A fresh new start for a better year.

svb53

Hi, I'm svb, I joined today after being a serial lurker.

Bit of background info, the last few years have been plagued by serious health problems that've resulted in multiple major surgeries for me, resulting in being off work for long periods of time, and sometimes, being unable to work at all. Now, I'm much better, and if I can make it to Feb 11th, it will be my first surgery free year in over 5 years. All I want now is to pay off the bills that I've accumulated, through ill health, redundancy, and sometimes my own stupidity and poor judgement, and go back to paying my way in our house, working hard and being able to travel again.

I was an avid fan of Immoral Angel's diaries, and loved the way that she challenged one debt at a time. So for me, my first challenge is to pay my Next bill, with an APR of 26.49% and a balance of £292.06 off by the end of January. Not a massive balance, but one less thing to worry about next month, and then I can move onto the next bill.

I'm a Sales Manager,so this time of year is one of my busiest times. I'm trying to get myself organised, have taken lunch to work since I decided to start sorting this out on Boxing Day, have had 3 NSD's in a row, and am generally being pretty horrified at the amount of money that I used to think nothing of just frittering away.

Anyway, I think that's enough babbling on here for now. If I slip off the wagon, which I know I will at times, please feel free to give me the proverbial kick up the backside that we all need sometimes.

Looking forward to joing the party,
svb x

Moneytroubles_2

Hi svb - Welcome to the partay :j:j

Its a good idea to tackle one debt at the time, i currently make all over payments to very catalogue, i knocked the balance down so much already however stuck to minimum payments last month and this month due to christmas, however in Jan intent to start making payments a day - it works so well for me.

I can not wait till i can post to say something has been paid - i seem so close but so far Good Luck to you xx

tiny_courageous

Happy new diary! Good luck with the debtbusting

beanielou

Happy shiney new diary:)
One debt at a time seems good to me & highest APR one the one to tackle first.
Keep posting

Snowdonlily

Hi svb good luck with your new diary.

I just started my own diary this week, so maybe we can encourage each other as we go along!

svb53

Aw thanks everyone. Snowdonlily, am wandering my way over to find your diary in a mo, some encouragement would be fantastic.
I've started a use it or lose it challenge over on the main DFW board, just in an attempt to clean some of the rubbish out of my house. Books, clothes, beauty products etc. So many of them stacked up, they are either being used, sold or charity shopped.
I've been taking lunches to work since Boxing Day, as I admit i'm usually awful at this. Very hard with a petrol station a few doors down from my store and a bacon butty van parked outside for most of the week. But since I have, I've also managed some NSDS. ( 4 ).
Hope everyone else has had a good day. I'm knackered, some am going to curl up with a book. And for anyone out shopping in the sales, please think of the over worked underpaid sales managers at this time of year!!!!

Svb x

svb53

Oh yes, another NSD!! Even with having to go into a town centre and walk past nice stores with sales posters in the windows. And the odd thing is, rather than worrying about bills, I'm actually really happy. Because I know that every time I don't spend £2 on the trashy magazine, or chocolate and coke, I'm actually helping myself.
I love MSE. Is it addictive?

svb53

Good Morning, hope you're all good. I've just had a short, sharp shock by acutally bothering to read some of the APR rates on a pile of bills. Can't believe how stupid i've been.
My plan is to pay off some of the smaller ones first, then as each one goes, it frees up more cash to start making a serious dent into some of the bigger ones. Does that make sense?
A friends and I have both had a pretty bad year, operations, redundancy etc and were both struggling a bit for motivation. We've started once a month compiling a list of things that we would like to get done that month, whether go and visit someone, read certain books, reduce a bill etc. It's something that just motivates us, and so far has worked well. I've got bits of decorating done that I probably wouldn't have bothered with, and sold bits etc.
Off for now, going bakc to ebay to list another load of clothes and shoes that I really don't need. I'd like to get my Next directory paid off in full this month, would be a nice way to start the New Year.

SVB X

svb53

Had another couple of NSDs, mainly due to being ill. I'm either at work or in bed at the moment. Put another £80 towards Next bill, needs to be paid by Monday at the latest. I've sold quite a few bits on ebay, applied for an area managers job and listed more junk on ebay, so fairly productive day off in all.