Another debt diary

Skint_Catt

Don't worry too much about Match at the moment - but I met my darling boyf on freedating.com!
How do you get a free holiday by giving a charity £10 a month??!
C xx

weeg

Bad weeg! I still haven't dealt with my utilities. I had an excuse for not doing it last night, as I had to go see my dad in hospital. But on wednesday I didn't do it because I went for a pint after work. Was awfully nice to sit in the sun with a beer tho!

To answer questions:

seaxwyn: i got the free beer voucher from the coors website, weeks ago. Think the promo has now ended.

skint_catt: I volunteer for a charity that runs kids summer camps (in tents, in scotland. We are both brave and foolhardy). For the priviledge of going to camp I pay them £10/month, but staff then don't pay for any events they help staff. True, it can be knackering, but it's also great fun, and the reason I know most of my friends. And thankfully it's not young kids (12-18). When I was unemployed i spent nearly 4 weeks there 1 summer - no living expenses!

weeg

the bad: I STILL haven't changed suppliers

the good: but I'm about to change jobs. And I cancelled the Match subs.

the excellent: All because I had a fall out with my manger I've found a new job - with a £2k payrise!

The question: Would it count as moneysaving if I bought wine to celebrate in Tescos? - they are doing 30% off. But I'd have to buy 6 bottles.

Lucy1982_2

Probably not, but if you have a Tesco card and collect the points.... perhaps use a bottle or 2 as presents....

Go for it, sounds like you deserve a treat!

Well Done on the above

weeg

I’m rubbish. I deserve to be taken out and shot. Or at the very lease hit in the face with a large ugly fish.

My debt has taken a big step in the wring direction – all because I was feeling self indulgent. I’ve fallen into that classic trap of impending payrise = more money to play with. Bad weeg.

Last week I ordered delivery pizza, cos I couldn’t be bothered cooking.

And I both need and deserve a holiday before I start my new job ( I have 2 weeks paid leave as part of my notice period). Did I a) arrange to go and visit friends in another part of the country, b) tell everyone I was going away, but secretly plan on staying home and hiding out or c) book a week in Turkey. Sigh.

That would be bad enough if I hadn’t already agreed to go to a music festival, and promptly forgotten I had to pay for it. (at least it’s £60, not a Glastonbury sized £150).

In fact I feel a need to revise my SOA. That’s how bad it is.

angelavdavis

OK, so you fell off the wagon. You need to dust yourself down and start again!

The only one that can change your behaviour is YOU!

1) Have you cut up the credit cards? Do this to all except one card, put that in a bag of water and stick in the freezer.
2) Grab a notepad right now and get the meter readings this minute. Here is the link to quidco, sign up with them and go onto USwitch to shop for utilities.
3) Re: ticket for music festival, either advertise it in the local paper, sell it for what you paid for it to a mate or put on eBay NOW!
4) Phone up your lenders and find out what the credit card aprs are and update your SOA with this information.
5) Have a look at the snowball calculator on whatsthecost and enter your debts so you can see when you debt-free date is likely to be at the current rate.
6) Go over to the Old Style Forum for advice on how to reduce the shopping bills. Join the grocery challenge for August.
7) Anything else to ebay to reduce some of the cards?

weeg

Angela, I've just read what I've written in response to your reply, and realised I sound a bit like a baby refusing to play. I don't mean to, and I am grateful for your input. I did the meter readings! and I've beentalking about that for months!

angelavdavis wrote: »

OK, so you fell off the wagon. You need to dust yourself down and start again!

The only one that can change your behaviour is YOU!

1) Have you cut up the credit cards? Do this to all except one card, put that in a bag of water and stick in the freezer. Only have 1 card - and I need it for work expenses. I thought about getting another one, or in resurrected an old one. But I think I'd rather have 1 card than 2.

2) Grab a notepad right now and get the meter readings this minute. Here is the link to quidco, sign up with them and go onto USwitch to shop for utilities. Did this last night. Well, I didn't actually. Turns out I'm on the cheapest supply already.
3) Re: ticket for music festival, either advertise it in the local paper, sell it for what you paid for it to a mate or put on eBay NOW! No. I said I'd go, and I don'r renege on promises. If I dont go my sister cant, and she really wants to.
4) Phone up your lenders and find out what the credit card aprs are and update your SOA with this information. Already there. Always has been.
5) Have a look at the snowball calculator on whatsthecost and enter your debts so you can see when you debt-free date is likely to be at the current rate. I only have 2 debts!
6) Go over to the Old Style Forum for advice on how to reduce the shopping bills. Join the grocery challenge for August. I'm a cook from scratch mostly veggie girl already.
7) Anything else to ebay to reduce some of the cards?

I have to say I'm not even registered on ebay, and I don't have a lot of clutter. Will have a nosy and see what kind of things people buy. I do know I should register on amazon and sell books. I'm sure there must be a market for my over sized collection of guidebooks!


More Tweaking:

Income (after tax and pension) £1700 est (moving jobs at the mo)

Outgoings: Every Month
Mortgage £359
Council tax (inc water) £92
Student Loan £117
Landline: £11
Mobile & broadband £32 (more than a year left on contract)
Electricity £15
Gas £15 £3.83. .
Cinema £11
Institute of Civil Engineers £21 until August.
Petrol £20ish
Groceries (inc toiletries) £100ish
Charity £10 ( but I get a free holiday every year)
£50 to 'slush fund' being built up to cover car expenses, birthdays etc.

Total £830.83

Other – not paid monthly.
Factors £27/quarter
Car Insurance £350ish next due june 08
Buildings insurance (paid through factors)approx £300 Next due Feb 08
Car Tax £110/year
TV licence £140/year due nov 08
Car Servicing £200ish next due march 08
Weddings: £200/year
Birthdays £120/year
Christmas £120/year
Total £1628/year, average £135 month


Things I haven’t forgotten but cost between 0-50/ year. Make up, hair cuts, dentist.
say £100 in total/year. Or £10/month. Bound to be something I've forgotten.

Grand total outgoings :£830 + £135 + £10 = £975/month

Remainder: £1700-£975 = £725




Debts:
£2200 Egg 7.9 APR £ 250/month.
O/D limit £1350. Normally at limit by end of month APR 6.9ish
Student Loan £3500 ish at last statement
Sister £60
Car Paid Off!:D

Total Debts: 2200+1350+60 = 3610 (not including student loan)

3610/say 450 per month = 8 months.

So, mission is to clear my debts by my next birthday -12 March 08. This is do-able. Even by my carp standards, and even allowing for the holidays/ festivals I have planned. But not allowing me to book any more.

Yeah, I'm waffling. But I'm only waffling to myself!