Road to Recovery - My Diary

poodlehorse

Hope, sorry for some reason I thought you were in NE England, I think I had been too many posts and got all confused. Thread overload. Glad I could help with valid non-financial reasons for your second job. There's always a way!!

Hope78

Another month has gone by and when credit card statement arrived this time I realised I'd been using wrong figures on Halifax and actually owed a tiny bit more than I thought. Made me feel a bit low. So to try and boost myself a bit I've looked at my April targets and have accomplished a fair few.

April Target Review
1) I eventually put £10 emergency money under car mat
2) Got bank mandate from finance dept
3) Applied for Halifax account a proper current account don't think I'll get accepted but we'll see.
4) Be more committed to cashback sites for daily clicks etc and check them before buying anything not achieved this one.
5) Been to three car boots and started selling stuff on ebay that I didn't sell on the day.
6) Looked over Xmas budget and decided that teenage nieces and nephews are getting £30 in a money wallet not decided on youngsters. Will spend a maximum of £50 on adults. Will start buying when I come back summer break.
7) Knock another £100 off overdraft only knocked a £1 off!

May Targets
1) Send letter asking for bank charge refund as I've now got list of charges.
2) Get new bank account opened.
3) Ebay everything left from car boot.
4) Knock £50 off overdraft (setting small targets that I might achieve.
5) Investigate supplementary income.
6) Try to get back into cashback sites neglected it due to paperwork.

Also having a rethink of how I'm clearing CCs. I have been trying to clear smallest one first but having seen the impact of interest this month think I should pay minimum on lowest APRs and increase the other only be £20 extra a month but hope this will help. Think I'll go take another look at snowball calculator.

Hope78

Monthy Incomings £1751.31
Nationwide Savings £0.05 Halifax Savings 37.70 (only using until go on hol)

Outstanding Debts
Capital Bank Car Finance £10555.39 end date May 2010
Nationwide Loan £1328.42 end date July 2008
Northern Rock Loan £2721.88 end date December 2008

Egg Credit Card £3933 (limit £4000) 16.9% APR
Nationwide Visa £10698.60 (limit £11750) 17.9% APR
Halifax Visa £12828.18 (limit £13900) 23% APR

Total Debt £42065.47


Monthly Outgoings
Car Payments £299.87
Credit Card Min Payments £330 + £260 + £90 = £680
Nationwide Loan £94.87
Northern Rock Loan £149.56
Phone £35
[STRIKE]Materials for work £0[/STRIKE] too close to summer hols so not buying anything
Petrol £60
[STRIKE]Dig Money £65 [/STRIKE] mum letting me off for a bit
Birthdays £40
Xmas £40
Clothing £35
Haircuts £25
Yearly car insurance £40
Road Tax £15
[STRIKE]Prescriptions £13[/STRIKE] off pills now thank goodness
Dental £2.80
Optical £17
Car repairs £25
Car service £3.50
MOT £3.50
Socialising £25
Union Fees £35 (quarterly)

If I'm honest with myself which I guess I finally am being I didn't budget for any items in red that's why when it came to paying for them I had to use CCs hence one reason for all my debt. But this year is the last of my old habits. Some of the items have been bought already for the forthcoming year and so going to start budgeting for them. Haven't really anywhere to move the money to so will use savings account for that once I'm back holiday. Also my new current account should be tickety boo by then and I can set up a dd for pay day each month. But sadly it means car insurance and tax may need to be paid on CC but I'll try my bst not to.

Hope78

Feeling particularly proud of myself been a very busy girl today!

Firstly I got accepted for new current account so it's full steam ahead with bank charges claim.

Secondly I've bought new car insurance which was £95 less than renewal quote and included free roadside assistance (so can suspend AA membership for a year making a further saving) and I bought the insurance through Quidco so if I've done it properly I should get £40 cash back!

I have defintely changed my ways - OK so I had to use CC to pay for it BUT this is the last year as through this site I've learned the importance of budgeting and once I come back from hols I am setting up monthly dd to savings account to cover the big yearly spends.

Gosh it's amazing how making wiser choices makes yoou feel as I didn't really shop around before my insurer was always one of the cheapest but getting better quotes now that I'm closer to 30!

Hope78

1. Haven’t send letter asking for charges to be repaid. I’m scared account will be frozen when I’m on holiday / before new account is transferred but will do as soon as that is all sorted and money is a ‘safe’.


2. Current account opened with Halifax. Paid in £100 as required and waiting on cards to come. Everything should be transferred for June pay.

3. Not ebayed anything as school having another car boot in June which I’ll take all my remaining stuff to.

4. Managed to knock £150 off my overdraft which is a major boost.

5. Looked at temping sites and registered my details but not heard anything. Been looking into summer schemes with council but only adverts so far are for jobs starting when I’m on holiday sad thing is they were all jobs I’d have liked with good salary (bus escort £7ph, scheme leader £13ph scheme manager £22ph – I’d have applied for all and hopefully got something) Will keep my eyes peeled.

6. Cash back Daily Clicks totally neglected but doing well with surveys, went over my earnings this morning and am well pleased.

Yougov - £11
Valued Opinions – claimed £5 Boots voucher and still have 50p
Ipsos – claimed £5 Boots voucher and still have 30 points
Greasypalm £2.50
Quidco - £150 – had to be honest and submit an enquiry as the insurance I bought should only have had £40 cash back but been validated 2 lots of £75 waiting to hear back.
Ipoints - 687

Hope78

I have just cut up another credit card!

I got a letter in saying they'd increased my limit but I phoned up and said no thanks! Instead I reduced it so there was only about £30 on it. Well I did say after paying car insurance I wan't going to use it, and other than car insurance I haven't used it since I became a DFW.

It feels great but nerve wracking too it's like taking away a child's security blanket.

mae

Hi I've just read some of your thread and I noticed you want another income. Have you considered AQA? It can be done from home as and when you have time and there are people on here who have done very well with it.

Also my other point is that you say you are going to do a car boot but I find that certain things go for much more on ebay, for instance clothes get very little on a car boot but I got £13.55 for a dress recently that I had only paid £40 in the first instance and £7.00 for another that I had paid £15.00 in a sale. I had worn both of these dresses a few times so I had no further use for them and if I had car booted them I would have got probably 0.50p. I would check what you have then look on ebay see what you could get for them and then maybe do a car boot with anything left over. I've only sold them two items of clothing though the other things have been a pram, car seat. a pair of shoes and all did well. I only started doing ebay a couple of mths or so ago so am very new but I've been amazed at how much people have paid for things and I'm sorry its been the one thing I put off doing for ages at it seemed too much hassle.
Anyway up to you I just thought I'd add my bit and well done you have had a real turn around and your attitude seems to have changed so much towards money and I think your life will just grow from here well done.

hypno06

Hi Hope, just read this one for the first time.

You seem to have your head in the right "place" (no, not just on the top of your neck.....) at the moment, and that is the main thing. You will have good days and bad, but as long as the general trend is that those debts are reducing over time, and you are no longer spending to the same extent then you will be fine.

You mentioned figures of £30 and £50 for presents for each person. This is a huge amount - can you not find something that looks fab but costs little - visit smaller gift shops or craft fairs, as they often have something more unusual that you couldn't automatically guess the price of, but that costs far less than you are currently spending.

Hope78

Mae - thanks for adivce ebay vs. car boot. Think because I was so lucky at first car boot I have rose tinted specs on. I used to be an avid ebayer but used whatever I made to buy stuff - this was before LBM. I'm having a rummage through what I've got and will have a look on ebay. Already listed ink cartridge which can't use as have changed printer. I've got lots of books but not sure how well they do on ebay - any advice?

What is AQA? If I can do it from home brill and if it's flexible hours even better.

Hypno - I've always been guilty of being extravagant (idiotic really) in terms of gifts and this is one reason I'm in this mess. My figures are a maximum limit so I'm on lookout for cheaper the better. You pointing out that the amounts are a lot has helped immensely as it mades me more aware of how ridiculously generous I was before. I was also quite ruthless wiht my gift list in that if people have kids then the grown ups are off the list.

Thanks folks I'm off to investigate AQA.

Cheers
Hope x

mae

I don't know how to do links but there are a few threads on here about AQA I'm sure someone will be along who can point you in the right direction.