The journey starts here - don't stop believing

Lemon_Tree

hi, thanks for the reserve explanation, it's come at a timely time as my friend has just had her normal overdraft turned into a reserve one ad will be charged £22 per transaction! I've tried to offer some advice but as she doesn't work at the moment there's not much chance of her getting out of it quickly.

**Kat**_2

OMG £22 per TRANSACTION! That's worse than mine? Do you mind me asking who she banks with?

**Kat**_2

I am taking a leaf out of EB's book and will be trying my local market for meat, fish, fruit and veg. With the quitting smoking I want an all round health haul and need to eat a lot better than I do. I am also thinking of taking up Zumba as I get bored of the gym and want to do something fun once a week and hopefully when the weathers better go for long walks on Sundays with DH and DS.

I also want to better myself career wise. This involves me looing into doing my ACCA. It will cost me between 3.5 and 5k depending on where I do it but will open a lot of doors to (much higher paid) new jobs (careers...) Let's hope I can fit it in the budget lol

Lemon_Tree

Kat i don't know for sure but i think she banks with Natwest. as i said though i could be wrong. Given that they want to charge her per transaction i've suggested she may want to think about setting up a new basic account elsewhere and move all the transactions across to there and then just pay off a little bit of the reserve each week/month. I'm not sure if this is the right way to tackle it but i guess as she's been out of work for almost 2 years and just increasing her debts that her credit rating won't be wonderful at the moment anyway.

good luck with your ACCA, would your employer help with that? I'm CIMA qualified so certainly know what you're heading into. I know from my experience that BPP were the best people i studied with. They aren't always cheap but as they're the best you're less likely to need resits etc. Good luck again.

**Kat**_2

I was torn between the CIMA and ACCA but I may want to open my own practice and know a few self employed people I could do books for when qualified to get experience so the ACCA suits that better.

I highly doubt I will get employer funding but I will ask (don't ask don't get but as they won't even give me a payrise it's not looking good :rotfl:) I will look into BPP, thanks for that x

**Kat**_2

I have now paid 15.9% off my debt balance. Reserve is nearly gone (will be this month I would think but can't say for sure until 25th March as I count what it's on at payday before the wages go in) also need to log onto my online banking on the weekend to see what the loan has been reduced by and log onto SWALEC to see if we have managed to reduce that anymore.

**Kat**_2

Now on 17.1% due to a £120 dent in the SWALEC bill

Lemon_Tree

as you say don't ask don't get. I know one of my employers paid for some courses for me as they weren't giving out payrises to anyone but felt that i deserved something.

**Kat**_2

Only £77.02 off the loan and my payment is £210 ish (should know really oops) - my rate is stupid high, wish I could overpay as I would ditch this first and get on the £1 payment bandwagon

**Kat**_2

I'm back!! I feel I haven't been around for ages. I am off the fags and off the patches! Sister has moved out so we have the house back. Not doing too well with not spending money. We are doing out our DS bedroom (putting him in the big room) so ££ being spent there...... Suppose it's for the best as it means 2 things:

1) We can't take in anymore waifs and strays
2) He has more room to play, can put his toys upstairs and out of our living room.

Does anyone know where I can get cheap 90" W curtains? I don't want a 90 drop, I want 74 and the price is not good when you have wide windows (and it's hard to find wide without 90 drop as people automatically think it's for patio doors.