Tomorrow is another day - Scarlett's Debt Free Diary

ScarlettOHara_2

I'm not quite as new as I appear but its the first time I've been around these parts in a long time and so time for a fresh start with a new name . Nothing sinister other than I use that forum name in a few other places and I would like to keep some privacy.

In a nutshell I have about £10k of debt to pay off that has crept up over time :eek::eek::eek:

Luckily I have quite a good job so if I can rein in the spending and focus on clearing debts I hope to get most if not all of it cleared during 2012, then start hammering the mortgage and finally get a new kitchen.

People I owe money to:

Big Barclaycard: £7,921.44
Little Barclaycard (was Egg): £922.99
Flat Management Fees: £1,125
Overdraft 1: £1,500
Overdraft 2: £500 (hopefully be a lot less this month)
First Direct Loan: £1,161.12 (due to finish 2012)

Total: £13,130.55 :eek::eek::eek: a lot more than the £10k I thought it was. B*gger!

Also have a student Loan: £2,226 (approx) that should finally get paid off next year. That itself is £276 a month - hopefully once that gets paid off I can snowball the rest into the debts.

I'm single so nobody else to worry about financially. I am at the point where nobody will lend me anything else though - I tried to balance transfer some of the credit card balances but got refused

Hoping for a bonus in March to try and make a bit of a dent in, otherwise will be budgeting carefully and trying to stick to it. I need help from whoever reads this to stay motivated and on track. I'm a terrible one for getting obsessed with things I dont really need so need an occasional reminder of the money mantra too! I've enjoyed reading the other diaries so will be looking for support and inspiration from you all.

If you got this far on what is a very self indulgent post thanks for reading

TTFN - wish me luck!

Scarlett

ScarlettOHara_2

Am trying to get off to a good start with some clearing out of old things. Trading in some old books, games, dvds, a phone I found in the cupboard and music so should have about £185 in credit to come from that. Most of it won't be cash though - how do you all count that? Pay yourself when there is something you need from Amazon/Boots etc and you can get it on credit or somehow turn it into cash? Have a little bit of fear that I'll end up wasting the credit if it 'burns a hole in my pocket' as my grandma would say.

freebyfifty

Hi Scarlett :wave:

When I made a bit of cash through Amason and Ebay before Christmas I just let it sit in my paypal account until I needed to buy something. I still have about £40 in there and I plan to use it for birthday presents, there are quite a lot of places that you can pay by paypal other than ebay now

The rewards I get from doing surveys I just store up until I need them and I got paid by cheque for my old mobiles so that went directly into the bank account.
Hope that helps you.


Happy New Diary :T

[Deleted User]

Good for you chick - I'm currently having a look to see what I can get on ebay aswell!!

I am now down to just over 8k at the moment but my debt at its highest was just under 18k!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I only recently found this site at that point I was just over 12k so this has been a massive help for me just wish I had found this site earlier!

Dxxx

ScarlettOHara_2

freebyfifty wrote: »

Hi Scarlett :wave:

When I made a bit of cash through Amason and Ebay before Christmas I just let it sit in my paypal account until I needed to buy something. I still have about £40 in there and I plan to use it for birthday presents, there are quite a lot of places that you can pay by paypal other than ebay now

The rewards I get from doing surveys I just store up until I need them and I got paid by cheque for my old mobiles so that went directly into the bank account.
Hope that helps you.


Happy New Diary :T

Thanks I thought that would be the case - will have to try and forget about it when it turns up.

ScarlettOHara_2

Deleted_User wrote: »

Good for you chick - I'm currently having a look to see what I can get on ebay aswell!!

I am now down to just over 8k at the moment but my debt at its highest was just under 18k!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I only recently found this site at that point I was just over 12k so this has been a massive help for me just wish I had found this site earlier!

Dxxx

Blimey £10k paid off - well done you :T:T:T you must be so proud of yourself. Are you keeping a diary too?

This site is great, I think you have to be in the right frame of mind to listen to the advice though. I spent too long ignoring my problems and looking out for the grabbits

[Deleted User]

I know its amazing!!! Cant wait to just get rid of it all now only 12 months of payments left woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah I do think you have to be in the right frame of mind - I personally didnt post SOA cos I think that can be giving away to much info tbh!

I just love that you can come on & ask a question & someone will try to help you.

Dxxx

freebyfifty

ScarlettOHara wrote: »

Blimey £10k paid off - well done you :T:T:T you must be so proud of yourself. Are you keeping a diary too?

This site is great, I think you have to be in the right frame of mind to listen to the advice though. I spent too long ignoring my problems and looking out for the grabbits

You definitely have to have had your lightbulb moment. I keep trying to talk to someone I know about how fantastic this site is and how much money I'm saving and paying off but they just won't hear it. I am now shuting up and waiting for the switch to go on in their head and then I'll be able to [STRIKE]preach[/STRIKE] advise to my hearts content :rotfl:

ScarlettOHara_2

freebyfifty wrote: »

You definitely have to have had your lightbulb moment. I keep trying to talk to someone I know about how fantastic this site is and how much money I'm saving and paying off but they just won't hear it. I am now shuting up and waiting for the switch to go on in their head and then I'll be able to [STRIKE]preach[/STRIKE] advise to my hearts content :rotfl:

:rotfl:one day they will listen, maybe when they see you walking six inches taller because the weight of debt is off your shoulders.

Itsadogslife_2

Hi Scarlett,

I like you started again this year under a different user name as I was initially registered under a name I use on other forums, a nick name with friends and I tell every man and his dog what a great site this is.

None of my family or friends know about the amount of money owed, I do feel that being honest about it on here helps to keep me focused

I do have to watch myself with the grabbits board, although they did come in handy at Christmas for presents

ScarlettOHara_2

Busy afternoon sorting out piles of stuff for music magpie. Found a couple of bits that have some value too so put them on Amazon instead and see if they sell. Some stuff taken to the post office but I need more packaging stuff out of the garage and its blowing a gale outside so it can wait until tomorrow. Now have hardly anything left on the shelves so unless the car turns up a few surprises I've probably exhausted that cash stream but its all in a good cause - most of the stuff hasn't been used in years and is gathering dust.

Have also cancelled Naked Wines subscription which isn't a huge saving - £20 a month but it means I can double the minimum payment on Baby Barclaycard without missing out on anything. Am also going to cash in some savings in January but will need some of that money to fund my business. Its not much in the grand scheme of things - hopefully a few hundred pounds - but it will make a nice dent on the debt. It was supposed to be a ten year savings plan but the charges are so high I can't ever see it doing anything decent, certainly not beating cc interest. That also means I will have another £20 a month to throw at debt repayments without missing out on anything from January.

In spending news I am a bit annoyed as gave in to temptation and spent £7.60 on takeaway food. I guess I've done enough to get away with it today - will have to make sure that doesnt happen again though with some decent planning. I gave up cooking properly a while back and really need to get back into it for financial and health reasons.

All in all am happy with the first steps though.