Properly getting sorted, I hope!

Permanently_confused

Hello,

I have been reading the diaries of some really amazing people on here.

I WISH I would have paid more attention to this site when someone recommended it to me a few years ago - I was just too frightened to acknowledge what was going on at the time.

I got myself into a LOT of financial trouble as a result of stupid decisions that ulitmately were signed off by me, as my ex couldn't get credit and I could (can you see it coming a mile away?!) six years ago.

Ultimately, I was in about 30k of debt split between three credit cards, two loans, two store cards and about four overdrafts. Then I got rid of the ex and started from fresh. Priority number 1 - paying off debt AND getting my degree - I couldn't seperate them.

I applied to uni and got accepted aged 22 and two months after I got rid of the ex, so I ran four jobs alongside uni and used my student loans and wages to pay off debt and stayed living at home the first two years of my course.

Literally every penny went to the debts. Luckily, being young and full of energy, I had one job working in a nightclub so as much as I wasn't on a night out, it was still a form of socialising and the team were great. I made lifelong freinds through all of my jobs - I was with these guys from 5am (coffee house) until 3am (night club) with some teaching dance in between - if I wasn't at lectures that was. I had Sundays off from 4am until 4am Monday morning. Hard but worth it.

After two years of working every hour I had that I wasn't in uni, I needed some space mentally and spiritually so I reduced my payments on things (I had been overpaying most of them except MBNA) and saved up 6 months of rent for an apartment and also the first few months of bills and lived with a friend from uni.

It was the right decision - although it was costing me money that was no longer going to my debt, I could not have handled any more isolation living at home and having that bit of independence made all the difference. I still paid all my bills, although it was just mimimum payments.

Two years after moving to the apartment, one year after graduating from uni, I decided I wanted to do a masters. I sucked it up and moved back home to cut costs.

I left my masters in January - it was a massive waste of money.

HOWEVER, because I am back home, my job 4 days a week pays my bills and I now only have £5,900.00 left to pay off my debt. And that feeling is amazing and worth not having my own place for a while.

I'm saving to have some genuine time out for a couple of months whilst still paying my bills, it's taking longer because after leaving my masters I have kept a 4 day a week job on, but I don't want to get a full time job knowing I will leave it in 6 weeks. Someone else would really love to work full time and it would be unfair.

I want to be debt free, however I am slightly more philosophical than I was - I did the maximum work to pay off a few years ago and I am now in a position where I can slow it down and have some of my life back. Although I wish I would have known then what I know now about loans, credit cards, store cards, credit files, defaults, interest (DEF interest) and everything else that goes with borrowing money that isn't yours that you will have to pay back. Normally when you can least afford it.

I have been following the forum posts of several people for a while and have just got the courage to put my own on.

For everyone taking responsibility for your actions, trying to move forwards and dealing with debt, you have my utmost respect and support. I hope you all achieve your goals.

Current situation of what I owe - MBNA - £3,343.00
- Co-Op Loan - £1600.00
- Halifax O/D - £500.00
- National Insurance - £380.00

MBNA - Oh, how I hate these guys. Have a nice day!

hillside777

Hi. :wave:

Thanks for your post. Good luck on your journey.
I will subscribe to your thread and will look forward to following your progress.

Permanently_confused

Hi,

Thank you so much for the nice wishes, I know I would have found things a lot less frightening and lonely if I would have had this kind of support network/ advice centre years ago.

Even someone saying "open the mail, call them and arrange a repayment plan - it can work" would have made a difference - I wouldn't have paid back over £12,000.00 on a £2,500.00 credit card balance for starters!

Educating about debt should be compulsory.

Good Luck on your journey too, I will follow your updates as well!

please-let-me-be-lucky

Wow I'm shattered just reading about the amount of hours you used to do!! You should be very proud of how far you have come and it's all down to your own hard work.:T

Good luck with the remaining debt busting.

PLMBL Xx

Permanently_confused

Hi PLMBL,

I have subscribed to your thread - you are amazing. Well done with everything so far and Good Luck with everything moving forwards x

Thanks for your lovely response, I do feel better knowing that I have paid things off from hard work, it's a been a big lesson to learn and has made me really think about my relationship with money.

Two days ago I got a tax rebate from 2006/7 - so it was only 5 years in waiting! I'm debating if I should use it to pay out of my mobile contract or not, I had to get a contract phone for my job after uni but I just don't need it anymore.

Also, does anyone know how far back you can claim for tax rebates?

Have a nice day all

please-let-me-be-lucky

Permanently_confused wrote: »

Hi PLMBL,

I have subscribed to your thread - you are amazing. Well done with everything so far and Good Luck with everything moving forwards x

Thanks for your lovely response, I do feel better knowing that I have paid things off from hard work, it's a been a big lesson to learn and has made me really think about my relationship with money.

Two days ago I got a tax rebate from 2006/7 - so it was only 5 years in waiting! I'm debating if I should use it to pay out of my mobile contract or not, I had to get a contract phone for my job after uni but I just don't need it anymore.

Also, does anyone know how far back you can claim for tax rebates?

Have a nice day all

Ah bless you thank you. Although I don't feel very amazing just doing what I have to do.

Re the tax rebate, I'm sure if you applied before a certain date (April maybe??) you could apply for 6 years back but since that date it's now 5 years back.

Permanently_confused

I have spent Sunday following some of the Jubilee action but mainly enjoying my lovely free hobby. It's the first Sunday I haven't worked since Christmas so it has been nice to be able to lie in and relax all day.

I love the language lessons available for free on iTunes, I have been brushing up on my French and German and the 15 - 20 minute lessons whilst I enjoy a coffee are a fab slice of me-time that give me a really lovely sense of achievement. You can do them from total beginner and they are great.

To everyone enjoying the Jubilee without over-spending - happy days!

caeler

Good luck on completing your journey! Having read what you've come through and how much you've already paid off is pretty amazing!! Just don't stop there as being debt free will taste just as sweet! I might check out the languages on itunes.

beanielou

What an amazing journey.
Keep going!

Permanently_confused

Thank you so much for the messages of support, I appreciate it so much.

I feel so much more positive than I did this time last year and it's great to see everything finally going down in balance rather than up.

It's a bit of a shame that I had to do a payment arrangement plan with my credit card as I'll be paying it off for about the next 12 - 36 months depending on how often can make overpayments and I know that arrangement will flag up on my credit file for 6 years after I pay it off, so potentially could be there for another 9 years or so, making it difficult to get a mortgage, which would be the only form of credit I would ever want to get again.

I got a tax rebate for £500 the other day from five years ago (2006/7) which was totally unexpected. As it's money I didn't expect to have, I'm debating if I should pay out of my phone contract and get PAYG as I hardly ever use my mobile anymore and to have one less bill to think about would be good. It's around £200.00 to pay out of it and I think it would be worth it.

Even though I've come so far, it's still a bit disheartening to think that I still have so far to go. I'm now on a much lower income after deciding to go back to study and then leaving and deciding to take the time out I never got before I went to uni may only be three months and I am still able to pay my bills during that time but in the back of my mind the voice saying to use the cash to pay off debt is still there. At the moment the voice telling me I've been waiting six years to be able to do this and deserve it and I can go back into the "real world of work" when I come back and pay things off quickly again at that point is winning. For now...

ladymay

Hi :wave:

Just wanted to say congratulations on what you've achieved so far, and just think about what it'll feel like when you have your DFD.

Subscribed!