Alleycat's secret diary

Alleycat

ScarlettOHara wrote: »

Go take them right now, we're waiting :whistle:

You might be able to do some sort of online jiggery pokery with student loans. Its not the best site in the world but has some basic info on there that might help. Registering isnt too tortuous from memory.

Taken them now. I read your first line and skulked off to the kitchen. Oh, I'll get him to do it next Tuesday as assume they won't be open until then now. I'm just a seriously impatient sod!

ScarlettOHara_2

Yay, nagging over!

I know what you mean about being impatient lol. If you can find the statements and wage slips you might not be too far off - i was out by a couple of hundred quid on a £3k balance when I guessed the balance vs what they told me - possibly closer if you try and work out the interest rather than make something up

Alleycat

ScarlettOHara wrote: »

Yay, nagging over!

I know what you mean about being impatient lol. If you can find the statements and wage slips you might not be too far off - i was out by a couple of hundred quid on a £3k balance when I guessed the balance vs what they told me - possibly closer if you try and work out the interest rather than make something up

Found some of the paperwork the other day but no clues unfortunately as the all important statement was missing :mad: It's kind of difficult getting the paperwork out though with an insane toddler in the house and I'm sooooo lazy in the evenings. Plus we have the inlaws descending tomorrow until I go back to work.

Just trying to decide now whether to clear the small Nationwide Loan (early repayment of £550) or pay it off the £10k loan which does have a higher interest rate. Would strategically make sense to pay the higher rate one, but the incentivisation of paying the other one off completely gets me confused. Hmm, what to do.....

ScarlettOHara_2

Alleycat wrote: »

Found some of the paperwork the other day but no clues unfortunately as the all important statement was missing :mad: It's kind of difficult getting the paperwork out though with an insane toddler in the house and I'm sooooo lazy in the evenings. Plus we have the inlaws descending tomorrow until I go back to work.

Just trying to decide now whether to clear the small Nationwide Loan (early repayment of £550) or pay it off the £10k loan which does have a higher interest rate. Would strategically make sense to pay the higher rate one, but the incentivisation of paying the other one off completely gets me confused. Hmm, what to do.....

If clearing the Nationwide will make you happier and give you a spurt to tackle the big loan then go for that. The extra energy might compensate and more for the extra interest you will pay. If not pay the biggie :think:

£550 is a huge amount - well done :j

Alleycat

ScarlettOHara wrote: »

If clearing the Nationwide will make you happier and give you a spurt to tackle the big loan then go for that. The extra energy might compensate and more for the extra interest you will pay. If not pay the biggie :think:

£550 is a huge amount - well done :j

My lovely mum gave me a cheque for £1000!!! She's drip feeding us our grandma's inheritance and knew how bad things had been for us recently moneywise. She'll give the same amount to my sisters too so it's fair. I've got some of the rest earmarked to pay my tax that I finally sorted out and will hopefully leave a little bit to keep in reserve.

Still umming and ahhing re which one to pay off. Well the cheque hasn't cleared yet so got a few days to think about it.

Muffin86

Hi Alleycat! I havent read your whole diary yet but just wanted to pop by and say hello! will def catch up and follow your progress xxx

Alleycat

Why am I still up? Husband on night shift so have to keep two noisy kids quiet tomorrow in a tiny flat whilst he sleeps and I can't be tired or else it will be hell. Well it will be as I'm exhausted already and not even been to bed yet. Am feeling quite a failure right now. Was really high earlier as managed to bag a few freebies (mattress for daughter's new bunk bed and hair restyle in just over a week's time at a posh salon). Why am I here? Such a failure as a person, mum. wife etc. Oh I hate insomnia. Thought I'd missed it this time. Last time prescribed sleeping tablets but can't take them now as solely responsible for two kids when husband on night shifts.

Christmas decs down and flat looking tidier but also empty and a bit blah. Trying to watch programme about Johnny Cash but can't focus on it. Haven't paid that loan off yet but am getting addicted to buying yellow stickered reduced stuff from supermarkets. Got a massive freezer full of stuff that I have no idea when I will use. Seemed like a good idea to buy giant turkey legs. Keep eating out of date food as forgetting (or rather can't be bothered) to sort it out for freezer.

Not taking tablets because can't be bothered. Can't keep burdening parents with all this crap. My poor dad had to cycle round to our house on new years day at 5am as MIL drank too much and collapsed so we needed to take her to hospital in ambulance. Have CBT starting soon but what can they do? I can't be bothered to sort myself out and be proactive. Just want to get drunk and sleep and watch TV.

Alleycat

At least putting weight back on again. 5ft11 and weighing under 10 stone. Not a good look. Have managed to put on 3 pounds over the christmas period. Hopefully that will stop everyone at work asking me if I've lost weight. But do I want to put it back on? Have enjoyed the control of not eating. Though been so hungry. Oh I don't know anymore. It's all too confusing. I know I feel miserable but what's new. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh.

ScarlettOHara_2

Hi Alleycat

Does your husband know how you are feeling? It seems a lot to be going through on your own hon x

Alleycat

Okay, I'm back. It's been a while and things have been up and down. Had cognitive behaviour therapy which helped a bit and am no longer on the tablets. Probably should be still but they were making me feel really sick and I didn't like it. Also don't want to be dependent on tablets forever.

Didn't end up clearing the small nationwide and student loan with the money my mum gave me but used it to get by over christmas and for the kids birthdays. Plus other expenses that I had forgotten about. Ah well, it meant we didn't get any further into debt so that's a good thing.

Have decided that slow and steady is the way to go. As it has been for ages. We're already pretty frugal as it is with groceries and such like. Only (well not so only) we both smoke and do enjoy a drink and have tried to cut this down a bit in the past but it didn't work. I'm happy to continue as we are in that respect. Though would like to cut down the drinking a bit. I don't drink loads but have found myself drinking 4 or 5 nights a week which isn't only bad for the purse but also health. Saying that, I'm off out for a couple tonight with my downstairs neighbour!

I can confirm that my husband's student loan is due to finish in October as is the small nationwide loan - wooo! There will just be the big one to go. Originally taken out in March last year for 5 years to consolidate credit cards. For the first time, consolidation actually worked for us and we didn't rack the cards back up again or take out new ones!!

Intend to put the money currently being used to pay the loans due to finish this year towards the big nationwide. That should reduce the term of the loan from 5 to 3 years. Also the smallest kitten is 3 in March next year so will get 15 hours funded childcare. That should reduce our monthly childcare bill from £767 to approximately £350. Huuuge saving which we can put some of towards the debt thus reducing the term even more! I reckon we can get our debt free date down from 2016 to 2013. That would be nice, she says.

So that is the plan. Onto what I've been doing today to make some cash.