So I'm back again and I want to save for a new life!

herewegoagain2010

Well been a busy bee and not posted for ages! The chair woman finally turned up with her £10 but nit tried to sell anything for. Have been saving like mad an switched to the santander 123 current account. We're still a couple of weeks away from pay but there's just over £4200 Sat in there. I've nit paid anything to zoos yet as now it's over 3k it's 3% interest. My plan is to keep saving until there's enough money to clear it in one go and leave £1000 rainy day money. Need to sit down and draw up the updated o/s debt list and see how we're doing.

herewegoagain2010

Finally updating our out standings debts...

Car loan 32months left £302 = £9964 (0% for life)
Zopa 29months left £153.44 = £4453.73 (6.8% for life)
Virgin credit card min £25 month = £1723.88 (O% until dec)

Savings sat in Santander = approx. £3500

Have been toying with the idea of paying a lump sum off the zopa, but don't want to wipe out all our savings. Was thinking £2000 would be a nice amount and would still leave a little rainy day money. Seems silly paying 6.8% on the loan, when we're only getting 3% in the bank.

herewegoagain2010

Updating the figures and they've not changed as much as I'd have liked! I've been trying to send everything I can to the zopa loan and it's come down quite a chunk. The extra payments have adjusted the loan amount now so will keep sending the overpayments and the additional 'saving' too.

Car : £ 9302.00
Virgin : £ 1698.88
Zopa : £ 3187.81

Our savings in the current account have taken a bit of a battering. I know where each and penny has gone, nearly 2k of it.

Our rental house has needed a few bits and bobs doing to it. It's amazing how the £50 plumber here and £250 new kitchen flooring add up.

The children both needed new clothes as they've grown so much and I've lost a lot of weight so needed the basic like trosuers and tops. I've altered the bits I can, shopped well but still it's money that's gone from the account.

The biggie is, is that we've decided that we needed a family holiday. My hubby will be away for a total of 7.5 months this year, so two weeks in the sun together away from all the normal pressures at home. People may scoff, but unless you live the forces life you don't know the strain it puts on family life. Hubby and I have discussed it at length from both angles the cost vs the benefit. It will affect out dfd but this year has been expectional with his time away. We realise we're saving for a new life, but the holiday is about 2months savings so in he scheme of things it's a blip.

Balances 22/6
Current account (dd / bill account) : £1485.85
Food / expense account : £41.20

The plan to pay day is to stretch the £41-20 the next 8 days and when it's gone, it's gone! I really don't want to touch the savings account, all the direct debits have gone so it should stay at that balance.

My child benefit will be paid on the 25th, but my plan is to send that payment to zopa. Will mean we're close to cracking the 3k mark. I'm sat waiting on a £85 cashback payment too, which will get whizzed over. It should be paid in the next month, so not counting that until it arrives.

The car is full of fuel, nothing on my other cards, next account and am update with all kids expenses clubs etc. Have been shopping today so fridge well stocked, still plenty in the freezer and meal plans done. I need to really foscus on the no spend days and keep a track of all spending. Will be updating my diary a lot more, as it keeps me on track! x

jamesd

Now seems like a good time to look into getting a 0% for purchases credit card. Put all possible day to day spending on that and it'll free up money for other things, letting you use much of the savings to reduce the Zopa balance, as well as potentially accumulating enough to pay off the Virgin card.

Once you have the card and its credit limit you can pretty much rely on that much replacement credit being available, so will not have as much of a need for the larger savings amount.

tootallulah

I think that the holiday is needed and important after a year when your husband will be away so much, great to be together as a family. You are doing very well paying everything off too. I think James is also giving good advice, I would just keep £1000 as an emergency fund and hammer down the loan