My Debt-Free-Wannabe Diary

DontDoDebtKids

Just phoned Barclays to chase up an old current account that got closed because I didn't use it (in 2003!) and they had a completely different attitude!

Amazing.

They couldn't be more helpful - eventually got put through to a manager who said "of course we can help, we can send you a claim form in the post and then a cheque".

That's more like it!

And guess how much this was over....16p!

I always thought Barclays were very bad at customer service but I am happy to say that I have been proved very wrong. I'm not even, technically, a customer any more!

Snaggles

My Mum and Dad have had various battles with the Halifax over the years, and we had a few problems with them when we had our mortgage with them too. I think overall their customer service is a bit rubbish!

DontDoDebtKids

...are going to rue that they didn't have anyone available to answer my call earlier.

Now I've thought up several fiendish ways to get what I want out of them.

They're going to want to pay me £100 to not open an account!

Snaggles

DontDoDebtKids wrote:

...are going to rue that they didn't have anyone available to answer my call earlier.

Now I've thought up several fiendish ways to get what I want out of them.

They're going to want to pay me £100 to not open an account!

:rotfl: :T Good luck, have fun!!

DontDoDebtKids

I've not been keeping up the balance my savings account so that it matches the balance on my Morgan Stanley card.

I just got some money from my girlfriend to go towards it but I'm still short by £329.39. :mad:

Bad!

Means I have to use £329.39 meant for debt payments to cover my spending.

My spending account now owes my debt payment account £1,779.67 as it paid for my skiing holiday, club membership, my last credit card overspend and my car insurance!!!

If I have to bail my spending account out more, which I undoubtedly will, the figure will be £2,109.06 - almost the balance of my Lloyds TSB credit card!!!

I'm going to have to resolve to spend lots less in the next few months - you lot have to watch me and remind me!!!

DontDoDebtKids

I need to sort out this overspending and pay back the money from my spending account to my debt paying account.

To coin a phrase, I have decided to go to go on a spending diet at least until I go on my holiday to Japan.

To do this, I need to figure out what I am going to plan to spend between now and the 10th March. This is going to be quite tricky as valentine's day and my girlfriend's birthday are coming up.

Major things: two business trips; valentine's day; and gf birthday.

1) Business trip on 13th Feb and trip on 5th to 8th Feb: this will be entirely paid for by work and I will be working from home from 28th Feb to 2nd March so that will save on petrol costs. I've arranged to meet someone for lunch but I'm not sure about this now so I might cancel and say sorry I'm a bit too busy. I can always meet up with them when I'm feeling less financially embarrased. Plan to spend: £0 of own money.

2) Spending plan for Valentine's day: I'll get some roses from M&S, a bath bomb and cook a really nice meal at home with some champers and wine that I have stashed. I might also get a nice present but I'm not sure what yet - I've got a few presents in reserve for her birthday which I could use one of. Plan to spend: max £20.

3) Spending plan for gf birthday: already got three presents for this, so no more money needed really. Might change one of the presents to a valentine's present but I think I'm OK. I'm going to have to be careful not to overspend now and instead get good stuff at christmas when I wil be debt free! Plan to spend: £0

Rules

1) No random ebay purchases
2) No going out for food - including eating at work. Sandwiches only!
3) No more holidays (!?!)
4) Cope with car for the time being - get it fixed when back from Japan. Will only need to use it 27 times (13 1/2 days) and then can get it looked at at the end of March.

DDDK

DontDoDebtKids

Hi all,

Time for the third series of letters to First Direct. This time we're looking to get back £30 in two half refunded £30 fees.

Written the letter so will get gf to sign it when I get home then I will pop it in the post box!

Wish me luck!!!

DDDK

DontDoDebtKids

Oooh dentist.

I need to book a dentist appointment. Hopefully I can do that for the end of March too.

DDDK

gallygirl

Can't you just take your batteries out and sit in a cupboard till end of March??????

Wish my OH would buy me roses
or a bath bomb
or cook a meal

(she says, hoping he's stalking me on here as he does sometimes ).

You sound like you've got it well sussed, keep it up!!!!!

DontDoDebtKids

Egg

Got a letter acknowledging my complaint and saying that they'll try to get back to me with an answer within 5 weeks, and again within 8 weeks, after which I can go to the Ombudsman.

Hopefully they just give me the money back.

BA American Express

Got a letter with some updated terms and conditions, which I read. Most relevant to me is that they will charge me £20 a year, starting in April, for the card unless I spend £2000 on it within the first year of having it (I opened it in April 2006), so by April 2007.

I don't think I'll have cleared it by then to be able to close it in time so I might have to take the hit. Grrr.

First Direct

Sent off my letter to First Direct asking for £30 back in bank charges from my Joint Account. This is the last lot as I can't find any more. Hopefully they will stay true to form and just give me the money back. They must be a little annoyed with me for not just claiming it all back in one go but, hey, I'm only being as helpful as they were :rotfl:

DDDK