I finally did it...

lynzpower

Millie - stick up your SOA on a new thread, we can see what you are doing and if you want then you can use it as a mini diary or blog. And see how far youve come!

CosmoCat

san francisco, you're exactly right, and thank you for your honesty. it is exactly the foolishness that i need to cut back on. thank you for that.

yes my income is £730 a week, but i should point out this is only until end of October and started on the first of may. Before that it was £350 a week. After october it could be £0 per week. not an excuse but i'm just letting you all know.

thank you ali-ok, i will be looking into some bt's and lower cost utilities. I have already printed out my snowball plan, and am sure I can do something more towards becoming debt free.

As I said before I just wanted to be accountable. And I thank all of you for standing firm with me. The spend diary is a good idea. I really must get rid of my credit cards.

do you all think it a good idea to cancel credit cards when i'm done paying them off or should i just cut them up?

thanks again for all your tough love

brranger

melabarrie wrote:

do you all think it a good idea to cancel credit cards when i'm done paying them off or should i just cut them up?

Hows about you clear them and then ring them up and ask what balance transfer rate they will offer you. as they will be happy to take on more income, if not cancel to open up the chance to get a different card at lob or 0%.

Ranger

CosmoCat

I also wanted to say, that I am self employed for tax purposes, so this weekly income is before tax is taken out. I should have mentioned this earlier.

Thanks again for all your great replies

beanielou

Take it that you are remembering to put away ££ for your tax bill?
Can u balance transfer Cpital ** to a cheaper card?

kuohu

Misc (shopping and other foolishness) - £750

I don't post *that* much but I have read a fair few SOAs on here and that's got to be the highest 'Miscellaneous' figure I've ever seen. I'm slightly jealous, to be honest. If I had a £750 misc in my budget then I'd be debt free in no time.

Just out of nosiness.. what does this break down into?

CosmoCat

beanielou wrote:

Take it that you are remembering to put away ££ for your tax bill?
Can u balance transfer Cpital ** to a cheaper card?

hence the great credit card debt, paying off tax bill from when i was not making the amount of money i'm making now.

actually i was looking at the cap one credit card and seeing that it's a smallish amount, i might try to pay that off in the next two paychecks.

the mint card is a 0% bt one but only a limit of £400, might put it on there as well.

CosmoCat

kuohu wrote:

I don't post *that* much but I have read a fair few SOAs on here and that's got to be the highest 'Miscellaneous' figure I've ever seen. I'm slightly jealous, to be honest. If I had a £750 misc in my budget then I'd be debt free in no time.

Just out of nosiness.. what does this break down into?

nosiness is fine!

husbands birthday present came up to £400, had some shelves made and mounted in my flat (beautiful mahogany ones - but maybe should have gone for lovely argos fare) £250, driving lessons for me and hubby £333, shoes £80, books £35, theatre tickets £75, spotlight (a listings for my profession) £124, flowers for mother's day £70 (mom's in the US) and other things like that. the figure was derived from adding a 3 month spend on things that were non-essential.

it all looks a bit trivial i know. keep the beatings coming.
*hangs head in shame*
mel

(i wouldn't be putting myself up for this humiliation if i wasn't serious about sorting it out)

Sea78

Wow!! But, hey, a lot of people on here (not all I know) have got where they are becuase of spending to much on 'stuff'. Me included. I coudn't tell you everything I spent it on...presents, clothes, eating out, fritter fritter...Anyway, don't be too hard on yourself, as you say, you're here now ready to sort it out and you will. But it'll be hard after spending that sort of money on nice unnecessary things! I'm having a bit of a struggle on stopping my frittering life!!

Sea x

CosmoCat

thank you for your comments sea78.

i know it's going to be difficult, but i am determined to do this as it will only make my quality of life better in the end. and if and when that unemployment time comes at least i know i'll feel a little bit better about not being so far in debt (and hopefully i won't rack up new debt).