A journey of a 1000 miles must begin with single footstep....

REDMADCURLS

RumPunch - as I am sure you already know, you can lodge into Absurd&Ludicrous via the post office, who will take as many bags of change that you have. And I will not start on my rant of how pathetic they are as a bank and they should be taken under Trades Descriptions Act.

Anyway this is Woo's thread........

LOL @ you Woo, that £2.02 didn't get to hang around too long.............maybe you should buy vouchers or actual prezzies when you get some money rather than trying to save pennies.............not that I don't want Lloyds gone but I dont want to panic come Christmas (LMAO, says me!)

RumPunch_2

Thanks for that RedMadCurls! I'm not very clued up about the link between A & L (I love your name for them, they have been a bit of a nightmare since the move to Santander) and the Post Office, do the Post Office need full bags of change too?

I've just bagged up £1 of 1ps and £1 of 2ps - I'm loving this now! And get this..... 148 Euros just lying around the house. My husband is a shocker for leaving loose change lying around and I've given him plenty of warnings that any money I see laying about is fair game!

Switched electricity supplier last night too, my estimated savings over the next 3 years are £171. It's not going to make me rich but there is a £15 cashback for switching. Gas is next for another £15

Opening first direct bank account too, it wasn't a very difficult decision considering A & L's customer service recently, but that is another £100.

I do feel very free Woowoo, reading your diary made me realise how much of my life was spent stressing about interest on credit cards, which is why I'm stopping the rot now before it spirals, so easily done. Just need to be a bit more savvy from now on. Every penny counts.

Approx £3000 on Santander 0% credit card to be paid Dec 2010, £300 a month budgeted to cover that but need to dip into Santander Card savings this month, hence the LBM.

£3300 on husbands credit card for our holiday, 0% until Sep 2010.

£1200 on Tesco credit card - normal spend, which is shocking in itself. Having said that, father in law has been unwell so lots of travelling and car insurance of £356.95 this month (pennies and euros being paid in now to help pay it).

That still amounts to £7500 which is why action is needed. I thought if I shared too it would make me stick to reducing it.

Its so lovely to be free, keep going you're doing so well.

Woowoo

REDMADCURLS wrote: »

LOL @ you Woo, that £2.02 didn't get to hang around too long.............maybe you should buy vouchers or actual prezzies when you get some money rather than trying to save pennies.............not that I don't want Lloyds gone but I dont want to panic come Christmas (LMAO, says me!)

I think that would be a good compromise Red. I have just found something I want to get for my Godson for Xmas, which is £10. I think I will save up the £10 in my penny jar and then buy it. This might also teach me a lesson in patience!

Woowoo

RumPunch wrote: »

That still amounts to £7500 which is why action is needed. I thought if I shared too it would make me stick to reducing it.

You definately have to stick at reducing it RumPunch, you don't want to go back to paying any of the robbing sods a penny in interest!

Where did you go on your hols?

REDMADCURLS

Depends on who is on the counter in PO - I have lodged incomplete bags of change and also been turned away another day.

First Direct are a great bank and when I dont need the o/d from A&L I will start to use FD again, their internet banking is fab in my opinion, only bummer is depositing because the nearest HSBC is 25 miles away!

Did you go thru Quidco for your utility changes and insurance? Might be eligible for cashback there. Also maybe you could think about paying insurance monthly, I know it is dearer but cheaper than paying interest on CC.

You will clear it in no time - well done!

Happytogetdebtfree

Wow all this talk of the paying of bills and i have just realised my pay days tomorrow lol ah well been for a nice walk blown the cobwebs out lol xx

RumPunch_2

Mission Accomplished!

Have just paid in £1 in 1ps, £1 in 2ps. They said they need to be complete bags but I'm ok with that as they did me another favour. £95.59 for my Euros, they took 2 Euro and 1 Euro coins, bless them! Also, £39.77 for some Swiss Francs making a grand total of £137.36 today just from currency and coppers laying around.

Went through energyhelpline for electricity switch, was pleased with £15 at the time...

Like paying car insurance on the credit card, collecting Tesco Points and I'm good these days and always pay it off every month (apart from Christmas this year hence Santander 0% card). Also, refuse to pay a penny more than I need to just for the privilege of paying monthly - a luxury I can afford now (always had to be monthly when I was struggling.)

Barbados for holidays - it was wonderful. A big proportion of my debt was down to holidays too! Just want to be able to pay for them from now on rather than put them on credit.

Airmiles (through Tesco) got us flights to Gatwick and a hotel.

Still think you should reduce as much interest as you can now (even if pennies) then pay less off your debt in Nov/Dec for Christmas - it's the interest that cripples...

Happytogetdebtfree

The intrest is always a crippler but soon they wont be getting very much of my money and they can beg as much as they like lol .... i was considering going back to halifax bank i have an account open with them but i was worried they may close my overdraft as soon as i get paid! so il avoid that lol alliance and leciester are grrrr x

Woowoo

Horray it's pay day!

I have just made all my payments and after the dreaded interest I have managed to clear £519.12.

I am doubly happy today because:

a) I am now in the £12's
b) Lloyds CC is under £8k

Only 23 more pay days till freedom!

Woowoo

Have just brought my 6 months road tax, it's gone up from £104.50 (bad enough) to £112.75 :mad:

I'm not going to let it spoil my jolly Friday mood!