What I have done since posting on MSE.

newleafer

I thought I would write a positive thread to keep those who have read my earlier threads up to date, I do not post every day but I do read the forum every day.

So here is what I've done since my 1st posting on MSE based on the advice from the site as well as all you great people.

I have swapped to Alliance & Leicester Premier Plus acct, will take about 2mths in total but it will mean I have no interest charges(about £30) on my overdraft as its 0% for a year.

I am in the process of cancelling my PPI on my Natwest loan bringing my payments down to £369(hopefully) from £457

I have cancelled all the PPI's on my credit cards which means I am paying more off the balance, (if I die I have Life assurance)

We have cancelled Sky (£18)

I have used the Egg loan Payment break, which means that I am using it to get down the balance of my highest APR Credit Card.:j

I have Old Style money saving board to menu plan and cut food by £50 a month.

Was in the process of changing mobile to Orange but when I called O2 to cancel they offered me a deal I couldn't refuse so now bill is halved (saved £45 a month).:j

I am also in the middle of the credit card shuffle which means by using snowballing DFD has changed dramatically.

We did have one problem and that was my car which I use to commute and to see OH some weekends (he works away 4/5 days a week) died the head gasket went, no return to the living I'm afraid, it was awful my OH nearly cried cos we had just started changing our SOA and didn't know where we could gey Money to replace car, well we asked a very nice relative who lent us £2000 0%interest only used 1600 gave the rest back and we will be paying £50 a month, so that made our SOA tight but.... another nice relative who had no idea this had happened gave us £1000!!! Yipee! So instead of paying off the 0% 1600 we used it towards paying off a 19.9% CC that is offering 6.9% for life on balance transfers so we have started the shuffle as stated and by october will have through shuffling and overtime would have reduced the amount owing on our 22.4% cc by £3000.

SO we have gone from a SOA which was more outgoing than incoming to having a small surplus of £86 but its + rather than - and our DFD via snowballing has changed.

So we are pretty pleased. Ok its not loads but its an improvement, and yes we are sacrificing, but its better than waking up in a cold sweat wondering how I will pay next months bills.

What we are hoping for now is that hubby gets a job he has applied for closer to home, it will still be 40 miles away but he will be home all the time which means no more sending him off with food etc every week, and its a pay rise of about 5k a year

Sorry this is long but I wanted to write down to see what we have achieved.:T

Thank you all who offered help

OOh and we have got £20 in boots vouchers from pigsback (less money from food budget spent on toiletries)

Neeky

Well done newleafer!
I'm a newbie too and know the elation you are feeling at being in control of achieving your DF dream!
Good luck with it all and keep us posted!

MrsTinks

Cancelled my loan PPI and it's now with Egg at a much lower APR (7.7% rather than 9.9% at Lloyds).
Paid off my credit cards and reduced them to ONE card for emergencies.
I have nothing owing on my overdraft.
I have paid off over £4000 of my debts
Reclaimed £550odd from a former employer on a cheque I never knew I was still entitled to! YAY
Just ordered another Boots voucher from Pigs back so have a total of £110 worth in my christmas savings pot (everyone I know better be prepared for Boots pressies this year!)
Have about £55 in tesco vouchers (convert to about £220 if I use them on their scheme thingies... anyone not getting boots stuff better be prepared for magazine subs and other odd pressies)
Listed loads on Ebay - loads more to come!
uhmmm it's late and that's all I can think of righ now

mrs_mug_2

Yay, well done. Its a good feeling, isn't it?

tattooed_lady

I love reading about the positive changes people make after coming on MSE/DFW!! Well done to you! :T

newleaf

I wondered where you had got to, it's good to hear you're still with us and making such good progress! Keep posting :T

duncans-mum_2

Well done Newleafer. Its amazing how a little thinking time and a few phonecalls can turn things around for the better. As you say, it doesn't just save you money, it has such a positive all round effect too, that feeling of being in control of your money instead of it controlling you.

Again WELL DONE!:T

Annie_Fanny

Well done you - money is such a pain in are ar*e but keep on battling!