London Socialite Sees The Light

LondonGirl252

Today’s debt remaining: £6,911.45 46% paid off!

This should say 48% but it won't let me edit it!

JennyJenJen

Still reading occasionally, well done on the payrise, must be such a relief!!

About the potential redundancy - if I were you I would keep throwing it at the debt rather than saving, your worst case if you lost your job would be to move home wouldnt it? That might happen sooner than if you had kept a months rent aside but at least you wouldnt be moving back home then maybe having to ask your parents for help with debt?

Just something to think about! You would get 90 days notice of any redundancy situ anyway so you really could pull your belt in then and think about saving if you need to. At the moment its all about not getting used to the new salary and kissing those debts goodbye! Also while you still have some interest bearing debts could you reduce your payment to your parents to £100?

budgetexpat

Subscribing to your diary and wishing you well on your journey :wave:
Your progress is inspiring!

LondonGirl252

FINALLY back online! We've been without internet for a week! Tried to log on at work but the work internet has taken against the site and won't load it properly

After seeing on my online banking that the NW credit card balance was nil, I rang nationwide on Sunday and cancelled the account. The chap was lovely and within seconds it was done, what I liked was that he didn't try to persuade me at all to try and keep the account or take more credit. Well done Nationwide.

On Monday though, the DD for that credit card still went out, even though normally an overpayment overrides it. So I rang them today and they confirmed I was £25 in credit. They submitted a request for me and I should have the money back by Thursday.

I also rang the Post Office and got the bank details I needed to make an overpayment to them, I did a payment for £10 to test the details worked will keep checking for it to show up on my balance so I know they work and are safe to make a whopping £600 overpayment to it next month.

I had £200 from my Grandma's as a present to say well done for passing exams so me and my friend, M, went to Westfield at Shephards Bush on Sunday and had a lovely time shopping! I bought 3 new work outfits, a work pair of shoes, a turtleneck and a cardigan with sheepskin lining! I took the cash in my purse so didn't overspend and kept track of what I had left. I did so well, we treated ourselves to lovely lunch before heading home. It was so nice to be able to buy clothes and know I had the cash to spend and it made it so much more enjoyable! I've had loads of really nice comments this week about my outfits including a lovely compliment today from my office crush!

Speaking of crushes! Remember I told you I met a lovely, tall, handsome man at the ball a few weeks back now? Well, I received an invite for 2 to go and watch the ceremony of the keys tomorrow night through a friend. So I thought I'd drop him a text on Friday just gone to ask him out as he hadn't gotten around to asking ME out!!!
Took him till bloody Sunday night to reply but he is coming so that is exciting! I will of course update you as soon as I can! The dress code is quite strict as we have been invited to stay for drinks after so I am wearing a grey pencil skirt with pink blouse (both new) with my black heels (he is about a foot taller than me!!!)

Its a free night and the bar will be inexpensive so an MSE date too!

Work still horribly busy but coping, need a break! I have 2 days booked off next week and a few days booked off to break off for xmas early.

LondonGirl252

JennyJenJen wrote: »

Still reading occasionally, well done on the payrise, must be such a relief!!

About the potential redundancy - if I were you I would keep throwing it at the debt rather than saving, your worst case if you lost your job would be to move home wouldnt it? That might happen sooner than if you had kept a months rent aside but at least you wouldnt be moving back home then maybe having to ask your parents for help with debt?

Just something to think about! You would get 90 days notice of any redundancy situ anyway so you really could pull your belt in then and think about saving if you need to. At the moment its all about not getting used to the new salary and kissing those debts goodbye! Also while you still have some interest bearing debts could you reduce your payment to your parents to £100?

Thanks Jenny, yes HUGE relief!

You're right, it would be better to have less debt, I only saved £100 this month but will think about it for next month and maybe just keep it at £100 a month

It is weird having a new amount in my bank, I think I'm being more cautious about spending at the moment for fear of overspending knowing I have more - which can only be a good thing!

Would be better to pay Mum and Dad back at £100 but they don't know about my debts and when I told them about my pay increase I didn't feel I could keep giving them the same amount. I did play with my spreadsheet and it doesnt make too much difference so I'll keep it as it is for fear of having to aswer awkward questions!

LondonGirl252

budgetexpat wrote: »

Subscribing to your diary and wishing you well on your journey :wave:
Your progress is inspiring!

Hi :wave: thanks for following and for your nice comment

LondonGirl252

Hi gang,



Well the payment made it throught to my Post Office credit card, so thats good news, the girl on the phone said that the direct debit will still ba taken too so I shouldn't mess up my usual payment


The broadband at home still isnt working and we have yet another new box on the way but also an engineer booked in case that doesn't work and have been promised compensation


We had an email from the CEO of our company giving us the Q3 results and update on company performance. It was more positive than negavtive until he ended with the sentance "however, the business is still not performing as it should and I am aware that headcount reductions will be needed etc etc and I am working with the communications forum.... blah blah blah" so, he's re-warned us there will be redundancies but given us no idea of which parts of the business will be affected, the number of redundancies or the timeframe.


It was this time last year that the last redundancies happened and there was no email warning beforehand. The people affected were called to the board room one by one and placed on immediate gardening leave, the first anyone knew about it was when they didn't come back to their desks and then the secretary took their handbags etc down to reception. Later that day everyone was called into a meeting and told formally. So it is interesting that he has announced this but I do feel like its not exactly value adding information as he has left everyone wondering who or when this will happen. I imagine it will be quite soon or he wouldn't have announced it.


I am not sure if this is going to be part of the information I found out a few weeks ago or if its a separate task.Will post this on the redundancies forum later when I get home and see what they say although I feel its a sit tight and wait and see situation.


Last night was fun, the tour was brilliant. He told us all about the gruesome murders that have happened there and the ghosts which haunt each cottage in the grounds. Then we went into the bard for a drink and back out again for the ceremony of the keys which was interesting to watch. R and I then went for a pizza, he's a really nice guy but felt I would like him as a friend and I think he is the same as there wasn't much spark and we don't have much in common really! My friend who was also there last night commented today he wouldnt have had him down as my type and I agree, lovely night though.

Work was extremely stressful yesterday and I had to walk out of a meeting when we were given bad news regarding some work which was supposed to be taken off us and now isnt (this was agreed in April). So, we feel really let down and frustrated that our workload is set to only get worse from now and through year end until at least March. Although, if I get made redundant I wouldn't need to worry about that! Got to look on the bright side!

lionheartedgirl

Hi LG,

Long time no post, and a very belated congrats - I well remember that awful waiting for the email, I got mine in the middle of the office too and was SO relieved! They were thrilled for me, and very understanding while I went off and rang everyone I knew! It was tricky as another girl in the office was waiting for her hubby's results and he didn't pass. But she was still lovely and pleased for me too.

You've worked SOOOOO hard! Sorry to hear about the dramas re the job - it's one of the worst bits about this line of work, often you are privy to things way before anyone else and there is nothing you can do about it. I've been in situations where people have spoken up about what they've known and it has made things a million, trillion times worse no guarantee that your boss doesn't already know and is having to sit on things too.

I'm in favour of keeping some savings - I know the MSE argument, but as a single girl it's very reassuring to know you have a little ready cash should things take a turn for the worst. Call it running away money, or whatever you like, but I think it would do no harm to have the deposit for a new place and a month's rent stashed somewhere, should things change unexpectedly.

Loving hearing about the horses and the date situation - so glad you were so courageous although it didn't go anywhere, at least you aren't wondering what if :T

Enjoy those new letters after your name! X

LondonGirl252

Hey LHG,


Thanks so much! Yes you are totally right, after speaking to her on Friday she has pretty much guessed it right so I dont feel so bad for knowing now and we're on pretty much the same page.


We had a meeting this am with the guy we used to report to and we asked him about how it all works and how they work out the pay out. He told us that over the next 2 weeks all the people will be identified, they will then be told and you get two options - to take statutory redundancy and appeal their decision or to take their offer. He is not sure what the offer is this year but last year you were paid to stay at home (gardening leave) for your notice period (1 month for me) and then on top you were offered 4 weeks pay for every year (2 years for me) you had worked there and this is all tax free up to £30k.


If it was similar to that this year it would be enough to keep me in London for a fair few months and if I found a job quick enough I might even end up with a nice sum to put towards debt so not feeling as worried about it as I was. Plus I'd redeem all my shareschemes and they're worth quite a lot now


By next payday it will be done so I haven't really had time to put any money aside for it anyway so would need to plan my money depending on what they offered me.


This weekend turned out to be more expensive than planned (my own fault through too much drink) so I've meal planned the next couple of weeks to keep costs down and will change a couple of meals out into dinner at my place

3 day week at work for me, I have annual leave booked for Thursday and Friday - cant wait!

allybee101

Sorry to hear that things are up in the air for you at the moment. Having your new qualies will help your CV if you do have to move on though. Would they deduct anything from a potential redundancy pay to cover CIMA fees? On the other hand, having invested so much in you they might be more likely to hold onto you!
And at least you've cleared oodles of debt so you're not facing a double mountain of work stress and massive debts.
Fingers crossed for good news and hurray for 3 day weeks!