I dont know what to do...

halloweenqueen_2

Ditch the catalogue, its much better value to shop on the high street. Welcome to the boards and good luck!

hilstep2000

Hi Rachel,
Well done for realising it's getting too much!
Now, I was thinking how to help you. How about changing that mobile phone to a PAYG? If you have to keep topping it up, you'll realise how much it's costing you! Or else, try T-Mobile's Flex account. I got mine on their website. Im on £35 a month, but I actually pay £26 as I got a deal. For that I get a credit of £180 a month to use how I like. I'm thinking of going back to PAYG tho, as I only seem to use £20 a month!:rotfl:
I agree with the gym. Give it up when he contact expires. Jog or do exercise at home. I've just started Pilates with a video bought in my charity shop for 25p!
That Dorothy Perkins card is a mssive 39%! Change it to one of the credit cards. Ring your card people up MBNA are quite good at giving you a deal if you tell them you need to transfer balances.
I know you drive to work, but how about a scooter? Cheaper on tax, petrol and parking!
Anyway, maybe these ideas can help, maybe not, but good luck anyway!:T

krayzechick

all_hours wrote:

What are the credit limits on your cards? What's the interest on the overdraft?

With the new salary £1000 and £35 for mobile - I work out that you have

income £1000
outgoings £891.35
balance 108.65

Enough to pay off the capital one in four months. When it's clear you can either cancel the card or leave it empty for a month and then ask for a transfer deal.

Adding the surplus and the current cap one payment to lloyds -
108+40+75 = £223
18 months you'd have the lloyds card paid off - less if you can get it transfered onto low interest or 0%.

I agree with the comments about the catalogue. It's interest free because the interest is really included in the cost. Shop around on internet for the same products.

Cards are at their maximum

My mobile will be £55 for the next 6 months as I plan to run the 2 contracts (although speaking to my brother last night he might 'buy' the one contract off me!)

I dont see how you worked out Ill have paid off my Lloyds credit card in 18 months?? I could if it was on 0%, but its not! Its something like 20% a month ...Also that would leave me with £0 for the month to spend on anything else that comes up. I didnt put it in my SOA, but I'd obviously need SOME money to play with, even for things like buying a sarnie at lunch! Or if I need extra petrol, or for personal items. Even if its just £40

I also dont know if thats the new monthly wage ill be getting, its just what Ive guessed at. A friend earns a little less than my new wage and earns £998 a month.

all_hours

krayzechick

I don't think £23 a month is a lot for the gym and doubles as a night out - it's only £5 or £6 a week.

When the car loan payments finish in August you'll have £370 a month to throw at the debt. You'll be rid of the card debt even sooner.

all_hours

krayzechick wrote:

Cards are at their maximum

My mobile will be £55 for the next 6 months as I plan to run the 2 contracts (although speaking to my brother last night he might 'buy' the one contract off me!)

I dont see how you worked out Ill have paid off my Lloyds credit card in 18 months?? I could if it was on 0%, but its not! Its something like 20% a month ...Also that would leave me with £0 for the month to spend on anything else that comes up. I didnt put it in my SOA, but I'd obviously need SOME money to play with, even for things like buying a sarnie at lunch! Or if I need extra petrol, or for personal items. Even if its just £40

I also dont know if thats the new monthly wage ill be getting, its just what Ive guessed at. A friend earns a little less than my new wage and earns £998 a month.

Hi,

You don't need 2 mobile contracts. That is a total waste of money. Stick to the one you have and make sure it's the most cost effective until the contract expires. Could you and your bf communicate by email or msn rather than text.

The lloyds interest is 15-17% APR. I meant 18 months after you've paid off the cap 1. But with the £150 from the car payment it brings it down to 15 months.

I didn't include the £50 from your boyfriend so that could be your pocket money.

You should budget for lunches and toiletries as well. You need a realistic and accurate budget that you can stick to.

krayzechick

hilstep2000 wrote:

Hi Rachel,
Well done for realising it's getting too much!
Now, I was thinking how to help you. How about changing that mobile phone to a PAYG? If you have to keep topping it up, you'll realise how much it's costing you! Or else, try T-Mobile's Flex account. I got mine on their website. Im on £35 a month, but I actually pay £26 as I got a deal. For that I get a credit of £180 a month to use how I like. I'm thinking of going back to PAYG tho, as I only seem to use £20 a month!:rotfl:
I agree with the gym. Give it up when he contact expires. Jog or do exercise at home. I've just started Pilates with a video bought in my charity shop for 25p!
That Dorothy Perkins card is a mssive 39%! Change it to one of the credit cards. Ring your card people up MBNA are quite good at giving you a deal if you tell them you need to transfer balances.
I know you drive to work, but how about a scooter? Cheaper on tax, petrol and parking!
Anyway, maybe these ideas can help, maybe not, but good luck anyway!:T

I dont get a signal in my house on t-mobile (a few of my friends are on the network and always complain!) Only 02, Orange and Vodafone work

I dont have an MBNA card to transfer to. I have a loan with them.

I travel to work on the motorway so a scooter isnt really an option! Going on main roads would take me longer and use more petrol (plus it includes 2 dual carriage ways!) ...and Ive only (8 months ago) passed my driving test after 2 years of trying!! I'd have to take my scooter licence which would cost me money

I had about 10 work out DVDs of various kinds but sold them all recently, I never got into them. They all involve co-ordination or balance which I dont have




I feel like every suggestion I'm getting from people i'm blowing away I dont mean to!!






In other news though I have paid off the remaining balance on my catalogue and when I can get through to customer services I will close the account!! :j 1 down, 5 to go! I think my problem at the moment is that Im only looking at things month by month. I think in September things will be so much better. No capital one credit card, no catalogues or DP account (going to clear it and close it! Found out my mum also has one she never uses so if I want the discount I can use that and pay it off straight away. With it not being my card Im not going to be tempted! But I still have the option to get discount.)

lynzpower

helping_hubby wrote:

Do you work every day? Either I'm driving in a really uneconomical way, or you have a very economical car, or you dont work 5 days a week..?

I travel 50 miles to work round trip, 5 days a week and then probably another 60 miles every other weekend visiting parents. My petrol costs me about £120 a month. What am I doing wrong?!

I'm in agreement with what other people have said about the gym. If you want to lose weight then there are other ways. I tried to lose weight for my wedding (and did so successfully)...I have very little motivation and didn't want to spend £30 a month on the gym. I bought a trampette for £15 (these are great fun, you can jog or jump on them while watching telly). And I also got myself a pedometer...these can be bought for as little as £6 and I found it gave me the motivation to take the stairs, or walk into town instead of taking the car, just so I could get more steps on my pedometer!
Hope that helps.

Or you can save yourself a few quid and get them free - here
http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/all-bran/pedometer/

xela_17

krayzechick wrote:

In other news though I have paid off the remaining balance on my catalogue and when I can get through to customer services I will close the account!! :j 1 down, 5 to go! I think my problem at the moment is that Im only looking at things month by month. I think in September things will be so much better. No capital one credit card, no catalogues or DP account (going to clear it and close it! Found out my mum also has one she never uses so if I want the discount I can use that and pay it off straight away. With it not being my card Im not going to be tempted! But I still have the option to get discount.)

This is a really good start. Well done.

If you're set on getting an additional contract then first have a look at online sites such as e2save where you can find contracts such as 99p for 7 months or half price for a year etc. These generally work on cashback deals where you pay the bill and then reclaim the money. May not be for you if you don't think you're organised enough to claim but worth a look. I have a phone through e2save and it's worked out a lot cheaper for me.

Re the credit cards, it seems you can't get more credit to transfer to (and no, I don't really see a way round this) but have you tried ringing your existing credit cards and just asking for a lower interest rate? Some on here have done this successfully in the past.

krayzechick

I just looked on my internet banking to see what payments have gone out etc and it shows an excess overdraft charge of £30!!? I went over my limit by £3 in Dec (cheque cashed 1 day before the end of the month ) so they charged me on 2nd January, but I havent been over since then! In fact last month I still had £20 left....

Do I ring them and dispute it or do i have to go through the whole letter writing process??

krayzechick

lynzpower wrote:

Or you can save yourself a few quid and get them free - here
http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/all-bran/pedometer/

I had one of those before... used it to walk round London once. I climbed a staircase which informs you it has 87 steps (we counted too though), got to the top and i'd apparently only done 3!!?? heheh :rolleyes: