Lisa's Debt Diary - The Beginning!

lvm

chevalier wrote: »

Nice to see the debts coming down. But from the point of the credit file, wouldn't it be smarter to put the savings to the debt, and have then being shown as settled?
chev

To be honest, I have settlement figures for the debts but couldn't get anything acceptable in writing from them. They'll all be off my credit file in less than 3 years now and seen as it's not accruing interest and I don't need any credit before then there's not much point.

Might try settling again in the future but just now my savings are tied up in projects where I'll get a good return so the cash is better off elseswhere.

lvm

Payday at last and it's been a fun day paying bills and transferring savings and suchlike (really, it was fun - I'm not being sarcastic - I'm just that sad!)

My big savings account is increasing nicely and so is my extra wee savings account. Managed to transfer £173.10 of eBay sales and £20.90 of betting winnings to it so now up to £655.46. Not bad seen as my original target was only £1k. Stretched to £2k now so a bit more challenging. It's so tempting to use the cash to sit my CBT and get a moped as I've wanted one for ages - only problem is I live in a flat and there's nowhere that's really secure to keep it :-( Maybe just have to wait until I've bought my nice big house :-)

Logged into my Quidco account for a wee check and seems like loads of stuff is now confirmed. I was only meant to be getting £53.99 paid out on the 1st but now I'm getting £118.57. So that's a nice wee bonus!

My nPower supply will be up and running from 2nd Sept which means I can give my meter readings on Sunday and hopefully get my £130ish back from Scottish Power soon and that will be going straight into the savings as well.

I've been writing this update for like the past 2 hours and keep getting interrupted by ChaCha - I signed up last week to the text question and answer service and can't go a minute without the annoying buzzing noise going! At 7p per text it's not going to make me rich but at least I'm getting some extra pennies!

lvm

Well, good news! I have finally sold my sister's car!! Turns out that she cancelled her insurance the day she left so I needed a very quick sale to avoid being fined. These damn new laws!! Well, still managed £100 profit so not at all bothered!

Have sorted some more savings accounts out so my official holiday account has gone from £655.46 on 26th Aug to £986.75 today. Still waiting on a couple of things to be paid (£78 for a mystery shop I did 2 months ago and Scottish Power refund which I would guess would be nearer £160 now). Started a "Car Tax/MOT/Insurance" account and I've got a target of £1000 by next August and also a Christmas present account with a £500 target by next year (already got pricey xmas gifts for my parents this year and don't buy too many people gifts anyway so I'll be fine with the CC!).

Talking about the CC...my spending is getting a bit higher than I'd like it to which is a bit scary! Think I need to find a couple of bets to do to increase my current account fund a bit. Usually all my betting goes into savings but I think I need an extra little buffer...especially seen as next payday it looks like I'll have more money coming out than going in (to be fair that incudes my £600 transfer to savings but I'm viewing that as essential at the minute!)

The lodger officially moved in and he's great - already made me my dinner :-)

So...I was looking for holidays for single people last night (all my friends either aren't interested in the holidays I want to go on or their jobs aren't as flexible as mine or they're tied down with kids etc) and I came across this site called Exodus. They have adventure holidays where you can book as a single and everything is totally planned out for you. The holiday I have my eye on is a 31 day "Indian Grand Tour". Prices are from £2749 including flights, accommodation and transfers etc which in all honesty I think is quite reasonable. Reckon I'd need to be increasing my holiday target to £5k but would be happy waiting til 2013 to do this - just wish I could find someone I could meet up with beforehand and get to know that would want to go with me!

Anyway...that's enough from me today! Off find something to do before back to work tomorrow :-(

lvm

So, I got my £78.10 MS money in this morning so split that between my holiday and my car savings account so I have a nice £1000 in one account and £64.85 in the other.

I've been hinting to the parents that it's coming up to Crimbo and their traditional present for me of car insurance is due on 23rd December. My last insurance was £547 so thought I'd start getting quotes now. Quite pleased to see the cheapest coming in at £406. Will probably go for a slightly more expensive one but quite pleased with that price. If only Elephant would do the decent thing and renew me at a good price that would help. Suppose I may be able to get a little cashback along the way though!

Only around 2 months until my little London weekend and reckon it'll be a fairly expensive one. I've already got £500 cash for 5 days (hoping to stick to £300 for food/drink) and have another £383 coming my way soon as I paid for the trip in full.

I've stupidly offered to make my lodger dinner tonight...good thing is he has promised to say it's amazing even if it's not so that's good!

Better get preparing already! See ya laters!

lvm

So, I decided that I didn't really want to keep a full £500 in my Betfair account so have reduced it to £100 and split the rest between my savings accounts.

So that brings my Holiday account up to £1200, Car account to £189.57 and Crimbo 2012 to £53.80. Not bad at all.

My Vanquis credit card statement is due today and this should be the one where they tell me my limit increase - I'm hoping for a big one even though I won't use it.

This whole gas/elec switch is annoying me now - it's taken sooo long and nothing seems to be getting done quickly. Got to pay for 2 lots of gas this month as, although npower have given details to Scottish Power, they haven't finalised the account yet. Totally daft as they're going to owe me nearly £200!

Got about £150-£200 in expenses to be claiming for work over the past 6 weeks or so. Used to be higher but not done much travelling. Got a big journey on Monday so waiting til then so can do it all at once - that'll be a nice wee sum for saving (or spending in London if I decide to be daft with it!)

Anyway...jobs for today:

* Try not do much work (seen as it's 9.10 and I'm still in bed, that's going well so far)
* Couple of bets to do just can't find a good one

Laters! x

lvm

So, not much happening over the last few days. Got my Vanquis statement online but no sign of an increase...maybe I'll get a letter or something.

A few good bets have been coming through so around £100 profit after today's matches have finished and still maybe another £40 to do over next few days.

Emailed Scottish Power about my gas/elec. Both have been confirmed now so I'm offially being charged £33 a month from 1st Oct. Scottish Power saying that they haven't yet "agreed" to the meter reading and they'll keep billing me until they have. It's absolutely ridiculous. And even though I'm currently £175 in credit with them, they've said "if" I have anything in the account, they'll write me a cheque in 4-6 weeks. Idiots!

I've decided that I'm in control with every bit of expense at the moment except food - I seem to go shopping every other day and always buy something a bit pricey (Gu desserts...yummy!) so I'm going to cut right back and try and live on Asda price/Sainsburys basic stuff and fresh vegetables...even just until the New Year! Quite looking forward to it and I'm going for a £50 a month budget I think. I have pasta to last me at least a month so will just need to top up with some butter or bacon, onion and mushrooms or something like that. Should be easy enough to do (fingers crossed). That would at least allow me to take another £50 or £100 out for London in less than 8 weeks time! Have decided I shouldn't need any more money for it. Got £300 for food for the 5 days (might top up to £400 though), another £200 spending dosh just now then I'll get another £383 from the friend who I'm going with (plus another £50 if I buy the travel cards and Heathrow Express tickets - trying to get a good offer on them). So definitely not wanting to spend more than this - actually would like to come back with around £200 if possible (although I might try and buy a few pressies while I'm down there!)

Anyway...off to check up on some bets - Man U just scored (Woo hoo) then a wee drive to Asda to see what veggies are going to be easy to cook myself!

Ta ta for now! x

Scottish_Power

Hi lvm,

If you are still having problems with your ScottishPower account e-mail me your details and I will see if I can speed things up for you.

My e-mail address is [EMAIL="onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com"]onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL]

Kind Regards

Graeme @ ScottishPower

lvm

I have officially settled my largest debt! :j:j:j

Got a random email from Equidebt who I had a current balance of £2619.04 with - they were saying they would now accept £750 to settle the account. Obviously I've had sooo many problems trying to settle accounts in the past, I didn't think they'd be any help but they emailed me a proper letter as soon as I asked and I phoned back within an hour to pay. Did try my luck and said I could only pay £600 but they were having none of it. 28% to settle is rather amazing though so I am so chuffed! :j:j:j

Debt officially down to £4214.75 and savings up to £10765.26.

As my new largest debt is way higher than the rest (£2336.65 with Halifax)...the next one is only just over £500, I think I might try going through Halifax's complaints procedure to attempt a settlement. Will wait until I get the official Equidebt letter confirming settlement first though and use that to persuade them to settle and give me a decent letter!

I am feeling so ill today but this has just totally cheered me up

girlatplay

Great news on the Equidebt front :T

Sorry to hear you are feeling ill Hope you are better soon

lvm

girlatplay wrote: »

Great news on the Equidebt front :T

Sorry to hear you are feeling ill Hope you are better soon

Thanks GAP!

Feeling a wee bit better today although staying in bed today.

x