Catriona's Credit Card Countdown

catriona79

Hello Seasidegal, and anyone who may be reading this.

Another sunny day in the Midlands! It's a warm summer evening, and it's such a shame to be in the house.

Another argument with the boyfriend yesterday morning, which took me by surprise completely and I didn't sleep v well last night. Got to work early and finished early too. Got back and been trying to relax but also been thinking how the weather has been beautiful and what a waste of a sunny day to spend it worrying and arguing. So, time to smile and do something positive! Seems like life has begun to, again, trickle through my fingers.

I need to get myself sorted and possibly look for a new partner. Need positivity and kindness!

On the debt front, it's less exciting now that payday has been and gone. But I've had a spend free day, that's got to count for something.

Also, I am on a health drive - I always find it really easy not to eat when I am worried. At least there is an advantage to all this boyfriend misery. I may be miserable, but I'm getting thinner!

One good thing I did today is moving a couple of direct debits to a current account I haven't been using, in order for them to register there on the 1st Sept, after which I will open a H@lif@x current account and will use their switching service to earn £100 and then a £5 each month thereafter. Every little helps, I guess! It will give me something to do

Lodger is away this weekend, woo hoo! Really looking forward to having the house to myself. hopefully it's another sunny weekend. I'd love to go to the seaside! Might try and organise that for the weekend after, and get away. Maybe meet a friend there. Brighton! Or Wales:) a lovely beach on a sunny day- perfection!!

catriona79

And another Monday has come around!

Hope everyone had a good weekend.

I have finally told my lodger that he will need to move out, for definite.
Felt bad doing it, but have also offered to help him move his stuff in my car and have given him flexibility. He thought it would be November time, but I insisted it was a month's notice.
Awful, but I have found more carelessness, i.e. the front of his drawer (new, ikea, one of their more expensive ranges) was hanging down on one side, almost vertically, supported only by one screw on the one side, and he wasn't even going to push it back into place, not to mention telling me and asking me to fix it, or fixing it himself.
More annoyingly, there is a new sash window in his room, and he used force to close it (instead of asking how to do it) and as a result has bent the metal closing mechanism. It's such a shame all this damage. I'm relieved that he is going. I'm feeling a bit bad, but trying not to feel too guilty, because it is for a good reason.

Time to go to work, me thinks.

Am pleased to report, that tracking spending in YNAB has actually, I think, made me be more aware/ careful, so I think it is working for me. Which is great! So if, by the end of the month, I have noticed that I got on better with my money, I may pay the full price for it.

Hope everyone has a good week.

catriona79

Happy Saturday everyone!!! Whoop whoop!

There have been some changes in my life, and may of them positive.

No 1 I've finally got a new car. This is the first time in my life when I have got a car that I like. It's a miniiiiiii have wanted one for 12 years, but could never justify one. So when my old car broke down and wasn't worth repairing any more, I got the mini. Worried about it for so long, but it's now done and I am very happy. Never thought I'd like it so much. I feel thoroughly spoilt driving it.
Obviously, this decision has depleted my savings.... My dad has mentioned that he would give me a substantial amount towards it, which came as a v nice surprise, as my parents have never really helped out in that way before. So I will have to readjust my signature at some point....

In addition, 4 weeks today my lodger will have moved out. This puts a smile on my face. It's been too negative and I've decided that I'd rather have a reduced income than share my house any more. I've been sharing for 3 years now and feel that I can't do it any longer. At least not for the moment. If I find, in a few months, that I want to go back to renting my room out, then I will.
I've done my budget and all it means is that I won't be able to pay much towards my debt. But in the grand scheme of things, I have to feel happy, it is the most important thing.

And... Things have been very rocky with my boyfriend again, but I'm feeling much stronger than this time last year, which is a consolation to me. Trying to work out a way out of it. I do hope that I'm strong to stick by what I decide.

I think I may go for a run now and get some endorphins going. Haven't been in an age!! Then might clear out my wardrobe. I feel that I need to do it.

Have a good day everyone

Seasidegal58

Hi Catriona

Lovely to read about the positive vibes, hope you are enjoying your new car and counting down the days till you get your home back,

Here's to sorting it out with the boyfriend!

catriona79

Good morning

It's a Saturday morning and I have a really lovely weekend planned. I am meeting a new man today for the afternoon/evening and then tomorrow I go to a spa with a good friend of mine. Wales, in the middle of nowhere and we are staying over! What a treat!

In other good news, my lodger is moving out a week today. I cannot wait! Whoop whoop. It is going to be lovely to wake up on Sunday next week and be here by myself. I've got to get Febreeze at the ready.

Money.oooooh.
I will need to adjust my signature - I haven't on purpose, as the totals will go up again, since the car was bought. Dreading doing it.

But, on a very positive note, I did really well last month with my budget and that's thanks to YNAB, that I wasn't so fond of to begin with! (Chomping on my hat as I write this!)

Obviously, things are going to change dramatically from Oct onwards, as I will have £450 less a month (no lodger). I've looked at the budget every which way and it's nigh on impossible to carry on saving £300 a month without the lodger money. I would have to do nothing but buy modest food and petrol to get to work. It isn't workable long term. So savings contributions will have to be reduced.

My intention is to live by myself until Xmas and then reassess. I'll enjoy the break, so that will be good. I will not get anywhere fast if I don't have a lodger, it will take years. I will be working to only keep the house.

My mum and I have had a good chat about it all. Mum says I should look at buying a flat and then living by myself and having more disposable to do nice things with. And I would have to agree. But it's emotionally difficult to take the decision to sell and buy somewhere new.
Mum says I should be having fun and making the most of my life, which is true. There is no point being stuck in a situation where most of my income goes on maintaining the house, and the house is too big for me. Well, it's a 2 bed terrace, but I could easily live in a flat and that would be fine.

The house would sell for somewhere in the range of £180, the mortgage and homeowner loan is 114k all in.

That leaves me with 65k equity plus £6k savings and the promised £10k from mum and dad towards the car.

I have seen a lovely 1 bed flat for 90k and a 2 bed with a balcony for 112, which is probably my favourite, as it always leaves me the option of renting out the spare room if anything goes wrong.

Both would need about £10k work and then there are the removal costs. I am trying yo work out if it's sensible to do that or not...

The other obvious option is to get another lodger in (hisssssss and pay off a large amount every month, helped by the trusty YNAB app. I'd probably be better at it now. Aaargh. I have to say I hate having to make these choices. Living hand to mouth and not being able to pay off the debt is awful.

What do I do? Would you just grit your teeth and get a new lodger in, and try to then pay off £800 a month? Or just take it slowly?
I have been focused on what I have to do for so long and have neglected to think of how having a lodger impacts me emotionally... So want to stay a little bit more self aware and good to myself. I definitely need the house to myself for a month now.


The date today, what a nice man. What a contrast from the ex. Trouble is, I still think of the ex. Grrrr to me!

Time to get on! I'll update my sig and make a commitment to record on here, once a week, all my spends for the week.

catriona79

Ooh so went from 69% to 6% paid off! What a rude awakening!

I do need to come up with a plan, this is taking too long, I'm not being effective. Car needed to be got and yes, it was expensive, but also what I had wanted for so long. Not going to beat myself up about it.
Now it's time to do some thinking about priorities.

catriona79

October update as follows:

Virgin CC - £5000 – 0% until January 2016
NatWest - £3850 – 0% until March 2015
Tesco CC - £2250 – 0% until October 2015
Homeowner Loan – £11,558 - 3.4%

Savings - £7033

The total is :eek::eek::eek: £15,624 :eek::eek::eek:

Seasidegal58

Morning Catriona:hello:

Just been catching up with your diary and hers to counting the days down to a lodger -free home (or at least for a while!

Good to hear your budget is working out and you're getting on with YNAB.

Perhaps a flat is the way to go for you. The two-bedroom sounds nice and you are right in that you can always take in another lodger there if things get tight

I hope the date with the new guy went really well for you and enjoy your spa time!

ZTD

catriona79 wrote: »

In other good news, my lodger is moving out a week today. I cannot wait! Whoop whoop. It is going to be lovely to wake up on Sunday next week and be here by myself. I've got to get Febreeze at the ready.

:rotfl:

catriona79 wrote: »

Obviously, things are going to change dramatically from Oct onwards, as I will have £450 less a month (no lodger). I've looked at the budget every which way and it's nigh on impossible to carry on saving £300 a month without the lodger money. I would have to do nothing but buy modest food and petrol to get to work. It isn't workable long term. So savings contributions will have to be reduced.

Living expense take priority over savings. Assuming you want to keep living that is...

catriona79 wrote: »

My intention is to live by myself until Xmas and then reassess. I'll enjoy the break, so that will be good. I will not get anywhere fast if I don't have a lodger, it will take years. I will be working to only keep the house.

My mum and I have had a good chat about it all. Mum says I should look at buying a flat and then living by myself and having more disposable to do nice things with. And I would have to agree. But it's emotionally difficult to take the decision to sell and buy somewhere new.

Why?

catriona79 wrote: »

Mum says I should be having fun and making the most of my life, which is true. There is no point being stuck in a situation where most of my income goes on maintaining the house, and the house is too big for me. Well, it's a 2 bed terrace, but I could easily live in a flat and that would be fine.

The house would sell for somewhere in the range of £180, the mortgage and homeowner loan is 114k all in.

That leaves me with 65k equity plus £6k savings and the promised £10k from mum and dad towards the car.

I have seen a lovely 1 bed flat for 90k and a 2 bed with a balcony for 112, which is probably my favourite, as it always leaves me the option of renting out the spare room if anything goes wrong.

Or indeed of having friends to stay.

catriona79 wrote: »

Both would need about £10k work and then there are the removal costs. I am trying yo work out if it's sensible to do that or not...

What makes it "not sensible"?

catriona79 wrote: »

The other obvious option is to get another lodger in (hisssssss and pay off a large amount every month, helped by the trusty YNAB app. I'd probably be better at it now. Aaargh. I have to say I hate having to make these choices. Living hand to mouth and not being able to pay off the debt is awful.

What do I do? Would you just grit your teeth and get a new lodger in, and try to then pay off £800 a month? Or just take it slowly?
I have been focused on what I have to do for so long and have neglected to think of how having a lodger impacts me emotionally... So want to stay a little bit more self aware and good to myself. I definitely need the house to myself for a month now.

Well the choice depends on what bothers you the most:

1. The debt lingering, paying interest on said debt, having no life.
2. Having no/less debt, moving house to a flat.
3. Having a lodger.

There are advantages to each of those situations as well, but you'll have to fill those in.

catriona79 wrote: »

The date today, what a nice man. What a contrast from the ex. Trouble is, I still think of the ex. Grrrr to me!

Indeed. If you have a genuine nice man, make sure he doesn't get away. Thinking of ex's allows that to happen. He's an ex for a number of reasons.

catriona79 wrote: »

Time to get on! I'll update my sig and make a commitment to record on here, once a week, all my spends for the week.

You've just met him, and you're talking about commitments already...

catriona79

Seasidegal58 wrote: »

Morning Catriona:hello:

Just been catching up with your diary and hers to counting the days down to a lodger -free home (or at least for a while!

Good to hear your budget is working out and you're getting on with YNAB.

Perhaps a flat is the way to go for you. The two-bedroom sounds nice and you are right in that you can always take in another lodger there if things get tight

I hope the date with the new guy went really well for you and enjoy your spa time!

Hi SG,

Thanks for popping over glad to hear you're doing consistently well, you've really made a proper dent in the dent now. Next time it will be over 20% paid off!

I agree, flat may be the way forward. Currently my mortgage plus homeowner loan is £615 a month and the CCs are £135/ month. All things being equal, I could re-mortgage the house and my monthly payment would be £430 or I could buy a flat with a £52k mortgage (that would leave me £12.5k to do it up with), and pay off £210 a month. So £220 a month gain. I'm not sure whether that's enough to swap to a flat that's much more difficult to sell and has much less space. Plus it has £100/month maintenance etc fees.

It isn't a mind blowing amount of difference, but I'll need to work out exactly all the other costs. See what else would be different.

Need to do my homework!

Hope you're having a good morning. The spa weekend was great, so good to chat to my friend about stuff, it was much needed and now I've only got 4 days at work! Whoop whoop.