One Day I Will .... get debts below £8500 (Debt Diary)

slowlyfading

well done, that's fantastic
Nicola x

tigzem

Excellent news.... every little bit helps hey? All going in the right direction! Keep it up.... xx

onedayiwill

So, on 19th February I sent a secure message to Smile respectfully requesting that they refund £335 in charges that had been applied to my account last summer when I had a little cash flow problem.

On 20th February, I had a response from the "Manager" saying that they were sorry I had had problems, and that they would look into it and respond within 4 weeks.

On Monday it was the 19th March - 4 weeks since my first message, so I sent them a little secure message gently reminding that it had been 4 weeks so I would like to hear from them.

Today I checked my bank balance.

Smile have made two payments into my account:

Adjustment Commision - £480
Adjustment Interest - £160

A total of £640!!!! Almost double what I originally requested.

They obviously figured that I was planning on reclaiming all my charges over the last six years. I wasn't, I would have been happy with the £335 from last summer.

RESULT

And the best part is .... My Overdraft has been wiped out by this. My account is £103.90 IN CREDIT and I haven't even been paid yet this month!!!!!

And I didn't even have to pay the price of a stamp. 2 secure messages was all it took.

I am soooooooo happy!!!

In one month I have wiped out a £1200 overdraft. Thank you all for your help.

tigzem

What wonderful news !!! Really, really pleased for you, you must be feeling fab!!! x

elantan

wow that is fantastic news ...go girl

onedayiwill

Everything this month has been paid/come in so this last week is just coasting until pay day next Friday. I have about £10 cash to last me which is more than adequate.

My debts currently stand at:

Virgin Loan - £6038.28 (includes interest at 9.9% for duration of loan, 27 payments @ £223.64 per month remaining)

M&S &More Credit Card - £3455.00 (LOB 3.9%)

My total debt currently stands at: £9493.28
This month I have paid off: £1353.04 :T :j :T :rotfl:

OK, I'm feeling a little hysterical.

I also have positive balances in my Smile account (12.98), my A&L account (104.90), on my Egg CC (56.29 - will be closing this account and getting my money from them ... sweeeeeeeeeet :A ), in my paypal account (£33.58) and in my piggy bank (approx £25 I think).

So I have a total positive balance of: £231.75 Which of course will be paid to my credit card in the course of the next month.

Can someone please explain how in the world someone with such bad money management actually manages this amazing feat in ONE MONTH??

I can tell you in three letters : MSE. Thank you so much.

A large part of this was due to the generosity of Smile's good-will gesture (see entry above). Although I am switching to the A&L Premier Direct account, I really don't have any complaints with Smile - this isn't just influenced by the fact that they gave me back more than I asked for. They have always been polite and helpful on the phone and in their secure messages, they have never pressured me into buying any of their other products and I don't really think you can ask for more than that in a bank.

The A&L account was originally opened because of the interest free overdraft - I wanted to be able to transfer my smile OD across and not get charged interest. I no longer have an OD so this facility isn't necessary any more :T But I am still switching to A&L because they have a way better interest rate for positive balances - which is where I hope to remain from now on.

As for telling OH ... I haven't done it yet. But I am planning to do it next weekend (not this weekend as my parents are coming to visit). I feel positive about my progress so far, and I think that OH will see the effort I have been making to solve MY problem and will appreciate that. We have no plans for that weekend so I am certain that it is the best time.

tigzem

Wow, you've done amazingly well, well done!! :T :T :T :T :T

Ooh Good luck telling OH, am sure it will be fine, and you'll get lots of support from him. I feel so much better my BF knowing, even though he's not mentioned it since!! lol But least he knows why I can't just go for lunch, buy that lovely bag etc.... oooh pub lunch (drool)

Have a lovely w/end xx

angelavdavis

You have done really well - good for you!

Good luck next weekend with OH!

onedayiwill

Thanks guys I will of course let you know how it goes when the day to tell him finally comes.

Called my gas provider tonight and they have agreed to take my DD down to £50 per month instead of the £70 it was at (which was partly to pay off a previous underpayment by DD). It is still a very hefty amount each month, I recognise that. I have reduced the thermostat (OH doesn't know and keeps complaining it's cold!) and also reduced the time that the heating is on so hopefully that effect will show on the next bills anyway. I still need to make my sausage dog draft excluders - I can't believe how busy I have been this month, seems like I haven't had any time to sit down and do stuff like that. Also hoping to change suppliers to save more money but waiting for Martin's traffic light to turn green .... though I am considering jumping the lights because I feel a little impatient!!

slowlyfading

You've done so fantastically well in just one month!
Nicola x