Lisa's Debt Diary - The Beginning!

lvm

So, haven't updated in a while so here goes!

I called up Halifax and ended up getting it sent by cheque so that's great...definitely won't be spending it though (should have probably just let it in mortgage anyway!!)

Lodger going ok...hate not having all the space to myself but the money is great!

Got a text from the Census people...I finish the Census contract in 2 weeks and they're looking for Non-Compliance Officers so I've sent off my CV for that.

Have set up a savings account/investment with my Dad - I give him some money every month and he'll give me a 10% interest rate with no tax. On top of that, if I stick to what I've predicted I'll save by the end of next year, he'll give me an annual bonus equal to my first deposit (£2600!!)...fabulous!!

Have also started doing Matched Betting...well, I only started yesterday but have already made around £20 profit for doing not a lot! Hope this can work for a while!

Nighty night xxx

lvm

Little overdue update here!

Well, never even got considered for the Compliance job for the Census - suppose it was being a wee bit greedy wanting all the work!

Have kept on at the whole Matched Betting thing though and am currently at a £712.83 profit. Not bad for 16 days work and only doing it for an hour a couple of times a week! Would like to aim for about £1200 before I stop.

On the debt front, returned yet another call to Wescot today and they were wanting to know when I was paying the settlement I agreed to of £1000. First I heard of them accepting the offer so hopefully they'll send me the info in writing very soon and that would be a nice little debt off my list!

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all my free time once the Census job is finished (tomorrow! Woo hoo!) and I'm done with all my betting - need to think of another money spinner and I'm yet to come up with something!

Off to Turkey a week on Monday, then back for 11 days before a long weekend in London - let's hope I don't spend too much (might want to cancel that Gordon Ramsay booking!)

xx

lvm

Well, another week gone and Matched Betting has taken me to a £1660 profit. A few bets left to settle still and I could do another £200 offer but not much after that so no more effort going in there.

Just home from doing the Polling job (very long day!)...idiots have decided to tax me 40%! Excuse me but if I earned enough for 40% I would NOT be working at the polls for £175!

Just been having a wee look at all my finances and loving the fact my debts only outweigh my assets by under £1000 now compared to about £8000 less than 6 months ago. And that's not yet included rent from lodger this month or Poll Clerk money to arrive later and some dosh my Mum owes me!

Anyway, off to bed now - the 15 1/2 hour shift has killed me!

Nighty night x

lvm

Well, I'm off on my holiday to Turkey this afternoon and what better way to start it than by receiving a lovely little letter from my good friends at Wescot! Seem to be getting somewhere with them now and they've now agreed to my £1000 settlement if I pay by 13th May. But STILL no proper explanation on what their partial settlement is. So the guy on the phone has at last confirmed all other debt will be written off. So hopefully I'll have a letter confirming that when I get back from my hols - even said I'd pay today if they sent me a fax confirming this but doubt they'll go for that!

Roll on no more Halifax debt!

lvm

I arrived back from Turkey and can't believe how little I spent! I must have spent no more than about 50 Euros the entire week so sold what I came back with to my Dad.

Having received a letter from Wescot when I got back, I've decided they are not even worth bothering with any more - they're all idiots!

Another letter received from Lowell - rejecting my offer and offering me a 10% discount. I had said if they didn't agree I'd be halving my DD - so they've confirmed that too.

On a positive note, have just checked my little "Asset and Liability" tab on my spreadsheet and I officially have a Net Worth of £544.36. And that's not including a few wee things like £500 in a betting account (not for gambling with obviously!) and have a bit in Quidco too. Good thing is I get paid this week while in London so shouldn't even get back into a negative!

Woo hoo!

lvm

Well, good news and bad news!

Good news = lodger is moving out in a week's time! This is great coz he was totally doing my head in - I swear he would hug me 3 times a day and it was just sooo uncomfortable! So roll on 1st June!

Bad news = I'm now going to be £350 down every month. So back to trying to find a lodger. Definitely need to be more picky this time though. Still, hope I find someone soon! Hopefully this is a good time for students moving out of flats and looking for somewhere for the summer or for the year ahead...

lvm

Well, it looks like my credit file is starting to repair itself at last. After being declined a "bad credit" credit card a good few months ago, I got a "Priority Invitation" letter asking me to apply again - obviously there wasn't a guarantee of being accepted but I was! Confirming everything on the phone, I can't believe the sly ways they're trying to get you to take out PPI! I thought everyone would have learnt their lesson on that! I actually laughed when the guy said "Your APR will be 39.9%"...I wonder if they deliberately don't ask for direct debit details so you forget to pay the card or something! Well, at least I got a nice little £25 on Quidco for being accepted and free money is always good!

Anyway, on more good news - think I (fingers crossed) have another lodger moving in today at some point.

Have been having a wee look at buying some develeopment properties that I've seen. Hopefully off to see one or two this week. A lot of work needed but my parents seem happy enough to pay for the property in cash (they are VERY cheap) and I'd pay for all the work needed and I'd be responsible for paying back the money to them and maybe rent the property out or resell.

It's amazing thinking back to what position I was in in Nov/Dec last year and how well I'm doing with money now - thank goodness I got this sorted when I did!

lvm

Well, the development properties I went to see were utter c*?p! So back to the drawing board.

Lodger moved in on Tuesday so at least there's no big break in the money I was getting. She is soooo much nicer than last lodger - just hope she stays a bit longer.

Sent out a bunch of letters to DCAs and not much happening on that front apart from one declining offer and saying I could settle for 80% so leaving that for the time being.

Until next time...

lvm

Well, I feel totally stuck in a rut at the moment. Just nothing happening at all.

Trying to find some new ways of making some cash but there's just nothing about. Already done the lodger thing, trying to find some stuff to stick on Gumtree (put a couple of bits on already but there's absolutely no interest!).

Was looking into getting an evening or weekend job and actually got an interview for Tuesday just gone but I just panicked about it and cancelled (was a great job too!)

I need to find some miraculous way of earning an extra £300 a month - have been saving up for possibly a B2L property but mortgages can be limited unless you earn £25k. Just wish I could come up with some ingenius idea - it is only £10 a day after all!

So bored with work at the moment as well - have done no work all week and no-one even notices. Suppose some people would be jealous but it just means redundancy could be round the corner at any time!

Right, I need to cheer up and actually do something...cheerio!

girlatplay

Hi Lisa

I just stumbled across your diary today. I live quite near you.

You are doing really well. I am going to subscribe to your diary and keep an eye on you :rotfl:

Gap x