Newbie debt free wanabee needs advice!

lynsayjane

mystery07 wrote:

Here goes for the 2nd time….

Gas & electricity, high on my list of priorities to switch, but got no meter key, went round all the DIY shops yesturday trying to find one, but will do this 1 asap, I do however already use energy saving bulbs etc to cut the cost….can't say i understand why you need the meter key to change supplier? but then i don't even know what one is!

Car insurance, got the cheapest around, just signed up last month, (post office £50 cashback), had an accident just over a year ago, so only got 1 years no claims, plus im a young driver 22 yrs old…my son is just coming up to his 3rd bday!

Food, excessive I know, “sometimes” I can be quite good here & only spend 30/40 per week, but it never lasts, I fall back into my old routine & start spending more again…in my defence I think I have some valid reasons for this….firstly, im a lone parent, with a 3 yr old, I work for approx. 35 hrs pw & im studying towards a part time degree approx. another 20 hrs pw, I have no real help or support with my son, other than from my childminder & on top of this, I have a sleep disorder (fibromyalgia) so I can be quite ill at times. So surely, you can see why I just end up throwing things in my basket at tesco, to save time, since I have none!!i wa sjust about to suggest the online shopping too, in my opinion the best bonus of this is NOT having to take a three year old boy into the store. the words pain in bum spring to mind

Car repairs & maintenance etc, I tend to get done cheaply/free since I work in the motor trade…so therefore didn’t add this to my costs….

I did miss off broadband from my calculation which is £14.99 a month, I do think im tied in here too…& also im not very good with pc’s etc, so would prefer not to change unless I could save a lot, which I don’t think I can, as it’s a lot of hassle….that does seem a fair enough deal so we won't push you to do anything about it!

Mobile phone, it was an 18 month contract, which expires in about 12 months, I use it a lot, prob more on average, than £40, I could cut this down, but I get lonely in the evenings & just want to chat to some people well now you've got us! and there is always someone on here in the evenings to chat to! (pm me if you need a friend x) but you do need to get that phone down especially if you have free evening calls

Debts, the figures quoted £1950 & £1300 are both what I have on them, the limits are: Next £2200 & capital one £1500…….

What else?! Hmmmm, clothes, yes I missed off clothes, bcos I never have any free cash, [STRIKE]as soon as I pay some off my next card or my capital one card I spend that on clothes again, hence, they don’t decrease[/STRIKE]….as I said before it would help if I could switch them to a better rate, but no joy so far….(fraud, related to previous addresses thing!)i never want to hear of you filling up a card again! how about once you pay off a chunk call them and get your limit reduced so you can't spend on it again. is the fraud thing anything to do with you? if not get it cleared up as it shouldnt be on your credit report

Also, I am paying extra on utilities on top of that in my SOA to cover arrears, so im not in any danger immediately about to be cut off or taken to court! I am also meeting my minimum payments on the two cards, which totals approx £250 per month, however, I cant afford to continue at that rate, for ever, I will simply run out of cash!

To some things up, I know that I am over spending, on things that I could reduce, but it still hasn’t stopped me so far….firstly, lack of time on food shopping etc etc, & secondly, I suppose, ive been very used to having everything ive wanted financially, before my changes in circumstances & hence I now have less money. If I do cut these things back, how to I keep it that way? This is were I struggle, ill do it 4 a week, then revert back to old ways. Its all kind of feeling a bit too much to cope with!

One last thing, is I have a spare small room, which I could let, but I don’t know of any1, what do you think of advertising for some1 to share? Esp. since I have a young child!?

right as for sticking with the debt busting thing, what is the one thing you want more than anything in the world? take your wee boy to disneyland? get a new car? bigger house? ok so thats your inspiration! get a piccie of whatever it is you want and stick it onyour freezer, then get a bowl, fill it with water and put your cards in it then stick it in the freezer. now everytime you want to spend on your card you have to go in the freezer to defrost it, this gives you time to think on whether you actually need it or just want it, plus you have to face your dream with the thought 'i'm making this futher away' guarentee you'll never defrost those cards!

plu syou have one amazing thing now that you've never had before...US! and we will shout at you for going off the rails...then help you back on again! try keeping a spending diary and put down everything you buy down to the cheapest newspaper then come on here and tell us all about it each day on moozies 'how much have you spent' thread. we'll see you right

xx

mystery07

Hi LJ,
lol...thanks for your cool words...need a meter key, cos i need to give the meter No & reading to u-switch before they will switch me & i cant bloody find a meter key anywhere...its only a triangle key to unlock it, but its a pain in the bum...i might think about shopping online, the only place i can do that is tesco tho, which is a pain the backside, as i much prefer asda, but they wont deliver here...also there is the cost, ive shopped online before, it cost about £5 in delivery, which i suppose is nothing really considering what im spending elsewhere...Yeah, no more spending on cards, thats my real weakness....

With regards the Fraud thing, absolutely nothing to do with me....its registered on my experian credit report as a "CIFA's" entry, it says MR XXX of my previous address, applied for XX loan, & it was refused because it was suspicious...i rang experian & said look, i didnt live at that address at that time, i dont know this person or anything, how do i get rid of it & they told me, that there is nothing i can do about it & that it in no way adversley affects my credit, its just a warning to lenders to be extra cautious over ID theft with me....but since ive been refused for other credit cards, im putting it down to this, because otherwise, my credit report is immaculate! So really lost for how to get round this, would be able to repay my debts much quicker, with a lower rate, as my capital one card, i end up pretty much just paying back the interest each month!

x x

lynsayjane

i know there is a £5 charge for delivery which is a pain, BUT remember it'll save you the cost of petrol there and back PLUS there won't be any chucking things in the basket either.

i'd suggest trying the meal planning for a couple of months (needs time to get into the swing of it) and do the internet shopping to cut out impulse buys then see how much you are saving, if it's not enough to warrent the £5 then stuff it, go back to the old ways, if it's a bigger saving then your sorted.

i'd still go with the cutting down the credit limit on the cards, in fact do it now (or next time the phone lines are open ) there are a good couple of hundred there that you 'could' spend and we don't want you to do that. plus the extra available balance could count against you on your credit file as potential debt. i didn't know this till i signed up here so i thought the four or so store cards i had were no problem as i never used them, but that was a good few k of potential debt against my name, so cancelled, cut up and my purse is so much emptier! i actually bought a smaller one so i needed to clear out more cards to fit them in :rotfl:
but the biggest boost for you that way is to cut out the temptation of using them again.

iirc asda had a thing where you could register your interest in deliveries from them. like you all i was able to get was tesco but i prefered asda too. thankfully they have opened one next door to my work so i'm sorted. but if you register your interest then they'll be more inclined to deliver to your area and will tell you once they do.

mystery07

Do you know, i asked next to do this last year, as i didnt have quite so much on the card & they upped my credit limit to £3600 & they refused point blank. Im not even sure that they can do this? its certainly not ethical....I'll definately give capital one a call though....i really dont want to stay in debt, & i have a debit card, with money in the account, so i really could stop this.......

Another biggy, is ciggarettes, which i spend at least £30 a week on, more at the mo (stressed) ? is there anyone else that smokes? i want to reduce this, which i could by cutting back/smoking roll ups etc, but not that easy, would be cool if anyone could offer some support?!

Thanks everyone for making me feel so welcome......i feel so much more lifted & encouraged to ditch my spending.....Thank you

X x

lynsayjane

you are most most welcome! all we ask is that you stick at it and give it all you can. oh and stay on here and tell us how you get on!

as for the credit limit they can and should lower it if you ask, if they say no ask to speak to a supervisor, may, demand to speak to one. then if they still refuse send a complaint letter to their head office.

as for smokes, do you smoke in the house while your sons there? i won't tell you off, thats your choice, but what about stopping that, making the house and car a no smoking zone (for your sons health if nothign else). then it might discourage you if your having to stand outside to smoke. when my ex moved in with me he was not allowed to smoke in the house and it put him off so much he gave up rather than stand in the cold!

mystery07

No, dont smoke in the house, occassionaly in the car, but the cold doesnt put me off....thinking i might try hypnotherapy, know a few people that its worked for...quite a few things to think of! Will let you all know how i get on this week

x

Sammz

Re the meter key: when I was switching and didn't have a key the company told me to use a pair of scissors. You just grip "the bit" between the blades and turn. Worked easily.

mystery07

Thanks Sammz, why didnt I think of that?? Must be cos im blonde

Will give that a try
x

chevalier

ref the delivery charge, there are always voucher codes for either the equivalent of free delivery or extra points, so don't think that the charge for delivering is a minus!
chev

mystery07

Hi guys, just wanted to say thanks again, for your encouragement, just when everything was feeling to much!!

Feel like my old self again now, so thanks all

Debt diary for the last week:-

Did a grocery shop for under £40 (the week before I did it in £30!!!!) :T
Worked out every penny that I owed
Worked out every penny that I had stashed her there & everywhere
Worked out that, I have enough in savings to clear a big chunk (about 70% of my debts or so)
& think I should have them ALL cleared within a few short months!


Well, thats it, what on earth was my panic about....calmed down now, but getting heavily addicted to this site I feel, Thank God its free :rotfl: else i might end up in a load more debt....

Thanks everyone

XxX