A Fool and Her Money- CAFCGIRL's Debt Diary

ZTD

CAFCGirl wrote:

Did the whole complaint thing and they just basically pass the buck backwards and forwards, saying its the others fault!

Well first the good news is that they have confirmed a mistake has been made. This falls directly under the DD guarantee's remit. It's pretty straightforward from here. This passing back and forth is just giving people the runaround in the hope they'll get sick.

Now I have no doubt at all that it is Orange's fault. But it is the banks responsibility to refund you no matter whose fault it is. They will refund both your money that was erroneously taken and the charges subsequent to that. How they recover their money from Orange after that is not your concern. And you can tell them that.

Ring them and ask for their decision in writing, and say you'll be sending it off to the Ombudsman with a request for compensation on top of your for the time you've spent and the distress you've suffered. Give them a deadline for them to get it to you. Make a note of how long you've been on the phone.

CAFCGirl wrote:

I more angry at myself I guess, I've got all the will in the world and really want to do this for myself and for my future and something just seems to be tripping me up each and every month!

It will get better - promise!

CAFCGirl wrote:

As for the SOA, I need to get some info.................
Updated for your enjoyment ZTD!

See - getting better!

ZTD

CAFCGirl wrote:

OK here we go, this is what I'm paying out per month

Rent : £275 soon to go up to £300 (probably next month)

Look around at the rent in your area. I know you won't like to move, but you can always use it as a stick to batter down costs. It depends on how good your acting is...

CAFCGirl wrote:

Mobile : on avg £50

This seems high - contract? Can you reduce it?

CAFCGirl wrote:

Food : £100 (this includes toilettries and cleaning stuff)

Is this for one or two?

CAFCGirl wrote:

So thats £782.50
And then in reality the rest of it just gets spent! on having cash, takeaways and the odd magazine.

Spend diary.... :cool: :A

CAFCGirl wrote:

So I earn £880 per month on avg
I owe
£3862 Loan to Abbey apr is 16.9
£1300 Credit Card 1 apr is 18.9
£1000 Credit Card 2 apr is 4.95 LOB, limit is £1200
£230 Staff Card apr is 29.9 (Thanks Debenhams!)
£600 Dorothy Perkins apr is 18.9 limit is £850

Can you drop the Staff Card onto CC2 and pay the excess £30 off? Do you need the Staff card?

Then you need to dig out the minimum payments and go snowballing.

CAFCGirl wrote:

So thats actually £6992, but my signature only gives the top 3, to make me feel better

Aw! :grouphug:

CAFCGirl wrote:

It almosts makes me cry............
I've probably done it all wrong but this is what I can work out from my statement for the past two months

It doesn't include stuff like Birthday/Christmas prezzies, but probably your spend diary will reveal more important "nasties".

CAFCGirl

It all makes my head hurt

The mobile bill is high, mainly due to long distance relationship with boyf, however he's moving back to the area in sept' so that should go down.

The rent is pretty much the cheapest I could get for where I am, the space I've got etc. I dont have any travel costs because I'm pretty close to town so thats good.

Food is for one, but does include everything else with it. Will have to get this down very very soon, especially with next months pay going to be bad!

Can't transfer the staff card to CC2 yet, I can only transfer up to 90% of my credit limit.

It's just such a mission to get my head around it all!

**purpleprincess**

You could try and get the food, toiletries etc down a bit........ I don't spend very much on this at all at the moment. Cleaning stuff can be replaced with Star drops, deals with everything! Also vinegar and bicarb!! (I can send you a bottle of star drops if you like) Toiletries I have a couple of ideas for, as with food. Will do what I can to help hun xx

CAFCGirl

awwwwww thanks hunny....

I've got you for my household help.........
ZTD for my emotional support

Right must find category to assign to Peaches

I can't find stardrops anywhere in Canterbury! But then again I think I've plenty of other cleaners to see my through for a little while......... I'll let you know when I start running low

**purpleprincess**

Well, when you come and visit I'll make sure you go away with a bottle of star drops!! xx

CAFCGirl

awwwwwwwww thanks hun xx

ZTD

CAFCGirl wrote:

It all makes my head hurt

Don't worry, you'll soon get used to it. Then you'll start using spreadsheets, and graphs and coloured cells and soon you'll have a life as entrancing as mine. :rotfl:

CAFCGirl wrote:

The mobile bill is high, mainly due to long distance relationship with boyf, however he's moving back to the area in sept' so that should go down.

Use texts/landline. He won't mind. When he sees you he doesn't run his hands up and down your phone bill.

CAFCGirl wrote:

Food is for one, but does include everything else with it.

What's everything? You've also got "everything" in

And then in reality the rest of it just gets spent! on having cash, takeaways and the odd magazine.

I don't think I can overstress the importance of a spend diary.

CAFCGirl wrote:

Will have to get this down very very soon, especially with next months pay going to be bad!

Where do you shop? I don't think I can overstress the importance of a spend diary.

CAFCGirl wrote:

Can't transfer the staff card to CC2 yet, I can only transfer up to 90% of my credit limit.

Hmm, it's probably not worth paying the 2% for a balance transfer for the £80 possible. What's the limit on CC1?

CAFCGirl wrote:

It's just such a mission to get my head around it all!

Don't worry - take one step at a time, and it'll all drop into place. The snowball calculator is probably you best "next stop", but you'll need your minimum payments.

I don't think I can overstress the importance of a spend diary. :rotfl:

ZTD

CAFCGirl wrote:

awwwwww thanks hunny....

I've got you for my household help.........
ZTD for my emotional support

Aww schucks....

CAFCGirl wrote:

Right must find category to assign to Peaches

And quickly, before she notices...

CAFCGirl

ok I'm beginning to understand the importance of a spending diary

Oh I dont know where everything is, what everything is and why I spend money on everything else.

See I told you it hurt!