Starting the challenge 19/03/2010

Herewego

All good in the HWG house, still debt busting but never as quickly as we would like

Aspiration

Hi Herewego, know what you mean about it not going as quickly as you'd like!!

Your smashing the debt though, looking at your sig it's 12k in less then 8 months, very good in my opinion!!

Herewego

I know its going down but we did start with £50k :eek: and i have tried to throw every penny at it spare or not. I cant wait to update Thursday as its DH payday and we should have paid £13500 off really hope to be down to £30k with xmas wages but its going to take some hard work.
Have you any year end goals ?

Aspiration

Ok well just got below the £30k mark so happy with that, now need to push hard to get under the £25k figure!!! Small celebration however still wish i was not so much debt!!!

Still going strong,

how's everybody tonight???

Herewego

Well done I love hitting a targets as it spurs me onto the next one. I have even set up a spreadsheet of squares and colour one in everytime I pay £50 watching fill up makes me want to clear even more.
Budget tight this month but started xmas shopping so all good here.

Aspiration

Wow Christmas shopping already, v impressive!! This year will need to be cheap same as last year, I'm fortunate our families all have kids so last year we set a £10 limit which was great as fun but didn't break the bank. This tear will be very different, last year we didn't have any carpets, I'd burst a heating pipe so didn't have hewing for 1 night, no furniture and we were sleepig on an airbed!!!

Herewego

Not so imprssive, DH doesnt get his December wage until after xmas so i feel i have to start early to spread a bit of cost, plus inlaws are here next week and they can take it all home with them to Ireland saving me plenty on postage. We have 13 kids to buy for hoping they have all learnt what is causing it and it will stay at 13 LOL
Chritmas is what you make it lst year we rented a cottage in scotland, took books board games and went walking in the snow it was cheap but one of the best christmas i have ever had. DS keeps asking if we can do it again and at 15 that surprised me maybe its the simple things that count.

Aspiration

Hi Herewego how's the christmas shop going???

An update - I've been late paying my council tax (Thought i had paid over but evidently not) and now this is the third time i've been late as was in a dispute at beginning of the year, i need to pay the remainder of £800. I've paid £300 so far and called them to say i will be paying shortly, so thats the bad news.

The good news is my wife had had some money come through that we didn't think we'd get so thats approx £2000 which is great. This will be used to now pay towards another CC.

The other good news but time to panic - MY WIFE IS PREGNANT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Herewego

Congratulations thats fantastic news :beer: even more reason to get on top of the debt.
Good news on the 2k im sure that will help even if council tax are chasing.

Xmas shopping is going well just written a list of things to buy tomorrow then i can get them wrapped to send with the in laws next week. I love xmas and looks like this year i will be able to relax and enjoy the run up to it as seem to be quite prepared so far.
Have you thought about xmas any plans in place?

Aspiration

Thanks, no i haven't even thought about Christmas yet, probably should start planning , we've got a family get together tomorrow so may try and work out what the plans are.

I've got a balance transfer ending soon on my MBNA card so am trying to work out where best to put the money as i will probably need to balance transfer across some other cards. I'm trying not to split up the debt to much as don't want to increase minimum payments and get caught out. It's doing my head in tonight i must say!!!