Leanne's Debt Diary

leanne11

Hello!

Going to do the same as a lot of people on here and keep a diary of my debts and spending.

Dont really want to see it all typed out but it can only help I guess!!

S.O.A

INCOME

£850 - £1000 - As Cabin Crew, this can change from month to month.
It can be more than £1000 if I do well on saving my
allowences when I'am on a trip.

OUTGOINGS

£274 - CCCS
£300 - Rent to my OH
£60 - Mobile phone bill
£31 - Car insurance
£60 - Petrol


Total - £725

Now the rest of the money gets spent on food and other bits. I'am not sure what other bits though. Hence why I'am going to note down everything I spend on here to help!

Get paid on the 20th of each month.

This month, however, my phone bill will be £187. Long story. Delayed international text messages came through for the past 5 months all on one bill. Since that happened, I now have an international SIM card I use when I'am away.

My DEBTS.....

I have been with on a DMP with CCCS for the past 6 months. Best thing I could have done. I was paying £750 a month in credit card and loan bills. I had no money for my OH for over a year. He was very good to me in this time. All my wages went on debt and my car. Was a terrible and stressful time! My goal at the moment is to get off my DMP with CCCS and control my finances myself again. I currently have 13 creditors that CCCS pay my money to. I want to start by getting rid of the creditors that I owe the least amount of money to so it becomes easier to manage when I come off my DMP. I'am working towards getting a new job in around 6 months time and my salary will go up quite a bit.

Creditiors and amounts owed....

Tescos Credit Card £12530
HSBC Loan £2610
Natwest CC £2300
MBNA (1st Credit) £1911
Virgin CC £1893
Lloyds Loan £1830
Lloyds CC £1731
Teco CC £1403
HSBC CC £567
HFC (dixons) £469
Mint £260
NatWest Overdraft £243
HSBC OverDraft £241


TOTAL £27,988 !!

How depressing! Its not just the amount, it the amount of different creditiors that gets me down sometimes. Anyway, thats what I want to focus on at the moment. Everytime I close down and pay off an account will be a very happy day for me!!

Any advise or tips, please let me know!

Love Leanne xxx

**purpleprincess**

Hello!! :hello:

Good one posting it all!!!

Good luck! xx

halloweenqueen_2

Well done, you need to keep a track of waht the other money goes on. try insuresupermarket for better car insurance?

postingalwaysposting

hello :hello: welcome to mse (although i have read your posts before)
i must say writing it all down does help and your post will give posters insentive too good luck to getting debt free :j *keep posting*

OberonSH

Hey there, you're in the right place love. My advice (which it seems you're doing anyways) is to keep a diary of everything you spend for a few weeks, to help with a budget. No way you can do one without knowing what you're spending. I write everything down, and it's surprising how much it focuses the mind. Stops 'zombie' spending. Did one for a month, then did a budget, shaving a fiver off here and there every month until I was at the bare minimum without making myself miserable.

Mobile seems a bit high, but you mention you work abroad a lot - take it this is average for internationally used mobile? Have you checked out cheaper car insurance?

You don;t mention utility bills, or council tax. Are these covered by OH?

I take it the interest has been frozen on your debts, or are you still paying interest on some? If not, then yes - pay off the smallest first, as it's a great motivator. If you're still paying interest, then I'd advise paying off the ones with highest interest first (called snowballing).

leanne11

Thanks. Yes, I take £10 out of my account for something, then the rest just gets spent on stuff I probabaly dont even need!

My mobile bill was a lot highter! Always used to be over £100! Still working on it though.

I did shop around for car insurance and this seemed a good deal. That amount is my RAC breakdown cover included in it.

OH covers all the utility bills. Although I want to start helping oout more when I'am back on my feet.

Interest has been frozen on most of the accounts. I think clearing the cheaper ones in the way forward if you agree to!

Thanks

x

OberonSH wrote:

Hey there, you're in the right place love. My advice (which it seems you're doing anyways) is to keep a diary of everything you spend for a few weeks, to help with a budget. No way you can do one without knowing what you're spending. I write everything down, and it's surprising how much it focuses the mind. Stops 'zombie' spending. Did one for a month, then did a budget, shaving a fiver off here and there every month until I was at the bare minimum without making myself miserable.

Mobile seems a bit high, but you mention you work abroad a lot - take it this is average for internationally used mobile? Have you checked out cheaper car insurance?

You don;t mention utility bills, or council tax. Are these covered by OH?

I take it the interest has been frozen on your debts, or are you still paying interest on some? If not, then yes - pay off the smallest first, as it's a great motivator. If you're still paying interest, then I'd advise paying off the ones with highest interest first (called snowballing).

OberonSH

It's nice to get the smaller ones paid off, it's so motivating. It's a balance between being able to forget about a company, or paying that bit more in interest. Up to you which is more important. maybe a mix, pay off a small one, then and interest etc.

Don't forget, ebay and amazon are your friends - sell anything you don't need, and that you don't wear anymore. Even if it's just a couple of quid it's money you didn;t have before. Maybe you and OH can do it together, he can put his half towards a holiday/meal out, you towards your debt.

leanne11

I'am very well into e-bay. Have sold all sorts!

My latest money making e-bay sale is great....

I just got a free upgrade on my phone, so I chose the new LG chocolate phone. Well, not that keen on it to be honest. So, have put it on e-bay. They are selling for between £200 - £250. I'am then going to get a cheaper phone I have found, and make hopefully about £50 on it. Then, I'am going to sell my old phone and I should get at least £50 for that one to!!

xx

aimme13

Hi, was just wondering if you can pay off the smaller ones only, when you are on a DMP??.....the reason i ask is because i am also on a DMP with payplan, would be great if i could pay of the couple of storecards that are small amounts, but i was under the impression that all extra money had to be equally divided between your creditors..........any ideas??

leanne11

Hi Aimme,

I'am on a DMP with CCCS. When I asked them the question you have just asked, then said the same thing. That if I send them the money, the will spread it out equally.

But, I have registared my DMP account on the CCCS website, which lets you do lots of things, like check your payments to them, see how much you have paid of debt, and also I can go into each individual creditor and change details, one of which is the balance I owe on that creditor. When you change the balance (it can be increased or decreased) you have to select a reason for the balance change from a list of options - i.e: "gift from family/friend", "additional payment on account", "interest added" etc. So, if they give you the option, I dont see why you cant do it!

did that make any sense??!!

xx

aimme13 wrote:

Hi, was just wondering if you can pay off the smaller ones only, when you are on a DMP??.....the reason i ask is because i am also on a DMP with payplan, would be great if i could pay of the couple of storecards that are small amounts, but i was under the impression that all extra money had to be equally divided between your creditors..........any ideas??

aimme13

thanks, yes it did make sense.....but not sure if i can do that as im with payplan..........it just annoying owing someone £150 when i could use my carboot money to pay this off and get rid of one debt for good.......oh well think i may just have to continue to pay them all equally
thanks and good luck