1 Step Closer Diary

Skint_Catt

Just came across your post!

Well done for not smoking - or killing anyone!

Glad you're Dad's ok. My uncles having chemo at the mo after his op. Not sure what the prognosis is though

Keep at it!

Catt xx

GirlRacer_2

I don't really know what I'm saving for. I keep ploughing all my money into my NS&I account. Currently rely heavily on my CSA payments of ex-hubby and even though he pays me without fail (he's afraid not to), I'd like to have some money spare in case he finds himself in a position where he can't pay me. I save for Christmas separately, was caught up in the Farepk scam last year and lost £400 so decided to save with my mum this year.

I may open the tin around christmas time and see how much I've saved and pay it off a debt. I'm really sorry I didn't sign up for the Olympic challenge. Am definitely going to try and set myself some money goals this year.

I'm rambling now, sorry....... Debt really is a bummer!!!

1_step_closer

Hi Catt

It was the scare of my dad made me stop. Everyone said I was mad/wrong time to do it/far too stressful but if I hadn't done it then, I never would. Hope your uncle does ok.

Girlracer why not look after 6 months and pay off a debt, then the next 6 months could be Christmas? I have only ever done the hamper thing once and was so limited with the vouchers where I could shop, I never did it again. I don't buy tons of sweets etc for Christmas (eat everyone elses! lol) and we aren't big drinkers.

Never worry about rambling either.....

1_step_closer

Evening all!

Spending today:

£15 electric. I get paid towards the end of the week and didn't want to risk running out. Will chuck in £70 then.

£2.49 BOGOF on bubble bath and 99p on disposable razors. Hubby has run out of refills on his posh one and always seems to know when I have used his to shave my legs.............ahem!:o

No spend tomorrow or Wed (already got Valentine's pressie)!! Dunno about Thursday yet.

2 things I did buy yesterday - Paul McKenna's slim book and stop smoking book. From Asda so cheaper than normal. I have read most of the slimming one and it is helping. I am so worried about putting on even more weight now that I have stopped smoking and am "grossly obese" that I needed help of a different type than WW, Slimming World, Calorie Counting as I get obssessed and then end up eating and feeling guilty. Very early days yet.
Why the smoking book? Because I needed to start cutting down on the lozenges..................even though they reduce the nicotine they do have side affects and I would dearly love to visit the loo without putting up a bio hazard warning, and have a decent night's sleep with no nightmares! I have put on 6 pounds since quitting (15 days now) which doesn't sound much but when you have PCOS it is doubly hard to shift.

Off this week so took the mutts for a 2.5 hour walk which they loved. Are all snoring away now!

Not much else to say so tatta for now..........

1_step_closer

Me again.

I posted a different post earlier saying how low I felt..............feeling better now thankfully.

I have been pondering away on things, thinking shall I set up another bank account? Should I try and reduce my OD first before everything else? Will I ever understand how my loan is reducing? My LBM in July 06 was £46K now the balance is lower than I thought it would be................always good but what happened?

So here is the plan..........I think..........

Get all figures and APRs. Of everything.
See what I can move to lower interest rates.
Cancel cards I haven't used for a long time to help my credit rating.
Workout with snowball which to pay off first with extra payments.
Religiously stick to a budget and leave switch card and purse at home except for £1 bonus ball at work on a Wednesday.

Change my signature! I think trying to pay off 60% of my cc debts was unrealistic for this year so I think it would be better to tackle one thing at a time, which was very kindly suggested to me earlier today.

My DFD is 2013 according to snowball (and my loan agreements) which really demoralised me earlier as I see some people seem to clear £1000s in a matter of months and I am still plodding away.

Anyway I do feel better now. I have also been using my slow cooker (wonderful invention) and also following Paul McKenna's thin book - and I have to say it does seem to be working! I am not going to weigh myself but lets say that I put on 6 pounds after stopping smoking..........17 days now woohoo!

Anyway take care all, and have a great Thursday.

XXX

coxj2901

Hi There,

I just wanted to say well done on tackling your debts. You seem very focused and I'm sure with that type of determination you will bring down you dfd in no time at all.

Well done on the no smoking aswell :T I'm currently on day 12 so I know how hard it is.

Rgds, John

1_step_closer

Hi John

I have just read your diary and am full of admiration for you and your family! Well done! Your wife sounds amazing to be behind you with all this.

I am still non smoking, using lozenges which help a lot. As I rolled my own I only really spent about £2.50 per 20 (including the odd packet when I was too lazy to roll any!) and have not spent £33.01, not smoked 264 ciggies and saved 22 hours of my life, according to silkquit.

The money saved is being swallowed up by my OD and the stress spending when dad was seriously ill in hospital.

Actually one of your questions in your diary was the same as one of mine - which figure to take for the loan? So I am pleased about that.

Thanks for your inspiration!

1_step_closer

OK so having spent a lot of time and 2 cups of coffee here are the figures:

Loan LBM July 2006 Bal @ 15th Feb 07
EGG 6.9 APR £16135.06 £8545.56 Got rid of PPI
BANK 6.9APR £17479.58 £13941.88
CAR 6 APR ? £4893 £5088 Changed car hence higher figure
HFC DVD requested APR £587.04 £279
Plat 26.4 APR £1173 £1173 Had to redo this
Mint 3.9 APR £5943 £5860.03
OD 18.9APR £400
£46,210.68 £35,287.47
Paid off £10923.21 23.64%

Hope you can all read this ok................

chevalier

Well done you have paid off nearly a quarter of your debt in 7 months. WOW:j Also this means that you have paid off over £1000 a months since your lightbulb moment. How cool is that!
chev:T

1_step_closer

It sounds good but is a bit misleading. 2 of the loans I took out early last year (so some was paid by LBM) and with egg cancelled the PPI late last year, so that knocked a bit off. I pay just over £600 a month on my debts. Gosh that sounds harsh.....

Anyway it is still a good figure! so thank you!

Just spent the afternoon on Pigsback - £2.10 earned and revisited Quidco - got £21 coming. I'd forgotten all about that!

Woohoo!

I am also going to try and keep to £30 a week shopping. Gulp!