Batten down the hatches.....

Orange_Ena

It's a day off today! Had one yesterday too! I've been for a gym assessment which I really enjoyed and I need to find money in my budget so I can go regularly. I've also taken my lease car for its MOT so thankfully it's no cost to me.

Monday
* £22.65 on groceries. I wasn't planning on it all but I can't resist an offer or 7! Nothing will go to waste at least and I've got enough yogurts to last until payday.
* Scanned receipt for 5p on checkoutsm@rt
* Youg0v and VO survey completed

Yesterday
* £5.00 on getting car washed and a quid for the most useless 'turbo vacuum' at the car wash place. I should have asked for my money back really
* £5.00 on groceries and receipt scanned on checkoutsm@rt
* Picked up my new laptop so I need to arrange for my computer guy to set it all up. I really don't know what I'm doing myself and I trust this guy to sort it out. Might have to wait until payday though!
* 35p transferred to Nati0nwide CC

Today
* Boiler has been serviced, cost of £65 will go on the credit card for now, once they've invoiced me.......hoping they forget to send it :rotfl::D
* Went to get some new work trousers and they were £14 or 2 for £22, except they didn't have the 2 sizes I wanted. As I'm losing weight, it makes sense to get the smaller size too so I have ordered them to be delivered to store, via TCB which has tracked with £1.84 cash back
* £4.42 on cleaning stuff and 2 receipts uploaded to checkoutsm@rt for 10p
* 3p transferred to Nati0nwide CC :rotfl:
* Closed an unused account and the £1.39 will be paid into my current account to then be transferred to Nati0nwide CC
* Youg0v survey

As of today, I have precisely £20 left until payday in 2 weeks. That will cover the last DD to go out tomorrow. I've got a £100 overdraft which I'll probably end up dipping into a little. I have got about £440 stashed in my budget / savings accounts so I've got enough for diesel. I've got a holding account for attempting to hold onto money for a bit so I'll transfer bits back to pay for food. Other than getting my laptop sorted, I don't think I've got any urgent spends needed. No days or nights planned. I'll be a hermit for the next 2 weeks!

I called into my current bank this morning to see what will happen to my saving / budget accounts when I switch my current account to FD and it seems I won't have a way of accessing them without my current account! I do want 2 accounts ideally, one for my bills that wages go into, and then one for spends etc. The lady was lovely, despite the fact that I had to confess I was leaving them! But she said it was fine to open another current account with them so all is saved. I can switch, grab my £100, have a bills account and then still have my little savings pots with a shiny new current account. Just hope it all goes smoothly now.

catriona79

Good luck with the FD acc. I've had mine since 2006, they are wonderful..

Living on a budget for a couple of weeks really focuses you, and it's an empowering feeling, when you get to pay day.

So, you are a mortgage o/p fan too? I'd love to be able to do that

Orange_Ena

catriona79 wrote: »

Good luck with the FD acc. I've had mine since 2006, they are wonderful..

Living on a budget for a couple of weeks really focuses you, and it's an empowering feeling, when you get to pay day.

So, you are a mortgage o/p fan too? I'd love to be able to do that

Cheers Catriona, they've certainly impressed me so far.

I love the idea of overpaying. And I really want to do it, even a bit makes a difference. It's just knowing what to do really. I hate my job and what I actually do so I'd want to do something different which I'm guessing wouldn't pay as well. But then that might be less stressful, or will it be more stressful cause I'll be even more skint than I am now. So then I think, if I work 3 days a week, that would probably be the equivalent of a lower paid admin job (that I used to do) so I could still do my job, but less of it and have the option to have 2 separate jobs, but be paid quite well. But then I go back to thinking, NO! I hate my job, I don't want to do it AT ALL!

So then I think, if I move to the seaside (bit of a dream of mine) I will have to leave my job. But what happens if I can't get a job in my new area? And then part of me hopes they downgrade me or even make me redundant (really bad I know) so that I get the push I need and when push comes to shove, I would have to find something else job wise. Aaargghhh........its a constant battle in my head. But then back to reality with a great big bump....... I can't do a lot with this debt hanging over me. Just got to keep plugging away and plot my future!

Orange_Ena

Back to work today. Boo. Hiss.

Today
* £5.64 on a top up shop.
* 49p transferred to Nati0nwide CC
* Set up my new internet banking for FD and gave them a date for the switch, which is after most of my direct debits go out on the 1st. Just in case!
* Decided to apply for a new CC to see if I could get a better rate. My Barclayc@rd is mostly on a 0% but that's going to run out in November and my Nati0nwide CC is 19.9%! I did the MSE eligibility checker and went for a Ll0yds card with a long 0% deal and a low transfer fee. I got accepted for £3500 which isn't quite enough for all of it but better than nowt. I've transferred all the Nati0nwide CC and about half of Barcl@ycard.

I've been thinking a lot about my mortgage. My current 4.29% deal runs out next April and I checked with my current provider to see what deals are out there. I can start looking properly just after Christmas for a new deal but at the moment there's a 4 year fix for 2.49% which lowers my monthy payment by about £62. But this would allow me to overpay! Or shift my debt quicker, which is slightly more urgent.

I also worked out my daily interest rate......... £7.40! :eek:

I've got a lot of research to do and a lot to think about!

catriona79

Orange_Ena wrote: »

Back to work today. Boo. Hiss.

Today
* £5.64 on a top up shop.
* 49p transferred to Nati0nwide CC
* Set up my new internet banking for FD and gave them a date for the switch, which is after most of my direct debits go out on the 1st. Just in case!
* Decided to apply for a new CC to see if I could get a better rate. My Barclayc@rd is mostly on a 0% but that's going to run out in November and my Nati0nwide CC is 19.9%! I did the MSE eligibility checker and went for a Ll0yds card with a long 0% deal and a low transfer fee. I got accepted for £3500 which isn't quite enough for all of it but better than nowt. I've transferred all the Nati0nwide CC and about half of Barcl@ycard.

I've been thinking a lot about my mortgage. My current 4.29% deal runs out next April and I checked with my current provider to see what deals are out there. I can start looking properly just after Christmas for a new deal but at the moment there's a 4 year fix for 2.49% which lowers my monthy payment by about £62. But this would allow me to overpay! Or shift my debt quicker, which is slightly more urgent.

I also worked out my daily interest rate......... £7.40! :eek:

I've got a lot of research to do and a lot to think about!

Hello,

Great news about the card. More £s towards capital repayment.
I was thinking, what is your credit utilisation ratio? Essentially, what are the limits on all your open credit accounts and what's the percentage you are using? If you aren't maxed out, and BCard is not 0%, maybe you could get another 0% transfer card? Or would Nwide offer a balance transfer!
Anything to bring that debt down!!


You seem unhappy in your job. Could you do the same for another organisation? Would that be any better?

Re mortgage, excellent. I heartily recommend the MSE tool, I've been playing with it for weeks!

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mortgages/best-buys/

You might find a better deal than with your own bank!

lcc86

Hey Orange Ena, just catching up with your diary, I really can empathise with your work situation having been there on more than one occasion. With me, the ultimate deciding factor was my wellbeing - when work starts affecting stuff like that it's time to move on. I don't know what field you're in or if you're looking for something completely different but I say get yourself out there on the job market

I also have the mortgage dilemma, I would love to overpay, especially being 3 years into a 35 year term, but I haven't got capacity to do so yet. Hopefully one day we can both make it onto the Mortgage Free Wannabe boards :money:

Orange_Ena

catriona79 wrote: »

Hello,

Great news about the card. More £s towards capital repayment.
I was thinking, what is your credit utilisation ratio? Essentially, what are the limits on all your open credit accounts and what's the percentage you are using? If you aren't maxed out, and BCard is not 0%, maybe you could get another 0% transfer card? Or would Nwide offer a balance transfer!
Anything to bring that debt down!!


You seem unhappy in your job. Could you do the same for another organisation? Would that be any better?

Re mortgage, excellent. I heartily recommend the MSE tool, I've been playing with it for weeks!

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mortgages/best-buys/

You might find a better deal than with your own bank!

Cheers Catriona.

My Nati0nwide card was pretty maxed out, balance of £1400 and limit of £1500, although they just offered me a £1800 limit but I ignored the letter. The Barclayc@rd balance is £4200 ish with a limit of £5800. I think I'll definitely look at applying for another 0% card in a couple of months before the interest ramps up on the remaining balance!

I work in the nhs so I think whichever organisation I worked for, it would be the same stresses. Plus I'm sick of my actual job. It's a bit specialised so it's a bit difficult really to do anything else. I've kind of given myself a 3 year deadline (when my lease car goes back) to get debt free and to get some savings so I can leave my job. Either that or meet a man who can take me away from all this haha :rotfl::p

Blimey, thanks for the link. Just had a quick look and wow, potentially loads of savings to be had! I think I need to see an IFA a bit nearer my current deal finishing to get the wheels in motion.

Orange_Ena

lcc86 wrote: »

Hey Orange Ena, just catching up with your diary, I really can empathise with your work situation having been there on more than one occasion. With me, the ultimate deciding factor was my wellbeing - when work starts affecting stuff like that it's time to move on. I don't know what field you're in or if you're looking for something completely different but I say get yourself out there on the job market

I also have the mortgage dilemma, I would love to overpay, especially being 3 years into a 35 year term, but I haven't got capacity to do so yet. Hopefully one day we can both make it onto the Mortgage Free Wannabe boards :money:

Thanks lcc. It's a horrible feeling isn't it. I just feel so down with work, but then sometimes I have quite good days when things go to plan and I think it's ok, I can cope. I love being off work but I get the doom feelings the night before I go back which is just so depressing. I've got really good things going on in my life cause I'm finally getting organised at home, tackling my debt and most importantly to me, I'm losing weight after years of being massively overweight. But I feel the work situation is really taking the shine off the good things. For years I've settled for stuff but I want a decent life now, not necessarily a top paying job and loads of money, but to be happy and to feel that I enjoy my work. Maybe I'm asking too much :rotfl:

I really admire you for just not accepting the situation, but to move on and jump off that scary cliff! Thanks for the encouragement but until I'm debt free, I'm just not brave enough to make that leap. But I'm going to try and get there as quick as I can!

We'll make it to the MFW boards by hook or by crook!

Orange_Ena

I've had a really itchy left palm which I vaguely knew was something superstitious to do with money. Turns out you need to scratch it to stop the money leaving you. My palm is now red raw cause I'm wanting to hang on the the bit of money I've got. Or it could just be dry skin! :rotfl:

Yesterday
* Youg0v survey
* £32 on diesel. I used my fuel save thingy at t3sco and filled up my car for probably the last time. I get my new lease car on the 9th so I'm hoping this full tank will last me until then. I've got £30 left in my diesel account if needed!

Today
* Sw@gbucks surveys and a few videos watched
* £22.64 on groceries. I've added up all my grocery spends since payday and so far it's £180! Some of that is cleaning stuff and more expensive stuff like washing powder, loo rolls etc. I've also realised a large proportion of that is milk. I've got a lactose intolerance which has only become apparent recently and I used to drink maybe 1 coffee a week now I'm on 4 or 5 a day! And because I can now drink milk when I just used to avoid it, I'm going mad for milky coffees! Really need to limit myself cause it's £1.35 a litre!
* Scanned grocery receipt on checkoutsm@rt for 5p
* I used my new M@tch and M0re card for the first time and she definitely scanned it but when I was uploading my receipt on checkoutsm@rt I noticed it said I could have earned 300 match points as my shopping would have been cheaper elsewhere. Erm, something has gone wrong! I want those points now I've bothered to get this card so I'll call in sometime and demand my points!! :rotfl:;)
* Did a little job for a friend for £20, transferred straight to jdwilliams
* Transferred £8.03 from payp@l (leaving enough for the fees) to jdWilliams. My balance is now £9.08. So happy it's nearly gonnnneeeee!
* Counted up all my loose change and it's come to £21.74 so I'm effectively not in debt to jdWilliams. I'm going to keep the loose change though for when I get round to doing a car boot
* Did a meter reading for my new energy supplier ready for the switch on Monday

Other income streams
* Checkoutsm@rt - 65p
* Sh0pitize - 25p
* Valu3d Opini0ns - £ 32.45
* Youg0v - 400 points
* Sw@gbucks - 300SB

Off to fiddle with some calculators.......:)

lcc86

Orange_Ena wrote: »

Thanks lcc. It's a horrible feeling isn't it. I just feel so down with work, but then sometimes I have quite good days when things go to plan and I think it's ok, I can cope. I love being off work but I get the doom feelings the night before I go back which is just so depressing. I've got really good things going on in my life cause I'm finally getting organised at home, tackling my debt and most importantly to me, I'm losing weight after years of being massively overweight. But I feel the work situation is really taking the shine off the good things. For years I've settled for stuff but I want a decent life now, not necessarily a top paying job and loads of money, but to be happy and to feel that I enjoy my work. Maybe I'm asking too much :rotfl:

I really admire you for just not accepting the situation, but to move on and jump off that scary cliff! Thanks for the encouragement but until I'm debt free, I'm just not brave enough to make that leap. But I'm going to try and get there as quick as I can!

We'll make it to the MFW boards by hook or by crook!

I totally understand where you're coming from, I was lucky in that I managed to find something similar, exactly the same money and closer to home. It's not what I want to do long term but I volunteer now in the sector I want to work in so I tell myself that I'm keeping my hand in as it were. Being in debt does make it harder cos you have to factor it in to every decision you make! At least we can cheer each other on :T