Nearly there!

January20

For me it's a mixture of things:
I bought my flat in 2000, and I did put some of the home redecoration on the cards (I had up to 3 at one time), but I also had a crappy job, where I had to claim for all my hours, and sometimes they would just "forget" to pay me. My invoice would be put to the bottom of the tray and it stayed there! The hours were also unreliable. Consequently, I incurred lots of charges from the bank and it became a vicious circle: I wouldn't get paid, so incurred charges, then I would get paid and the charges would end up eating up my wages and so on.... I don't work there anymore but to this day, I still do not believe I will be paid until the money is actually in my account!

On top of that, I was really rubbish with money. I really had not idea what was coming out of my account and when (not helped by what was then Abbey National charges). Then, the management company of your block decided to do something about the leaking roof. That was another large bill.

When you're on the way down, it doesn't take much to sink you!

It took me 6 years to get to £12+ K and it's taken me nearly as long to clear it!

I think I will go for the staggered payments!

January20

Paid an extra £50 today - That's £300 this month and a total of 656.53 since the beginning of the year.
I played with my excel sheet a bit today and saw that if I pay only £200 per month (minimum I set myself), I'll only be debt free by September. NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!! (I can shout - it's my diary ) Great incentive.

I'm hoping I'll get all my extra hours with my next salary and maybe pay a BIG chunk off! Fingers crossed
Balance now stands at £1129.56

GreenSaints

Can't wait to see your balance under £1000

Don't push yourself too much though

January20

Well, Darling Daughter has moved the goal posts again today by saying that she might not be going to university in September. She is on a gap year, after she felt completely burnt out last year and, I think, panicked, at the idea of being more than 6 hours and 3 trains away from home. She has a serious boyfriend and is now saying that she might stay, carry on working and move in with him, maybe as soon as in a couple of months. She might take another year out and then re-apply to university nearer home.

Didn't I tell her to accept her offer from Edinburgh? Didn't I? Never mind! She knows I will support her whatever she does and as long as she is happy, and not wasting her time, I have to accept her choices.

What does this mean for me? Well, as much as I love her (and her boyfriend) living here, it will be nice to get my flat back to myself, to not have to make sure that the boiler is switched off and not left to run 24/7, to know that all appliances are switched off and not left plugged in and on standby, etc and honestly it is too small for 3 of us here!

But, we'll see: the goal posts could be changed again soon!

Nothing new on the CC clearance exercise. It is half term and I am trying to get on with the things I couldn't do during the term: a lot of fun cooking, as well a painting the kitchen, and finally getting on with my latest patchwork project: a large quilt for my dd.

GreenSaints

Ooo, your own space again! Whenever I go to my mums, she always says "When are you leaving?"

January20

GreenSaints wrote: »

Ooo, your own space again! Whenever I go to my mums, she always says "When are you leaving?"

Aww! Poor you! I will miss my dd if and when she goes, and I'll got an visit and get her to make me cups of coffee and bake me biscuits!

I'm a little unsettled by the uncertainty of it all to be honest. She has talked of moving out before but instead her boyfriend practically moved in lol! Ah well, we'll see!

Spent some money this week: bought paint and varnish for the kitchen. Aren't diy shops expensive these days?!!

January20

One of my aims was to be under 1k before the end of this month, so I bit the bullet today. My dd paid me some money she has borrowed last week and I thought that if she could pay me back on her low wage, leaving herself with very little spending money, then I could well make an effort as well and pay off the extra £150 which would mean that a. I had paid £500 this month and b. my balance would be under 1k.

£979.56

GreenSaints

Yay!

Congratulations

January20

Thank you GreenSaints!

How are you doing? I was reading about your problems and was feeling quite angry on your behalf!

GreenSaints

How do you feel being in the 3 digit debt bracket?

I'm ok thanks. I've calmed down from Halifax-gate. I got my compensation from them straight away, so transferred that to my Barclaycard, so it's under £300

I sold some really big things on eBay too, but haven't been paid yet. Why do people bid and then now pay?! :mad: