Time for positive action

Canda_2

I'm not sure why I stoppped posting on here. I ended up getting quite depressed and not talking to anyone! I've decided though even if no-one reads this it is much better on here than going round and round my head.
The overall debt hasn't changed that much because as the huge loan payments go out we struggle to cover all the normal bills. It also hasn't helped that the lodger changed jobs and has been unable to pay her fair share for the last few months and currently owes us £375. So although the overdraft has increased by £1,000 since I first posted £375 is costs incurred by someone else!
1st December that final loan payment comes out, I'm counting down the days! I can't believe it will be gone. Come January we can really start work on the overdraft, I keep telling myself it's still less than 2 loan payments so it can be gone in March by the time the sofa payments begin. I've made use of Quidco and still do daily scratchcards as well as reading the forums each day.
I've already drawn up budgets for next year including the 'no debt' budget!
Now I can see the end in sight I keep thinking about the next goal, buying a house. So once things are a bit more stable I will be in mega saving mode.
I know I don't take advantage of everything on this site so I hope to get back into things again. Right far too much waffle for one post.
See you in another 2 months?!

found_a_bargin

HI Canda, just wanted to say hi and that you are in with a good lot in here, i starter=d a diary then with one thing or another i forgot or was to ashamed to add to it, i have now vowed to post at least once every couple of days to keep me on the straight and narrow..

Good luck

tiny_courageous

Sounds like you're not doing bad to me! That loan payment will make such a big difference to you. Keep on going, and keep on posting, it's great motivation

homegrown_life

you're not on your own Canda - keep posting! Once that large loan payment is gone you'll be much better off and you'll feel much better I'm sure.

Canda_2

Thank you all for your replies. You've made me more determined than ever to keep on posting. I will do this!

Off to watch tv and go to bed nn

Canda_2

Right, so I've gone from feeling quite positive to having a really rubbish 2 days.
The lodger has lost her job and is moving out to her parents this week. So no sign of the money owed coming in soon and no additional money coming in to cover a third of rent / council tax etc!
My car failed its MOT disastrously and the bill currently stands at £380 plus its still in the garage and they have still to investigate how serious / how much work / cost the last issue will be. So it's guaranteed to be more but by how much I just don't know.
I don't know what to do this will push us over my £2,000 overdraft limit and we have no savings or credit cards. How likely are the bank to extend my overdraft back up by another £500? I know that as soon as the loan is gone we can hammer it down quickly I just need to survive until then. I don't know if the bank will extend my overdraft, in June they cut it by £1,000 but this was when the loan was at over £5,000. I just need £500 to cover the costs and see me to pay day next week.
I don't know how we get through December though but thats another issue. I can live off pasta if needs be!

Canda_2

A family memebr lent us some money to cover the car costs. The total cost was £570!!!
An awful few days... but I'm trying to focus on the fact that after 9 months of marriage we will finally have the house to ourselves. Our lodger is very invasive into our lives and it really has felt like there are 3 of us in this marriage. So with careful meal planning, turning down the heating etc we are finally going to enjoy our married life alone! This week's events mean that the overdraft may not be paid off by February and when we finally thought we could afford to buy each other presents we were wrong but it doesn't matter!
I love my husband and I can't wait to start filling my savings pots with money in the new year! Our future will be fabulous!

Canda_2

I am desperately waiting for Tuesday to arrive as the loan will be gone! It really has been my number one focus this year, probably too much.
The bank did extend my overdraft by £500 as well which means that my credit rating must be a little better, I'm assuming because the loan has gone down. They don't know about my £3,300 family debt so it looks like my debt as of Tuesday is just under £4,000! It still seems really scary to me but it is going down, although it hasn't moved quite so quickly in the last month or two!
I just worked out that my debt at its highest was £12,795.12. I've only paid off £5,800!!! My first thought was that is rubbish but it is the same amount that our rent has cost in that time so it's a sizeable chunk of our wages.
Roll on Tuesday....

Canda_2

I have been waiting for this day for a whole year.

THE LOAN HAS GONE!!!

Woop woop yay! Right best get ready for work.

Canda_2

As with a lot of other people today I'm thinking about the year ahead and new starts. I'm going to move my pc downstairs so I can use it daily and will write on here much more often. (It's currently in the cramped spare room and I normally manage 30 mins bursts every few days at the moment.) I need to keep my focus with the overdraft and paying back parents as there are no fixed monthly payments like with the loan.
I'm also going to start posting on the diaries I lurk on and hopefully make time to meet more people on here.
OH has made the decision (the first since we've been married!) that we will not go on holiday for our anniversary (and honeymoon we never had), instead we will use it for debt, things we really need and maybe a small treat or two.
The sofa payment finishes in August and I would love to have everything else cleared by then too. I've got a temporary promotion at work so will receive about £100 extra for the next 3 months which wasn't in the budget woohoo.