots of calls and texts thrown in each month like a contract, but that the payment gets taken out of my account each month like a contract, although I only need to give one month notice to quit. I was with O2 but have now switched to Virgin and it was pretty much instant when I quit 02. On Virgin I get 600 mins and unlimited texts for £15/month, but there are cheaper deals according to your usage, so it might be worth checking it out. It's particularly useful as it means I don't have to go running to the shop every 5 mins for a top up.

hypno06

I def think a month or two with no overpayments is advisable to get you to equilibrium, from which you can move forward.

You know me, I want my debt to be gone faster than minimum payments would do, but in my current situation, I have had to accept that if I make any overpayments at all, then I struggle to find the money for food and bus fares at the end of the month.

I accept, therefore, that for the time being (ie not for ever) I am making my minimums and no more - the debt is still going down, and if I find I have a superb month income wise, I will throw a bit more at the debt, but right now, reducing my stress and being able to carry on is far more important.

In time, I will be able to throw a little more at the debt, and get it cleared quicker, but my priorities are to pay my bills, buy food, have a little fun, and build up a small amount of savings for emergencies.

Yes, it is nice to pay it off quicker, and I love doing so.....but sometimes, for a little while at least, we have to focus on the other parts of the "financial to-do list".

Lemon_Tree

taxi73 wrote: »

I'm not under it yet....lol..but will be soon

pish posh knowing you you'll be there before we can blink our eyes lol

mum2one

InaPickle wrote: »

To be honest, depending on how much you spend on your mobile, you might find that PAYG turns out to be more expensive. I've gone for the inbetween option - a pay monthly sim - which means that I get lots of calls and texts thrown in each month like a contract, but that the payment gets taken out of my account each month like a contract, although I only need to give one month notice to quit. I was with O2 but have now switched to Virgin and it was pretty much instant when I quit 02. On Virgin I get 600 mins and unlimited texts for £15/month, but there are cheaper deals according to your usage, so it might be worth checking it out. It's particularly useful as it means I don't have to go running to the shop every 5 mins for a top up.

U beat me to it, but as they say great minds think alike!!

If you go through Quidco there are some good cash back offers on them, the pay and go offers are usually restricted to texts or calls and then with calls their are time scales, so def look for sim only.

xx

40somethingmum

Hi Taxi,

have a good time tonight;)

love

40Smxx

mum2one

Good luck for 2ngt, hope you didn't arrow the instructor to the board, now did hubby do the robin hood in tights effect, I'll be disappointed otherwise!! xx

lucielle

Hope you hit the bullseye.
L

milann

Hi Taxi - glad you are going to stick to WW - hope you didn't think I was nagging - think of it as gentle encouragement LOL - feel free to encourage (nag) me back!!!!

I would defo cut the payments to minimum or just above if it goes too much against the grain to do that - just for a month or so to make the ends of the month less stressful. Then think of what you have to go out as the limit that you must not go below IYKWIM - allowing you to use anything over that figure as over payments. That way you know you always have enough to cover the outgoing - hope that makes sense - sometimes its hard to put thoughts down in sensible words. If it's too tempting having it in your account - could you transfer it to separate account until everything is paid, but it would be accessible if necessary - if not needed that month then pay it as overpayments.

You are doing fantastically the way you manage to pay the debts.

Milann

taxi73

Thanks everyone,
Archery went good last night and I hit the board every time..so happy with that.We wanted something reasonably priced that we could do together on our day off.We had been on a beginners course before and enjoyed it quite a few years ago.So thought we'd do the beginners course again and then join the archery club after.DH paid for my course as a treat..so very MSE for me..lol.
I had a few aching muscles today though..I used muscles I'd forgot about last night.
On the MSE front...I only need another £45 by tomorrow for the bank to cover all bills until 2nd of month and DH will earn more than that tonight so am home and dry there...most of the bills are due out on the 1st but am sure you have to have the money in the banking day before even though they won't even go out until tuesday...

I am going to do a full account of everything in and everything out for a month to get a rough idea so that I can do a budget.
Milann ..what you wrote is the way I was thinking of doing it...
Hope everyone has had a good day.

mum2one

That sounds a brilliant night last ngt, glad you found something that you can both do...... very boring here, head in books (help!!) xx