MaccaHallam's Debt-Free Diary

MaccaHallam

Thank you Dolly Rocker

Not sure what else I can do right now to save money. Possibly cutting the gym out but I'm going to try use it. If I don't use it regualry soon I'll get rid of it.

Just checking what debts I've got currently:

Credit Cards

NatWest: £830.00 0% APR (deal ending soon I believe)
Barclaycard: £1349.46 0% APR (24 month deal)
MBNA: £180.15 28.04% APR (card) 30.35% (cash)
Santander 123: £53.99 22.8% APR (pay amount in full every month) no interest paid, only £24 annual fee

Debit Cards

NatWest: £1,463.88 last interest charged £24.17 (On an arrangement that cuts my overdraft by £50 every month) Overdraft currently £1,550
Barclays: £499.92 last interest charged £6.51 Overdraft £500

So my debts currently equate to £4,377.40

I want to get rid of this is as quickly as I can so I can save a deposit for a house. Still need to make big cuts somewhere. The goal seems so far away!

[Deleted User]

Yeah always seems such a long time away to be free of it doesnt it!

Have you worked out a monthly budget to see what your possible deft free day is - I felt that helped me anyway.

I am looking at 11 month more of paying out the max possible then that will be me debt free - still 11 months is quite a long time & my plans could change depending on work or that lotto win I am waiting for!

Dxxx

MaccaHallam

Just found out it ends on the 26th January so I've only a few days to get something new sorted out. Guess I'll look what balance transfer offers there are.

MaccaHallam

Deleted_User wrote: »

Yeah always seems such a long time away to be free of it doesnt it!

Have you worked out a monthly budget to see what your possible deft free day is - I felt that helped me anyway.

I am looking at 11 month more of paying out the max possible then that will be me debt free - still 11 months is quite a long time & my plans could change depending on work or that lotto win I am waiting for!

Dxxx

I'm not sure where I am at the moment, with what I've got left to spend it could take forever. Think maybe in a month or so I'll know where I'm at? 11 months isn't too long. Hope it's something similar for me. Want to be in my own place by my 30th birthday and I'm running out of time! (20 months)

MaccaHallam

Just applied for a Virgin Credit Card which is 0% for 20 months with a 2.99% initial fee. I've applied for my NatWest and MBNA balances to be transferred which amounts to around £1,000. They say I should hear a decision in the next 7-10 days.

I need to tackle my debit card overdrafts first as they are the ones I'm paying interest on. Looking forward to payday very much!

MaccaHallam

I've bought two tickets to watch the 1st leg of the Johnstones Paint Trophy Northern Final away at Chesterfield which takes place a week tomorrow. They cost £24 in total and I'll be getting £12 back shortly from this.

If we manage to beat Chesterfield over 2 games we will be going to Wembley in March so it's a pretty important game. Hope we can get there, would be amazing to get there.

Debating whether to go to the game away at Huddersfield on Saturday, it will cost £21 to get in plus transport costs to get there and I'm not sure if I can afford it?

I spent £10.85 instore at Tesco on a few items I needed, it also included a London 2012 mug for £4 but that didn't even manage to survive the journey home as the plastic bag fell apart and the mug smashed on the floor, cutting my hand in the process! Not the best £4 I've ever spent. :mad:

I also had a £15 off a £75 spend at Tesco online so I've just done a big shop there, buying only what I need. Delivery tomorrow was only £3 and with the discount the bill came to £68.38.

That should keep me going for most of the month, hoping to use what I've bought to take to work instead of paying the airports over-inflated prices.

MaccaHallam

The new year has started talk of holidays with friends. So far it looks like I'm going to Poland for around a week in June. It's my friends 30th and he now lives in Gdansk and has invited me over.

Return flights to Poland because of a certain football tournament is also happening at the same time is no less than £200. :eek: I've found a different way of flying to Berlin instead which would cost just over £60 and then it's just getting over to Poland.

I'm also looking at The Sun's £9.50 holidays offer, never tried anything like this before, hope it works out ok.

I've booked time off work for the entire London 2012 Olympic Games, not managed to get many tickets yet but hoping to get some more. My dad lives near North London so I've got free accomodation for the games. Really looking forward to experiencing the games.

Finally I'm a keen skier and I've missed out on a ski holiday this winter as I just can't afford it. I'd like to go next winter, not sure if it will be possible yet however.

MaccaHallam

Just been out to do a few more jobs. I've paid in a £50 cheque into the bank I got from my dad over Christmas and £1 in pennies that I've collected.

I've been to cancel my Gym membership as well, should receive a final bill in the next few days. Need to get some running done!

Filled up with some petrol to get me through the next few days at work (£10.45) so I don't have to make another trip this week, also bought todays local paper (55p) because it was a special edition.

Going to prepare some food for tomorrow at work so I'm not spending any money when I am there, hope it's edible!

MaccaHallam

Did well food wise today, I ate breakfast before I left for work and then had a soup I brought from home, I forgot some bread however so got a large baguette for 96p. On the way home I bought a birthday card (£1.50) for a friend in Sweden, just need to post it there tomorrow.

I managed to get some extra overtime which should work out around £90 before tax and I eventually got £23 for the ticket I bought a friend for the football last friday.

Not a bad days work, hopefully tomorrow there'll be no extra spend on food.

MaccaHallam

Today has been pretty stressful at work. Boss annoying everyone and lowering morale, pretty rubbish atmosphere around the place. Last day tomorrow thankfully.

Took some porridge in with me today for breakfast and made some mexican chicken wraps for lunch. Boots were selling sandwiches for 50p a pack today as they were going out of date so I've bought a couple for lunch tomorrow. Also bought a copy of The Sun (30p) saved 3 tokens so far for the £9.50 holidays. :j

I post the birthday card for my friend in Sweden costing 68p, also talked about a weekend at Centreparcs, looking at around £100 each for it in May although one friend can't wait and want to fork out an extra £40 to go during Easter fortnight. £100 is pushing it already.

Got my cancellation letter from the gym today. Don't need to pay anything more so thats £24.95 extra a month I've got to use on my debts!