I think I've had a 'lightbulb' moment!

Mrs_Arkwright

I'll certainly have a trawl through all the boards.

I haven't budgeted into the SOA for the Christmas and birthday stuff, I didn't really have a clue how to start on that! My (kind of) plan is to get another evening job, and put that money aside for Christmas etc, so I don't have to use the credit cards and can concentrate the main income on paying them off.

Mrs_Arkwright

The mortgage payment differs each month as I have a One Account - the monthly payment depends on how much you have had go in/out of your account each month.

The savings plan is a non-cash-inable one, due to end in 2011.

Telewest bundle includes phone, calls, internet and basic TV package.

I'm paying the minimum on some cards because the snowball thing said to concentrate your efforts on the highest interest rate debts first.

Will have a shop around for life insurance, it's two policies (one for me, one for him) - when I enquired about a year ago it was cheaper to do it this way - we have to have enough cover to pay off our house as we don't have mortgage cover and husband is self employed.

Int rate on Amex is annual, a life-of-balance transfer that I did after reading about it on here!

Not sure when the 0% runs out on the Abbey, limit is 3300 so will investigate whether it's worth transferring one of the other balances.

gallygirl

Ooooooh, get you!!! Already done it all, you're a genius & will be clear in no time (ish)!!!!

Seriously, well done, only the balance transfer to look at and you'll soon have a lot more each month to pay off the loans :j :j :j :j

Mrs_Arkwright

Am on the phone right now enquiring about the balance transfer - no time like the present!

southernscouser

Is the One Account the best mortgage you can get though? :think:

I know naff all about mortgages but I'm sure they are more suited to people without debt and who are good savers!

Why not post on the mortgage board and ask them what would be the best thing for you? They know a heck of alot more than me!

If you don't mind me asking, how much savings have you got? It might be an idea to use some of it to clear the debts with the high APR's?

Sea78

Well done so far! Came back on to read your SOA to find it's all been sorted

Definitely try the OS board for hints on cutting that food bill down - even with a little effort that can come right down and then you could clear one of those high APR cards/accounts in a month.

Sea xx

Mrs_Arkwright

Hello scouser

The One account was perfect for us when we took it out, and it is handy now that Mr A is self employed as it means we are not tied to a payment each month - if one month we are skinter than usual it doesn't matter so much. But we are also looking to move in the next six months so am already on the case of shopping around for mortgages.

We don't have any savings that we can access. I pay into a savings scheme thing each month, a fifteen year thing that you can't cash in until 2011.

Just enquired about the 0% thing on the Abbey card - it is 0% on balance transfers and purchases until March 07 so probably worth doing. Will investigate further tomorrow :-)

Mrs_Arkwright

Well thanks for the help everyone - feeling much better now that I'm actually doing something about it! Will keep you updated.

Good night :-) (although won't sleep with all these numbers going round in my head)

gallygirl

Mrs_Arkwright wrote:

Well thanks for the help everyone - feeling much better now that I'm actually doing something about it! Will keep you updated.

Good night :-) (although won't sleep with all these numbers going round in my head)

NNNNNNOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! Don't go to bed, at the rate you're going will be debt free by morning!!!!!!!!!!

all_hours

Are you entitled to any tax credit or child benefit, or does the monthly income include these?

https://www.entitledto.co.uk