301k in debt and morbidly obese - things aren't great!

MrBloater

One of the constants in this journey has been that Monday is a rest day from running, and as I sit here shivering sweating and spluttering that sounds like a darn fine constant to maintain. Weight is at 22.11 and BMI is 38.85 - which I can live with for now. With both our paydays falling this week this is gonna be the time to start putting the snowball into action, the card with the 31% interest rate is going to be pounded down into submission and hopefully nothingness. And will then be placed in a drawer only to be used in an emergency. Not sure whether with the amount of loans and cards we have it's even worth applying for one of these 0% transfer ones - and we've yet to find one we can transfer almost 50k to!

chevalier

MrBloater wrote: »

One of the constants in this journey has been that Monday is a rest day from running, and as I sit here shivering sweating and spluttering that sounds like a darn fine constant to maintain. Sounds sensible to me


Weight is at 22.11 and BMI is 38.85 - which I can live with for now.
:T:T:TNice one. Well done on both of you for losing weight. And I am sure if you keep up the AFD's and the running you will be losing more soon.
With both our paydays falling this week this is gonna be the time to start putting the snowball into action, the card with the 31% interest rate is going to be pounded down into submission and hopefully nothingness. And will then be placed in a drawer only to be used in an emergency. Do you have any slack on another card that can be used for emergencies? The only reason I ask is if you do manage to clear a card, AND close it, it will improve your credit score as you have less available credit. Or you could clear it and then ask if they have any 0% deal. Unlikely but you never know.

Not sure whether with the amount of loans and cards we have it's even worth applying for one of these 0% transfer ones - and we've yet to find one we can transfer almost 50k to!

If you sign up to quidco, and then via them sign up to Experien you can look at your credit file free for a month (just don't forget to cancel before the month is up). Might help make the decision about applying for another card.

Hope the cold goes sooon
chev

Hopelessly_Hopeful

MrBloater wrote: »

Gardening and Shed Tetris proved a bit beyond the limits of the underpar Bloater. I've developed a real mental block about the record collection, maybe cos the main box of albums is right in the back corner of the shed under a pile of other boxes and will take a complete shed re-engineering to retrieve. The other thing bugging me is the postage - I'm going to have to spend money upfront to buy the packaging to post the records and deal with post office staff. I know it's worth it for the potential goldmine I could be sitting on but at the moment it just seems a step too far, Hopefully with Christmas approaching I'll be able to see the wood for the trees. Mrs B is worried that I'm selling stuff I will regret later on, but it's just music, the format is irrelevant I'm not precious about these things - just thankful that when I was a teenager growing up in Brighton I had the foresight to be into bands who sold very few records but years later were acclaimed as being very influential - hence the stupid prices that some of the discs are going for. Back in those days a potential cold would be averted by a bottle of Scotch and 40 Marlboro - vitamins and zinc is somewhat less fun but does lessen the chance of arrest (both cardiac and legal). Got to really ramp up the moneysaving next week it's kinda been overshadowed by the fatloss. Mrs B has also done brilliantly and has lost half a stone in the time I've been doing this diary.

Well done to both of you in Team Bloater.

I know you are going to putting the spotlight on the money situation....... have you calculated when your DFD will be? One of the reasons I say this is that I significantly tightened my belt for a good 18th months prior to starting on the DMP. Alas it was to no avail. I thought good salary so should make an impact eventually especially as I was almost living on air. The interest just went up not down so after 18 months hardship I was more in debt than when I started. Thanks to the aid of the spreadsheets and calculating my DFD I finally had my lightbulb moment and eventually accepted what I needed to do if ever I was going to escape the debt trap. For me a DMP was the most palatable solution. Things are still be tough but now I know there is definately a light at the end of the tunnel. Just wish I'd looked ahead and seen it years before. C'est le vie, guess lots on here would say that too. Good luck with whatever strategy you decide to take.

HHx

Karmacat

Hope you feel better soon, MrB. Chev has some really good points there about what to do in relation to cards and quidco - I'd follow that to the letter if I were you.

On ebay and amazon (does your stuff have isbn numbers on? You can sell it on amazon if it does). Amazon don't charge fees upfront ever, so if you don't sell, you don't pay anything, which is very attractive.

As far as the packaging is concerned - be ingenious! Recycle it! Start saving cardboard - are there supermarkets round you that still have a stash of used cardboard boxes? Make your own packaging - score down the middle of a big bit to create an envelope - or look on freecycle for ex-ebay sellers giving away their packaging. In the 3 years I was a seller on ebay and amazon, I only bought one set of 5 envelopes, honestly - the rest was recycled or gifted to me.

Igamogam

Karmacat wrote: »

Hope you feel better soon, MrB. Chev has some really good points there about what to do in relation to cards and quidco - I'd follow that to the letter if I were you.

On ebay and amazon (does your stuff have isbn numbers on? You can sell it on amazon if it does). Amazon don't charge fees upfront ever, so if you don't sell, you don't pay anything, which is very attractive.

As far as the packaging is concerned - be ingenious! Recycle it! Start saving cardboard - are there supermarkets round you that still have a stash of used cardboard boxes? Make your own packaging - score down the middle of a big bit to create an envelope - or look on freecycle for ex-ebay sellers giving away their packaging. In the 3 years I was a seller on ebay and amazon, I only bought one set of 5 envelopes, honestly - the rest was recycled or gifted to me.

I only use recycled stuff - with a couple of exceptions maybe in 5 years on Eb*y. The secretary at work saves all the A4 envelopes padded envelopes and bubble wrap etc. I just make it clear on my listings that I recycle the packaging and I have never had any complaints:)

Willow92

I always recycle packaging but we do buy rolls of brown paper if we've run out of packets.

miggy

I recycle packaging too - and make a point of it on my listings:

'I try to recycle packaging where possible'.

It makes a virtue out of a necessity
Hope you feel better soon - sometimes the best thing is a rest .

Sally_A

Willow92 wrote: »

I always recycle packaging but we do buy rolls of brown paper if we've run out of packets.

Try cheap wallpaper (lining paper), much cheaper than special brown parcel paper.

lucielle

Re use the bags from primarni.
L

MrBloater

Am too doped up on all the flu remedies lurking in the back of the cupboard to report much in world of Bloater today - am however loving the idea of recycled packaging but would it cut the mustard for sending albums. It's going to have be very sturdy cos the last thing I want is hundreds of returns due to broken vinyl?

NSD and AFD for me and Mrs B.

Not much chance of a run tomorrow at this rate. Grrr.